Feeling discouraged, not enough hours in the day

I don't have kids but I do work several jobs. I think the trick for me when I'm busy is to find a way to work in exercise. If I need to go somewhere (grocery store, work, friend's house) I plan ahead and try to allow time to walk or bike instead of drive (better on the car and gas usage anyway).

Have you checked tot make sure you are eating in a deficit? If you go to http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ and plug all of your information in it will tell you how many calories you need in order to lose weight. Also, you have to weigh all of your food. I didn't think it mattered, but until I started weighing my food, I didn't see a change in the scale. A lot of people believe that exercise is crucial to weight loss, and it is! However, a healthy diet is more crucial than exercise. You can work out all day long, but if you blow your calories on junk food and processed fast foods, you won't see any change at all. If you can't find time to exercise, just do it when you can, and focus more on your healthy eating habits!

Maybe at night you could prep a few healthy things for the next day. For example you could put together a salad minus the dressing (so it won't get soggy) and cut up some fruit and veggies. That way it is easy to eat a little better. I know it's hard to take time for yourself but if you treat it as mandatory like you would with work and schedule it maybe you can get a couple workouts a week in. You could take your little one for walks which might help.

Recently I've been setting my cellphone alarm and getting up at 5:40am and go to the gym. I'm back @ 7am. Take a shower and you're ready to roll for the day. Aiming for every other day workouts.

Honestly, since I've made the switch I DO feel less irritable. I think as Moms (people) we get our aggression out in the form of exercise we're less apt to anger or get sad. At least that's my feeling about it. Maybe cause everyones needs are getting met = including mine.

Feel free to friend me. I'm trying to make an effort on MFP to get plugged in.

I don't think you should deprive yourself for the rest of the day. That can be harmful. Eat dinner and start again tomorrow. I think convenience is key to your food. When I stayed at home I ate often too but I found if I had healthy options that were quick I would choose them. I had to stop buying things I overindulge on such as cheese sticks (I could eat a whole package at once). I've also found logging my food a day or two in advance can be helpful because it's easier to eat what you logged rather than have to change your log.

I had to stop buying things I overindulge on such as cheese sticks (I could eat a whole package at once).

THIS!

I stopped buying "junk" food and found better alternatives. My chips are made out of veggies and flax seed, my crackers are multigrain, I keep zero cheese in the house, no cookies, and only keep a secret stash of 100 calorie chocolate bars for when I need it. My boyfriend eats most of the carb foods before I can even get to them so that helps too. But the key is that you are the one grocery shopping, so first of all don't ever grocery shop while hungry! Then, change your shopping habits! Stop buying the bad guilty pleasures and stock up on healthful snacks and awesome salad ingredients. Start reading labels at the store, or get an app like "Fooducate" to help you find healthier alternatives to what you like.

I agree with others who have said you should rest more. Prioritize sleep! That can be a huge factor in your weight loss. And if you are feeling consistently down and depressed then maybe you need to take a look at the big picture and get in some "me" time, do things that are rejuvenating to you, or look into counseling. Mental health has a lot of stigma in this society but it's nothing to be ashamed of and if your mood is interrupting your life then you should talk to someone about it. Been there, done that. It can make the world of a difference.

Also, the mom who posted about swinging her kids around in laundry baskets sounds super fun. There's mom and baby yoga classes and all kinds of stuff you could find if you are really determined to add in more exercise! But as long as you stay in deficit, and keep up the awesome long daily walks, you should be good!

What is your loss goal set at? If it is 2 lbs/week, lower it to 1.5 or even 1. It will "give back" some cals so you won't go over your limit so much and will remove that feeling of discouragement.

Can your DP watch the little one in the evening or take over some of the household chores after he has gone to bed so you can fit in a workout of 30 minutes every other day?

Any chance you can add some running in? Maybe get a jogging stroller and take the little one and the dog for a jog instead of such a long walk. Or change up the walking routine. If these are ambling type walks, speed them up.

Fitting in the exercise can be a challenge but sometimes you just have to get creative. (carry hand weights while walking to play dates, do lunges while you are walking the dog, etc.)

Can your DP watch the little one in the evening or take over some of the household chores after he has gone to bed so you can fit in a workout of 30 minutes every other day?

This may be a major key.....

I hope this does not sound judgmental, because I do not mean for it to at all, but does your "DP" understand that you *already* work a full-time (plus overtime) job caring for DS, the household, shopping, meal prep, laundry, etc. etc. etc. etc.? I guess I am just curious as to why you are expected to work a 2nd (or maybe it'd be better to say a THIRD) job being a freelancer. Does your hubby also hold two jobs? If not, why not?

I ask because I remember my father telling me a story that apparently took place when my sister and i were little girls. My parents were young at that time, not even yet 30 years old, and my mother was a stay at home mom. Sometimes when my father would come home, dinner would not yet be ready and the house would be messy. He hated this and would get upset with my mother. One day he basically asked her "what in the world she did all day long anyway?"....so she asked him if he'd like her to write down her daily tasks, line-by-line, hour-by-hour, for him. He said that was a great idea (thinking he'd catch her in being "lazy"). When he came home that night, and got to the THIRD page of breakfast and laundry and naps and bills and one little girl vomiting while the other one ate the plants and then the other had to be changed and bathed and.... (which only got her to about 11:00am), he looked a little pale and just said, "I'm sorry".

I'm not saying your hubby thinks you're lazy at all - I just wonder if he truly grasps the magnitude of everything you have to accomplish. In my opinion, if you don't have time to do even the basic things your body needs to survive, such as sleep and exercise, then there is an imbalance in the family responsibilities and this needs to be corrected.

I'd just like to add in closing that my father, who is now approaching 70 years old, now nannies my 2.5 year old niece while my sister works. lol. There have been times when I've called him during the day when he answers out of breath and says, "I have to call you back...she just pee'd on the floor and is running through the house with no pants on". hahaaa!!! Oh, karma.

I think a few people missed the point a bit though, yes I log and weigh everything, the problem is that some days when I'm exhausted or feeling low I go over my calorie limit. I know I don't eat in deficit every day, that's my problem. Seeing as I can't fit in much more exercise to counteract the extra calories I'm looking for some tips/motivation to avoid extras/naughty stuff.

Your profile says that you joined MFP in March 2014, and your ticker says that you've lost 8 lb. That's good progress in 2 months (or 3, if you joined March 1). That's 0.7-1 lb./week, which is a good, healthy weight loss rate.

If that's an accurate report on your progress, I'd say that you're doing great, and that you shouldn't beat yourself up if you sometimes go over your goal. I treat my goal as a weekly average; some days I go over, and some days I'm under. As long as it balances out in the long run, I'm happy.

Good luck, and don't be to hard on yourself if you're actually making progress. The people who need to be hard on themselves are those who've been on the site for months or years but who haven't lost weight despite supposedly running a significant calorie deficit every day.

I have one week where I work 72 hours (3x12 on days and 3x12 on nights) in addition to 1 hour drive each way. I will eat anything when I am tired and hungry and lots of it. The only way I get thru this is to set aside an hour or two to portion healthy food. I slice a cucumber, radish and oranges and put them in baggies in the fridge for lunches. Each pack is about 100 calories and quick to grab because when I am tired I want no preparation time between me and my food so I can get some sleep. The time it takes to prepare the grab & go packs is well worth it. Do yourself like you do the 2 year old, sometimes dry Cheerios are a perfect snack.