So tired.

kgillikin
kgillikin Posts: 191 Member
edited September 23 in Motivation and Support
Well I have been losing weight very, very, very slowly. I started trying to lose the baby weight beginning in September and have only lost 15lbs. I have a 3yo and 9 month old twins. Life has been so busy since the twins. I got laid off from my job after having them and now work at a job making less money and have more hours. My husband got a 2nd job. I get up, get everyone ready, to school, and I go to work. I come home, pick them up, fix dinner, we eat, clean up, give baths, put kids to bed. By that time I get everything ready for the next day and crash myself. Then my huband had to have back surgery so it was like having 4 kids for a while. He started back to his 2 jobs in December. Now he will need to have hip surgery. All 3 of my kids and my husband now have the good ole Texas crud. I am so tired that I am not eating as I should be or exercising. I also have no one to help me. People say just call me and I will come help but they never do. I really want to have lost 30-33lbs total by thier 1st birthday but at this rate I dont think that is going to happen. Any suggestions on how to fit in eating well/fitness with no time? It seems like whenever I try to exercise or cook my children need me. I am fine with letting them cry it out but mine just wont. My youngest will scream the whole 45minutes I am trying to exercise and it does not matter what time of the day that I do it he screams. So frustrated with myself for not doing as I should.

Replies

  • (((you)))
  • MissKim
    MissKim Posts: 2,853 Member
    Hey girlie,

    I added you the other day when I invited you to join our group. You really should join by the way!!! still waiting on you to come introduce yourself!

    However, I am in no way in your exact shoes b/c you had twins! and I can't even imagine what you are going through. Esp with another child and a husband that is having sugeries! Bless your heart! However, I just had my first baby 8 wks ago, so I too am struggling to lose the baby weight while doing my motherly duties. It is hard. so i can imagine it's much harder for you! but you still have to find a way to take care of yourself, b/c if your not healthy your not at your best for your family! Not really sure of any advice I can give you except for just watch your portion sizes and what you eat. You may not have time for exercise, but I'm sure you get plenty of that will all you do for you husband and kids. So the main thing you need to worry about is putting the right stuff in your mouth. and no matter how much we have to do in our lives, it takes the same amount of time to eat unhealthy food as is does healthy food! (stress just makes us want the tastier option!) So focus on that! and somehow, someway get you some free time to rest!!!

    Hang in there! We can do this!

    btw, don't forget to join my group! It would be fun to inspire each other to lose the baby weight, and i'll have someone to talk to about babies ;)
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    You have a lot on your plate. You're also in between a rock and a hard place. You'll fell better if you eat right and exercise but getting on track with those can be draining.

    Try not to do everything at once. Make one change right now: i.e. switch from soda to water or an evening snack like cookies to a piece of fruit. Do that for a month. If you have mastered it, move on to the next thing, like exercising 10 min 3 times a day instead of trying to set aside a whole 30 min block.

    You won't lose as fast as you probably want to but you will make long lasting life changes that will lead to long term health and maintained weight loss.

    Good luck.
  • Just breathe!!! Stop, take a second and relax! It sounds like you have a very busy, hectic, full life. You are blessed to have a wonderful family and babies to take care of!! One thing that helps me and my husband is that Sunday afternoons we make a big pot of soup, or casserole, for the week. We split it into portions that way we just grab it in the evening and heat it up...no prep time!! Do you have a wii or xbox 360 kinect? If you do, get a workout game--Just Dance, Zumba, Wii Fit....you could do that with your 3 year old (work for you, fun for them).

    Don't kill yourself. As women, when we stress, we hold on to weight. Enjoy life, and your little ones. Be more concious of getting healthy instead of just losing the weight!! You might start seeing better results :)
  • 6Janelle13
    6Janelle13 Posts: 353 Member
    make friends with your slow cooker for complete healthy meals. I don't have kids yet but school is killing me. I take one day and cook for the whole week. I also keep an emergency stash of quick healthy snacks (pitas, pizza sauce, healthy cheese and veggies etc). I haven't changed my meals much, I just eat less and buy healthier products (ie reduced fat cheese and whole wheat tortillas for a quesodilla). as for exercise, perhaps you can find a shorter work out that the kiddos can do with you? maybe try zumba dance dvd and have them shake their bums with you? or 30 day shred since it's only 22 minutes and then go for walks with the kiddos? It's not easy and I hope you can find something that works better!
  • sanura
    sanura Posts: 459 Member
    yikes! anyone would be tired with a schedule like that! the only thing I can think of is including healthy foods that don't take any time like raw greens, baby carrots, berries and other fruit. a simple no cook meal could be a fruit, some veggies, nuts and a yogurt.
    good luck!!
  • lradloff
    lradloff Posts: 59 Member
    Wow! Hang in there. Don't beat yourself up - go little by little. Being down some thing is better than nothing. While exercise is good and important, if you track your calories and stay under them each day, you should be able to still lose weight without exercise for now. Then you can gradually add it in - even 10 minutes is better than nothing. As the weight comes off, you'll have more energy which will help you. You are already accomplishing a ton - taking care of a busy family!! What I love about MFP is that it is so easy that I can't make excuses for not doing it. I also have the app on my phone which I can carry with me everywhere. If you can, make lunches the night before, so they are healthy and counted out. Make some meals on the weekends that you can freeze and pull out quick. But most of all hang in there and take care!!!
  • How about including them in your workout? I like to take my kid's for walk's. Or when i'm trying to do a home workout my youngest he's 5yo will jump on me. So i try to get him to do it with me or i'll use him as a weight and put him on my leggs and lift . Otherwise we just clear the living room and dance all around. Hope this helps hang in there and don't give up :)
  • nsdodge
    nsdodge Posts: 20 Member
    I don't have any kids but I do work really long hours - 50 -70 a week. I have come up with a few healthy foods that are really quick to make and healthy. Also I tend to make my food on Sundays for the whole week, and put it in separate one serving containers to eat all week long.

    1. Sauteed spinach with garlic, olive oil, and a little soy sauce. Just cut up the garlic, throw it all in a pan, and saute until the spinach turns bright green. It seriously only takes five minutes and tastes great. Goes well with brown rice and maybe some low fat chicken breast as well. I cook a bunch of brown rice at once and freeze it so it I can just microwave it when I want it.

    2. Soup in a crockpot. Crockpot recipes are great because they cook it while you do something else.

    3. Fage greek 2% yogurt for breakfast. Only 120 calories and it's as creamy and delicious as ice cream to me.

    4. Home made popcorn, the kind you buy in bulk and make on the stove top. This is an amazingly cheap, low calorie, and easy to make snack. I put garlic salt on it instead of butter.

    Good luck and I am sorry life is so busy!
  • loseit4ever
    loseit4ever Posts: 187 Member
    I feel your pain! I have three young kids, and until November, I was working full time too. I was leaving the house at 7 am and not getting home until 6:30. Then it was get dinner around, get it cleaned up, get the kids their baths and put in bed, and then pass out! I had a hard time considering exercise because I was always exhausted and wanted to spend the little time I had in the evening with the kids before they went to bed...ugh! The best advice I have for you is prepare meals for the week ahead of time. That helped us tremendously. Also, I let my three year old exercise with me. I usually do something on the Wii when he is around and he likes to either watch and laugh, or do it right along with me. It sets a good example for them too. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you can't make that work, do things during your day that can easily add movement. Park farther away from where you are going, walk faster to where you are going, etc. You CAN do it...you just have to believe it and make it work for you! Keep your head up!:smile:
  • crackerjack345
    crackerjack345 Posts: 129 Member
    You poor thing! Life can be crazy and hectic sometimes. Did you know that working out for 10 min 3 times a day is just as beneficial to your health as one 30 min session is. When I used to work, I took both of my breaks and my lunch and went for a walk. I kept my walking shoes under my desk, and when it was time for my break I would throw them on and go for a 10-15 min walk. Then at lunch I would eat something and do a 20 min walk. It got to be such a habit for me and this was during the time that I lost 75lbs. Try to think out of the box and plan your meals the night before when you're getting ready for bed. Hang in there! You can do it!!!
  • downtome
    downtome Posts: 529 Member
    I'm sorry to hear you are having such a hard time making it all work out! How about taking those babies for a walk everyday to get your exercise in? I'm sure that would quiet them down as they would enjoy the fresh air and scenery and you could met your exercise goals as well. Just a thought! Good luck.
  • kgillikin
    kgillikin Posts: 191 Member
    Thanks. Great advice from everyone. I do include my 3yo in my exercise. As soon as the weather gets better I can put the babies in the stoller and walk around the neigborhood. I also have a girl in my Bible Study class who makes meals on the first Saturday of the month for the whole month so I might ask her if I can join her. I will also start walking again on my lunch. As busy as my life is I love my family and wouldnt trade them for the world. I just love to see their smiling faces when I pick them up from school or hear my 3yo old say "daddy I want mommy to put me to bed tonight" Also my husband is the best in the world. He has 2 jobs, is sick with the crud, and needs surgery but still helps me as much as he can. I will post again in a few weeks and update ya'll on how it is going.
  • I did not read all the post so I hope I do not repeat what others wrote
    but first of all WOW! when you get past all this you are going to be a super inspiration for so many
    and secondly I know you are tired from all that you do but perphaps you are not getting enough good
    fat in your diet...that is supposed to keep you from being as tired.
    that would be your olive oils and avacodo...stuff like that
    and thirdly focus on your diet more than your exercise...that is where you will see the fastest results
    diet is 80 percent of weight loss
    try and eat things that prep easy and those things are usually better for you
    pop open a can of tuna... boil you some eggs early in the week...instant oatmeal...fruitcups...rice cakes
    all these things are fast to fix and swallow and great things to eat
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