Use to be Fit, than life happened!

Just do it! I have a similar story to yours, was very active growing up and have physical jobs after college, then I got a desk job, family and kids!! Its not easy, not going to lie, But I find if I make time for myself and take care of myself I am a much happier person and a better wife and mother.

I'm not a fan of the "life happened" philosophy. Life didn't happen to add pounds to your body. Overeating did that.

I say that not to mean, to make you feel stupid or to show that you're wrong. I say it because the first step to losing weight is admitting that we did something to make that happen...then figure out what we need to change. Some people just overeat a little bit at every meal. Others binge on donuts or candy. Some gain weight because they went on a series of crash diets that caused them to starve and then overeat. Some people don't know which foods are higher in calories. Etc.

There are as many ways to fatness as there are fat people. Everyone has their own stuff that they need to work on. You just have to figure out where your problems lie.

Losing weight isn't terribly complicated. The physical part is exactly what you've heard for years: Eat less than you burn. Plug your info into the MFP and follow the calories it gives you and that part is done. "Eat right and exercise." Everyone has heard it.

It's all the extra stuff that is work - the hows, whys, all of that. You'll learn as you go. Give it some thought. Pay attention to how you feel when you eat certain things - when are you hungriest and least hungry? What do you eat that makes you want more & more & more? What fills you up nicely? Which foods actually have more or less calories than you thought (because you trusted the label and have now weighed it and see it's not what the label said it was)? When you fail, what happened before you failed - did you not eat enough, so you binged? Stuff like that.

I really think that 90% of weight loss is mental. If you're truly motivated and WANT to do the hard work of losing weight, it will happen! You'll get to thin again! The only thing that can stop you is you. So, take a good look at what you did, what you're doing and what you want to do, later, when you're done losing.

For a very few people, it's all so very easy. For most of us, it's really hard work and requires a lot of though/attention...and many adjustments as we go. But we do it and you can, too! No reason you cannot!

Good luck on your weight loss journey!!

Kalikel wrote: »

I'm not a fan of the "life happened" philosophy. Life didn't happen to add pounds to your body. Overeating did that.

I say that not to mean, to make you feel stupid or to show that you're wrong. I say it because the first step to losing weight is admitting that we did something to make that happen...then figure out what we need to change. Some people just overeat a little bit at every meal. Others binge on donuts or candy. Some gain weight because they went on a series of crash diets that caused them to starve and then overeat. Some people don't know which foods are higher in calories. Etc.

There are as many ways to fatness as there are fat people. Everyone has their own stuff that they need to work on. You just have to figure out where your problems lie.

Losing weight isn't terribly complicated. The physical part is exactly what you've heard for years: Eat less than you burn. Plug your info into the MFP and follow the calories it gives you and that part is done. "Eat right and exercise." Everyone has heard it.

It's all the extra stuff that is work - the hows, whys, all of that. You'll learn as you go. Give it some thought. Pay attention to how you feel when you eat certain things - when are you hungriest and least hungry? What do you eat that makes you want more & more & more? What fills you up nicely? Which foods actually have more or less calories than you thought (because you trusted the label and have now weighed it and see it's not what the label said it was)? When you fail, what happened before you failed - did you not eat enough, so you binged? Stuff like that.

I really think that 90% of weight loss is mental. If you're truly motivated and WANT to do the hard work of losing weight, it will happen! You'll get to thin again! The only thing that can stop you is you. So, take a good look at what you did, what you're doing and what you want to do, later, when you're done losing.

For a very few people, it's all so very easy. For most of us, it's really hard work and requires a lot of though/attention...and many adjustments as we go. But we do it and you can, too! No reason you cannot!

Good luck on your weight loss journey!!

^ +1000. Very well said.

Edited to delete. Not worth posting.

If you don't have time to exercise, then just count calories. Does not take a lot of time everyday.

You should already be proud of you - you're a mother and I imagine a wonderful one at that
Weight loss will come - just stay strong and stick to your guns, we'll help you here.

Crystal,
Just the fact that you are here should make you proud, it means you are looking for a change. The loss of fitness didn't happen in a day, and fitness won't return in a day. But plan what you want to do and stick with it, even if it is only 20-30 minutes a day.
I think that once you see results, you will be happier and more motivated to continue.

Most of the weight loss happens in the kitchen. Dedicate yourself to weighing your food so you can see how much you are eating. Then work on the fitness. I've found that there are many times where I have a few minutes here or there where I could be walking at least. I saw a friend post that she was so busy, having a hard time finding time to workout, was stuck at a kids practice. Hello, you could do some sort of workout while waiting! I have found I can increase my step count by a fair amount by doing things my family finds a bit crazy - marching in place while washing dishes or brushing my teeth, walking laps around the kitchen while on the phone or waiting for something in the microwave. It all adds up! For me it sometimes adds up to an extra 4-5,000 steps a day!

I've blamed "life" for my weight gain too. My one piece of advice, since you say you were a fit teenager, is don't hold that level of fitness as the only way to lose weight now. I told myself for years that exercise was supposed to be miserable. I told myself I had to work x number of minutes for y number of days per week or there was no point. That's why I chose not to exercise at all.

Now, I did lose my weight working out to videos that I dreaded, powered through them miserably, but "did my time". Now that I am maintaining and have been for 5 months, I have stopped all the (what I considered) miserable exercise. I go for a brisk walk on my lunch break (if I can), walk my dog with my husband in the evening, and practice yoga and/or meditation at home for 30-40 minutes before bed. I've been doing this routine for nearly 3 months and am actually down 3 lbs from goal (I planned this though because the holidays are coming and last year I gained 5 lbs in the month of December lol). It's mostly just making sure you're logging every morsel of food, keep portions in check, and try to move a little each day.

Don't be too hard on yourself, and don't try to live up to your teenage self. Your life is very different now, so your healthy lifestyle will also be different. Good luck to you!

amyr271 wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

Edited to delete. Not worth posting.

Now you've got my curiosity...

Was justifying how "life" contributed to my weight gain, along with eating too much. No one needs to hear it, or probably wants to hear it. LOL