I just cant do it anymore

Change one thing every few weeks. Just one thing.

Pasta to wholewheat, rice to wholegrain, bread to wholewheat...

I am in the same boat I have 20 to 25 left to lose. We should team up! I have some ideas and if you want to friend me we can work on this together!

I find I am eating all the wrong things, bread and pasta ... foods that are quick to cook as my cling on boy will not let me do very much.

Seems to me you already have the seeds of your own solution.
1. You're eating the wrong things. Nobody here can fix that except you.
2. You've got a clingy little boy who doesn't let you do very much - time to set some healthy boundaries!

All the best to you. You can do this!!

I've found that if I up my intake of high protein foods, my cravings for carbs diminish. But it's not necessarilyu bad to have bread and pasta! Just make the bulk of your meal lean protein, and portion-control the bread and pasta. Besides, if you're staying within your caloric limit, it shouldn't matter all that much. Hey, I enjoyed a piece of banana cream pie today for lunch(330 calories!). hahah. I ate it in place of a healthy lunch....not something I recommend, and rarely do.....but every now and then you have to splurge, and I'll still stay within my 1400 calorie limit today.

Relax! Don't ever give up though!

This is a lifestyle change and because of that, you don't have to change EVERYTHING in one day. Change 1 thing each week or even each month.

Buy whole wheat pasta vs regular pasta
Buy 2% (or a lower % milk from what you drink now) milk
Buy whole wheat bread vs white bread

Small changes add up to big success - trust me. YOU CAN DO THIS.

I'm a picky eater. My 15 yr old is a picky eater. I've learned to make foods that I like that she likes too. I was pleasantly surprised to find she LOVES turkey tacos, turkey sloppy joes and turkey burgers. You can do it. It just takes time!

I find I am eating all the wrong things, bread and pasta ... foods that are quick to cook as my cling on boy will not let me do very much.

Seems to me you already have the seeds of your own solution.
1. You're eating the wrong things. Nobody here can fix that except you.
2. You've got a clingy little boy who doesn't let you do very much - time to set some healthy boundaries!

All the best to you. You can do this!!

I hear you. I have a child (7) and a husband that is about 20 lbs underweight. Cutting fat and carbs in our meals isn't healthy for them, yet I don't have the time to sit and cook special meals for everyone. It's stressful!

Don't give up though. I've recently stumbled upon the concept of "add-ons". As it pertains to me specifically: my daughter hates meat. I need high protein to support my activity level. If I cook up a whole bag of chicken breast all at once, then my daughter can eat spaghetti without meat, I eat chicken with marinara and a smaller portion of pasta... or no pasta at all. I take those cooked chicken chunks with me to work to toss on my otherwise lame salad. Buy an asian dressing and VOILA... sesame chicken. Add pineapple and oven roasted red peppers... HAWAIIAN CHICKEN.

I realize that this doesn't entirely solve the largescale challenge. However, it does ease some of the stress at mealtimes.

You can do this.

-Kelly

definitely plan your meals in advance! use leftover chicken from Monday in Dinner Tuesday, make extra portions of rice on Tuesday to use on Wednesday, things like that. This way, if you KNOW you are making something healthy that you and hubby both love, you can also plan differently for the baby. But when you have different people eating different things, it makes trying to "throw" a dinner together impossible :frown:

and like someone else said, crockpots are an amazing thing!

Mistake #1 is saying that you can't do this anymore. Take that CAN'T out of your vocabulary! You CAN do this. You just need to focus on your goal. We're all here to help!

I cook myself a 4-6oz portion of meat for myself with a veggie and large salad in the evening and then add a potato or other starch to that for the rest of my family. It works pretty well.

I don't have children so... this may be a little far fetched, but I am a school teacher if that may help my creditability at all. Plus, I was the mother of a very finicky dog for 15 years.

First and foremost .. you are the parent. I promise they will eat what you give them. The children have no clue whether you are cooking white or wheat pasta. Nor at that age do they know the difference between white and wheat bread. Have you considered making your own marinara instead of purchasing it? It is very simple to do. Squash up some tomatoes and some fresh herbs. Bread is DEFINITELY a huge down fall for me. I can sit and eat it at every meal. Finally, I just had to tell myself... Michelle, you have the will power NOT to bring it in the house. Once it makes its appearance in the house... it is all over. While I am in the store, I can make those decisions for a healthier life style. Plus, by having a healthier life style you are so helping your kids.

My nephews are now 4 & 6 and for snack would much rather have hummus and carrot sticks than crap stuff, and it is all because my sister has raised them that way. As for myself... they would have been eating Golden Flake dip style chips with cheddar cheese dip. I have come to learn over the past few months... if I don't make a change for myself... no one is going to do it for me. Plus, every change I make actually benefits not only me, but everyone around me who eats what I cook.

Good luck with it!!

don't give up! You can do this! Your little boy is only 18 months old. You are training him to eat for the rest of his life, so be firm. He won't starve, so if you have to put beans in front of him for 5 days he'll eventually eat them.
You are probably craving carbs because they are a go-to stress food. Your frustration at your situation right now is setting you up for wanting those things. Maybe you can allow yourself at lunch, but not at dinner? Make your leftover meal the lunch meal. Your husband won't care whether you had it for lunch or dinner. Your little guy probably still naps, so maybe you can have a few minutes to do a bit of exercise to boost you through your mid afternoon slump (you didn't say that but I remember when mine were that young, I had a huge lag around 3:30). You'll be refreshed and ready to keep up the toddler/food fight. :0)
Oh, and maybe only one or two new foods a week, but offer it at every meal (except breakfast unless it fits).

GOOD LUCK!! :0)

Of course it depends on you - but I have found that if I read the pasta boxes I can find healthier pasta with less calories and less carbs (which do me in!). I use Dreamfields (I think that is the one). It has lower carbs. But the whole wheat is of course good for you and not so many empty calories. You can read the nutritional information on the computer while your son is sitting on your lap so you are prepared when you enter the store.
AND what about making your own pasta sauce - the bottles of pasta sauce at the store have lots of wasted calories. You could make up a big pot of sauce. Alfredo - though rich in calories is butter, Parmesan cheese and heavy cream - basically no carbs and no preservatives when you make it yourself. (Once again works for me) You may want to make a red sauce. I know Rao's is a great sauce with fewer calories but once again if you do it yourself - it just simmers all day on the back burner.
Don't give up. You must be burning some calories racing after your son!

I am a wroking mother of 3, ages 6, 9, and 11. I make a spreadsheet outlining dinner for two weeks at a time. This way I do not have to think about what to make for dinner. I make things from oven fried pork chops to fish tacos to whole wheat spaghetti and grilled chicken with jasmine rice paired with veggies at every meal.

Whatever I can make ahead, I do, after I put the kids to bed. All this to AVOID processed food/take out and to be a good role model for healthy eating!