I can do this, I can do this! Here I go... again...

Ok now you've got your plans wrote down, its time to make small changes. Give it a go and see, you'll be glad you did

I'm starting over again. I don't know how many times this makes now. My husband is the same way. He compliments me, and I just don't see what he sees. I'm a mom of 3 and I also have a son that is on the autism spectrum. I also work full time. So I'm right there with you, and I totally get where you're coming from.

I also have an autistic child and a sports champ! Mine are girls and they're older, but their needs still take up most of my 'free' time. Like you I am great at starting diets, for maybe a week then I give in to the convenience of junk food. This time I'm planning my meals ahead of time, packing my lunches for the week on Sunday night (still have to add the fresh things each morning, but it only takes a minute.) Feel free to add me and we can keep each other motivated and on track

You can do this. Two things that have always tripped me up...and I have years and years of tripping!! I want to change everything and change it NOW and I want to see immediate results!! Well - the first is setting me up for failure and the second is just not reality. Once I accepted this...and please understand - I'm still on the front end so I surely do not have it all figured out - I started by making small changes. One at a time. The hectic lifestyle of raising children is behind me but my son and his six year old daughter live with us. He usually has to leave for work by 5 or 5:30am which means that I am getting up granddaughter and dropping her at school (or childcare) to get to my office by 7. My daughter is a single mom with a 5 year old and twins who are almost 3...so I try to do whatever I can to help her. So life is still pretty hectic. To counter this - on Mondays I take to work with me my lunch and snacks for the entire week. This helps me to stay on track at work.

Most importantly - go ahead and love yourself right now. Don't wait to lose weight and for this or that to happen. Your husband finds you to be sexy....he loves you. You need to love you and then it will be easier to let him love you.

You can do this!!!

I am starting over again too. Was doing so good with walking for a while and now I've been so lazy. Good luck to you. Even exercise in small doses works.

FOCUS!!! if I can lend some advice as I was once there 60lbs and 6 months ago and still at, going even harder than before.

- find a gym, make it a point to go to it daily. Before kids wake up, lunch, right after work, after kids are asleep....just walk thru those doors and be active. Whatever u do, light workout, heavy, be consistent, make it part of your routine that's necessary like cooking the kids food, it just has to be done.
- Get your daily calorie maintenance (look it up, usually weight x 14) or 17 . Depends on your activity, but up to you, I take the low level. This is what your body uses up daily with normal activity. Then take 75% of it (or more) and stick to that as your daily calorie intake.
- Drink lots of water, first thing in the morning, have a water bottle with u at all times, one of those 24oz that's pretty much with u at all times like your smart phone is. Finish that 24oz before u head out the door for work, another on the drive to work, and another 5-7x till the evening. Whenever you feel hungry, first drink a cup or so of water, sometimes that will fix the hunger, then when u really do eat, before your first bite, drink a cup of water, enjoy that bite, drink a gulp of water, then another bite, 6 bites later....you're FULL! Plus all that water you're drinking you'll be going to the bathroom all the time, forcing u on your feet to walk around if u have a desk job and move about. Sometimes you'll try to hold it and end up jogging or running to the bathroom lol.
- Learn nutritional details of foods, major macros - how much protein, fats, carbs are in each. If u buy the groceries, buy most from the outside of the aisles, those are the freshest. Learn foods that have low calories but are high in volume, there are sooooooo many. I'm guessing as a mom u cook? You can whip up some amazing dishes with everything. I had to learn over a cool 100 recipes the hard way from scratch haha. Just be sure to not over compensate with sauces and dips, that defeats the purpose. When u get home, weigh, cut and ziplock foods according to their nutritional value as noted on the back (chicken breast I'll cut it into the designated portions, weigh it, then toss in ziplock and into the freezer) it's harder and more time consuming when it's already frozen and you're trying to do this.
- Definitely get one of those cheap weigh scales by the gram
- Cook foods separately if u have to for yourself if the rest want something that u cook that u now know is sooooo high in fat, carbs, etc.
- Go on YouTube and subscribe to channels of fitness athletes, female body builders (they always talk about healthy eating, exercises etc that u can modify for yourself), nutritionists, doctors, benefits of foods, etc. and turn on the notifications. And once a day play them all or whenever you're free....on the toilet, in the car, cooking, in bed.....self educate about nutrition. This inmost of the battle. Do the same with podcasts. I just let it all play in the background even if I heard something similar before, sometimes one new thing I never knew is mentioned and I'll pay attention!
- U have a 14yr old, me too, in lacrosse. He's likely very active, trying to get muscles etc. tell him to teach you his drills to help mommy lose weight also. If u drop him off at practice for an hour or more, go for a jog instead of dropping off and running errands, jog for the entire hour and a half. Or walk, or sprint and walk.
- Get enough sleep, look into the benefits....self educate.
- Make use of your time best u can if u have time with responsibilities. As for me....When I want to surf social media or be a news junkie, I'll do it at the gym on the elliptical. When I have tv shows or movie to catch up on, I'll do it at the gym. When I'm tired, I'll go to the gym, sometimes u just need the blood going and you're ready for a full workout. If I'm frustrated at work, I'll take it out at the gym. Sad/down? Go to the gym. It's the answer for everything. ☺️
- Hope this helps! Just do it for 3 weeks non-stop to develop the habit, soon you'll feel guilty for not going. Your body will be in pain, just work through it, and do a light workout like walking on the treadmill for 45min at a brisk speed on an incline. Modify your goals as you drop the weight and get stronger. Self educate. Make YouTube your personal trainer, there's so much content out there! Bring the hubby too if u can, if not, just get yourself thru those gym doors! Sometimes looking at other fit people is added motivation. My significant other refuses to go to the gym, she naturally loses weight eating pizza and junk food all day. I've had to develop some strong discipline with 10 frozen pizzas always in the freezer and potato chips everywhere in the house.
- Soon you'll be outrunning your son and in better health!


And just FOOOOOOCUS!!

You have already received lot of great ideas/advice. My suggestion would be to maybe get in some walks during a coffee break or lunch break. You could also get some meal planning/grocery list items done during lunch before/after a walk while you eat your lunch...

During my morning coffee break I walk twice around our building which is 1 mile in total - then in the afternoon if I don't have meetings etc. I take another walk once around the building. I also have a subscribtion to eMeals. It's not necessary but, because I'm not a very creative cook it gives me 1 or 2 new ideas each week.

You can do this! Good luck.