Father to be seeking support

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7bull
7bull Posts: 11 Member
in Motivation and Support
So, I fell off the wagon about a month before my wedding, and gained 10#s. 2 weeks after the wedding and my wife tells me that we're pregnant! I'm extremely excited, but my health has become less and less a priority, and now with these amazing blessings, I just want to be healthy and happy so that I can spend a long life with my family. My family is my motivation, but I will admit I could use some support, especially going into 8-9 months of a hangry wife trying to eat for 2 when she already eats like a bird. Any support or words of wisdom or encouragement would be appreciated.

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  • carrieloveshk
    carrieloveshk Posts: 128 Member
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    Get some sleep while you can? Haha. :D

    I have no children but the possibility of having children soon (~5 years) made me want to be healthier. My husband and I have been going for walks/runs and making most of our food ourselves instead of picking up fast food. Trying new (and delicious) recipes has been a lot of fun and we've both lost weight in the process. It's doable and you can definitely do it if you work towards it!
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    What an amazing and exciting time of life!!! Keep in mind the habits you build now will be instilled in your little one, so when you are not feeling motivated to put your health first ask if you want your child to take their health seriously and see if that is a little more motivating...nothing you say to your kids will be impressed upon them more than the things you do every day.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
    edited July 2016
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    So much truth in get your sleep in now, both of you.
    Also, if you are looking to lose a few pounds and your wife is going to be eating to support the new life, now is the ideal time to review what you eat.
    Make small changes that are sustainable.
    Opt for nutrition 80% of the time if you can.
    Think about how you want to eat, and how you want to influence a child's eating habits- start learning to eat that way now.
    I have no idea what you eat now, but if you tend not to like fruit, veg, seafood, etc. Start exploring these things so your child will get the best food options from an early age.

    I, as a grandmother, have watched my son and daughter in law take a similar approach as above and it is wonderful to hear a now 6yo ask for a banana for a snack, see him put down a cookie half eaten because he had had enough, and treat fast food as a poor imitation of his parents cooking and food choices.
    From his birth he has been given food choices that will help him throughout his life, and it all started by his parents reviewing what they ate when they got pregnant.

    My son was brought up on home cooking and little in the way of treats because that was what I could afford. He just took his own experience and expanded it to suit the eating culture of today.

    Cheers, h.

    ETA I forgot to say congrats on the baby :)

    Don't forget to get in lots of walking and a little resistance work- you are going to have your own late night work out pacing with a restless baby. :)
  • Ammey68
    Ammey68 Posts: 65 Member
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    Congratulations! I have a three year old, and boy, kids have a lot of energy. My motivation for working out is to become more fit so that I can do more activities with her... She learned how to bike this summer, and I need to be able to jog to keep up with her already. Before I started working out, I would have been so tired by the THOUGHT of jogging that I would have just convinced her to color or watch a movie instead.

    When you eat well and take care of yourself, you'll be able to better support your wife during and after the pregnancy, and you'll be able to be there for your child and all of his/her exciting activities.
  • lisahebert186
    lisahebert186 Posts: 736 Member
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    Congrats! We now have three kids and I'd say start your healthy eating now so when your little one starts eating you can guide them while they're young.
  • 7bull
    7bull Posts: 11 Member
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    We don't really eat out much at all, our only forms of "going out" are bbq with friends where I do the cooking, or at the local tavern, where we go to be social, my wife has only ever seen me intoxicated twice, just don't care for how it feels, in the moment or the morning after haha.

    Our main sources of protein are chicken, eggs, and more than anything, pork. I buy pork shoulder (cushion meat) in bulk at Costco and do my own butchering. Pork cushion meat is extremely lean, and can be tough if not cooked right, but it's also extremely inexpensive, I recommend looking into it! Contrary to the fact that the good Lord made me a man of size, I don't like to eat much, so out of necessity I learned to cook food that tastes great, cause if I gotta eat, I'm gonna eat delicious food!

    We eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, have a small salad garden that keeps us more than supplied. The main issue that I run in to is that I'm disabled, and cannot walk well, or far, or for very long. Due to my inability to navigate uneven terrain, walking around where I live is a definite no go. Once we're better financially situated, I'll be renewing my gym membership, and hopefully that will get me going a little better, and a bonus, it's got a gratis daycare! Thank you everyone for the kind words of encouragement and support!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
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    Sounds like you have a good handle on your diet. Just a little trimming of portions will get you back to where you want to be.
    And it also sounds like the little one will have great options once teeth appear.

    As far as your mobility issues, and lack of gym at the moment go. Have you tried any of the bodyweight programmes that you can find on line? Nerdfitness is one that I like. They can be adjusted to fit your abilities. There are also tonnes of cardio and hand weight type programmes, even seated ones.
    If that would help offset your calorie deficit it may be worth exploring.

    Cheers, h.
  • sophieclaxton_mfp
    sophieclaxton_mfp Posts: 1 Member
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    Wow congratulations!! What an amazing blessing! I'm at the other end now, two kids (aged 1 and 2) and seriously struggling to lose the weight! I've found it so much harder after having them to lose it, and feel like I've been struggling ever since the second one was born!
    Our biggest downfall was buying takeout and eating quick crap because of handling the babies.
    Anyway! Congrats again and you're in the right place!
  • 7bull
    7bull Posts: 11 Member
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    middlehaitch wrote: »
    Sounds like you have a good handle on your diet. Just a little trimming of portions will get you back to where you want to be.
    And it also sounds like the little one will have great options once teeth appear.

    As far as your mobility issues, and lack of gym at the moment go. Have you tried any of the bodyweight programmes that you can find on line? Nerdfitness is one that I like. They can be adjusted to fit your abilities. There are also tonnes of cardio and hand weight type programmes, even seated ones.
    If that would help offset your calorie deficit it may be worth exploring.

    Cheers, h.

    Thanks, yes we plan to bring the baby up in a more holistic lifestyle, the way my grandparents brought me up. As for the exercises, I'll look into that, and thank you! I'm doing a variant of tai chi that I found on YouTube that doesn't require much articulation of the legs, and it's at least helping with my balance, so that's good!

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