Mommy of two toddlers, ready to get healthy!

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chummerberry
chummerberry Posts: 8
in Introduce Yourself
I am a wife and mom to two kids, just 1 and 2 years old, and I work a pretty demanding job that I love. I know that I need as much energy as possible to balance home and work life. I'm committed to getting healthy through making better choices with food and being consistent with exercise. I know that I always am more successful when I'm working alongside others toward a common goal, and I'm looking forward to making some connections and building community here.

As part of my exercise, I'm working up to running, but it's been 5 years since I last ran. Tips and support around that would be appreciated.

I'm excited to interact with you all, and support you toward your goals as well! :-)

Replies

  • sweetsurprise13
    sweetsurprise13 Posts: 8
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    Welcome to this community and I am happy to help you any way that you many need on here. I am a mom to an active 4 year old son and thank the good lord he goes to school in august. lol But I know what you mean about balancing home life and everything and trying to get healthy. I have been on here for three weeks I think and it has helped me a bunch with keeping track of my food and staying motivated and also helps me track my exercise.
  • demelza123
    demelza123 Posts: 66 Member
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    Girl ... your story brings up so many memories. I am also a Mum of two little ones and I did work, commute two hours a day and try to be all things to all people and realized that enough was enough and I became a stay at home Mum. I am not suggesting that this is your answer to healthy life ... it will be all about time management for you. Can you get up 45 minutes earlier in the morning to get your exercise in, can you get to exercise at lunchtime? I found booking fitness classes - made me accountable and family had to work around it. As far as running goes - it's all about the small steps to get to big goal. Start with fast paced walking, making sure you are hitting a few hills on route - just to get the heart rate up. Remember that the first twenty minutes of cardio exercise is always tough - but after that point your body will get use to it. Once you get comfortable with the fast paced walk, start to do a one minute walk, one minute jog. If one minute is to much at the beginning - create yourself land marks - the next telephone pole, or the next street sign etc. Then you will become aware of your successes as you go longer and further. If you do 30 mins a day - 5 days a week - by the end of the month you will see a vast improvement. As hard as it is .... don't give up. Human nature is to always stop when its painful, uncomfortable - and it will be at the beginning ... but you will see the results. And running is a great calorie burner - one of the best. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
  • chummerberry
    chummerberry Posts: 8
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    Thanks so much! Great tips! For the foreseeable future I'll be working, so time management will be a huge focus. I'm getting up in the morning to do walking, while the kids are still asleep and my husband is home. Although its hard to get up early, it seems to be the only way to be consistent with my schedule. I'll keep you posted!
  • wedjul05
    wedjul05 Posts: 472
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    Hi there,

    I also have 2 small kids (1 and 2 also! boy and girl), work mon-fri, 1 hr drive each way, up at 5.30am so exercising first thing in the morning is out for me.

    I exercise 4/5 nights a week and head to the gym/walk/spin after the kids go to bed. This means I'm not back at home until about 10pm but it's do-able.

    I eat my main dinner type meal at lunch in work and just get something small like an omelette with tuna/sweetcorn at home either before we bath the kids or after the gym/walk or whatever.

    I started my weight loss journey last Sep, lost about 20lbs but still want to lose another 7 at least.

    Best of luck with it!
  • chummerberry
    chummerberry Posts: 8
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    Thanks for your reply. I'm going to try morning exercise, but I may switch to nights. I also have about a 1 hour commute most days. I much more of a night owl :-)
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,100 Member
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    You'll do great here! I have 5 kids... ages 9, 9, 5, 2, and our baby just turned 1 TODAY! You can do it and you're determined so I know you'll go far!
  • parsnipou
    parsnipou Posts: 32 Member
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    Hi, I am relatively in the same case, my kids are a little bit older 5 and 3 but I loved to run and stopped when I got pregnant and suffered to find will power to get back to it again, sleepless nights and full time job were not helping a lot also.I took a one year break since we moved to Germany and now I am motivated to get fit again. So if you wish we can support each other, I just started three days ago! During these last five years, I took 6Kg and lost all my muscles. I also gained eating habits which are less healthy than they used to be so there is really some work to be done on this side too. I started the 5K challenge but found myself more incline of running how I feel it, I got surprise to be able to run 1km in one go, but I should say it was tough :embarassed: so I will try to follow the 5K Challenge programme with maybe some adaptations. It is easier for me since I can adapt my schedule but in my case, in busy days I found it easier to do exercises in the evening after the kids are in bed. I am naturally more of a morning person but since the kids do not have long peaceful sleep yet (I am still hoping!), I found it for the moment difficult in the morning and it is always very hectic in the morning anyway. Good luck, you will make it!
  • KristynStephens15
    KristynStephens15 Posts: 861 Member
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    Saw your post, I too have 2 kids, then i saw your from OR as well! Best of luck reaching your goals, MFP is a great place to do it!
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,224 Member
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    hey welcome!

    im a mum to a 2.5 yrs old and i work full time! i joined in jan properly after discovering the phone app last year! i lost my last 22lbs on here and love it! ive learnt sooo much more about eating healthy and the importance of exercise! my workouts are based in the evenings when my daughter is in bed! i do zumba, 30 days shred and go running all on different days! lol, id die if i did that all together! planning is def the key- i love my sleep so morning workouts are a big NO lol
    if you have never run i reccommend the couch to 5k programme. i hadnt run in years and started the couch to 5k in may and i can now run for 30mins without stopping!
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I am also a mom of two, 3 years old and 18 months. I haven't exercise in years because I was always slim. I had been back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I am flabby. A month ago, I decided that it's time to get rid of the flabbiness and be more healthy. I am currently doing 30 Day Shred. I like it because it's short, a good workout, and DH can watch the kids while I do it. I am not sure what I would do once I finish 30 days. It helps that DH is supportive of me exercising.

    Good luck to you. We CAN do it.

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