Over-all help with weight loss (Tips please?)

I am a mom to 3 kids (ages 4, 13, and 18) plus my step son who comes a couple weekends a month. He's 16. I'm 41 years old. I get up at 5:30 to be at work at 7. I get up, get myself ready and then my 4 year old. I normally get home around 5:30 to 6. We have ballgames on Mondays or Tuesdays which last until 7:30 among other activites. My husband started 2nd shift so most all housework is on me. I don't have your schedule but I do have a busy one is my point.

Here's what helps me (I'm not perfect and have slid off the wagon here and there)

1) my exercise is walking. I walk during breaks and at lunch. You don't have to be a member of a gym to get results. I, also, love playing just dance with my daughter. Find something you enjoy.
2) Like above, I plan my meals and shop for them on weekends too. I try to make them not too complicated. Stuffed peppers, a casserole, fish tacos, etc. If you know you're going to be late, pack your dinner too. A turkey wrap or something.
3) Motivation comes and goes. Discipline keeps me going.

good luck!

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

toni5363 wrote: »

Danielle, the question is, are you truly ready to lose weight, or do you truly want to lose weight? I had to ask myself the same question this past weekend. I went to the store to buy an outfit, and couldn't fit into the size I thought I wore, and when I actually looked at myself in the mirror I knew then I had to do something, because I did not like what I saw. In order to lose weight one has to make a life style change, and diets doesn't work long term. We have to do something different, because what we are doing now clearly isn't working. What I mean by life style change is eating healthy, drink plenty of water, and yes the dreaded word exercising (well for me it's the dreaded word). The older I get the more I don't want to exercise. So, if you're not doing those things It's going to be hard to lose the weight.
The answer to question #1. That really depends on you. I'm not a morning person, so I workout in the afternoon. We have a gym at my work, so I will be hitting the gym 4-5 times a week a hour at a time.
Question #2. Meal prep, I don't do a lot of recipes, I'm just not that type, but the thing that helps me is that I buy a lot of raw veggies that I can just cut up and put in baggies. My meats of course I cook, but I buy lean meats (turkey, chicken breast"skinless", and fish) I don't eat beef nor pork. STAY AWAY FROM PROCESSED FOODS. Question #3. Partner up with someone whose looking to lose the weight, and push through it. I also started taking Vitamins again. What you can also do that I find helpful for me, is to read a lot of success stories which helps me a lot. They tend to get you motivated.
I hope this helps.

Processed food doesn't make you fat. Too much food period makes you fat.

Anyway, for OP, as far as dinner goes, I have a pressure cooker and that makes awesome delicious meals that would take hours in usually 45 minutes or less. It has replaced my slow cooker a long time ago. Definitely a good investment.

Pressure cookers are awesome!

First of all, good on you for coming here and asking for help. Even if just one or two tips help you out, that's one or two more than you had before It's hard to put your health first when life is chaotic and busy and convenience is so easy. I don't know how much help I'll be but here's what I've got:

1. Do people find working out in the morning is better than the afternoon? As in, are you more motivated and energized?
I feel really good when I can work out in the morning- it sets my whole day up nicely and I feel accomplished. In real life though, I rarely get in an am workout. I don't sleep until 1-3am and I'd have to wake up around 5am to get in 1 hour before hubs goes to work. Not including drive time if I go to the gym (I don't feel safe running outdoors alone that early in the am). I found that I also really enjoy early afternoon workouts as a destressor and I can/do push myself pretty hard when I'm stressed out

2. If you do workout in the morning, do you eat before or after?
When I do my weekend long runs in the morning, I eat something very small (1/4 cup of cheerios with almond milk or 1 piece of toast with PB) but only if I'm going to be running more than 1 hour. Less than an hour and I don't worry about it.

3. For someone crazy busy such as myself, what do you find is the best way to meal prep, or to handle dinner?
Always plan your meals in advance- make a menu, a shopping list, go shopping. If possible, have some things already done- precook taco meat or shredded chicken for example, precut veggies and fruit. I'm a big fan of prelogging as well. Sometimes I'll log a few days in a row and then I don't have to worry about what to have and whether it'll fit my cals. It's already done, I just eat the food haha. I LOVE soups- just throw it all in a simmer and I second the crockpot thing. I'll also make double batches of casseroles/soups/etc and freeze half so I always have a quick meal ready to pull out, defrost and cook.

4. If you have had this sort of lack of motivation, what did you do to overcome it?
Okay, this is a little weird, but when I'm meh about exercise, I'll look up things like 'motivational running quotes' and look through the images. Some are funny and some are inspirational but usually after poking through them for 20 min or so, I'm ready to get out there If I'm tempted to go food crazy, I'll look up before and after pics for my height/weight or scour the boards here to get a better perspective on things.

I eat processed food sometimes and sweets every day. I make it fit in if I want it and I try to eat things I enjoy- no snacking on cake just because it's there (I hate cake so I don't know why I'd always eat it!). I do try to make most meals homemade with fresh ingredients. I also use real butter and olive oil (and log them) because they taste better and are satisfying.

1. I work out in the PM. Afternoon or evening is best for me. I am DEAD in the morning and really cranky and just not a good time for anyone if I workout then. If I HAVE to workout in the AM I don't eat before, it makes me want to puike when I'm full. Thats also why PM workouts work for me, I eat lunch then a few hours later workout then eat dinner when I'm done or I eat dinner, relax, workout then have a snack.

2. I either prep full on meals and snacks on my least busy day or I make two of whatever I'm making. Making a salad, make two and put one away, then you already have that meal made. Some very busy people I know love the meal prep services that they have out now, like your able to buy full on already made meals, its crazy.

Its easier for me to stick to simpler meals, I like eating whole foods because I get more of them, but junk deff has its place in my life! (hello donuts, my loves.)

3. Remember your goals. I lacked motivation really badly. My main goal is to drop another 20 lbs so we can start trying for our second child. That is giving me SO much motivation as the only thing stopping us is me.
You'll find what works for you!

daniellek30 wrote: »

So here are my questions:
1. Do people find working out in the morning is better than the afternoon? As in, are you more motivated and energized?
- If you do workout in the morning, do you eat before or after?
2. For someone crazy busy such as myself, what do you find is the best way to meal prep, or to handle dinner?
3. If you have had this sort of lack of motivation, what did you do to overcome it?

1) I prefer working out on my lunch break or in the evening after work. Yes, I get sweaty on my lunch break and just wipe it off and use deoderant-some may find that disgusting, but it's the only SURE way I can guarantee I work out! Plus I have a better workout when I've been awake for a while and have eaten food prior, so mornings don't work well for me.

2) Handling dinner--Meal prep is great if you know you'd get used to it. I'm too sporadic in my schedule to set a time to do it every week, so I just buy some frozen healthy meals for the times I'm too busy and lazy to make anything for myself. No, it may not be the healthiest option, but it's better than not being able to find anything and binging on something bad! If I do meal prep, I do it on Saturday or Sunday while watching Netflix

3) The best thing I've done to help with motivation is post daily on these message boards and add lots of friends to interact with on my MFP newsfeed. It helps to see everyone else working so diligently to build a healthier lifestyle--makes me want to do the same!

Message me anytime if ya need a motivation buddy

I'm a grad student, with super long hours. When I (finally) get home at night, there is absolutely NO way I have the energy to workout.

So I work out in the morning. I get up an extra hour early, walk several miles, and have time for a shower and breakfast before leaving for the day. If I was doing more strenuous exercise, like weight lifting, I would have to eat before because I get light-headed otherwise.

If you love eating at the pub, don't cut it out. I love Chick-fil-A, and so I work it into my calories often. Work around the food you want, make better choices through the day so you can eat the pub food and drink the beer.

For the lack of motivation, no one can fix that but you. You have to decide that what you want in the future (losing weight, getting healthy, etc) is more important than comfort right now. At least, that's what I tell myself when my alarm goes off at 5:30am to walk.

I'm not a morning person so I tend to work out after work or at lunchtime - I'm really lucky that I have a gym at work that runs lunchtime and after work exercise classes which I book up to in advance for the week so I am pre-committed and less like to make an excuse not to go. I make sure to have snacks at work with me on exercise days to eat either an hour or so before or straight after a workout (a piece of fruit, a cereal bar or a small portion of nuts for example).

I sometimes batch cook things at the weekend or even when I'm cooking in the week I make a little extra so that I can freeze a portion or two for a quick fix lunch or dinner at a later date. Otherwise make sure you have ingredients to make very quick simple meals at home. Pasta with a simple sauce, omelettes, frozen bean burgers or falafels, baked potato with tuna mayo or baked beans, noodles in a miso broth with whatever veggies I have to hand - these are a few of my quick fix meals when time is short. You could even have some low cal ready meals/tv dinners in the freezer which would be better than the pub meal as you'd at least be able to track the calories.

I feel what helps me a lot of times is a CROCK POT!!! lol You get a bunch of veggies and some meat and throw it in the pot, set it and forget it until you come home later. And you can seriously probably throw a shoe in there with some veggies and it'll turn out yummy. LMAO!
No kidding. It's a life-saver a lot of times. It's like having your mom at home waiting for you after she just cooked you a nice hot meal! lol

OP - after work, when you go to the tattoo parlor, are you needed to help run it because another employee leaves? Or could you use that time to do some exercise?