Trying to motivate and keep the rest of my life going?

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acme707
acme707 Posts: 2 Member
in Motivation and Support
So it finally happened. Someone at work today congratulated me on being pregnant. That should motivate me to stop eating the crap and start dieting right? But the food seems to be the thing that keeps me happy and miserable all at the same time. I keep falling off. I'm 185. I want to be to be 143. I'm overwhelmed, with work, with family with life. I need to focus on me. I need to get healthy to stop eating the junk. To take care of me I need to eat right and take time for myself. I did that before when I wasn't married. When I was single and not stressed out at work. When I had time. 11 years ago... How do I get back to that frame of mind to take care of myself and still pay attention to my hubby, baby girl and job?

Thanks for listening.

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  • Soccer_chick916
    Soccer_chick916 Posts: 159 Member
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    I know how you feel. I am 216 and I should be 145. I feel round! one thing I have started to do is take my lunch to work. I take the good frozen meals like Stoffers and Marie Calendars I even sometimes get Healthy Choice meals. This app makes it so easy to scan the bar-code and plan my days meal ahead of time. It especially makes it easy when you work full time. I hope this idea helps. By the way those meals most I can fins in the 300-400 calorie range and they are pretty decently priced. Also measuring out your food in one cup portions for cereal and fruit helps too!

    Those are just small changes that can go a long way and still leave time for your family. Another thing you can try is making family activities more active that way you get some exercise while spending time with the family too. I know depression is hard to fight but remember when you exercise your body releases endorphin that help your feel so much better. Plus when the weight starts coming off trust me that will be such a huge motivator!
  • sophjakesmom
    sophjakesmom Posts: 904 Member
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    Acme707, breathe. I can feel the stress from your post. I totally understand where you are, because I was there 8 months ago. I was completely stressed out, my job pressures were huge and my kids needed me. But I had also gained almost 50 lbs in 5 years (after a divorce and going from a stay at home mom to a full time working single mom.) I had tried to lose weight over and over again, but would always fall back into bad habits.

    So this time, I took a different path. I tried to focus on drinking enough water EVERY DAY, logging EVERYTHING I ate, and, this was the most important, I tried to take each choice I was faced with individually. When I had to choose, I would try and choose the healthier option. If I failed in that choice, I did not let it lead to more bad choices. (I call that my one cookie/whole bag issue. :smile: ). I didn't make anything off limits so I wouldn't feel deprived, but I did really try to stay under my calorie limit for the week. (that also gave me the flexibility to go over one day as long as my weekly average was still good.)

    Long story short, 8 months later I have more energy, my cholesteral is down and I have lost 52 lbs. If you focus on 1 choice at a time, you won't feel so overwhelmed. Good luck to you! You have a beautiful baby, so be nice to her mommy! :laugh:
  • tmiqueen
    tmiqueen Posts: 254 Member
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    Think of these changes as being for your WHOLE family.

    If you're eating lean meats and lots of veggies, so will your family (if you're the one who cooks and you're the one menu planning). Not only are you going to be healthier, but they will too!

    If you're exercising as a family (either pushing your kidlet in a stroller or taking a family bike ride or walk every day), you're doing it TOGETHER and making the entire family healthier! Not only will it make you healthier physically, but it'll give you a chance to bond with your family! Plan special hiking days at nature centers. Plan days at the park where you can kick a ball around the field or play frisbee....you'll be working out and hardly notice!

    If you're at work, start a walking group to go on walks around the block on your breaks, while everyone else goes out for a smoke! If you go alone, bring a cell phone with you for safety. (I work in a dicey neighborhood, so I always bring a cell with me and keep to well populated areas)

    Also, at work, have potluck days with special challenges like Vegetarian Day or something. Make it a challenge to see who can bring in the most flavorful, yet healthy, dish! You'd be surprised how we've scrambled at my office to see who can bring the healthiest/tasty dish on potluck day! (there's always a few rebels, but their dishes rarely get eaten...)
  • cre8freedom
    cre8freedom Posts: 63 Member
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    Hi, I know how you feel! It is a constant battle though - especially if you have other people in your life that say they support you but then don't support you by encouraging you to workout or making you healthy meals.

    I did have someone at work also ask if I was pregnant - a few years ago! And I didn't start to make a change until just over 2 weeks ago.

    I'm kind of an all or nothing girl - if I feel like I'm not giving 100% then I feel like I'm failing. This is self-sabotaging though because when I do mess up then I feel horrible. I did really good like 5 years ago and dropped a bunch of weight, then I gained it all back an more by not exercising and eating whatever I want and drinking whenever I want.

    However, I just lost 13lbs in 2 weeks by following a detox diet and going to a boot camp 5 days a week. It was hard work but I did it. The detox was just a diet (no pills) and required that I don't eat: sugar, fast food, yeast, flour, tropical fruits, caffeine, red meat, Dairy, eggs, fruit juices and alcohol.

    Yes I managed to do that for 2 weeks - and it paid off! Plus I had the energy to do boot camp for 60 minutes a day.

    I really feel that those 2 weeks have helped me because now I can tell when foods affect me (good/bad) and I don't have the cravings I did before.

    My recommendation is that you need to realize that you have to change your lifestyle, it's not a diet - it's a lifestyle. Right now I read Oxygen magazine, the Eat Clean books and participate in group classes. Get to know the people there - they will help you make a change as well.

    I'm in the middle of a 30 day fitness challenge, you can read more here: www.30dayfitnesscandace.blogspot.com

    I hope it helps! I started at 217lbs, this Monday I was 204lbs!!!
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
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    So it finally happened. Someone at work today congratulated me on being pregnant. That should motivate me to stop eating the crap and start dieting right? But the food seems to be the thing that keeps me happy and miserable all at the same time. I keep falling off. I'm 185. I want to be to be 143. I'm overwhelmed, with work, with family with life. I need to focus on me. I need to get healthy to stop eating the junk. To take care of me I need to eat right and take time for myself. I did that before when I wasn't married. When I was single and not stressed out at work. When I had time. 11 years ago... How do I get back to that frame of mind to take care of myself and still pay attention to my hubby, baby girl and job?

    Thanks for listening.

    Just DO IT! If you can't take 2 hours out of 24 for YOU then are you really enjoying your life? Remember to keep first things first..KNOW what is Important and .Actually DO It. Remember, how can your family THRIVE if MOM is not Healthy (Emotionally, Psychologically, Mentally and Physically.)

    Also, if you are the cook in the family, re-educated your family on how to eat healthy, frankly, most men like food that tastes good, healthy substitutes in foods can taste really good...if that does not work, make food for him and food for you and your kids ( you have a GREAT Opportunity to teach your kid(s) how to eat healthily from the cradle.)
  • Irishoneof11
    Irishoneof11 Posts: 11
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    The only reason people don't ask me if I'm pregnant is because I'm too old to be...
    I can't help you with the weight, others are here longer and have the experience that I am 'trying' to get to rub off on me....meanwhile
    I see a beautiful child in your arms! I think she will want you there for her as long as possible. Let HER be your motivation. Negative motivation never works. Still with the beautiful little girl (presuming she's yours)!!
    Show her how strong woman can be so that she too will be a strong woman in the future.
    Get as healthy as you can to be here for her!!!
    Live as an example, with pride.
    She's the key...
    Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!
  • acme707
    acme707 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you all. Today I'm doing much better. Actually in a lot of ways the comment was a good wake up call. I needed someone to say something to me that bugged me and made the weight loss be my issue and not just something my husband or someone else wants, but something I want. This sure did it. ;-) Thanks for the encouragement!

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