In need of ideas

jensway
jensway Posts: 33
edited October 2 in Introduce Yourself
I am a 31 year old mom of two very active boys, one is 8 and the other is 6. I find myself watching them play more than actually playing with them. I always thought I would be the active mom, playing catch, shooting hoops, going on nature walks, but that has not been the case. I place some of the blame on working full time and not getting home from work until 8pm wich only leaves time for homework, bath time and bedtime through the week. On the weekends we always seem to have plans to do things together but it doesnt usually work, I am usually too tired to participate the way I had planned to. That I blame on being 5'6 and 215 pounds. I am the biggest I have ever been and do not ever feel like doing anything, I have absolutely 0 motivation. I know my kids will grow up fast and want to make the most memories with them I can while they are young and still willing to hang out with me, I dont want their childhood memories to be of their chunky mom sitting around all the time. More important than that, I want to set an example for them to live active healthy lives. The problem I have ran into every time I start to diet and excerise is how haaaaard it is for me to lose wieght, I have worked out with friends and even my husband, and they always seem to lose wieght and I lose very little doing the same things and eating the same things, is there a special diet or work out plan for those with very low metabolism(which is what I am guessing is my problem). Any ideas would be super helpful. Good luck to all of you!!!!

Replies

  • dlovesjimma
    dlovesjimma Posts: 39 Member
    I found the South Beach diet to be especially helpful for me, my husband and I did it together to keep each other motivated and on track. Once I figured out my nutritional needs and how to balance my food intake I added exercise - I lost 20 pounds on South Beach the first go round without exercise. It worked really well for me, and I found it pretty easy to remain disciplined because I was seeing results.

    Good luck to you!
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    The only thing that has worked for me is PATIENCE. Stick with eating well and upping your exercise and you will see results. Walk for 30 minutes a couple of times a week and put your fork down between bites. You don't have to go extreme.... you just have to stick with it!!
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    Just watching what you eat, replacing junk snacks with healthy fruits and veggies, and walking a little bit everyday will help.

    Good luck to you!
  • armacd
    armacd Posts: 95
    I had fantastic results with a few of the Beachbody programs... they are great because they arent only exercise programs, they also come with nutrition plans, so it takes all of the guess work out, which is what I need :)
  • GaiaGirl1992
    GaiaGirl1992 Posts: 459 Member
    stick with it!!! it took some time for the weight to start leaving my body, and it was hard with little motivation. go outside and play with the boys, like soccer or shooting hoops. that burns some calories if you play for about an hour. sweat!!!! and find something fun to do for exercise besides: find wii or xbox games or dvd's and it will be much easier to get motivation =3
  • chedges9090
    chedges9090 Posts: 208 Member
    not sure if you are using this site consistently or not? Don't measure yourself against others. I know that can be hard. .. but, just focus on you. You wil get lots of motivation and support from people on this site. I cannot believe how good it feels each day as I watch my calories and meet/exceed my goal. That in itself is motivation. It may take you a little longer to lose it.. but, once you drop the weight.. you will be able to be more active. ..and just burn more calories. YOU CAN DO THIS! You are a Mom. And, the Lord knows that Mom's are strong! Powerful! Take your power and use it !! Good Luck. Add me as a friend if you would like.. we can help each other! Cassy
  • gianna42
    gianna42 Posts: 5,991 Member
    Hi and welcome! It's great that you want to be able to do fun things with your kids - I have 3 sons and you are right, it goes quickly.

    I've read that weight training combined with cardio will help not just with weight loss but with your metabolism. The weight training helps to build muscle, which means that you will burn more calories, even while at rest. (I'm definitely not an expert so maybe others will be able to offer more!)

    Visit here often for support, and I think logging in the food diary really helps to keep you honest and accountable.
    Good luck!
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    First, you have to make time for you to do this program. 4 x a week, at least for exercise. 2nd, you have to eat your recommended calories, even if you think it's too much. To lose weight and get your metabolism to burn you have to eat, believe it or not. And eat 6 -8 small meals, or three meals and two snacks, whatever gets you eating every 2 -3 hours. Drink lots of water and combine cardio with light weights. In 8 weeks you will be stronger, feel better, and have more energy for everything.

    And most importantly, you need to make time for YOU time. With children it's the quality of your time together, not the quantity, and you have to say, "Mom's going to the gym now" and they have to respect that and allow you to go. That's an example you want to set.
  • smileyk003
    smileyk003 Posts: 33 Member
    Hi Jen,

    I found that I was trying to lose wieght and exercising and thought I was eating well but just didn't have the understanding of the value of certain foods so I was constanly getting nowhere!

    Personally I joined a weightloss program that taught me the value of foods based on not just calories but fats/carbs/fibre etc and I use my fitness pal now as a tool to keep an eye on my food intake and see where how my nutrition stacks up for the day.

    I also found that increased exercise made me a great deal fitter, but it was the changes to my eating habits that made the weight dropped quite quickly.

    Feel free to add me!
    Smileyk
  • jensway
    jensway Posts: 33
    Thank you so much for the ideas and the encouraging words, my sister signed me up today and I am so grateful to her for that, you guys are great......tomorrow is the big day when I start a new healthy life!!!!!
  • mistylnc
    mistylnc Posts: 44 Member
    Hypothyroidosis is suppose to be genetic so you may have a very low metabolism. With that you have to keep your carbs and sugar in check because hypothyroid is link to insulin resistance. I also watch my fat closely. I know it is going to be harder for me to burn off then the average joe.
    Great website for recipes: www.skinnytaste.com. We all love the food from there.
    Look up Denise Austin workouts on YouTube. Try to find one 10 mins long and do it first thing in the morning. It helps to motivate for longer exercise programs later. i use to stretch out well before all of my workouts.
    These are the things working for me. Feel free to look through my diaries as well. Love you sister!
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