Busy Working Mom --- Yikes

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scsticchic
scsticchic Posts: 4
edited October 2024 in Introduce Yourself
Hello, everyone. I'm new at this...well, not new to weight loss :) For some reason, I need to find this guy called "Will Power" and hopefully you guys can help. I have such a busy life that I get so tired before I have a chance to work out. I barely have time too cook, let alone cook for 4 people. Does anyone has any suggestions for eating healthy and working out with a busy, working mom schedule.

Thanks guys in advance for your support.

Replies

  • brimir
    brimir Posts: 72
    planning ahead is a must.... if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!!
  • LolaVaantz
    LolaVaantz Posts: 74 Member
    Pre-make your own freezer meals. A little extra time spent planning will save you a ton of time for prep/cook time later when you could be doing something else (helping the kids with homework, getting a quick work out in etc.)

    I used to feel like I had no time to get any kind of workout in, and was exausted by the time I got home. What has helped is actually having pushed to do the work out (even 15 min on the treadmill) as this has given me energy rather than taking it away (yep, not gonna lie it SUCKED at first). I love my crock pot and steamer microwave veggies, I can set things cooking and walk to the other room to get some activity in, every little bit adds up.

    Also, I don't have kids, but have seen this elsewhere: incorporate the kids into some workout time. Dance together like crazy men, do a family walk around the block (if they are little strap them on your back for some added weight), they will benefit and so will you.

    :)
  • chocoholicandbaby
    chocoholicandbaby Posts: 75 Member
    Hi there and welcome!!

    My biggest tips are:

    - Plan your meals. Sit down on a Sunday night (or whenever you have a chance) and plan your meals for the week. The write a shopping list of the things you will need to buy to prepare those meals - saves you a lot of time shopping and deciding what to eat every day.
    - Schedule exercise into your diary. Buy a timeplanner or a diary that has "appointment" times into it - and write in everything you need to do.
    - Spend half a day on the weekend (or whenever you have a chance) cooking a few different meals - soups, casseroles etc. and then freeze them in portions. That way you can take them out of the freezer and defrost them fairly quickly in the microwave and have a nutritious meal in very little time.
    - Invest in a slowcooker - definitely worth it. Chuck all the ingredients in in the morning and they will be ready when you get home from work!
    - Do incidental exercise - take your kids to the park on the weekend and walk there, walk to work (if possible) or park your car a little further away.
    - Actually take a look at your weekly timetable - spend one week writing down what you do, when you do it, how long it takes, then work out where you have spare time - you will have more than you realise I can guarantee it. If you have five minutes do some step ups, do some lunges while you're on the phone, take a walk on your lunch break.
    Go to sleep half an hour earlier and get up half an hour earlier- you will be surprised at how that changes your energy levels and how you utilise the time in your day.

    Hope some of that helps! Good luck!
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    I'm a single mum of 2, that works part time (freelance photography).
    And all I can say is PLAN PLAN PLAN PLAN PLAN. Did I mention plan?
    Yes Plan ahead. Plan your meals, and stick to them. Get your kids to help you go through the cook books (my eldest loves doing this).
  • scsticchic
    scsticchic Posts: 4
    Thanks, guys. It's great to see that i am not the only one who has experienced this. Great advice and support. It seems like it would be all too simple to do those things. i will work on planning this week and definitely see how it works. I will keep you posted.

    Thanks again.
  • JoDeeD
    JoDeeD Posts: 391
    Definitely plan. Always have a healthy snack prior to going grocery shopping. Invest in a veggie steamer. Broccoli only takes 10 minutes to steam. Engage your kids in cooking. If you can have the kids do homework in the kitchen so you can multitask.
  • WilliamsPeggy
    WilliamsPeggy Posts: 440 Member
    Plan your meals ahead. Snack on fruit and veggies so you don't get too hungry.
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
    I was a stay at home mom for 10 years with my 4 kids. My husband working a schedule in which he is gone for 24 hours and is home for 48 hours. I went back to full time work this school year. My kids are each in a sport or three...lol...I am gone during the school day, coach two of the soccer teams and have 2-4 hours of schoolwork to do everynight. I do have to delegate some responsibilities...ie the kids are taking on more and more of the responsibility of keeping up after themselves by making thier lunches etc. I am training for a marahon right now. The goal of being prepared for my marathon have made it imperitive that I keep my working out an important part of my schedule. I am no super mom...once ...oh about every other week I cry out of being totally overwhelmed and feeling like I am failing everyone...but that is getting better too...maybe I can stretch that out to every three weeks now.
    My suggestion is to make small tweaks at first. Work on having a healthy breakfast every day for a week. Week two work in that healthy lunch that you pack or research the best lunches possible at your lunch spots. Week three figure out a perfect after work snack. Week four start adding your exercise (if you haven't already) there are great 20-30 minute workout DVD out there and 30 minutes of walking or jogging are great. Then if you haven't naturally made changes in your dinner routing by then just because healthier people tend to make healthier choices without thinking about it so much then start working on dinner...first I would figure out appropriate portion sizes. work on that for a week...then add a veggie to every meal...we add chopped tiny dices carrots to ground beef etc, then start to substitute other things a little at a time...we do eat out a lot and thus I have also practically memorized nutrition menus of our favorite places and can make appropriate choices when we go out too...you can make it happen.
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