Lisa, mom of 3 and exhausted ;)

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LisaMom2Lucas
LisaMom2Lucas Posts: 26
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! I'm not NEW to fitness pal, but I'm back... quick background is I was a normal weight when pregnant with my son 4 1/2 year ago, gained a TON, never lost it, spent 3+ years at 220lbs. Lost 60lbs in 2010, and then promptly got pregnant again, with twins! Promised myself I wouldn't gained a ton. Well, I did, and 9 months later I'm STILL 40lbs more than my pre-pregnancy weight.. so embarassing typing that out, I don't know what is wrong with me!!

The only thing that has ever worked for me is counting calories so I just need to stick to it.

My biggest problem is lack of time and energy. On top of my 3 young children I work 2 jobs from home, I barely have time to breathe, let alone exercise and write down every single morsel that enters my mouth. I'm at the point though that while I don't "have time" if I want to do this, I need to make time.

Any tips on time management? Or easy way to start out with counting calories?

Thanks!!

Replies

  • horndave
    horndave Posts: 565
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    plan it all the and log it in the morning.
  • DJJW
    DJJW Posts: 519 Member
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    glad that you are back! pregnancy are so hard to have go on with weight loss. my big ah ha moment was when I ended up being the same weight as when I walked out of the hospitol with my 2nd kid........2years later. no excuse i guess.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    Hi another mum of 3 here! I know what you mean about being tired, sometimes I feel my eyes going in the evening but I say to myself "better get on with it" and do my workout, I always feel so good afterwards and strangely enough less tired! At weekends I get my hubby to take over everything whilst I workout.

    Good luck on your journey!!
  • JaredBergeron
    JaredBergeron Posts: 379 Member
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    Welcome back, four kids here, and full time masters student (after the day job lol)
  • bethwindel
    bethwindel Posts: 5
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    For me I started out eating just a few different things that were easy to keep track of so I didn't have to figure out how to log a million different things and calculate recipes. Every 1-2 weeks I calculate a new recipe and add it to the database so I can start using it regularly. And the phone app for MFP is super easy to use so if you're out and about and have a minute or two you can add to your food log quickly! Good luck!!
  • Megan2Project
    Megan2Project Posts: 351 Member
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    Hi Lisa

    I'm in a similar boat. No twins for me, but I have a 2 year old boy, and an 8 month old girl. I run a licensed childcare center from my home so I am working 50+ hours per week. You're right about having to make time. I try to get up at 5:30am to do my workouts before the kids get up and my daycare opens. I also try to take my kids out for walks whenever I can. Pushing the stroller, or carrying my youngest burns extra calories ;)

    I read from someone else a tip that they only allowed themselves to sit for 2 hours per day. Once you're back on board, you'll find you have more energy autmatically!!

    Good luck!
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
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    In your case, it sounds like time management is needed. Be honest and lay out your day. Write your day out wih everything that is repetitive in time blocks If its all the same everyday, which with kids is hard, you only need the one break-out. Ensure you leave ample time for sleep. Once you have this laid out, you will see your best areas for exercise. If it's not enough...tell the hubby you need more help from him.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
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    For me I started out eating just a few different things that were easy to keep track of so I didn't have to figure out how to log a million different things and calculate recipes. Every 1-2 weeks I calculate a new recipe and add it to the database so I can start using it regularly. And the phone app for MFP is super easy to use so if you're out and about and have a minute or two you can add to your food log quickly! Good luck!!

    I think this is some excellent advice, put all your foods that you eat often into the database in one afternoon, then logging every day becomes easier, and if you use your "recent foods" tab it will even be at your last serving size as well.....
  • shawnscott5
    shawnscott5 Posts: 295 Member
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    First off welcome back. I am a mom of 5 children including twin boys who are my youngest at 5 years old. I also work from home, not single however. You have to learn to make time for yourself. It is ok to tell them that mommy needs 5 minutes of quiet time, then take it. Log your entries then. Keep a note pad and pencil on the fridge and everytime you open it, write it down and log it during your quiet time. My children range from 20 years to 5 years and they all know when I say that it is mommy time for 5 min, they just leave me alone. That also gives you time to breath for a minute and collect your thoughts again. Good luck sweets, and you can friend me if you want!
  • Eleanorjanethinner
    Eleanorjanethinner Posts: 563 Member
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    Goodness, how about cutting yourself a break! There is a limit to what the human body can accomplish for any length of time. Three children plus two part time jobs seems a bit much to me - can you drop one of the jobs? What about more help from family/ friends with the kids?

    Do make sure that you're looking after yourself the best way you can - aim to go to bed an hour earlier? Have a bath, a massage, a walk, some time off?

    I find weight loss to be like a pretty demanding hobby and I do need plenty of emotional energy as well as physical energy.

    Good luck on your journey!
  • elizamc
    elizamc Posts: 285 Member
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    I feel for you! I only had two children (but very close together and one of whom was very asthmatic and in and out of hospital every month for his first 4years) and was also managing several teams of people at the same time, my DH was working shifts at the time and we often swapped babies like a 'handover'!.

    Yes it IS exhausting but those small child times won't last forever, I expect you have that said to you a lot but its so true! My 'babies' are now 23 and 25 and I have no idea where the years went.

    Set yourself small achievable targets - you know you deserve the time to take care of you and little bits of time even if its hard to find and if your energy is lacking short spells of exrcise will encourage you to feel like you are making progress and doing something.

    It's true that the more you do the better you will feel and the more you will to do and the more you will find the time cos you deserve it and so on...

    I wish you every success!
  • LisaMom2Lucas
    LisaMom2Lucas Posts: 26
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    Thanks everyone for all of the replies!!

    I think I will start out with eating similar foods for a while and adding them all to my diary for easy access!

    I do have a wonderful husband who helps out as much as he can, and somehow, I manage to get enough sleep each night! :) And again surprisingly I do make time for myself, I go out once a week with a friend and get plenty of alone time. Sometimes during that alone time I am eating the wrong things!!!

    I was so used to eating what I wanted while pregnant and I've kept that up, unfortunately!
  • monikajj
    monikajj Posts: 40
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    Me: mom of a teen and toddler, own a stressful business, always on the go, husband works 80+ hrs a week

    Take a very close look at your daily life. There are times to squeeze in what you need for you. As your children get older, that time will be easier to find. Since I don't know your day exactly, here are some times I found for myself:

    1. wake up at 5am when husband is getting ready for work & exercise (I'm lucky my youngest is still asleep at this time).
    2. have jogging clothes on (with shoes), as hubby walks in the door, I kiss him and hand the kids over and I'm off. He handles putting them to bed if he's home then. Most times, he's home after the kids are asleep. I live in a very safe neighborhood & well lit, so jogging at 9pm is not a problem. I don't have trouble falling to sleep at all, so exercising so close to bed is not an issue.
    3. Since I work from home most days, I will pop in a 20 min exercise video at lunch. This can be done during young children's naps, if lunch time isn't a good option.
    4. eat plenty of protein & tons of water, it will wake you up. Avoid all processed foods, they bring you down.
    5. high quality vitamins!
    6. get the phone app or keep the MFP window open all day on your computer for quick logging.
    7. get your thyroid tested -- this was why I couldn't lose weight after having my last child.

    Good luck -- It's hard being a great mommy!
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    hi there. i'm a mum of 3 too (ages 1,3 and 5). i work full time shifts.

    finding the time is difficult- you have to make the time. if it is a priority for you, then make it a priority and don't let other stuff push it out of the way.

    the thing that i find useful is that, on some days when i'm working an early shift, i get up at 0430 to go running before i start work. then it doesn't eat into my 'family time' when i get home, and i can still crash out early enough to get a decent nights sleep.
    i book my work out times with my hubby and treat them like appointments. that way he knows he needs to be around and roughly for how long.

    i'm quite rubbish with the eating thing! i log everything i eat though. i tend to leave the computer on and just visit when i eat things. if i'm away from the computer, i'll jot them down on a piece of paper and add them later. it's helped quite alot with portion control and general knowledge about what i'm actually putting into my body.

    oh, the other thing that i do is put the kids leftover food on the floor for the dogs immediately! i'm terrible for picking at their leftovers.
  • SarahS410
    SarahS410 Posts: 2 Member
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    Start with a plan!
    I always plan all my breakfasts and lunches for a few reasons. First, I don't have to think about what to have. Second, I can plan things in my calorie range. If I know what I'm eating already, I won't stray.
    As for exercise, I try to plan what I can do. Some days it's a quick 20 minute on demand video. Other days (like on the weekend when DH is home) it's a longer workout. I also set goals. In the beginning I wanted to work out 5 times a week for 30-40 minutes. You may want to start at 4 times for only 20 minutes.
    If cutting calories works for you, start with the food and work in the exercise.

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