Any suggestions? A month in and NOTHING is happening.

Make a goal to start cooking at home if you can (even if it's a big cooking spree on Sunday and leftovers the rest of the week). If you *really* can't do that, or you need time to adjust and can't just switch cold turkey, start picking different restaurants. Instead of Taco Bell, go to Chipotle (where you can actually see them cooking the whole cuts of steak or chicken or pork). Instead of Chick-Fil-A or Arby's, go to Subway. Things like that.

It looks like you do great on the weekends, but your weeks may seem too busy for cooking, so I'd try the cook on Sunday thing and do leftovers for the weekday meals.

Believe it or not, this is "cooking at home a lot" for me! haha We've cut back a lot on how often we eat dinner out. Lunch is still an issue because I have a 2 year old in pre-school and I work while he's in school. I will try to cook more on the weekends- that's a great idea!

Unfortunately, we don't have a Chipotle- I wish! haha I guess I was just falling for the advertising- I thought that a grilled chicken sandwich at Chick Fil A was a healthy option and that the fresco tacos at Taco Bell were too!

Thanks for the advice!

No offense but WHY is it a problem that you work while your two year is in school and thats why lunch is a problem for you? BRING YOUR LUNCH! First off, its healthier as you know what you are eating and two, its CHEAPER!

One problem is making the time to get the food together while getting the baby's food together. Also, having a 2-yr old PERIOD is a lot of time and wanting to make sure you spend time with him/her AND also making time for yourself AND making time for the fmialy, etc. TIME, in general is the problem. The healthiest way to Bring Your Lunch is to make/cook something instead of having a pre-packaged meal. And, to do that, you have to pre-cook. Sometimes, the time to do that just isnt there.

My husband and I BOTh work 40 hours a week, plus I clean my office for another 2 hours a week AND, my husband delivers newspapers on the weekends. SO, with having to fit in all the household duties when the little one is sleeping and trying to spend as much time with them as possible, time gets away from you with TRYING to cook for lunches. Something to work, YES. But something that is NOT easy. :ohwell:

Try cleaning up what you eat. You eat out a TON, and at places that are notorious for high-calorie, low nutritional value, and high saturated fat foods.

Make a goal to start cooking at home if you can (even if it's a big cooking spree on Sunday and leftovers the rest of the week). If you *really* can't do that, or you need time to adjust and can't just switch cold turkey, start picking different restaurants. Instead of Taco Bell, go to Chipotle (where you can actually see them cooking the whole cuts of steak or chicken or pork). Instead of Chick-Fil-A or Arby's, go to Subway. Things like that.

It looks like you do great on the weekends, but your weeks may seem too busy for cooking, so I'd try the cook on Sunday thing and do leftovers for the weekday meals.

Also, as others have said, add in some strength training. Cardio generally only works while you're doing it, but strength training not only has the "afterburn" effect (ie - you don't burn quite as much while actively training, but you continue to burn calories for many hours after, as your body repairs), but adding muscle helps keep your metabolism up, meaning you burn more calories while doing any activity (even sitting), than your less-muscled self.

Finally, don't just look at the scale, and make sure you don't get hung up on the number (especially if you start strength training). Keep track of it so you get a trend, but don't worry about the individual numbers. Get a tailor's measuring tape and take measurements. Look at how your clothes are fitting differently. What I like to do is get a pair of pants that are snug to tight and use them as my "goal/NSV" pants (I tend to wear loose clothing, so this helps me see changes when the scale isn't moving).

I have three kids, so I understand playdates at fast food restaurant, especially around here where temps are already in the triple digits. I eat before I go and then order a HUGE diet coke. Don't harp. It's my 'downfall'. Anyway, I've lost 100 lbs with these habits, so it's worth a try.

I see that others have commented on the same observation as I am making, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway. All calories are NOT created equally. You need to educate yourself on macronutrients and how they are used by your body to fuel your day. First off, you are not eating enough calories in a day to allow for your body to even do its basic functions. Secondly, you are not eating frequently enough. When you eat the garbage that you are putting into your body three times a day, all your body does is stores it as fat because there is nothing of value in the food you are consuming. CLEAN IT UP or quit expecting your body to change. That is brutal honesty, but sometimes we need it. I'm speaking from experience. ;-) Try eating every three hours with 30 grams of CLEAN AND LEAN protein with every meal. Chicken, turkey, egg whites, etc. Aim for 200-300 calories per meal. You will never be hungry if you eat clean. You will have a lot of food every three hours that will keep you full, yet encourage your body to release fat stores. When your body doesn't get constant refueling throughout the day so it can perform even the involuntary functions like digestion, breathing, and pumping blood, it will horde everything it can and store it as fat to use at a later time because it thinks it is in starvation mode. You CAN do this, but you need to make real changes if you want results. I believe in you!!

Try cleaning up what you eat. You eat out a TON, and at places that are notorious for high-calorie, low nutritional value, and high saturated fat foods.

Make a goal to start cooking at home if you can (even if it's a big cooking spree on Sunday and leftovers the rest of the week). If you *really* can't do that, or you need time to adjust and can't just switch cold turkey, start picking different restaurants. Instead of Taco Bell, go to Chipotle (where you can actually see them cooking the whole cuts of steak or chicken or pork). Instead of Chick-Fil-A or Arby's, go to Subway. Things like that.

It looks like you do great on the weekends, but your weeks may seem too busy for cooking, so I'd try the cook on Sunday thing and do leftovers for the weekday meals.

Also, as others have said, add in some strength training. Cardio generally only works while you're doing it, but strength training not only has the "afterburn" effect (ie - you don't burn quite as much while actively training, but you continue to burn calories for many hours after, as your body repairs), but adding muscle helps keep your metabolism up, meaning you burn more calories while doing any activity (even sitting), than your less-muscled self.

Finally, don't just look at the scale, and make sure you don't get hung up on the number (especially if you start strength training). Keep track of it so you get a trend, but don't worry about the individual numbers. Get a tailor's measuring tape and take measurements. Look at how your clothes are fitting differently. What I like to do is get a pair of pants that are snug to tight and use them as my "goal/NSV" pants (I tend to wear loose clothing, so this helps me see changes when the scale isn't moving).

I second this. You are going to have to eat MUCH cleaner.

You need to make up your mind to change these things!

For the record, your comments aren't terribly helpful or insightful, just condescending.

I HAVE made up my mind to change things (I'm on here tracking daily and in the gym 5 times/week for 400+ calorie workouts), I'm just not sure yet what works best. I am learning and already doing a lot better than I was 3 months ago- it is a work in progress.

To everyone with helpful information- thank you for your insight. I will try the 1 month with no fast food, and I like the idea about eating before a playdate at Chick Fil A and just getting a diet lemonade or fruit cup.

I see that others have commented on the same observation as I am making, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway. All calories are NOT created equally. You need to educate yourself on macronutrients and how they are used by your body to fuel your day. First off, you are not eating enough calories in a day to allow for your body to even do its basic functions. Secondly, you are not eating frequently enough. When you eat the garbage that you are putting into your body three times a day, all your body does is stores it as fat because there is nothing of value in the food you are consuming. CLEAN IT UP or quit expecting your body to change. That is brutal honesty, but sometimes we need it. I'm speaking from experience. ;-) Try eating every three hours with 30 grams of CLEAN AND LEAN protein with every meal. Chicken, turkey, egg whites, etc. Aim for 200-300 calories per meal. You will never be hungry if you eat clean. You will have a lot of food every three hours that will keep you full, yet encourage your body to release fat stores. When your body doesn't get constant refueling throughout the day so it can perform even the involuntary functions like digestion, breathing, and pumping blood, it will horde everything it can and store it as fat to use at a later time because it thinks it is in starvation mode. You CAN do this, but you need to make real changes if you want results. I believe in you!!

I wont get into a debate here, but you absolutely do not need to eat every 3 hours, this is bro science.
However the other points you have made, is sound advice