You already know that from time to time I like to talk a bit about my personal life. I hope that its not turning you off from my blog, but I LOVE hearing what you have to say! You guys really know how to swoop in and give the greatest advice! Today, I want to talk about a problem that I’ve been struggling with since the birth of my second son Nick.
Actually, I think its been a problem before I ever had kids. I met my husband when I was 16. He was my first boyfriend. Well, you know, aside from the “boyfriends” you think you have at 14! well, he was older than me and he had a car and a job. I said all of that to say that every off day he had we were at some type of restaurant. Ruby Tuesdays, Chinese restaurants, Red Lobster, Long Horn, I think you get the point. Anyway, my 169lb body went to 200lbs FAST! But of course I was in denial and it just gave me another reason to shop.
I realize that I don’t have many pictures of myself post baby and if I do, they are half shots. Mostly being because I hate seeing myself in a photo. If you notice in the two images above, I had a small waste. Well, three caesarians later, I have a large pouch! And for some reason I can not get rid of it….
The above three pictures I was pregnant. I guess it would be hard to lose weight if you’re pregnant every other year….
These pictures are recent pictures of me. The first one is of me at the Tennessee aquarium with the boys earlier this year. And the second picture is of me at Paula Deens Restaurant over the summer.
To simply say that I need to stop eating so much would be totally off base. I don’t think that is the problem. I know that my number one problem is that I don’t exercise. Problem number two is that I’m trying to juggle being a mom of three and making sure they have everything they need while neglecting myself. Plus, I need help with meal planning and learning ‘what to eat’. I also realize that I don’t drink as much water as I should.
So my point of this post is to ask you guys for as many tips you may have. Whether it’s a good starter exercise regimen, some healthy foods, or whatever. I would love to hear them. And if you have ever dealt with any weight issues how did you over come them? Oh and before I forget, to me, losing weight is more than just getting the weight off. Its more of a lifestyle change. Whatever it is that I decide to do, it won’t stop once I get to the size I want to be, but will be the beginning of a healthy and active life for me and my family. And last, I am not into diet pills at all. I believe that my goal weight can be achieved by eating right and exercise.
24 comments:
First off you are so brave. You always say what I am thinking but not secure enough to say out loud! I am struggling with weight myself and can't seem to get a handle on it. I have the exercise equiptment but seem to find other things that I need to do instead of working out! Plus I feel guilty taking the time out from my kids to work out! I have lost weight recently from counting calories and cutting out my sugar intake. I hope you get some good suggestions! I am wishing you the best of luck (and will power!)
Lacy
Oh, honey! You and me both. Only I only have 1 kiddo and he's 8 months old, and I am STRUGGLIN! I put on about 63 lbs when I was preggers with him and I have lost about 40 of it. But that last 23 lbs is killing me.
I know that sounds ridiculous, only 23 lbs overweight?
But seriously, I just have to get it off.
For me, I follow the weight watchers regimen - counting points and what not because I know the routine so well.
I know as a new mommy I have barely any extra time to fit in a workout routine, so I have combined 30 minutes of cardio in the am with the 30 day shred workout series 2-3 nights a week.
I would highly recommend 30DS because it is a 25 minute workout that combines cardio and strength training. It's highly intense, but you can tell you are getting stuff done.
Also have you been checked for hypothyroidism? I just found out that I have it and that seems to cause all kinds of extra struggles with losing the baby weight.
Good luck!!!
Admiting to yourself is the first step, and what works for someone else is not always going to work for you. However, exercising is good for the body mind and soul. Try walking at least 30 minutes each morning, watching your caloric intake AND believe it or not you need rest in order to lose weight too.
I hate to say this Lakeitha because it hits home and makes this a reality for me as well. I didn't gain weight until I started blogging and now I've joined FB. Before I discovered blogging, I was a gym rat. I've managed to lose 15 pounds thus far, but I'm going to have to hit the gym more.
Boy, do I know what you mean, three kids in 5 years certainly took a toll on my body. Not to mention I was Active Duty military until my third was born so the rapid change from highly active to my current sedentary blogging lifestyle has taken a toll too.
I have ups & downs ... don't we all. I lost 30 lbs last year & want to do lose 30 this year too. I lost 14 lbs between Jan-April and well, then I sort of lost steam ... I'm down more like 9 right now and not sure I'll reach my goal this year but I keep trying.
Here's how I started. Start by forcing yourself to drink 2 liters of water a day. It is way harder than it sounds in the beginning unless you are already a water drinker or you are working out. Find a daily multivitamin you like. If your body is getting the right mix of vitamins & minerals you will have less cravings. Start by walking. However & as much as you can. Maybe it starts with a lap around your neighborhood & evolves in to 2, 3, 4 laps. The easiest way for me to fit walking in was to buy some Leslie Sansone DVDs. I pop them in my laptop and walk while I watch TV. This has seriously been the greatest catalyst for my weight loss. I started out walking 3 miles while watching Biggest Loser. This year I will do 7-10 miles while I watch :)
As far as diet, start slowly there too. Give yourself a month of just getting in the habit of drinking the water & taking the vitamin then add small changes. For us, I added one vegetarian meal a week to our family meal plan. Then, I added one salad night with grilled chicken, steak or shrimp. That's two nights of pretty healthy eating right there :)
Oh I could go on & on, actually I have been thinking of blogging a lot of this for a while. Maybe, I will and we'll call you my Muse.
It's a long road but it's so much easier when you have cheerleaders. I have a list on Twitter of all the folks that cheer my along. I'm happy to be yours :) Maybe we can inspire each other.
Much ♥
Stace
I need to lose almost 40 pounds. A week ago I started eating the "No S" way. I've lost 4 pounds so far but most importantly, I feel great eating this way. I don't know why I've been able to stick with this so far when all other attempts have been a big fail within two days. I think the biggest thing is realizing it needs to come and being serious about it. Looks like you're doing that. As far as exercise, I put on my walking shoes and gear up my 3 year old on his bike and we walk/ride the other kids to bus stop. As soon as they get on the bus we start our walk. If I go back in the house, I don't seem to make it on the walk. I know I need to do more but hopefully this will become habit. Good Luck...you can do it!
First of all I think your a beautiful person and the outside of us is just a shell. I understand where you are coming from. Trying to balance everything is exhausting and us mothers always pay the price. Walking everyday for 30 minutes will help. A friend of mine always ate half of her food and she was able to lose weight. Good luck to you, and everything starts with baby steps.
Struggling with weight is a tough one, because you cannot just cut yourself off from food. I try to make healthier choices and portion control is a big issue for me - especially when I'm hungry and I eat really fast. I also try to exercise at least 3 days per week. I do some of the free workouts from "ON Demand" from Comcast. It's free and available whenever I want to work out! Best of luck , and you are beautiful now!
Good for you for taking charge and, more importantly setting a good example for your boys.
In addition to my decorating blog, I've been writing a fitness blog for the last 10 months. There is a wonderful supportive community of fitness/wellness/weight loss bloggers out there to offer you suggestions and support.
If you want to e-mail me privately, I'd be glad to give you the names of what I view as the best weight loss/fitness blogs out there. (karen.evans@bex.net)
If you are interested, you can find my blog here:
http://fitnessajourneynotadestination.blogspot.com/
Congrats on being brave enough to talk about your struggles! The most effective thing that got the weight off of me after I had my daughter was running. When I first started running, I couldn't go for more than 30 seconds at a time with stopping to walk. Now, I am signed up for three half marathons this year. It's an amazing feeling upping your miles each week. Signing up for a race is an easy way to get motivated. As far as fitting it in, I get up at 5 to run 4 days a week. Sometimes I am cursing the alarm clock but after I am done, I am over it and glad I got up!
xo Jade
I didn't realize Karen above also wrote a fitness blog, I'll have to check that out. While I don't really struggle with my weight I do need to exercise more to stay feeling great! I think it really amounts to all the small choices adding up to a significant difference...as in most things! As a mom it is hard to put your own needs first when it becomes important to do so, but if you are healthy and in a good space the whole family benefits. Janell
I can easly pack on the pounds if I'm not paying attention to what I'm eating and drinking.
Start making little adjustments in your cooking, and getting in a little exercise. When doing this include your whole family with eating good.
I find alot of recipes on Cooking Light.com they also have good magazines. Its fun to try new recipes, we also go meatless several times a week (3-4) my husband loves meat, but aslong as the food is yummy - he dosn't miss it.
For excercise I take our dog Mojo on walks everyday -- a 30min walk feels good. If theres a park nearby, walk there with the kids and play with them on the swings and chase them around.
The best thing skip soda and juice and drink water have have breakfast, Ok I just wrote you a book! lol
First, I want to echo everyone above who noted you are beautiful - you are!
Second, I read a book earlier this year called Women Food and God. I didn't agree with everything in the book, but I found her guidelines for eating pretty simple to follow:
1. Eat when you are hungry.
2. Eat sitting down in a calm environment. This does not include the car.
3. Eat without distractions. Distractions include radio, television, newspapers, books, intense or anxiety-producing conversations or music (my note: I disagree on the music!).
4. Eat what your body wants.
5. Eat until you are satisfied.
6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.
7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto and pleasure.
Following the above, and narrowing my rice and pasta down to just about zero (I take a spoonful every now and again), I lost nearly twenty pounds. I have more to go and it's a years long struggle exasperated by my pregnancy with my twins, but baby steps...baby steps. :)
I've never really commented on your blog before, but I read it daily and love hearing about the updates in your life. Thanks for sharing your heart on this weight loss issue. I don't have any children and have gained about 20 lbs. It happens so steadily that you don't even realize it until you can't fit the clothes in your closet.
Anyways, one thing that has helped me also is Leslie Sansone's DVDs. These are low-impact 3-mile walking videos. You do break a sweat, but you can do it at home whenever you want and she helps you keep up the pace, which is a little more difficult when outside walking. I'm not big on sweating but I know I need to burn calories; this is good.
Happy moving! We're all rooting for you!
Thanks for being so honest. I too am struggling with the pouch after the birth of my son. But he's over two year old now. I just recently got the Denise Austin Daily Dozen book and DVD after I saw it on the show The Doctors. Turned out it was cheaper to buy it from her website rather than walmart or target. You could also rent the DVD from the library. She tells you to drink mainly water. ( i don't drink any.) She has 12 minutes of workout 5 days a week, and she asks that you walk 12 miles a week. I started her plan this week. I have eaten one day of meals (which are about 1300 calories a day). She gives you 3 weeks of meal plans along with shopping lists and additional meal ideas. I will say I have been surprised at how good some of the healthy food tastes. I like that the plan isn't too complicated and the meals are something you can feed your family and kids. She says you can lose up to 12 lbs in two weeks. So, I'll have to let you know how that goes. But it's what I am using right now. I hope you find some ideas that you feel you can implement, because I know it can be hard. Best wishes!
I had a weight problem after my kids. I was always 117, so being 155 was just to much weight. I to hate excerising, and I had to get my doctor to help. He wrote me a scrip and I took my med in the morning, and worked out to TAEBO for an hour everyday for 30 days, and lost all the weight I wanted to lose. I judged based on clothes. My pants were hanging off my assets which let me know, I did it. The weird thing. After the meds were gone. I had no drive to workout and I didnt. No energy. I was able to keep the weight off. But I see as I get older, I am gaining slowly because of DESSERTS and sitting on my asset. I try sometimes to work out. I hope this is not to much TMI, but my exercise comes from ___, and bringing in the groceries. SAD, and I have a damn treadmill. I even posted on FB that i was working out. I had my friends wanting to join in. We were doing a FB challenge. And I only lasted for two shameful days. SAD...And my husband works out EVERYDAY. He always has...and I watch..Its about choices. We arent getting younger, and the older we get, the harder it gets to lose. if you cant do it on your own. Reach out to your doctor. Thanks for being so open.
That is a brave post. It is not often that we show the vulnerable side of us while blogging. It is always "look what I did" today. I have been a fitness instructor for 30 years, and even with that I have to always watch what I eat. In my opinion it is 75% food intake and 25% exercise. Lean into it...think small, 1-2 pounds a week. Get a partner to walk with you. Try cutting out one thing like sugar. Also, I don't know if you drink, but I limit myself to just having wine on Friday or sat night. You can do it but like anything else in life, it will take relearning behavior.
Good luck!
Love your blog!
Sherry
Thanks for writing such an honest and transparent post!
I am struggling with the same thing! LOL!
After finding out my son has autism about a year and a half ago, I gained 20lbs (on top of the baby weight).
I have recently started trying to lose it.
The easiest (sort of) things that I would recommend is to quit any soda you may be drinking (diet too). Start drinking water.
My husband and I recently started to drink 16 oz of water before each meal, snack, etc.
So far in the two weeks I have done this, I have lost 3 lbs. (gotta start somewhere!)
Obviously there are many things you can do, from redesigning your diet, to working out...but I have found it easiest to take baby-steps first!
Thanks for the wonderful posts! I enjoy them a lot.
:)
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/642324.html
I highly recommend Weight Watchers! I have always struggled with my weight too. I have been doing Weight Watchers for 6 weeks and I have already lost 15 pounds and that's without any exercise. It is really convenient and all you have to do is count your points. You can eat anything as long as you write it down and count your points.
hang in there, you are beautiful! I think it's great that you are putting this out there to get some feedback. The best advice I can give you is foodjournal, food journal, food journal. It's a great way to get real about caloric intake. And then, it gives you that "want" to go work out. Also 30 minutes of walking every day works wonderssss!
Thanks for your post. You're very brave and I want to add that your husband is a wonderful man. He's continued to love you no matter what your weight.
I've struggled with weight a good amount of time. I've been over 200 lbs and am now at 145 lbs where I feel very comfortable. I've found the only way to control my eating is to lay off sugar and flour in all it's forms TOTALLY (except natually such as in fruit). If I even get a little of it, I CRAVE it! If I get it out of my system and eat balanced meals with lots of vegetables and protein, I don't have cravings and the weight falls off and stays off.
If you're interested, I can give you my food plan and a list of all the things you need to stay away from. I've been doing this for 16 years and it works and keeps working.
You're my hero! I so know where you are, how you feel. I too have boys and the dreaded c-section pouch to prove it. I've struggled losing weight since becoming a mom. My numbers are similar to yours.
I was thin until I after college when I got office jobs, got married etc. After that my weight crept up and up, and has been an ongoing battle since. The only thing that has worked for me is Weight Watchers. When following the program faithfully, I lost 50 lbs. The weight loss came from changing my diet. Then I got into yoga and looked/felt better. I kept it off for 4 years until I had kids.
I know what it takes for me to lose weight: tireless dedication (almost obsession)and being very aware and consistent in what I eat. Starting is the hardest part! It's the habits that matter, not occasional diversions from the plan. The up side is, once you're in the groove, it's a no-brainer. No snacking, drinking water, eating low fat. Watching portion size is key. Making sure to fill up on veggies and fruits. Not eating to fullness. It takes 20 mins after eating to realize you're full. I would wait, and if still hungry, then eat more. Eat healthy things you like and find treats to keep yourself satisfied. I used to eat snack size candy bars, or low fat ice cream sandwiches. I banned foods that like gallons of ice cream where it was easy to go nuts. Pre-portioned packages of food helped. I also plain avoided places like Mexican and Chinese restaurants that had very limited healthy choices. I would eat fast food but planned for it so I didn't overdo it. Also stopped hanging around friends who weren't supportive or hell-bent on eating junk food all the time. Sounds extreme, but the haters come out when you start getting thin. ;)
My other advice is finding exercise you like. Otherwise, if you're like me, you can't motivate yourself to continue. It has to become part of your lifestyle. I like how Weight Watchers puts point values on activities like playing with kids and vacuuming, not just formal exercising. I'd park further away, take stairs and do other little things that added up. I also lost so much more quickly when I went to meetings. And I think there was something good about having someone else see my weight on the scale, to keep me accountable.
Hope this helps! No one thing works for everyone, but that's my story. I never thought I could lose that much weight ... but I did and felt great. I actually got to a point where I looked forward to weighing in! I set small goals for myself. Less about specific numbers and more about baby steps, like drinking water. Once I mastered one goal, I set a new one. Now, off to follow my own advice! Best of luck!
First of all - the absolutely hardest thing about changing to a healthy lifestyle (which is WAY better and WAY longer-lasting than any "diet") is starting.
The second hardest part is sticking with it. ;)
Some tips I'd offer:
- Motivation can be hard. Find blogs and websites that help keep you motivated and inspired! And think of WHY you want to lose the weight. Think of this reason any and every time it gets hard. A good reason can really help you.
- Water. Water, water, water. Drink lots and lots. If you're hungry? Have a big glass of water and reevaluate your hunger again in 10 minutes. It's such a vital part of the whole process.
- Start small. Don't set a goal of 50 lbs lost in 3 months. Instead, try something like "Swapping soda and juice for water" or "2 big servings of fresh veggies every day" or "walk 10 minutes a day". Having small, achievable goals will help you stay on track, motivate you (as you keep reaching your goals) and keep you from feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.
- Lean on others. You are definitely not doing this alone and there are so many people that can help give you inspiration, ideas, recipes, exercises, support, etc etc.
- Know that you CAN do it!
I am so glad I came across this post today. First let me say how beautiful you are and how courageous you are for writing this!
4.5 years ago we gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Parker Reese. She passed away a day later from a rare birth defect. 6 months after her death I went into a severe depression gaining 65 pounds. I have always been small. Anywhere between a 2-6. Let's just say I'm not either now. I have struggled with getting the weight off. I've walked, dieted, taken the crazy diet pills and although at one point I lost 12 pounds I couldn't get past that. I want to be lost those 65 pounds and I know what I lack is the motivation. I did cut out soft drinks but giving up my sweet tea is a whole different story. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayes and hoping we can both blog about our weight loss soon!
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