I wanted to introduce myself, before I begin posting! I'm Hannah, a soon to be 31 year old, single mom to a pretty rocking 10 year old boy.
I have decided to get serious about weight loss this year, but have been finding it fairly challenging..I was put on a medication of which one of the side effects is weight gain....and although I haven't gained any weight, I also haven't lost any....so I'm figuring all of my efforts have not been in vain, but still frustrating. However, I've recently stopped taking it, and am looking forward to have that obstacle out of the way.
I also work as a nurse, and rotate between day and night shifts....I find this also to be a challenge, I think my body is a bit confused, and also trying to fit in an exercise routine into a full time single mama/full time nurse/part time student life has been difficult.
If anyone has any advice on working crazy shift work and losing weight, I would be glad to hear it....
I highly recommend some exercise video tapes. They are very flexible for any situation. The *first* time I lost this weight, I was a single Mom of 2 - working full time - doing night school...ugh. There were times I would fall asleep in my clothes right on top of my comforter!
You CAN do it!! You might check into your local YMCA (or equivalent) Most have a sliding fee for monthly dues AND free childcare or a youth gym.
As far as eating goes - frozen, pre-cut and washed fruits and veggies are just as nutritious as the fresh kind that you have to wash and cut. Stock up on those, whole grain breads and pastas, and lotsa lean meats (I buy whole chickens on sale, boil them and bone them out).
Take it from me (mother of 4, daycare provider, home schooler of 3rd and 7th graders) you will find time for what's important to you!
I am a Nurse Practitioner/provider in an ER; my life is crazy shifts and odd hours. It is tough not to eat your way through a night shift to stay awake, I try to pack a regular meal--protein, healthy carbs, fruit/veggies--to eat halfway through for my "lunch". That and drinking ice water helps a lot.
MP is right, DVDs would be a great option for you....you can do them at any time, don't have to have a sitter, and can switch your exercise routine just by buying or renting new DVDs. I don't use them as much as I could....I should break those out again!
Running to smile ~glad to hear you understand the crazy shifts...yeah. What do you do eating wise as far as calories go on your nights? I do two weeks of 12 hour days, then switch and 2 weeks of nights. 2 on, 2 off, with one stretch of three nights, and two stretches of three off. So, for two weeks, every 2-3 days, I'm having to pretty much stay up for 24 hours with maybe 3-4 hours of sleep maximum. I never know how to eat leading into my nights. I know that I'm going to be trying to rest, and then eating overnight. I've tried resetting my calories at midnight, but I don't seem to lose any weight. Once I'm on my second or third night I'm fine ( because I've slept during the day), it's just the day leading into the first night. There's also the day off after my nights, where I'm too tired to eat, but like to eat supper with my son and then go back to bed to keep regular hours with him on my days off. All the switching back and forth is playing a number on my metabolism, I think.
Luckily, I work in a rural setting. So, what I bring to work for my nights, that's all there is....( except for whatever families bring us...although evening shift usually does a good job of polishing it off...). Much better than working in town and people ordering in.
I work on a psycho geriatric unit, so even though I'm busy ( it would be nothing like the ER), there's a lot of going then stopping...mostly just returning the wanderers to bed and sitting in rooms....also a ton of paperwork...I do try to walk around the unit, but again, there's usually someone who needs me. Of course, there's also the paperwork that takes up a large portion of my nights. I also don't get "breaks" as there are only two of us on, so going for a walk outside isn't an option.
While I'm on nights, the scale will not move. Once I switch back to days, there is usually a jump, but to have two weeks every month when I know nothing will happpen, is frustrating. I recently switched a stretch of days for nights with a co worker so I would be available for end of the year school things with my son, and I gained two lbs, even though my calories for that month were perfectly on track!
Welcome and good luck! I'm a single mama too, I have 3 little boys and while my schedule is pretty regular my life is pretty hectic!! Its just a matter of priorities..
I love those healthy choice steamers for meals, the calories are low and they are delicious and its EASY!
As a full time mom & home school teacher to my 3 children (ages 8, 5 & 2), my schedule can get pretty hectic. I plan to use my 10-Minute Trainer program, which gives me a great workout and works lots of muscles at the same time...in only 10 minutes. I could do more than just the one 10 minute workout if time allows, and it's very convenient for me.
Good luck to you in creating a workout schedule that works for you...and your hectic schedule!
Hi and welcome. I'm also new here. I'm 38 and back when I was 31, I too was a single mom, working full time and going to school - it is challenging.
For me, I wanted to lose weight, but during those times it was more about changing my lifestyle than anything else. During those days it was so easy to grab easy, quick meals, fast food and junk because I was so busy. But by making small changes here and there, I eventually changed my eating habits and was able to lose weight. Learning to preplan means (cooking on my days off so I had leftovers or lunches easily available) and to preplan healthy snacks (bringing granola bars, raisens or even those tuna snack packs, something healthy snacks to my classes so I wouldn't grab a bag of chips out of the vending machine). Slowly I changed little things here and there and they added up.
Exercise is very hard - since you have a little guy. He's just at the age where being home alone for an hour is probably ok, so you might be able to squeeze in a workout that way. (I know I worried at that age and never wanted to be further away then some place I couldn't get back home in 5 mins if I had to).
Is he active too? Can you get him involved in your workouts. Its great mom/son time, and it teaches him a wonderful lesson in health too. Biking or even walking together is a great time to spend time together.
What kind of resources do you have available for exercise? Do you belong to a gym? Do you have access to equipment, bikes, roller blades?
How about videos and in your own home. Those can be done whenever.
I am in awe of you single moms! My hubby went away for a week on business and I had to play single mom. It was rough! I truely believe all single mom's should get an honorary olympic medal.
I think it is important for us moms to take the time to care for ourselves so we are better able to care for our family.
introduction
Hannah!!
