Hi! Im very new to this forum and just starting my weight loss journey. After two kids in just three years my body definitely needs some major work! Ive never been "skinny" but i was always okay with my curvy body. but now those once cute curves arent so cute. My pre pregnancy weight was about 170. then i was about 200 after delivery. didnt lose any of it, and got pregnant with my son and delivered him at 230. hes turning one next week & i have decided its time to FINALLY lose all this baby weight! and then some?!
anyway, i have bought some meal replacement protein powder i was thinking of doing that or like blended fruit/spinach smoothies for breakfast, because cooking a nice healthy breakfast in the morning is just unrealistic for me. i was thinking of meal prepping some salads on sundays to take for lunch every day, and then just a balanced meal for dinner, like baked chix and veg. no starch, things like that. and i want to try to start waking up an hour early every morning and do like a home dvd or something? i work full time and when i get home around 5 theres not much time for anything between dinner time, bath time, and bed time with a 1& 2 year old. so im thinking ill have to force myself to do an early work out before i head to work at 7am. hows that sounds to everyone? any advice? ive never been a healthy person, i know this is going to be hard and needs to be a lifestyle change. ive tried in the past and the most i ever stick with a routine is maybe a month. im really hoping this forum will give me the support and motivation i need to stick with it! it also doesnt help that my husband likes "big girls" and doesnt want me to lose weight. he says he wants me to be happy though so hes going to try to be supportive. we'll see!
For my other meals, I often make things like quinoa meatballs, stews, soups, chilis, and stuffed peppers and freeze them into individual portions. This way I can just grab one in the morning for my lunch.
I also cook meatloaf muffins, mini chicken pot pies, chicken/squash nuggets, zucchini/turkey meatballs, any kind of burgers, burritos, and casseroles. I freeze them all with calorie counts on the packaging. It makes life easy, especially with kids.
I have been doing this a long time, so I do a lot at once, but try cooking one dish (like chili), and when it's done, put it in 1-1.5 cup servings, cool, and freeze. The next time you don't know what to eat, you can pull it out and I swear it will help. If you like it, you can always expand to make more.
If calculating your own calories in a recipe is daunting, try one that already has calorie counts on it, and split it into the number of servings. Tada, done. If you're not sure where to find recipes, try www.skinnytaste.com, www.cookinglight.com, and www.eatingwell.com.
Oh, and I have had to switch my workout to 4:30am because it is the only time that I'm not either at work or with my child. If I made it for after she goes to bed (9pm) then it would likely be skipped.
Hi! Im very new to this forum and just starting my weight loss journey. After two kids in just three years my body definitely needs some major work! Ive never been "skinny" but i was always okay with my curvy body. but now those once cute curves arent so cute. My pre pregnancy weight was about 170. then i was about 200 after delivery. didnt lose any of it, and got pregnant with my son and delivered him at 230. hes turning one next week & i have decided its time to FINALLY lose all this baby weight! and then some?!
anyway, i have bought some meal replacement protein powder i was thinking of doing that or like blended fruit/spinach smoothies for breakfast, because cooking a nice healthy breakfast in the morning is just unrealistic for me. i was thinking of meal prepping some salads on sundays to take for lunch every day, and then just a balanced meal for dinner, like baked chix and veg. no starch, things like that. and i want to try to start waking up an hour early every morning and do like a home dvd or something? i work full time and when i get home around 5 theres not much time for anything between dinner time, bath time, and bed time with a 1& 2 year old. so im thinking ill have to force myself to do an early work out before i head to work at 7am. hows that sounds to everyone? any advice? ive never been a healthy person, i know this is going to be hard and needs to be a lifestyle change. ive tried in the past and the most i ever stick with a routine is maybe a month. im really hoping this forum will give me the support and motivation i need to stick with it! it also doesnt help that my husband likes "big girls" and doesnt want me to lose weight. he says he wants me to be happy though so hes going to try to be supportive. we'll see!
Do it for your health. Health of heart, bones, joints, kidneys, all your other organs.
And when your hubby misses your cuddlier self, remind him you want to live longer and healthier.
I don't think you can prepare salads ahead of time like that. They will be ruined and inedible by the time eating them comes around. Can you take the raw unprepared foods to work and make them there. Or maybe that's what you meant. YOu could have a little portable kitchen. and on the weekend just grab your bag of whole salad vegies and stick it in the box. If you are eating salad at work, you will still need to add substantial foods to it. A lettuce salad will not get you through the day and you will be starving long before you get home. Have some pre-mixed salad dressing of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a 50:50 ratio. Its delicious and perfect.
Have something to eat either just before you leave work or on your way home because this is a risk time when you start to become aware of your hunger and when you have the freedom to go and buy anything you want. Don't restrict your calories too severely. It will cause diet failure.
I'm just reading a book called French women don't get fat. I think you'd find it full of useful ideas and maybe a more achievable way for you to lose weight. If what you plan to do now doesn't work, try an approach more like what she describes in the book, save the bit about shopping every day. I think i could say that her general approach is to make many minor adjustments to quantities as you go along and increase the quality of your food. Keep it varied but prepare it yourself and avoid junk. Go for high nutrition and freshness. And lots and lots of fruit and vegetables.
If you can manage an early work out every day, great but if you can't, it doesn't mean your weight loss program can't work. You don't have to do formal exercise. You can be more active during the day. Walk around more in your office. walk around at lunch time. Take the stairs not the lift whenever you can. Do some squats when you go to the loo at work. Etc. There's all sorts of things you can do to flex your muscles and get your heart rate up a little. its just a matter of moving more. Instead of getting up an hour earlier, leave home a little earlier and get some walking in on your way to the office. On the weekend, go for a long walk with the whole family in the countryside or park. Or do some other activity that gets you out of the house, far from junk food venues and into nature.
It sounds like you have a solid plan.
If you follow that you'll definitely see the pounds melt off.
I also prep a bunch of meals on Sunday.. I find that if I have my meals all ready to go I'm more likely to stay on track.
I like to make my salads in mason jars like this (just be sure to put the dressing in first so it stays on the bottom, when you're ready to eat it just give it a good shake).
just getting started! HELP?!
