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Old 05-25-2011, 09:20 AM   #1  
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Default 3 kids in 4 years...advice appreciated

I have been blessed with 3 beautiful kids all within the last 4 years. I'm having difficulty sticking with eating healthy. Before I had children I had successfully lost 38 lbs on weight watchers. My problem is that I start out with the best of intentions than I lose focus and head toward the cubboard/refirgerator. I'm looking for some helpful tips on how to stay focused and motivated. I also tell myself that "oh you can have this or that and you can just hop back on the diet tomorrow." but in reality I've been doing this for the last 2 months! All of this is also compounded by the fact that I am sleep deprived and getting more sleep is not an option at this point in my life. Has anyone else faced this same situation?
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Old 05-25-2011, 09:32 AM   #2  
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You are really lucky in the fact that your kids are young and don't have "junk food" engraved in their little heads yet. This is the perfect time to set them up to appreciate healthy food, before they are old enough to go to the store and buy their own crap. Thankfully there will be no need to fix different foods for you vs. them. Cooking one healthy meal for everyone is much easier than what I read that other women are doing. (Making their kids some high fat low quality junk food while they eat healthy fruits and veggies) Get any bingy food out of the house...you don't need it and your kids certainly don't need it and fill your fridge with vegetables and fruit and lean meats and eggs. If you don't have junk in the house to eat, you can't eat it!

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Old 05-25-2011, 09:38 AM   #3  
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I'm all about healthy nutrition for my children. The junk food culprit in my house is my husband. One of the main reason I want to lose weight is so that I set a great example for my children. I have 3 girls and I don't want them to have to struggle with their weight like I have. I firmly believe that mothers have the greatest impact on how children eat.
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Old 05-25-2011, 09:49 AM   #4  
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I'm all about healthy nutrition for my children. The junk food culprit in my house is my husband. One of the main reason I want to lose weight is so that I set a great example for my children. I have 3 girls and I don't want them to have to struggle with their weight like I have. I firmly believe that mothers have the greatest impact on how children eat.
This is the EXACT reason I started to eat clean, when I had my son I didn't want to be influencing him by what I was doing. Setting your kids up for a healthy lifestyle from the get go is fantastic, kudos to you.

Not that its the same having 3 kids opposed to one, but what really helped me when I decided to make the change was planning, as much as I possibly could. When he napped, I cut up fruits and veg to snack. Meals were simple but healthy, and things I would be ok with him taking off my plate. But def healthy.
Can the older kids help at all? I mean little things like washing fruit for snacks or mixing salad . . . anything like that?
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Old 05-25-2011, 10:10 AM   #5  
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I'm all about healthy nutrition for my children. The junk food culprit in my house is my husband. One of the main reason I want to lose weight is so that I set a great example for my children. I have 3 girls and I don't want them to have to struggle with their weight like I have. I firmly believe that mothers have the greatest impact on how children eat.
I disagree. It was my father who taught me how to cook both on the stove and on the grill. He also introduced me to wide varieties of foods including all the veggies I love. My mother on the other hand was the one who made me feel like my body was never good enough which let me to starving myself as a young child. I think that young girls look more to their mothers for body image than anything else. If I had a happy, but fat, mother I think that would have made a world of difference. So, show your girls that you love yourself no matter what your weight! Save sharing any setbacks or making any comments for hubby and you time only

ETA: my mom's actions and the way she viewed herself led me to believe for years that being fat was some kind of disease that caused a person to be able to be happy. Even though I know this to be untrue I still struggle with it daily

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Old 05-25-2011, 10:17 AM   #6  
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I feel that plastic containers are an evil necessity. I can't ever get them to fit in my cupboard - but they are priceless. When I cook, I cook enough to have left overs. I immediately divide them up in to single meal servings and put them in the fridge/freezer. Sometimes, I get away with only cooking twice a week. (My hubby isn't picky - TG - and if he was, he would have to fend for himself.)

I try to wash/cut up veggies as soon as I get them home, so they are all ready to go as I need them.

Snacks - divide into bags/containers right away so they are easy to grab. ex. my low fat tub of cottage cheese gets put into six single serving Gladware containers right away. Then I can grab one out of the fridge whenever I need it. (makes packing my lunches for work easier, too)

Anything I can do to get my 2 yr old excited - I do it. We signed up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and each Tuesday, I go to a farm and pick up my batch of veggies. I pick up my son from day care first and tell him "we are going to the farm! Yay! To get our veggies!" and he gets excited about the "Car ride to the farm". Last night he was sitting on the kitchen counter with me - tasting radishes. (This is the same toddler who's ONLY meat that he will eat comes in dino nugget form.)

CROCK POT is your friend!! Throw food in in the morning = hot dinner ready in the evening. I have never been able to screw up a crock pot meal, either. I have been known to throw whole, FROZEN chickens in the crock pot and have them come out juicy and delicious by dinner time.
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Old 05-25-2011, 12:00 PM   #7  
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Oh, I have had three in four years and it IS quite a busy situation, but I have still managed to lose a lot of excess weight (and maintain it during my third pregnancy). There's no solution that is special for moms with lots of little children, aside from not picking off their plates and cooking the whole family healthy food. They still eat different things than me, but since I control the food in this house and do all the cooking the snacks are healthy and the options for fun food are, as well. I have that luxury, as the wielder of the kitchen skills

Being mindful is hugely important, NO EATING WHEN YOU ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT! For me, that means no grazing if I can at all help it. I have to log my food and count my calories for every bite, I get into trouble if I start sliding here. Realizing my kids cannot be an excuse for my being fat (they aren't going away anytime soon and if *I* want to be around for them, I have to lose this weight!) and that slow weight loss is still success, were very helpful in getting me started on this journey.

It can be done, the same way any other person loses weight - pick a plan, stick to it, create a calorie deficit (somehow). For me, that is daily weighing, calorie counting, and logging my food. Your mileage may vary.

In terms of activity, we do NOT do a lot outside the house, as it is a logistical nightmare and the stress isn't fun for anyone. My kids are very obedient, sweet children, but they are at an age where I do not have enough hands and they cannot be independent enough that things like CSA picking, park trips, or group sports are really all that pleasant or helpful (without my husband along, anyway). It is a brief stage for most families, but several preschool or younger children has major logistical challenges, even with all the baby wraps and strollers in the world to help. So for us, we play in the yard and do what we can at home, but my weightloss doesn't include any gyms or outside activities, just an exercise bike and DVDs during nap. For me, creating my calorie deficit with food is a lot easier than trying to do it with exercise. I like moving around and we do, but my kids have a consistent home routine and outside stuff during the day just causes more meltdowns and mommy anxiety than it is worth. You'll find you have to make your own adjustments based on wha works for your family, but realize this may not be the best or easiest time to, say, get a gym membership, and accept that temporary limitation. I won't be like that forever (unless you're like me and have more babies, while homeschooling the older ones... Then the craziness persists quite a ways longer ).

- mommy of '07, '08, and '10 babies

Last edited by Arctic Mama; 05-25-2011 at 12:06 PM.
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Old 05-25-2011, 12:22 PM   #8  
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Anything I can do to get my 2 yr old excited - I do it. We signed up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and each Tuesday, I go to a farm and pick up my batch of veggies.
I just wanted to add/clarify - that I was able to opt for the "box option" at my CSA = meaning, I show up and my veggies are all ready for me. (I don't do any "picking") There is another farm in the area that requires you to spend time working on the farm... oh, no no no no... No time for that!
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Old 05-25-2011, 01:06 PM   #9  
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We have done it as well

Many communities also have picking programs and those are not very kid friendly. For us, we quit our CSA box due to price, not so much the convenience factor.

ETA: I should amend, the picking programs actually are great for kids, but I find my brood is too young for it to be a good choice for us. Older children would probably LOVE it.

Last edited by Arctic Mama; 05-25-2011 at 01:30 PM.
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Old 05-25-2011, 03:10 PM   #10  
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Arctic Mama, it is virtually impossible for me to go anywhere with my kids too. They are 3yrs, 2yrs and 9 mos. I just have to do it and that is what it comes down to. I know how to lose weight and how to maintain it, I'm just making way too many excuses and need to hold myself more accountable for what I put in my mouth.

Thanks everyone for all the tips.
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Old 05-25-2011, 03:40 PM   #11  
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ETA: I should amend, the picking programs actually are great for kids, but I find my brood is too young for it to be a good choice for us. Older children would probably LOVE it.
That is a good point! I also only have the one, so far - so it is "easy" to keep my eye on just him. Three... That would be tricky! I am thinking about taking him Strawberry picking in a few weeks... I wonder how he will do? I fear he may eat them all...
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Old 05-25-2011, 10:01 PM   #12  
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I have 5 kiddos. My first 3 were all under 4 (at the time my 3rd was born, my first had turned 3 the month before, and my 2nd was 18 months), #4 was born a few months before my first turned 5! Now they are 10.5, 9, 7.5 almost 6 and 3.
It was hard to lose weight and was never really a focus of mine after any of them. Oh sure I would jump on the exercise bandwagon for awhile and watch what I ate but I would also SLOWLY ease back into old habits. I was never super overweight (usually maintained around 118-125lbs on my small 5'2 frame) but I definitely felt slothly and unenergetic.
Than last year I discovered running and I am HOOKED! Everything I do I do to become a better run...the strength training, the cross training, the way I eat etc...I have REALLY taken hold of th eating the last few months though with some serious calorie counting. I have really noticed that it has helped.
I have also made myself cheat baggies. Maybe 12 mini reese's cups in a bag-I know that equals 200 calories and that is ALL I get for the day so I can nibble out of it thru out the day when I feel the need for a sweet. I actually have been able to wean myself off of that and have been eating more 'clean' the last few weeks (though I have slipped a little on that the last few days...need to whip that back into shape!)
Try to get your body moving as much as yo ucan during the day. I am a stay at home, homeschool mom so I am constantly on the move bouncing from kiddo to kiddo and keeping my 3yr old out of mischief. I also watch 2 babies during the day (though one is only part-time).
Trying to eat at regular times, around the same amt of calories. I usually eat at 7:45, 10, noon, 3:00, 5:30 and 8:30. The 10:00, 3:00 and 8:30 are snack times and I usually eat around 100-200 calories depending on if its a higher calorie day or a lower calorie one (I eat higher calories on the days I run or do a REALLY hard workout)...
It IS a challenge but it can be done. You just have to make a plan and stick to it and visualize yourself getting smaller with the choices you're making.
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