Hi there...

I am new here and I am hoping to connect with some great people that can support me, and I can support them in the healthy lifestyle process.

I have stuggled with weightloss since the 8th grade, I am now 31 years old. I am hoping people have suggestions about trying to strike a balance between being a working mom, wife and healthy ways... how do I make myself fit in healthy eating and exercise?

I look forward to reading all of your great posts and hopefully helping out.

Kindly,
Robyn
Dieting Diva

For me I get up first thing in the morning (6am) and walk 2 miles. If I don't get up in the morning I will not do it. I am a stay at home mom so that doesn't work for everyone. I am usually done by 7am and in the shower before anyong else wakes up. I hate every minute of it but it is a great way to start my day! I can really tell the difference if I don't walk.

I also just started forcing myself to eat carrots for a snack or with my lunch. I hate veggies but have noticed that I acually and starting to like them.

This is a great place to come for advice and support! I love looking at the before and after photos. They are very inspiring.

Good luck and welcome.

Well, I am neither wife nor mom so my schedule is probably different than yours, however I think I understand the questions. For me, it was just a matter of doing it. There is no way I can "make" someone else fit in fitness and health. Goodness knows, I could barely make myself do it. I started working out when I was 30. It took at least 6 weeks for it to become habit and 3 months to get where not working out felt weird. I was vigilant with excersize for about 1 1/2 years then I stopped. When I went back to the gym, it was another 6 weeks of making it my habit. Really just forcing myself to go. I set up a little rewards sytem to get in gear. Sounds silly, but I put a cute Hello Kitty sticker in my date book for every day I worked out. It made me happy.
Now I am doing South Beach as well as working out. I had the extra incentive that I needed to get the carbs and sugars out of my body for health reasons, but I know it will take at least 6 weeks total for this life style to become habit, not just something I am trying. I am learning to squeeze vegatables into every meal. After two weeks of no sugar, organic baby carrots tasted so sweet! As did almonds. I replaced my nighttime snack with a cup of plain soymilk. Again, with the absence of other sweets, it tasted perfect.
However, the temptation is always there. I like chocolate and don't like to cook, so I always want to run to a convience store for a quick can of soup, but I know that is a slippery sloap for me.
Anyway, sorry, I am getting off the point. How old are your kids? Are they yourg enough that you can work this into a game? Some way to read the nutrition lables and have everyone peice together a meal w/a certain about of fat/carbs/sugars/whatever that you are monitoring? Are there gyms in your neighborhood w/daycare services? Someway that you could work your whole family into the changes would probably work best.
Good luck! I hope I helped a little.

i go for my walks before dinner

i have a higher stress job and it calms me down for the evening

i also find i eat dinner a little later and not as hungry to snack at night

welcome =)

Hi Robyn!

Welcome to 3FC and 30-Something's! Come join us on the "Daily Chat" thread, you'll find lots of support there!

i am a wife, working but not a mom. But here's what i can tell you. First find something that works for you. Everyone has their own way to loose weight. You need to find what you will stick to. Remember this is a life change, not a diet. I personally like calorie counting...but others use weight watchers atkins etc. I recommend trying to encooperate fresh fruit and veggies in place of chips. I try to eat whole wheat instead of white carbs including pasta. I find great recipies that taste great using fresh ingredients. I also try to cut down on the processed food i eat. In addition exercise. Go out and play with your kids....take you kids for a bike ride while you walk. ( i don't know how old your kids are, but incoorperate them into you workouts). Or if you need harder work outs..have DH play with kids for 30-60 min a day while you work out. Start off slow at first...walks..then go from there. Come here for support and advice. Good luck! BTW...join us on our daily chat

Just don't read my weight ticker when you read this post (since it is up 1 lb over my starting weight!). I have a teenage daughter and husband (who are thin and eat a lot of junk food!) What has worked for me in the past is limiting sweetened drinks limiting sugar and "white" bread/pasta and sometimes either eating a bowl of cereal or slimfast as a meal replacement. At one point (probably 5 years ago now) I got down to 126 by making these small changes and walking daily. I told myself I would never let my weight creep back up to anything higher than 130....I don't know what happened. I guess consistency is always the key! Now I am trying to get back on track and anything under 140 would make me happy.

I think we all know WHAT works in this forum...less calories...more movement. It is just really hard to do sometimes. Consistency!!! I also put an unattractive pic of myself up where I can see it (like on the refrigerator). It keeps me motivated...just remember to remove it before company comes over

A guess a digital bra and panties or bikini pic would do wonders for the appetite when a late-night snack attack comes on!