I had a baby 8 months ago and have been hungry non-stop ever since. I ate SO healthy while I was pregnant, and barely gained any weight. Since I had him, I've been craving really unhealthy stuff and up at all hours of the night, so eating all hours of the day and night...After I had him, I weighed 192 (8 pounds more than pre-baby) and when I finally got up the nerve to step on the scale today, I found out I weigh 217. 217!!!!!! My heaviest non pregnant weight EVER! I am so depressed and just want to cry and climb into bed and go to sleep...I can't believe I let myself get to this! My first instinct is to starve myself as I used to do in my twenties. It's so hard to find time to exercise with 2 kids. I have a gym membership but between migraines and life, it's so hard to get there. And the fact that most of the women there aren't as overweight as me makes it kind of embarrassing...I've been hiding from pictures for 4 years (since my daughter was born) as I never lost the weight from her before I got pregnant again. I'm done having kids now and desperately want to get back to my pre-kid 135-140 weight that I used to think was so fat, and now I look at those pics and would do anything to be that weight again. Crazy, isn't it? This weight is affecting my marriage and my quality of life. I don't know how to start and I'm sad, depressed and overwhelmed. I want to be a good role model for my daughter, but my self esteem is shot to **** at this weight. My first instinct is to binge, but I'm fighting myself on that one. I'm tempted to do a 10 day juice cleanse and just make it last for 10 months. I'm desperate. I guess joining this group is a first step.

you will find plenty of support here to help you through your journey! Congrats on the new baby! Good luck to you!

I think we have the exact same story except my youngest is 3 and I am finally getting serious about this! You can either curl up and continue on the path you are on or you can make the first step to break free from the cycle you are on! That was the realization I had to come to. I could be depressed about all the years lost or I could use them as my motivation to not live that life anymore. I finally turned this thing around and am doing this for me! Hang tough! You can do this - you have to want it though! For years and years I thought I wanted to lose the weight but it was for all the wrong reasons. Whether you lose it fast or slow just losing the extra weight will make you feel better! Glad you joined here too! This is an excellent source for encouragement!

hi, mama71, and welcome.

Man, those feelings of "crawl into a cave" and overwhelmedness sound really familiar. I am way heavier than you are (and I don't even have any kids, so no baby weight) and it definitely does/can affect your life, your self-esteem, your marriage. You are *not alone* and you *can* do this, and this site will be really helpful, I bet, for finding advice and support. I'm pretty new, but I love it.

Pick something small that you can do, and do it. (Drink more water? Take a walk every day?) You will feel good about having done that, and then you can do more.

Also, remind yourself that YOU are not your WEIGHT. Remind yourself that you a great mom, a good friend, a good scrabble player, whatever is true about you, AND that you are making good choices to get healthier. You have made a good decision in joining the 3FC : )

Take care of yourself, and keep us posted about what you decide to do. Browse around the site and you will find a forum for all kinds of food/exercise approaches.
anita

As someone who has done many fad diets for the quick fix, I can tell you first hand that it DOES the opposite effect in the long run. I have had the best success with just switching bad food (like late night ice cream) for better choices (like dried fruit, fruit, etc.). I know that it is hard, but I can't stress enough once you start the habit of making better choices and continue it...it becomes easier.

Hi there . . . Sounds like you definitely need a

. . . You've taken a very important first step on the long and sometimes bumpy road to better health and fitness just be joining the grou[ around here. You will find so much support and friendship everywhere you post on this big site.

Please don't try anything really drastic and unhealthy. You've got your wonderful children to consider. While they definitely can benefit from a happier MoM; the really need one that stays healthy too.

Getting formal exercise in when you've got a couple of little ones around can be difficult. Just try to get moving a little more every week and remember that the great "they" (those many nameless experts out there) mostly agree that healthy weightloss is about 80% in the eating and only 20% in the moving -- especially at the beginning of the journey.

I'm a newbie too. I weighed in this morning at 173 and am soooo ashamed of my weight. I should weigh around 125 and had no clue how big I had gotten until my size 14 clothes started getting tight. I have never eaten big at meals, but I am a snacker and due to health issues ( arthritis, chiari malformation, etc.) have had difficulties with exercise. I'm also 44, so the weight has been slowly climbing. I'm looking forward to the encouragement and support I think this site can provide. Good luck!

I sit here crying as I read these anonymous notes of support and encouragement. Thank you so very much for your kind words...

Welcome!!! So many of us find ourselves with feelings like yours. I recently joined 3FC and enjoy all of the encouragement here. I too for so long was so busy with life that I just didn't want to acknowledge that I kept putting on more and more weight. It wasn't until a friend took a picture of me on my camera that I was forced to look at it....to really look at it. I decided then and there that I had to do something or I would just get bigger and bigger. I started eating better and that in itself resulted in so much more energy. I then started exercising and riding my bike. My weight is coming off slowly but I feel so much better physically and emotionally. I finally feel better about myself because I know I am doing something about it. Hang in there, pick a eating plan that you can live with. The first couple of weeks might be hard but soon it all becomes a way of life. I found that I no longer craved any of the terrible foods I had grown to love. Remember, you are no doubt a strong women and mother....you can and should do this for yourself. Keep posting, we would love to hear from you. I will send you a group hug.

Joining this site is a great first step! These people are the greatest. Best of luck to you, and keep posting!

I've done this too! This site is amazing. When we struggle the most, there is a large group of people who understand and want to support us.

You CAN do this. As Kat said, the first couple of weeks will be tough, but eventually it will get easier and just become "normal". There will be the occassional blip, but as long as you remember that it is only a blip and get back to your plan, you will lose the extra pounds. Find a plan that you can stick to, exercise when you can and come here regularly for support and encouragement and you will find it a lot easier.

Good luck Mama!

Coming to this site everyday really helps me. I find myself wanting to do more everyday as far as excercise and eat better so that I can come here and post what I am doing. It is so amazing of the support that is here. And, even if you have a bad day and post it, the support is still wonderful. Everyone here is so helpful and so supportive.