Ready to lose the baby weight!
 

Hi everyone,

Well, it appears that the weight did not just drop off after having baby #3 last summer! I am 50-60 lbs heavier than I was before my first pregnancy 8 years ago, and back then i thought i was overweight. I have always struggled with my weight and have never been slim, but I would be delighted to reach my pre-baby weight again.

My kids are aged 7, 5, and 11 months, and I work full time. I love to garden, but have done so less lately because I seem to be so busy all the time since having baby #3. I hope to incorporate more gardening as part of getting more exercise.

Overall I eat pretty well but my main weaknesses are snacking when i get home before dinner and drinking more wine than i should with dinner (which greatly reduces my ability to limit portions!). I don't think i will do well following a specific plan, but the Mediterranean Diet fits my lifestyle pretty well. So this is my "plan":

- snack on fruit/yogurt/salad/small soup instead of whatever bad things I can find in the kitchen
- limit portion size at dinner (which includes the wine portion!), and increase veggies to compensate
- pack lunch as much as possible to avoid the work cafeteria
- increase exercise so that i do at least 20-30 mins of something reasonably aerobic each day: home exercise DVDs (i just bought 30-day Shred, Pilates for Weight Loss, and Yoga for Weight Loss), more fast-walking (walk around campus at lunchtime), swim at least weekly, more gardening

I've been lurking a few days and looking at the amazing before/after photos on here. I hope I can do as well and am glad to have found such a great forum.

Good luck!!! Just the changes you are making will do wonders! My youngest is 11 months as well (today), and if I can do it- anyone can!

Thanks very much! Your weight loss is really impressive!

Hi & Welcome Gardenermom!!
I too am here to lose my baby/emergency gallbladder surgery weight. My son just turned 9 months & I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I have been working hard to watch what I eat & workout. Results have been slow for me, but I am not giving up!!
I am really impressed with Kendrab1223. How long did it take you to lose your weight Kendrab1223? Any advice for Gardenermom or me that you can give us? What type of routine or eating plan did you follow?
I just found out I have a Vit D deficiency, so my dr wants to increase my vit D intake along with my multi vit that I've been taking.
Good luck to you Gardenermom!!

Hi Mightywoman, good luck to you too! How are you both working out with little ones? Do you work out at home? This is my biggest hurdle i think - finding a time and way to get some exercise each day. Kendrab, what has worked for you?

I ordered the 3 workout DVDs with the thinking that I can do a 30-min workout while my bigger kids have their 30-min computer game time. Since they get this most days when we get home from school, I thought I could use that time to exercise...although I usually make their dinner and clean the kitchen while they are doing that, so i need to also fit that in somehow! My other option is fast-walking at lunch times for 30 mins or so.

Hi Gardnermom,
I was using my babies nap time as my workout but now I am putting him in the pack n play & he watches me workout in the mornings. I've been doing 200-300 sit ups also a day, usually in sets of 25. I tried to get to 150 in the mornings after my step workout or elliptical. I have a step & then I also have an elliptical machine which I alternate between step. I like the step workout because I feel I get a better workout doing it than the elliptical.
I am also working on eating healthier, a lot of fresh veggies & fruits, and lots of salads with a protein.
I set my goal on this site to 145 but ultimately I would like to get to 135. I think I might change it to 135 since that is where I would like to be. I am also not giving myself any time limit to get to the goal weight, I think if I do I will be over pressured and get burned out. I'm trying to make this fun & not pressured.
Wishing you best of luck in your journey!!
Remember you didn't gain it over night so don't expect to lose it over night.
You are worth it & you can do it!!