Hi--I'm a mom to a 21 month old girl. She's the best thing in my life, but I find that being a mom to a toddler presents its own unique set of challenges when it comes to weight loss.

Some of the challenges that come to mind are:
-squeezing in any "me" time, particularly time for exercise.
-not finishing the food on her plate when she leaves half of it behind.
-just being too tired at the end of the day and either overeating or avoiding exercise.

Can anyone else relate? Any tips/suggestions for things that have worked for you?

Thanks,
Shari

I have four young children (6, 4, 4, 2) and I am always preparing snacks or meals. One of the things I do which was recommended by a 3fc'er is CHEW GUM!! It helps reduce the hand to mouth stuff.

Do you have a comfortable stroller?? I try to do alot of strollering if there is no time to exercise alone.

Also, any chance you can do exercise b4 your partner goes to work? If I do not do it before 8am I am way too exhausted move. Lots of moms in my neigghborhood exercise as early as 5:30am. I find 6/6:30a challenging but that's usually when I do it.

good luck! you can do it!!

another thought-- that finishing plate stuff is a problem for me too. What I do is immediatly log in those calories that I just popped into my mouth. Often, I realize I just had my own dinner! Then I finish with some salad and hot tea. Over time I stopped b/c I wanted to eat my own plate and not cheat myself out of a proper meal.

Hi there! I am a Mom to a 17 month old. I work full time, attend night classes/online school full time and am in the Air Guard....I FEEL YA! Luckly I can do homework during slow times at work! I still have a problem eating what my daughter doesn't eat. I've gotten better with it at home because I have a rule that if she doesn't eat it, the dogs get it. But when we eat out, I'm terrible with it. I know I need to work on it. I typically work out after she goes to bed or like yesterday, mid'morning when she took a nap.

Thanks ladies for your support and tips. I see some people who adjust to it all so easily, but it hasn't been as quick/easy for me. DD's almost 22 months and I still have baby weight on me and still haven't managed to get back into a regular exercise routine. I see so many others who manage to do it within just a couple of months. Oh well, I'm getting there, right?

Chewing gum is a good idea. I've also tried to keep myself busy while she eats (like reading a magazine or talking on the phone). So far it's working better.

Thanks!

I have a 3yo as well. I feel a lot of your concerns. I just joined because not only have I not lost the baby weight I weigh what I did 9mo pregnant! I work 12 hr shifts 3 days a week so I am getting up at 5:25am and she goes to bed around 8-8:30 pm. At this point I can barely make it to the chair so exercise is laughable! On the days I am home I have the same problem of finding time. Her naps are unpredictable because apparently she thinks being three makes her independent. If I do her to take a nap I would have to find the living room floor before I could pop in a tape. I know that it is a lot of excuses but I need help! I know what I need to do but it is so daunting that it is hard to get myself motiviated. Any advise?

Hi Mommy Chick! Most of the advice I have gotten from this site and other resources is that weight loss is 90% diet.

Start small for the exercise. Maybe once she goes to bed or even when she's playing around, go up and down the stairs 5 times. Or do 20 jumping jacks...maybe she will think it's funny and do them with you!

But first of all I could get your calorie intake in place. Journal what you eat. Measure out everything and actually track how many calories you are putting into your body. Even that little peice of goldfish or whatever that you take off her plate counts.

BABY STEPS! GOOD LUCK!!!!

Hi Ill join ya! I have a toddler too. She will be two this month on the 17th! I also have a fourteen yr old! Trust me, the teenage can trigger me to eat from stress just as much as the toddler! LOL