Hi,

My name is Christine, I weigh 180lbs, I'm 5'2". I used to weigh 130, then I quit playing hockey and weighed 145. I then got pregnant, and gained 40lbs. I had the baby, and lost 5lbs. So this is where I am now. I need to lose weight on the elliptical and portion control only. I'm busy with the baby (now almost 9 months old) and can't fit anything else in. Any suggestions are welcome!

I have a 12-week-old son. I know what you mean by busy... AND I am still working full time. Your plan sounds great. Many people find that being able to eat the foods they love in smaller portions works out well for them.....I am not one of those people. I like to eat in bulk. I eat whole foods ... lots of veggies and some lean protein. I eat a lot!!! (Not as much as when I was pregnant and not the same foods either. I swear... I am pretty sure my son is comprised primarily of Thai food).

Good luck in your journey.

Welcome to 3FC =)

Okie dokie! We love a little challenge, right? Actually this situation is not quite as tough as it might appear from the start. We're -all- using portion control in one manner or another to lose weight.

Start an exercise routine. Could be as simple as 10 minutes on the elliptical a day. Just start, and make it a habit. Once it's a habit, build up. Build up your time on the machine, or the frequency you use it, or both! Just keep doing it no matter what.

Food. #1) Use vegetables and fruits more. Fill up half your plate with vegetables for dinner, and only let the other half be used for the other portions of dinner. Veggies fill you up, are good nutritionally, and are fewer calories. Use fruit more often for snacks. They're filling, lightly sweet and again, very good for us! So use both of them! #2) Learn to eat slowly. It can often be stressing to be so busy, but time for yourself is important. Time to treat yourself healthfully is important. Sitting down to a meal and enjoying what's on your plate can often help keep you satisfied with less food -and- for longer periods of time. #3) Recognize true hunger. Use sugar free gum when you're not really hungry. #4) When in doubt, start buy cutting the meal in half.

Best of wishes! You can do this!