I'm a full time teacher (first grade) with 2 kiddos of my own. 6 and 9. I want so badly to find the time to lose these last 40 lbs. but I just can't find it, nor do I have the energy to make it!

I'm a horrible cook, I'm not a morning person, I collapse by the time I get all my chores done at night, and I'm lazy to boot! All this together adds up to "fat, fat, fat!"

Any one else out there have the same problems as me? All other moms out there I talk to seem to have so much time, or can schedule it better. A LOT don't have to work. I have to have some time to sit down and relax or I will run away from home! I am so overwhelmed, and fat.

Heidi

I totally understand what you are gong threw. I work 55 hours a week and have 2 kids. My husband isnt much help as he works 45-50 hours a week and goes to collage 15 hours a week plus has tons of homework. I work 10 hour days 6 days a week and by the time I get home I just want to die. But Ive been manageing to work out at least 30 mins 4-5 days a week after the kids go to bed. It's hard but I just force myself to do it. My husband undrstands. I feel guilty because I feel like it's taking time from us but he's got homework he has to do anyway. I have a tread mill at home and that's the only reason Im able to do it. If I had to go to a gym that just wouldnt work. About the cooking I eat mostly lean cusines but Ive been making some things in the crock pot on my 1 day off and then freezing when I have a chance. Otherwise it's lean usine or a sandwhich. Boring!!! But it's all I have time to do.

Well, I work from home... but, I also have an 18 month old that does NOT go to daycare or anything, so she's here with me and I do my best to work around the whining! It's really no easier for stay at home moms, honestly... (even though I work 40+ hours a week from home, which I didn't for the first year). My husband is gone from 7am-9pm... so, every little thing.. from shopping, to errands, to banking, to bills, to laundry, to dishes, to bathtime, to bedtime, to dinner time,lunch time, breakfast time.. it's ALLLL mine! I don't even usually have time to pee alone, let alone exercise!!

Maybe you could try walking the halls on your lunch.

i work 6 days aweek also. and am a mother of one teenager and two small children. I have to have my mom pick up my baby from daycare 3 times a week so i can go to the gym. I just had to finally say, if i don't take care of me...i can't take care of anyone else. and the housework....please. I don't even give it a second thought. i keep the dishes washed and the clothes washed. and sometimes...the clean clothes actually make it off of the couch and into the chest of drawers or closet. I cant do it all by myself....so i have to pick my battles. i also walk a mile everyday on my lunch break. that way when i get back to my desk job after lunch, i feel energized instead of ready to fall asleep from sitting all day.

all i can say is you may have to let something slip at the house or add some excersize in at lunch. but you must make some time for yourself or you WILL start to feel rundown and tired. i've never had as much energy as i do now. I wouldn't stop excersizing now for nothing.

I agree with the above. There are 168 hours in a week. Somewhere in there you HAVE to make 1 for yourself. The time you spend relaxing on the couch watching TV or whatever it is you do.. you could exercise and get a better relaxed feel. I think exercising makes me feel better than laying around being lathargeic. Ive been in *busy mom* situation, when I was a SINGLE mom. But I always made that time for myself... You gotta want it bad enough. Pretend its not an option. Just a bit of tough love sorry!

I also had to find time to exercise. My husband and I both work fulltime jobs and we have 3 small kids, ages 4, 8, and 11. I am not motivated enough in the mornings nor do I have enough time to exercise. The only time I have is at night. I have an elliptical machine that I workout on. My kids have to lay down for bed at 8pm so I usually wait til then to workout. Since the weathers has been so warm I have started walking 2 miles at some local trails. My husband watches the kids for me then. I get home from work at 5:30pm, do half of my chores, go walking around 7pm, come back and do the rest of my chores. You really just have to find time for yourself.

"You gotta want it bad enough and you HAVE to make the time for yourself (can they work out with you?" -- totally agree... took me awhile to figure that one out. I have 2 myself (7 & 10) and I work 40+ each week - you know the routine, go home, do homework, laundry, cook & clean up, bath the kids & bam it is almost 9pm! I was exhausted. I am getting up 1/2 earlier now (hated that at first) -- but I do my workout time then (I tried to get up earlier, not gonna happen 4:30am is early enough) once you start it and keep it going, you will keep it up and when I don't I get grouchy LOL

You can do it! Also great job on being a 1st grade teacher! My sister is a 1st grade teacher and she is exhausted all the time (there are 28 in her class).

I'm going to wade in on the cooking. A pork chop, a steak, a chicken breast or a piece of fish all just have to be cooked through. Put 'em on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees. Find a frozen vegetable that everyone likes, toss some in a sauce pan with a bit of water. As soon as they boil, turn 'em off and leave the lid on. Dump ready made salad out of the bag and into a bowl. Find 3 or 4 low cal dressings that everyone likes.
Set the table. Cut up some carrots and celery. Eat some carrots and celery while you put a few sticks on each plate.
When the meat is done, call everyone to the table and let them eat the carrots and celery while you put everything in serving bowls and plop it on the table.
Eat.
While you're cleaning up, put the extra piece of meat, some salad and some carrots and celery in containers for your lunch the next day. Throw in a yogurt, a fruit and a little container of ff cottage cheese.
When you're done cleaning up put 2 cups of water and a half cup of steel cut oats in the crockpot on low.
In the morning, give the kids a bowl of oatmeal but save a half cup for you. Throw it in the food processor with 3 eggs whites. Nuke it for 2 minutes, dump some fruit on it and eat.
Grab the bag of lunch you made the night before and go to work.
That all sounds a bit directorial doesn't it

Oh sorry I didn't even mention what I did for cooking sorry. 1) beg the hubby to do it and when that doesn't work I actually make up 3-4 meals on a Sunday & then freeze them to eat later in the week - if I don't have time for that then during the week it is fast but good for you (the best I can) dinners that I know they will eat. I hate my house being a buffet but I can't eat what they do and sometimes they will actually eat what I make for myself (I am trying to convert them all LOL)

Thanks for all the great responses!

Everyday is so different. Tonight I had to go to the grocery store. Tomorrow I have to go 40 miles away for my bi-monthly allergy shots. Hopefully sometime this week I can go walking with my mom (which I love to do, if we can!). I love walking outdoors, but my mom can walk only so fast. (she's 61) I hate to go without her. It makes her day. She teaches kindergarten and we talk about our days. It's a major stress reliever for both of us, and hate to go without it, but somedays it can't be helped.

I'm off to get the kiddos to bed, and I can't even imagine getting on that treadmill! All I want to do now is collapse in bed! After chasing 21 6-7 year olds all day, it's all the energy I have right now to get my rear into the bedroom!

Please talk more about what works for you. I need a ton of encouragement to get myself motivated. This is so hard! I can't wait till summer vacation!

Heidi
175/175/135 5' 4"

I want you to remember (because all these suggestions can seem overwhelming). It's all about calories in vs calories out. Eat less, move more. And it can be just a little less and a little more.
Don't discount the walk you have with your Mom. That's valuable in sooo many ways. And it's a little more activity than a normal day for you right?
And as for that treadmill? There's no law that says you have to get on there and run any distance. 5 minutes is better than yesterday, right?
Here's something kinda silly that popped into my head. While you're cooking, have the kids sit at the table with markers or something like that and tell them the tips you most remember and want to try. They can make posters or cards for you to stick on the fridge. Each day you can pick a picture and try to incorporate it into your schedule. If your kids are anything like mine were, they won't let you forget!

Thats great Susan I have got to try that...