How have YOU lost weight with kids in tow...

I have always been a bit 'chubby' and have yo yo dieted for years and years, but after having my boys I just cant seem to lose weight. Im 175cm and 100kgs. I would really love to be 70-75kgs. :rolleyes:

Ive tried everything, Jenny Craig, Biggest Loser Club, Tony Ferguson, supermarket shakes, Blood Type Diet...wow that sounds rediculous. I know my main problem is exercise, but its just so hard with 3 little kids. Im considering buying a pram that I can fit 3 kids in and just walk walk walk, but my kids hate sitting in the pram and whinge the entire way, so I usually give up and go home.

I though about a Personal Trainer to give me the push I need, but its just too expensive and Im not overlly keen about putting my kids in the creche at a gym.

If anyone has any hints it would be so good to hear from you. Im at my wits end with this weight and just need to lose it to be a happier me!!. Its holding me back in so many areas that is just plain depressing.

Cant wait to hear from likeminded mums!! :wall:

I have a cross trainer which I workout on most mornings. Why not hire that or a treadmill to see how you go? Good luck.

PS - I lost my baby weight through pushing the pram and doing WW Online.

SG
xo

I know where you are coming from as I can only lose weight when I exercise! I did go to the gym and oput DD in the creche there which has been great but if you don't feel comfortable doing that some other options are
- to get your DH to look after them for an hour so that you can go out for a jog.
- get up earlier than everyone else and go out or do it once the kids are in bed (provided DH is there to keep on them of course)
- get a couple of dvd's to do at home once the kids are in bed (or in the morning before they get up)
- get a skipping rope and do some skipping in the back yard

That's all I can think of at the moment.

:hug: It seems like a terrible battle sometimes, doesn't it. You can do it!

What has worked for me, so far, is to work with someone else who wants to lose weight. I've worked with my MIL before, and that was great - we both lost 30lb. (13-14kg, I think?) We would get on the scale once a week with the other person there, and whoever didn't lose weight had to make dinner for the other family. I've got another 20lb to lose, so right now, DH and I are having a contest - first one to take off 20lb wins. (We haven't set a prize - just bragging rights, I guess. :)) That really helps to keep me motivated. As far as diet goes, I don't think you need to try a "special" diet - you need something that you can live with for the rest of your life. As so many have said, it's a lifestyle change. So look at what's unhealthy about your diet. Are you getting enough fresh fruits and veggies? Are you eating too much salt, sugar, fat, and processed food? Are you getting your protein from low-fat sources? (ie. lean meats, legumes, etc.) It's not always about eating less, it's about choosing the right things to eat. And that WILL make you a healthier person all around. Read the labels! Check the calorie and fat content.
Oh - and I've found that making sure I take in 8 cups of water really helps to keep me full, and take off weight. I HATE water. :redface: But I've got a pitcher on the counter which I make myself empty every day.
As far as exercise goes, I also find it really hard to get out with little ones. (I've got three at home) I've gotten a couple of exercise videos which I can do when the kids are playing. My favourite is an exercise ball one, because it's not too long (25min) and it doesn't require a lot of floor space. If you look around, I'm sure you could find something that would fit your needs. If you need a motivator to keep you doing it - ask a reliable friend or family member to call you and ask if you've done it, or do it with you three (or more) times a week.
About going for walks - yes walking at toddler speed hardly feels like a work-out, but just getting out and going somewhere will help somewhat. Do any of your kids ride bikes? That speeds things up a bit. I sometimes have my oldest DD ride her bike, while I pull the younger two in a wagon.

Those are my best thoughts for right now, and I'm sure some of the other lovely ladies will be able to give you more helpful suggestions.

All the best with losing that weight! :)

Have just started on the journey myself of getting healthy and losing weight. I have lo-carbed pre kids with a lot of success, but find it hard to do now. So what I have done is gone to a naturopath to help get my general health better, she has given me tonics etc to help up the minerals I am low in. I am feeling so much better for it and finding myself less hungry.

I have also look at what my triggers are for over eating and eating the wrong foods. My bad thing is bread, in particular wheat bread. I tend to rely on it too much rather than eating properly, so I have cut it out except for 2 small slices of organic rye. So now I grab a salad, dip, fruit, smoothie etc when I am hungry. It has helped so much, not sure if I have lost weight, someone who had not seen me for 3 weeks commented that she thought I had.

Weight Loss is connected to so many things, good luck finding your weakness. Sorry no advice on the exercise side of things, as I am struggling there.

I am trying to but am still finding it hard.. one suggestion I have is buy a bike trailer and get your 4 yr old to ride his bike. and go for it.. it might be slow going at first till your 4yr old can ride a bit faster ...

Hi girls, and thanks so much for the replies. I feel a bit embarassed to say that my husband is actually a personal trainer :redface: He has very early starts (5am) so a quick morning walk is out of the question. Im sooo not getting up at 4am!!. He gets home at about 5pm, so I could escape for a quick walk then, but im sure you all know what that time of day is like. Especially with 3 kids under 5...its just crazy!! Although, maybe I should escape for an hour or so!? LOL

Id absolutely LOVE to have someone to exercise with and lose weight with, however, we have just moved to the Sunshine Coast and I dont know a single soul up here, so its a bit hard.

I think my best bet is to get a pram, so I can go out walking. My oldest does ride a bike, but I cant see him doing it for an hour.....:rolleyes:

Well your DH should certainly be able to encourage you to get out and exercise - he has no excuse for not watching the kids for an hour :lol:

If you get dinner organised before he gets home then get him to feed the kids while you go out then I think you could escape from 5 - 6pm. That way he has something to do and keep them occupied for that time.

oh and an exercise bike is great. before I fell pg with dd I went on the bike for 30 mins a day and lost 4kg in the month..

my problem at the moment is motivation

As far as finding someone to lose weight with, you could try a local mum's group, or something like that, maybe? You could even post a note saying that you would like to find another mum to walk with regularly? For me, it's about motivation - I need someone to make me accountable. I'm not short on ways to exercise (heck, I could even run up and down the stairs 100 times, if I wanted to find a way to exercise. :)) It's getting someone to MAKE ME DO IT! You could even make an arrangement over the phone - you and friend x agree to call each other every Saturday morning and report your weight, or something like that? When you know someone is going to check on you, you'll be more likely to stick with it.
There might even be some ladies here on BB who would be able to work with you on that. A weekly weigh in, and daily encouragements/exercise reports???

About the whole diet/weight loss thing - take it on in a reasonable way. Don't commit to something you can't/won't do, or attempt a diet you'll never keep. Change your life gradually. Maybe start with drinking the water. You might find that constantly going to that pitcher on the counter, or even seeing it there reminds you not to snack. There's a big step. Then maybe, you'll see a little success on the scale, and that will make you feel great, and you'll be ready for the next step - maybe going for one 20 minute walk with the kids a couple times a week. You don't have to commit to an hour every day to see results. Then add the exercise DVD for a couple of days a week too, or something like that.
All the best!

Hi girls!

Thankyou so much for all the encouragement. Yes my biggest problem at the moment is definitely motivation too. I mean, im sitting here on the computer when I know I have a perfectly good exercise dvd sitting in the cupboard getting dusty or even a 10 acre property that needs maintaining and cleaning up!!. I feel sooo lazy. :shhh:

I also stopped breastfeeding my 13 month old 2 weeks ago also, and I have felt the weight really pile on since then too...

I guess you are right Cricket in starting slowly and building up. It is about a lifestyle change and I have known that myself for so long. I also have a weakness in bread eating. Its so much easier to grab a peanut butter sandwich than to make a salad or a smoothie.

I cant stand white bread, especially the cheaper ones, so I might have to buy those from now on while I get used to not having bread (sorry kids!).

I could also write a list of healthy alternatives and keep chopped up veges in the fridge with dip....

see im motivating myself! :dance:

Keep the suggestions coming

Ugh, no don't make your kids eat white bread. It's bad for them too. Bleh.
One of my favourite lunches right now is a huge handful of baby spinach greens (pre-washed and ready to eat) and a bit of tuna on top. If I have time, I throw on more veggies to make a proper salad, but if I'm in a rush, this is just as fast as a sandwich. I usually put some low-fat dressing on it, but you could definitely eat it plain too.

I'll try to think of some more. Good luck! :)

dont forget you can make wraps which are lower in carbs, but then you don't miss out on a bit of bread if you want it. The mountain warps come in all sorts (rye, wholemeal etc) and you can pack them with salad and a piece of meat if you want. I find that avocado is good with salad and you often dont need meat.

Hey clairebear,

As u know im a shocker when it comes to losing weight. I yo yo diet all the time. Over the last couple of months i have finally come to the realisation that this doest work. i have started going back to the gym again & eating properly(which was main problem). I find if u are going to diet, go for the low GI one. Its a lifestyle change not a diet. Plus the whole family can go on it. If google low GI diet or recipes etc... u will get lists of low gi foods & recipes. Im with cricket, u need to get into it slowly. Water is a huge thing. Luckily, iv never drank tea or coffee & even things like cordial or soft drinks. I really like water, so thats easy for me.
U should start gardning since u now have heaps of space. I used to hate it,but recently have started doing it & i work up a godd sweat from it. Plus the kids get outside & play & i can keep an eye on them.
Somebody(sorry cant remember who) said about getting dinner ready then leaving DH to feed the hungry mob. This is an excellent idea! Plus it gives u a bit of time out from the kiddies:D

Motivation is hard. Dont set goals that are to big, otherwise i find with me, i get really depressed when i dont meet them & lose all motivation for a while.
My goal was to shed a few kg by my birthday, which is pretty soon. I have lost a few kg, which im happy with.
Just time spent outside is good:)

ANyhoo, good luck with it all matey, havent talked to in agessssss. My computer is on the verge of blowing up(it smells like its burning when i turn it on) so i cant use messenger(leon wont let me put it on his work laptop).

xxA

Do your kids do extra-curricular activities? I know they're young, but kiddie karate starts at 3 years old. I don't know how many times a week it is (two I'd imagine) but perhaps your 5 y.o and 3 y.o could do that while you take your 12 m.o. for a walk?

BTW, are you working? If not perhaps you could hire a babysitter just for the hour so you can go do something? I know it's a bit of expense but it might be worth it. Perhaps you can team up with another mum and share babysitting duties so you both get a chance to exercise.

edit: I know this isn't an exercise type, but I really think eating raw foods will help you (anyone) lose weight. I lost something like 4kgs when I did it for 3 weeks. I ate only raw vegan products (now only eat vegan food). Surprisingly, you don't feel hungry.