Chunky Needs Motivation!!!!

Hi Chunky, (just kidding),

Since April 30th, 2007 I've lost 90 lbs exactly. I have 10 more lbs to go until I get within my normal weight range. Oh, I can't wait either, it's been a long time since I've been in my normal weight range. I feel fabulous.

I've lost this weight by doing the South Beach Diet, this was recommended by my OBGYN. We now do "clean-eating" and we are avid exercisers - weights and cardio. There isn't a magic pill out there. Keep walking and eat right!

Good luck ! You CAN DO IT!!!

Add some strength training, watch what you are eating (choices) and how much you are eating (portion sizes), drink more water and try to get as much activity in as you can. Have you ever thought about working with a personal trainer to have them set up a program to get you going?

Substitute one healthy food for one unhealthy food once a week. That way you have two "plusses": you got rid of one bad food and you obtained one good food. For example, I love white bagels and cream cheese. However, if I refrain from buying them, I'm forced to eat a whole grain sprouted bread (very good if you haven't tried it) with PB and honey. Not a bad switch. If I don't buy ice cream, I'm forced to have strawberry kefir with wheat germ and granola (sprinkled on thick). Also very yummy. And if I do have ice cream, I put it in a small bowl. On the other hand, when I have a salad (with not just lettuce but carrots, broccoli, celery, radishes, raw sunflower seeds, almonds, parmesan cheese, flax oil, etc.) I use a huge bowl. Those are some of my tips. Take it slowly and you'll have a more pleasant time.

Hi H.!

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They burn stored body fat for up to 4 hours or until you put another calorie in your mouth. They also prevent lactic acid build up & recruit muscle. It is the most wonderful feeling to be going or a walk and after the first mile, you feel this surge of energy that makes you feel like you can go anohter mile or two!

J.

Weight Watchers worked awesome for me. Turns out I was eating way more than I realized I was. Weight Wathcers lays it all out for you. It tells you, here's your points for the day and here's your extra points for the week, now use them however you want. I loved it because I need something very cut and dry and Weight Watchers provided that for me. I do daycare too, and the only struggle for me is getting all the kids gone so I have time to get to the meeting (I lost all the weight I wanted to, but now just go once a month to weigh in and make sure I'm maintaining my goal weight.) I've talked to several people who have done Weight Watchers online. It hasn't worked well for them. But I think if you're highly motivated and have the gumption to stick to it the online might work. The thing I like about the meetings is that I count that as the "official scale." At home I can say well it was a different time of day or I was wearing more or less clothes, and I don't notice if my weight is creeping up on me. But with the scale at the meeting I just take that as official weight. If I loose I feel great about knowing exactly how much I lost that week. If I don't loose or if I gain, I take that as motivation. Plus if you can make it to the meetings it's a nice oppurtunity to get out and about one night a week! In our community you can take your kids if you have to. Oh, and contrary to what I thought would happen, when you weigh in noone sees it but the person working Weight Watchers. The other members never know how much you weigh. They do announce awards as you meet mile markers and eventually your goal as to how much you loose, but that just has to do with the ammount you loose, not how much you weigh. That was important to me. Might be worth looking into...

Hi! I know for me, I need to not have foods in the house that tempt me. I've also starting doing a protein replacement shake for lunch and that has helped me.

Girlfriend - I am right there with you. I have been reading magizine articles here and there; just read one yesterday that intrigued me. Do what you are doing; keep excerising. However, do not weigh yourself but measure your waist. Muscle is heavier than fat and the scale will not show weight loss BUT if your waist is getting smaller (35 inches is ideal) then you are accomplishing your goal. I am going to measure my waist tonight, record it, keep exercising, and check back in next week with my "tape measure" instead of the scale.

It would be hard to give you just a general answer because every body and lifestyle is so different. I'd be happy to talk with you one-on-one and assess where you're at and what your trouble might be. I don't charge for advice and I've got a knack for helping people lose weight.

Email me directly at ____@____.com with you number and I'll give you a call! :0) I'm losing weight right now, too because I had a baby in December, and we could both benefit from a weight-loss buddy!

~A.

Hi,

I don't know if you get The Learning Channel, but right now there is a series on called Paul McKenna, I Can Make You Thin. I have been following it and found it very helpful. After one week of eating whatever I want, my pants are already getting loose. (I haven't weighed b/c he recommends only weighing every 2-4 weeks) You can look up the learning channel and get a link to the tv schedule for the show and set up reminders to be emailed to you so you don't miss the shows. Also, his website has the same information available and videos at www.mckenna.com.

Grace and peace be with you!
p.s. exercise is not required

H.,

First of all, bless you girl for putting forth an effort to lose weight. You certainly have the motivation to lose the weight. You didn't mention how much you need to lose, or rather, would like to lose. Walking is great exercise, as well as running a home daycare. I haven't read any of the other posts, so I hope I am not repeating anyone.

Here is my advice to you, only because I have been there and I ended up having gastric bypass surgery for weight loss 6 years ago. What the surgery did for me more than anything was teach me HOW to eat. Granted, there are foods that I need to avoid because my system can't handle them, but more importantly, they really aren't good for you anyway (i.e. mcdonald's french fries). What and how much you eat can such a huge impact on health and weight issues.

Here are some examples: Salads are great food and very filling as well as healthy, but you dump a 1/4 cup ranch dressing on it and out goes the healthy meal. Most salad dressings are 14-16 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons. Do the math on calories and fat intake just from the dressing alone. Now add the bacon bits and cheese, and there is even more fat. There are many things you can add to salads to make them healthy and tasty. Vinagrettes (spelling?) are flavorful and low in fat, and a great option for keeping a salad healthy too.

Use lean meats when cooking. Ground turkey is a great and tasty option too (and so much cheaper than beef). Switch to a lower fat milk, or skim. Watch your serving sizes vs calories and fat. You don't have to avoid "fatty/high calories" items, just pay attention to how much you eat of them. Snacking will always be the killer to any diet. But if you do choose to snack, have a lowfat yogurt or some fruit or raw veggies. Heck, even animal crackers are great for a snack.

People say avoid pasta and carbs. Not true, it's all about portions. When you do cut your portions down, you will feel a little hungry when done eating, but that will pass as time goes on. Your body will get use to smaller portions. Also, use a smaller plate when eating. You can only fit so much on a plate. Also, take your time when eating. If you scarf your food down, you make your stomach have to hold more food at once, thus causing stretching to occur. Also, when cooking veggies (canned or raw), some people add butter and/or cheese topping to make them more flavorful. Bad idea...once again, think about the fat and calories you are adding to your diet.

You can still eat ice-cream, cookies, and other treats, however, they need to be done in moderation and not a lot at once. If you don't think you can control how much you eat of those, then I would avoid treats entirely. If you are still feeling hungry after eating, drink some water, or a low-cal drink mix (like those protein water mixes). Like I mentioned before, until your body gets used to eating smaller portions, you will still feel hungry after eating.

Also, if you drink pop, switch to diet, or don't drink it at all. Once again, calories vs serving size. A 12oz can is actually a serving and a half. A 20oz bottle of pop is 2 1/2 servings...figure around 90-100 calories a serving. Now if you have 2 or 3 of those in a day, you are consuming several hundred empty calories on just pop alone.

I would be glad to offer more advice. There are some many more things I can tell you. Feel free to email me any time at ____@____.com. I'm working on losing a few more pounds right now myself. Trying to lose my baby weight (only about 20lbs to go).

B.

Hi H.,
See if you can incorporate exercise with you and the kids. Do you have a good program that will track your food? I was amazed at how many calories were in the food I ate! I have a website I get called RealAge and it gave helpful info. Like it's your waist size that matters more than your weight. Fat calories also tend to put on weight on people fast than other calories. With the company I am with they have an excellent fitness tracker that my husband and I used to lose weight.
Best of luck,
S.
http://www.YesToSuccess.net/S.
helping families with health and wealth for 12 years

Hi H.! You should join Weight Watchers. It seems like you already have a jumpstart on the exercise and I am sure as a daycare provider that you get plenty of exercise throughout the day. Weight Watchers will help you with your food choices. I was 206 when I joined Weight Watchers and got down to 152. Then I had my second son and I have gotten back down to 157. I am still working on that last 5! I learned that with all the exercise I was diong I wasn't eating enough or I was making wrong choices for meals. Sometimes when we are with kids all day we mindlessly munch on their food as well as our own. Which means a lot of extra calories we don't need. You can go to their website and do it online without going to a meeting! But I do think that weighing in every week is a good idea, it keeps you accountable. Good Luck!

hi H., i have been reseaching health and nutritional concerns for about ten years now. I am not certified or have a degree in this feild however, here is my initial thought. maybe you can adjust your eating habits to smaller meals throughout the day and stop eating at the hours of 5 and 7pm depends on your schedule. try to also keep protein in your diet but eat this at least four hours before your bedtime this takes longest to digest. non acidic fruits i.e. apples, pears, grapes, can fill you up and digest. digstion is key. sleep is key. keep walking consistently even if its just 30 min a day. you can really increase your cardio if able, when ready to. other suggestions later perhaps, but im not sure your weight or if it was a sudden change in weight or longterm? what are your exercise preferences and abilities? T.

Seattle Sutton is a great program! For a reasonable fee they provide all your food. Just warm it and eat. No shopping, no decision making, and simple for busy folks. I lost 15 lbs. in four months and have kept it off, even though I stopped the program early this year when my mom had a stroke and I had to leave town. My eating habits haven't been that great lately, but that 15 lbs. is still gone.

Busy SAHM of seven

Little things help. I know these sound silly, but they actually work. Try not eating after 8, and if you get hungy and want to eat...go to bed instead. Drink a HUGE glass of water (or milk) before you eat any meal so that your stomach is fooled into thinking it's full when it's not. The thought is that you'll eat smaller portions. Don't bring the dinner to the table, instead...serve the food at the stove and bring only your plates to the dinner table. This will hopefully help in the thought of double dipping after you've eaten. Start your day with a nutricious and filling breakfast. If you do, you'll be less likely to snack all morning long until lunch. Again, these seem silly, but sometimes, they are little tricks you can do to help along with your other real changes like excersize and food.

Hi H.,
I want to share with you what my family has been doing to lose weight. It is a nutrional cleanse and it shows up from the inside out by lose weight, mental clarity, extra engergy.
It's call Isagenix. It really works, my Mom has lost 41 lbs my husband has lost 15 lbs and I was able to keepo my pregnancy weight to 20 lbs that I gained.
Please let me know if you want more information on this. I totally love it. My kids also love it as well. You can check out http://www.maryhamblin.isagenix.com

Hi H.,

When I was pregnant, I had gestational diabetes and they put me on a diabetic diet - i only ended up gaining 17lbs throughout my pregnancy, most of that being before i was diagnosed. I highly recommend doing a diabetic diet to lose weight... less carbs & sweets, as many raw veggies/salads that you'd like. if you'd like more information on it i think that there are some websites that you can visit.
good luck!

K.

Check out this website when you have a minute: http://caloriecount.about.com/
I found it by chance. I am desperately trying to lose 5-8 lbs before summer. It's only goal is to make you aware of what you are eating and how much exercise you get. You log what you do and what you eat. Try it for a week - you might find that you are eating way more than you thought! It's very comprehensive and easy to use.

H. - There are a lot of us out here in your situation. The first thing is to take time for yourself!! I am an independent distributor for a nutritional supplement company called AdvoCare. We have some absolutely great weight loss supplements that help you to boost your metabolism and energy to help you want to eat less. You will still need to watch what you eat and exercise is always good for anyone. I have also heard that when wanting to lose weight you need to try and exercise at least 1 hour per day (It does not have to be all at one time as long as you are getting your heart rate up!!) Try using some small weights or juice cans work really well to do a little weight training while the kids are napping. Do you have a resource center in your area for daycares where you could get one of those 6-8 passenger strollers to rent? They work well and then you are getting an extra workout by pushing them around!! Please feel free to go to www.advocare.com and check out our products and their safety! Then either email me at ____@____.com or call me at ###-###-#### and we can talk. My husband and I have taken/sold AdvoCare for almost 7 years and the company is 15 years old!! So the products work and are safe!

Hope to hear from you soon! Best of luck!
M. Chambers-Stimson

I started on Weight Watchers and have lost 20 lbs thus far. Check Weightwatchers.com and see where and when local meetings are in your area. It is soooo easy AND you can eat anything you want (just watch your portion size). I was really hesitant at first but now hae become a firm believer in the program. If you can't go to any of the meetings then you can do everything online. It is expensive so worth it. You will feel better and look better within a couple of weeks. Good luck!
J.

I have the same problem, but no time to my self to go walk. I would love a walking partner. Where do you live?
I did lose weight walking, just haven't figured out how to work it into things yet.
Let me know what you find out! :)

K.

Hi H.~

I am a SAHM who works out of my home too, so I know how temptation is always right THERE! I joined Weight Watchers on November 1st and have lost 30 lbs to date ( my goal is 50 total). My weight has been a yo-yo since I gave birth to my first and only son, when I was 39. Until that point I had maintained a 125-130 weight ( at 5'7") for years and was very happy at that weight. I have since gained and lost and gained and lost. Well I finally made a decision that it was coming off and STAYING off! I joined WW with a friend ( very important to have a friend to hold you accountable!), it is an easy plan to follow, you have group support and there is something magical about knowing have to weight in each week! ( you do this in private ) It has really worked for me! Congrats on keeping up with the walking...exercise is so important!
Dig deep and find the motivation to make it happen...it has to come from within. Think of the health benefits ( or lack of them if you stay where you are!) and how much better you will feel about yourself! Find a local WW meeting...they usually have meetings in the eves, so you could attend. They also have an online system....which I do in conjunction with the actual meetings. But I suggest you don't do that by itself...as I said the actual meetings seem to be what really holds my feet to the fire to see results!
Good Luck...YOU can DO IT!

©º°¨¨°º©©º°¨¨°º©©º°¨¨°º©©º°¨¨°º©©º°¨¨°º©©º°¨¨°º©

J. Z.
I'm Stayin' Home and Lovin' It ...YOU can too!!
Mentor with Purpose
Mother with Peace
Motivated by the Possibilities
www.mominwoods.com

I help build dreams ... what's your job like?
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I've noticed in myself that just walking makes me feel better...but does not improve my weight. What works for me is a combo of 20/50 min of exercise to a target heart rate and VERY GOOD NUTRITION. This does not mean eating LESS, it just means eating the right foods in the right combination. More lean protein and veggies, less carbs, sugar and fat. A good nutritionist and/or personal trainer can help you with this and also help you figure out how much (calories) to eat each day -- if that's not something you can or want to afford, there are also many good books and websites that can help.

I found that with the good nutrition, I only needed about 20 min of high cardio (not too intense either) 2 or 3 times/week combined with 50 min of strength training 2-3 times/week (focusing on my "core"). This combo REALLY WORKED for me!! I lost about 30 lbs 2 years ago, and several "dress sizes" (from a 14 to an 8) and most importantly FELT GREAT. I was able to keep the weight off for 2 years. I had energy, got rid of most of those aches and pains, I was "regular" (if you know what I mean) w/o any fiber supplements, needed less sleep, etc.

Now I am 9 mos. pregnant -- and I have to say, even this pregnancy has gone better than the first. I'm not sure if it has/had anything to do with my shape beforehand or not, but I am excited to get back on track again after the baby is born.

Good luck. It's really not hard -- just takes a little thought and planning and the rewards make the effort worth every drop of sweat and passed up potato chip!

I am not sure where you live, but I am running into the same problem. I am trying to take a class once a week through st paul schools, like dancing for fitness or yoga. You could try the same.
If you need someone for support who can keep in touch from a far, let me know. I know I could use someone.
J.

Dear H.,

1.) Drink 50-75% of your body weight in water daily.
2.) Cut out sugar from your diet (high fructose corn syrup and refined beet and cane sugars particularly). Stick to sweetening with 100% fruit juice (such as white grape and apple juice), honey or 100% maple syrup.
3.) Cut out the dairy from your diet and cut back on your meat intake.
4.) Greatly increase your consumption of fruits and veggies (spring/summer is an excellent time to change your eating habits because fresh fruits and veggies are more readily available) and other fiber foods - nuts, legumes, beans, and grains.
5.) Get regular, adequate sleep. Best sleep times are between 9pm - 6am (your body gets more adequate rest between 9pm-12pm than it does in the early hours of the new day).

Doing these five things will do several things. You will begin to detoxify, you will begin to lose fatty tissues, you will increase your metabolism, and you will have increased energy... and best of all you will begin to drop pounds. When you feel your energy increasing it's time to implement a regular exercise program! Don't forget this part. Regular strength training and stretching is the only way to ensure that you continue to lose pounds... but don't give up on the new eating pattern when you do this, or you'll be in the same boat you were when you started.

Hang in there! You'll be amazed at how much just the first four steps will positively affect you! You CAN do it, it just takes making that decision and sticking with it.

I used Winsor Pilates after my second child, my weight is the same as when I graduated high school 13 years ago!!! Love the pilates!!

Hi H.,

There is definitely some good advice here. I just finished up my PhD working with childhood obesity (and of course studied a lot about adults as well since they influence their children). And the truth is that its calories in...calories out. So you need to keep exercising and eat less (but make sure you are making healthy choices). There are a lot of good choices you can make with vegetables especially that won't add many calories but will fill you up. You need to drink water and make sure you're getting decent rest as well. Sleep has really been shown to relate to obesity as well. And as mom's, we are all definitely deprived in that area!

As for the supplements, if they really worked for everyone we'd all be skinny and noone would have to eat right or exercise! It's going to be a long road if you do it the right way (diet and exercise), but it can be done. Millions of people do it everyday. It's just about changing your lifestyle and finding people that will support you. And hopefully you'll find that you enjoy the new lifestyle and its not a chore.

Have you thought of yoga? The idea doesn't scream weight loss to most people but I have had great results with it. It helps more by toning than actual pound loss so you have to measure your body not just watch the scale. It tones your muscles, strengthens your body and spine. Another plus is that now they have it on video and it is a quiet form of exercise with relaxing music that you could do while the kids are napping. They also have a version for kids that is more upbeat that you could do with the kids for their exercise benefit too. When I first started I borrowed from the library so no cost to try and I loved it and so did the kids because they found the kids yoga in the kids video section. It makes me feel like I have more energy and then do other exercises in addition to it. Good Luck!

I'm currently doing Slim4Life which costs a lot of money, but basically it is limiting yourself to 1 milk, 2 protein, 2 bread, 2 fruit choices per day and unlimited veggie choices. Also, 2 protein snacks a day (think something like Luna or Balance bars). And taking your vitamins and 10 (yes, ten!) glasses of water a day. I wonder if you did that for a week, you might jumpstart your metabolism? It's worth a try! I've lost 42 lbs since December 3rd, and I'm ashamed to say, I haven't been exercising... now that the weather is getting nicer, I will though, promise... :-D

S. in MN

Portion control portion control portion control!!!

caloriesperhour.com...go there. Very fun website with loads of information about calorie counts, weight loss calculators, etc.

It takes an hour to burn 400 calories...how long does it take to eat 400 calories?

Exercise is good for everybody, thin or fat. Keep that up regardless of your size. But if you want to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume, and that is almost entirely accomplished by intaking few calories per day. 1200-1500 calories is a safe intake.

WARNING: You will cry when you discover how little food 1200-1500 calories is. But this will be your ONLY hurdle, and it should only take a couple weeks to get used to. Then you will be appalled at how many calories you had actually been consuming. You will suddenly find yourself very satisfied with the lower amount of food and feel much healthier!

Stay away from fads...ala Atkins and the likes. They've made ungodly amounts of money by mystifying something that is so natural and common sense. Eat what your body needs to be healthy, moderate exercise, and you will be a normal weight. Count calories when you start out (REALLY count) and stick with eating the same foods for a while, just to stay in control in the fragile beginning.

It's all about calories (they were right all along!) You may never eat junk food. I rarely did either. Yet I was 60lbs overweight (Two turkey burgers...one suffices).

Seriously...it's a lot easier than you think. I will say I'm fortunate in that I didn't have deeper rooted "issues" that made it hard for me to cut back on food. Once the lbs. started dropping, I was happy as a clam and more committed than ever, and kind of mad I didn't get my butt in gear sooner.

I truly believe Weight Watchers is the way to go. I lost 30 lbs after my first child and have been able to maintain a healthy weight. It's not a diet, it's just a better way of eating! I am a Lifetime member and already back down to my original 6 months after the birth of my second child. Check into it, it's not that expensive and it really does work!

Hi Holly! I am in the process of trying to lose weight right now, too. When I started exercising regularly, my body's response was to eat more. Nice, huh? I found this website www.sparkpeople.com through a friend. It has articles, an online community, and online tracking for your exercise and food intake. It really helped me cut out all the mindless eating and pay attention to what I was putting in my body. I had to think, "Do I really want to have to write this down?" And it has a large database of foods (which you can also add to) to automatically keep track of calories and fat grams, etc... Good luck!

H. - I've been there. When you child says, "Why do you bother to work out, you just get fatter and fatter?" Sure doesn't make you feel good. Exercise isn't always the thing to watch when you want to loose weight. My suggestion, record everything you eat - and measure it to see just HOW MUCH you are eating. That was what surprised me the most - how I exceeded the "serving size" and was eating two to three times what I should have been. Track it - you will see the results!

There are lots of things that you can do, finding what works best for you is the trick. When I was younger, I lost weight simply by setting limits for myself. Only 1 thing of junk food a day and never after 3 pm so I had time to work it off and I set a bedtime for myself and set my no eating time for 2 hours before my bedtime. I lost 20 lbs quite quickly this way, but then I was a huge junk food eater at the time too.

This past year, I stopped eating fast food and only eat what I cook, allowing myself to eat out only once a month and only at sit down places that don't have pre-made food shipped in. I've lost 25 lbs. this way. I also started riding my bike more and took up a dance class (long before I made the change to my diet) to keep myself going physically. I love riding my bike and dancing and have found both, along with my slight change in eating habits to be very rewarding. (the type of dance I choose was belly dancing, not for everyone, but a great full body work out and fun as well with great people in my classes and the troupe I now perform with!) Take some time, find a physically active activity to do (swiming, aerobics, etc...) that you truly enjoy, and things will start happening for you.

Hi H.,
Walking is great exercise but what helps some people lose weight does not always work for everyone. Walking may not be the right exercise for you. Or possibly, its not vigorous or long enough. If your daycare kids are old enough, how about getting a work out video and having them join in. Give them soup cans for weights, etc. It could be fun!

I HATE to exercise. And struggled to stay motivated as did a friend of mine. We tried to encourage each other but that didn't work either. Truth is, its easy to let yourself down when trying to reach fitness goals. Here is what worked for us:

We knew it was easy to let ourselves down but didn't want to let each other down. So, we decided that both of us would exercise EVERY day during that month and if we BOTH did it, then we could have a "girls day out". Suddenly my exercising had new meaning. I knew that if I didn't exercise, SHE wouldn't get a girls day out. We both did it and enjoyed our day out together.

You may find some interesting info on my website as well: http://mycornerstoneadvantage.lose20.com

I know its difficult to find time and motivation, especially with little ones. Keep us updated on how its going!

K.

I have found a free site that is very motivational. It's www.sparkpeople.com
You can either chose to follow their meal plan and workouts, or create your own. It does a free evaluation and gives you a range of calories, fat, protein, and carbs. I have found it really helpful. Since I started the site I've lost 3 pounds (I've only been on the site for about a week). You can join teams and just leave general topics and the other members are very helpful with giving you advice and help. I think that it's a great site and can't believe that it's completely free.
Good luck with your weight loss!

Help boost your metabolism by:
drinking lots of water, always eat breakfast, don't skip meals, eat 6 small meals rather than 3 large ones, no snacking after supper in the evening hours, remove junk food temptations from your house and replace them w/ healthy snacks.

Pick one bad habbit at a time to kick. If you drink pop that's a good starting point. Cut down to one pop a day or quite completely. Changing one thing at a time and setting goals you can achieve can help you eventually reach your ultimate goal of weight loss.

If you have Medica insurance you can go to medica.com to log exercise and eating habbits to motivate you. They pay you $25 quarterly if you meet the criteria so it can help motivate. If you don't have access to this reward yourself for meeting goals. :)

Increase your activity level. Maybe try playing more active games outside with the kids or simple things like parking far away when you run errands and always taking the stairs rather than elevator. Wearing a pedomoter can help you make goals of reaching a certain # of steps each day even if you have to pace your house while you are watching the kids. Try increasing your intensity and length of your walks or using arm weights.

Try to lift weights once a week. I do it while watching TV in the evening with 5# wts. Building muscle burns more calories in a day even when you are inactive so this is also a key to weight loss. Try doing leg lifts and floor exercises or you can buy an exercise ball.

It's important to find your weakness and work on that. Mine is chocolate! When I start I just can't stop so it's better to not have it around.

Good luck!!

Oh another idea is to tape a "fat" picture of yourself in a swimsuit to your bathroom mirror or frige door to remind you of your goal every day or when you want to reach for those sweets. :)

Hi H.,
I have found that if I eat about 1 tsp of peanut butter in the morning it gets my metabolism going. Then I drink coffee all day. Then I eat a light supper.
I wish we could work out together.
Good Luck!

Water water water! I used to weigh in at 188, and have dropped 45-50 pounds by just drinking lots more water, not eating fast food, and eating smaller portions. Water is the key to keeping our systems flushed, and when our organs are being properly hydrated our metabolism burns more efficiently. When you eat in the morning, start your system with whole grains and fresh fruit to motivate that metabolism too. Do a lot of stretching throughout the day, and when walking do high leg lifts with your knees to keep the muscles working harder. I used to do march walks with my kids. Big huge marching steps that work your thighs, and the kids think it's fun. Also try drinking a large glass of water 1/2 hour before a meal, or eat a handful of almonds or other nuts to boost your system with some proteins. You'll eat less and feel better. Use the 100 calorie snack packs if you get those sweet cravings; I used to eat frozen raspberries and dry cereal to combat that too. Good luck and don't get discouraged! It takes us months to put it on, and many more to get them off. L.

Hi H.-
My name is B. Jarmoluk. I'm a medical prof, mom of 6yo twin girls, spouse and wellness Coach by trade. I can't solicit on line too much but will leave my email and my website for you to look at since you asked.
My email ____@____.com
My website http://www.thinkslim.org - fill out the info there and I will do a free wellness evaluation on you.
We do have a sample pack and if you're local to me, I can do an in person shapescan- no charge of course- that give lean body mass, resting metabolic calories burned, calories to lose, percent fat and more.
I live in St. Paul MN.
I'm on call at the hospital this week of Apr. 3, but am home all next week and can call or meet with you.
Take a look! I was a tired mom, with a huge kangaroo pouch from my twins- now gone! I'm almost 48 and can sport a bikini- and I got some health results I can share but that's why I believe in this. We do by the way offer a money back guarantee too- which is superb and of course momsource gets an auto 10%+
Hope to see your profile and we'll talk if you want.
B. Jarmoluk

Hi H.,
I totally understand your situtation because I am a daycare provider also (with 7 kids between 2-5 daily from 6:30am to 4:30pm) with two children of my own. I was drinking a 1/2 pot of coffee a day. (I don't care for the taste of it so was adding a lot of sugar and creamer) I found myself crashing by dinner time and had no energy to exercise or play with my kids. I started on Herbalife products a week ago and I have lost 3 pounds already. Yes the weight loss is great but more importantly to me it is the energy I have and how I feel. NO MORE COFFEE!! It is all vitamins and nurtients in the shakes and there is no set diet...I was skeptical about doing a shake for breakfast and lunch and filling in with fruit/vegetables/wheat crackers as needed for snacks and then a "colorful dinner" is what they recommend with 4oz of meat and then fruits/vegetables and a grain of some sort....well I think 3 pounds in a week speaks for itself. I started out at 194 and I am 5' 9". I do have to comment that I am committed to eating more fruits and vegetables and that I am not a big junk food eater but the Herbalife has given me the energy I need to be able to exercise more which is what my body needed. I love the products so much that I decided to join just for the discount but I am finding that I am so pleased with the results that I have been sharing them with friends and family. Check out the website at www.herbalife.com and if you need more info please email me!!

H.-

Have you ever heard of Arbonne? Arbonne is a fabulous Health care/Skin care company that has awesome Weight loss products. These products are vegetable based, tastey and easy to use.
You have a very busy, high energy job being a daycare provider. You also are making meals for KIDS- which makes it hard to make healthy meals for yourself. I know as I am a SAHM mom and toddler teacher.
About 6 months ago I decided to make a change and this is what I did and I tell everyone I can as it has been so helpful to me.
Every morning I have a Protein and Fiber Shake for breakfast. It fills me up and gives me such a great boost of energy. It also has reduced my coffee intake. Then I have an Citrus Energy drink in the afternoon as I start to drag then and can often snack or drink coffee and I want to avoid that. The Energy drink too is very low in caffine and does not contain "bad' fake sugars. Finally, at night I have a Colon cleanser pill. Doesn't sound pretty but we need to take care of our insides and this is so gentle and works.
OK lots of info for you , but I suggest you look on the Arbonne web site- www.arbonne.com or email me and I can let you try some of my products. They are Pure, Safe and Beneficial and really work!

Good Luck!
Kathy
____@____.com

The only thing that has ever worked for me is not a diet but a complete lifestyle change. I do Weight Watchers, as well as exercising and I have had lots of luck. I gained 60 lbs my first pregnancy and lost it all and then some by doing WW & staying active. I just had my second child in January and I've been doing the same thing and it seems to be working well again. We found an elliptical in the paper for $50 and I use it several times a week. I also have a workout center where I work which I use sometimes on lunch - otherwise I walk with a friend. I think the elliptical and/or walking is the best bang for your time as far as exercise goes. Good luck!!

Have you heard of the DVD "Yoga Bootie Ballet"? It is a BLAST - and totally do-able for a wheeze up the stairs, cottage cheese thighed fun loving gal like me. I changed the way I was eating and popped it in 1-2 times a week and have lost 12 pounds!!!! in 2 1/2 weeks/ Hello! That is motivation. If you can swing it financially - Weight Watchers is an incredible help. Espcially for girls that are committed to eating chocolate as a food group...

I used to be in your shoes and know how that goes! You are tied down to the house pretty much with all those kids and tend to eat all the little snacks all day long that they eat etc.........walking is a great start. That's how it started coming off for me. You didn't mention your eating habits so it's hard to say, but are you eating what the kids eat for lunch? Things like mac and cheese or chicken nuggets just because it's easier to do that than make something healthy for yourself? Maybe you can make a salad the night before since there never seems to be time while they are at your house? Also, what I started doing was while they were watching Barney or whatever, I'd get right down on the floor and start doing situps and pushups while Barney was the babysitter!

You have such great advice here and support. I just wanted to add one other suggestion. I have heard that when we want to lose weight we first need to add more fiber so that we have three regular bowel movements a day. Drink plenty of water and add fuits and veggies and a fiber supplement to your daily routine. Also avoid softdrinks. My husband's school did a biggest loser contest for the staff and the biggest loser actually all he did was cut out pop! He dropped three pounds a week! Good luck to you and let us know down the road how you are doing and what things worked for you:)

Hi! I study nutrition and natural health and healing. The best and easiest way,I think,is by just properly combining your food. Its all about digestion,it is the #1 energy taker,this is why what we eat together determines how we feel and how much energy it takes for us to digest it. First of all fruit should never be eaten with anything else,it digest alot easier on its own. Breakfast is the best time to eat this. Secondly would be to never mix your carbs/grains and proteins. Lets say your going to have whole grain pasta,you can have whole grain bread and then have a salad and a veggie. If your going to have a protein,fish or chicken...have it with a salad and veggie. Also cut down on the sugar and dairy. there are so many good alternatives...stevia is the best sugar alternative..this is a natural herb that is 300 times sweeter that sugar...it does not effect blood sugar...has no calories and is very good for you...you can get on line or buy a recipe book to know how to use it. or you can just get the packets to put in tea or make lemonaid with. It also helps with sugar cravings. Its just a myth that dairy is your best form of calcium...you actually get more calcium from brocolli than any thing else,besides with all the hormones and stuff pumped into the poor cows theres nothing good in it....besides cows milk is simply for baby cows....they have to gain alot of weight in a short amount of time....think about it... we are the only species that continues to drink milk after we are weaned off it. so drink...soy,almond or rice milk. Lastly...read labels! what ever is most natural is good to stick with,but watch those hydronated fats and high fructose corn syrup! sugar is in about everything....its so hard to get away from. Getting off Pop is the biggest thing that will help people,drink water and if you drink juice make it freshly squeezed,other wise,after its cooked and basically after 20 minuets of being squeezed the nutrients leave the fruit. So there is no nutritional value in fruit juice that has been bottled. Also...if your going to have something dont get fat free or diet...this is actually worse...just go with plain old butter or regular pop....those just have extra additives and fake sugars that are even more prossed and bad for you. Its alot to think about but its worth looking into. Mary Lou Henner and Havey Diamond have alot of good books on food combining. You can get all of these at the library. Hope this helps.feel free to message me for any more info.

I know this is going to sound totally crazy because it flies in the face of all the diets out there but... only eat when you're really hungry. Stop when you're politely full - not stuffed. Every time you let yourself get hungry and don't eat right away, your body is forced to eat away at some stored fat. I know this sounds nuts - no points counting, no excercise, no fad diet. How could it possibly work?

Ten years ago, I tried 3 fad diets and some excercise routines with varying success. But I ALWAYS put the weight back on. But then I got involved in a program at church. You basically allow your stomach to tell you when to eat and not to eat (even if it's dinner time). Avoid emotional eating by seeking God for your comfort, not food.

I took off 25 lbs and kept it off, even though it sounded totally nuts to me. The great thing is... it's free! Plus I saved a ton of money on food. When I started paying attention to my appetite, instead of eating because it was noon or 6:00, or the cookie looked really good, I started eating about half of what I normally ate. I was never starving and I ate whatever I wanted - carbs, fat, whatever. I just found that when I ate foods that were high in carbs or fat, I filled up really quickly so I stopped eating after only having a little.

Good luck!

Hi there, i am not an expert at all. But my first questions how long do you walk each day and at what pace? Fat burning occurs when the heart rate is up, not at a casual stroll. Also, if you can begin drinking more water. This is because the body can ALWAYS use water and also because many times when we feel hungry it is really just thirst. Building muscle mass through weight lifting (in addition to walking) helps burn fat, too. Muscles need more energy, so if you could add some weightlifting. I would guess that the weight gain happened slowly over time, right? So that is how it will come off, too. Don't give up! Be patient. At least it is getting nicer out to go for walks.

Hey H.! I feel your pain. I'm not a SAHM mom, but have a full time job (just like you do with the daycare) so I know finding time can be tough. I have tried EVERYTHING. Nutrisystem, the lemonade diet, candida diet, etc etc. Finally I tried Weight Watchers. Its the only thing that has worked for me. It lets me eat everything I want, just so long as I watch portions (which was hard for me in the past, not knowing how much was too much). I am not in any way affiliated with WW at all - not trying to hock a service here. Just letting you know that it worked for this frustrated mom. The weight isn't coming off in record numbers but I usually lose between 1-2 lbs a week and I do not exercise. (I know, I know). I hope you find what works for you!!

Weight Watchers online is great-I'm doing it right now and so far it's helped. Right now is a free week trial.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/free

Try signing up for sparkpeople.com. Its free and has alot of online support and tools to help you get healthier. Good luck!

KEEP IT UP!!!!! Read lots of info on fitness. I also suggest that you do regimine of light weights three days a week and kick up your walking at either faster speed or light jog at least four days a week. But don't start out too hard cause then you will Quit! I have a friend granted she hasnt't had any kids yet, but she runs for an hour every day and also does weights for about 30 min every day. She has went from a size 12 to a size 6 without changing her diet. No soda, lessen the carb in take, don't stop eating all bad foods but put 90 % more of the good then bad. Have a cheat day were you can eat whatever at least one a week then take it to one a month. I have kept off 55 pounds! I still need 25 gone but I just keep going! My doctor says the best diet to go on is weight watchers. My mother says don't eat after six and always do your dishes after dinner then take a walk around the neighborhood.I know all this but the main thing is don't stop,you can take a break for awhile but remember to keep going.