Seeking All Moms Opinion

I did slim-4-life and I lost 40 pounds in 9 weeks!! My sister did it and lost over 100 pounds. It is awesome and well worth it!!

Hello L.,
My suggestion is going to sound unreal. This what a friend of my husband did and lost around 30lbs over the course of a year. My husband lost 20lbs over several months. I've lost 15lbs and maintained my weight. None of us increased our activity level. Although I'm sure if your willing to do so it will help. Remove these 3 items from your diet all together. Don't eat anything that has high fructose corn syrup, enriched flour or hydrogenated oil. Anything that says any of those 3 items don't eat. It will be a bit time consuming to figure out what you can eat at the store, but almost everything you normally would eat you can find made without those 3 items. It sounds hard, but if you commit and try it for a week you will see the difference. I have yet to have someone tell me that they did this and not lost weight, but you can't cheat. The basic idea is our body has been processing real food without all the artificial stuff in it for a long time. Since all the artificial stuff is in food our body doesn't know what to do with it and stores it in our thighs, butt, stomach, etc... I hope this works out for you.

Wish there was a "magic" way but really it comes down to healhty eating and exercise. When trying to drop the inches and pounds your excerise should be intense, you can drop the intensity once you've reached your goal to help maintain the weight.

I do the workout videos at home. I was going to the gym but money has become tight. I picked up a few good ones on amazon.com. I also go for not only cardio but strength training. I use hand weights and those bands.

I don't really count calories, but I do watch my portion control. I aslo keep a mental log in my head. I don't cut out anything, it's about moderation with me. If I allow myself a small treat, I'm less likely to over do it.

A friend of mine whom I trust told me that there may be several reasons you gain weight after pregnancy, hormonal changes, eating habits etc... But one that I was surprised with was nursing? She said that with every one of her pregnancy she gained all her weight after she had the baby. She said it was due to the hormonal changes and stress. I don't know if this is really accurate or not, but something to think about? I am a stay at home mom with two kids ages 19 months and 2 months, and I know how hard it is to get to the gym, esp. since we only have one car. I go on days that I can get someone to watch my kids but it is very difficult. I have since found a really cool work out dvd. I Usually don't like home workout dvds but this one is great it is called Fit Mama with a bonus workout section called mama and me. The first is designed for mothers who have had a baby to help you get to pre-pregnancy weight. The second section offers exercises that you can do while playing/holding your child. I really like it. I have only been doing it for a week but I already feel better. So check it out? I got my dvd used but just google it and see where you can find it if you are interested. I hope this helps some, and good luck. Hang in there!

Hi, L.!

I gained about 20 lbs after having my daughter. I have joined Weight Watchers and so far it is going well! I just finished week four and have lost 7 lbs so far. So, I hit my first milestone. What I have found is controlling my portions, lower fat, lower carbs, (don't cut it all out) make healthier substitutions as I can and bump up my activity level. A little bit of this and a little bit of that IS making a difference. You can check out a weight watchers meeting for free before you make a decision. The other thing that I did was announce to the people that I was closest too that I was going to do this for their support and sort of to keep myself accountable. One of my good friends joined a couple of months ahead of me. Even though she is in another city, we are doing it together and that helps, too. Ultimately, something clicked in me and I was really ready to do it. I am doing it for me. I am also doing it for my daughter. I feel that I will be a better mom, because I will be a happier person.

Good Luck!!

girl if you find out let the rest of us know! your post doesn't mention if you work or stay home, work out, etc...the basic key is - you have to burn more calories than you take in. period. if it means eating less, working out, you do the math. i had to majorly change my views, and i'm still struggling, but i got a job where i am on my feet walking and toting things for most of the day, that helped. i gained a lot of muscle tone and felt a LOT healthier, but still didn't drop the pounds. i have started to work out 3-4 times a week on TOP of my active daily job, and still have yet to see "real", "magic" results. but, i do think if they come off quickly, they'll come back quickly. it truly does have to be a lifestyle change. personally i don't eat that badly so i am hoping that the exercise will do it's thing. it's very simple like i said - it's putting it into practice that's difficult!

PS, i was really impressed to find exercise videos on my On Demand. i found my "me" time by getting up 30 minutes earlier each day, before everyone else wakes up.

Bottom line on weight lose is you have to do what works for you. Lots of people have success at places like weight watchers but some people hate the counting that goes with that program. Others can just start running and the pounds start to melt. The key is to put yourself first! As moms and especially new moms, our world revolves around our little ones and we forget to take care of ourselves. Everyone else in the family tends to come first. Make time for yourself everyday to start exercising whether you walk or run or get a treadmill or stationary bike or sign up for a gym. Eat healthy and watch for times that you are eating for emotional reasons and not because you are hungry. I have heard lots of people say that a food journal really helps them to see where their bad habits are so that they can change but you have to be completely honest with yourself. Also, one thing that has help me is to make a bunch of one thing, like chicken, at a time so that I can use it for a meal a couple of days later and cut back on the time it takes to prepare a meal. That is one of my biggest problems. I don't feel like cooking so I grab something that is easy instead of healthy. If half the work is done already, it is easier to get motivated to cook. I hope this helps!

Have your thyroid checked. Apparently pregnancy throws it out of whack for a lot of women. I know it did mine. Good luck!

I agree with others, exercise is the key. I would highly recommend joining a gym. I belong to Lifetime Fitness and love it! (I think Prairie Life is similiar, too) They offer lots of classes that will "push" you harder than you would normally push yourself. And it's more fun than excercising alone. Go at least 4-5 times a week, alternating strength and cardio training. Then it becomes a lifestyle. It's very family friendly with lots of activities for kids, including indoor and outdoor pool. My kids love it and they are learning at a young age that health and exercise are important! Also, just make healthy eating choices, lots of whole (preferably organic) foods. I'm not a fan of Weight Watcher's or other programs with pre-packaged foods. Read the book "Skinny Bitch", it's hilarious (a bit foul-mouthed) and to the point about living a healthy lifestyle to lose weight. It's a quick read and I've referred it to many who also loved it! Also, go have a complete physical and have your thyroid checked to be sure there are no medical issues! Good luck!

Exercise. That is the key. As a previous poster stated, you have to start intense until you lose what you want. Don't get discouraged. It often will take a while before you lose anything at all. For me, I could go weeks without losing any weight and then drop 5 - 6 pounds in a week. Again, I'll stop losing for a few weeks and then drop again. Consistency is the key. Find something that you like to do and then make it a priority. Once you get to your goal weight, as long as you still exercise, you'll maintain. You'll have more energy, too. Big Plus! Just make sure that whatever you do, it doesn't become a chore. I like to read while I do my cardio. That is fun to me!!

Have you been eating well and exercising? I know it's difficult to feel as though there is time when you are taking care of a new baby as well as yourself. I feel as though I am a better parent and I am a good example for my son when he sees us being active though. Every day, as long as it is above 20 degrees, we go for a 3-4 mile walk. I also don't buy junk food so there is no temptation in our house. We don't want our son growing up eating bad food choices so we don't have the unhealthy options in our home. He is 15 mos old and will eat nearly anything we give him. Being healthy for him is an excellent motivator for me. Also, there are a number of medical issues in our families and we would like to do everything we can to give him the tools to live a long, healthy life. Maybe you can find a walking buddy or someone else to start a clean eating program with. You CAN do this!! :)

It really depends on WHY you're "packing on the pounds."

Is it because you're making poor food choices? Eating too much? Not exercising any more, or not as often as you should? Hormonal changes, or side effects of a new prescription or a change in medication? Lack of sleep?

Many of us women do gain weight after having children, but it's not usually *just* because we had a baby... it's most often due to the changes we make in our *lifestyles* once we have kids (more convenience foods and eating out more often; getting less sleep; exercising less or not at all due to lack of time, etc.). You just have to figure out which problem(s) you are faced with personally, and make the changes needed to counter that. ;-)

Good luck!
--A.

L., my youngest is 10 and I'm still trying to get rid of the weight. Don't obsess too much. Good luck and God Bless.

Have you been watching what you eat and exercising?

Try talking to your Dr. to make sure it's not a medical problem. If you're OK then try Weight Watchers I have been doing it for about 5 years & have lost over 100 pounds. I also kickbox religiously (4-5+ times a week) cuz I also teach classes for my instructor & I also drink water like it's going out of style. No matter what you do make sure you enjoy it at least to some degree or you won't stick with it. If you have trouble with water, try Crystal Lite Metabolism+ I love it. It makes it easier to do all the water that I drink. I wish you luck on your journey!

Exercise - to help keep you motivated, subscribe to Shape Magazine. It is full of lots of healthy recipes, excercise advice and actual exercise routines. I have subscribed to Shape for over 15 years. The Key is EXERCISE and a healthy diet. Don't starve yourself and don't deprive yourself of foods you love....just remember eat in moderation. Cooking Light Magazine is awesome for healthy recipes. Shape's recipes have all been very good too. Low fat and low calorie foods don't have to taste bad...they key is with the seasoning. Also don't forget to lift weights....they will help boost your motabolism. Change your exercise routine about every 6 weeks. Your body will get used to the old routine and you will quit seeing results if you don't change your routine. Try doing Spin Classes too...you will burn lots of calories.

Hi L.,
Eat less calories than you expend.

Try to eat "whole grain wheat" instead of enriched white flour products.

Cut down (or out) food that's heavy in saturated fats.

Exercise, and drink lots of water. Repeat daily.
It sucks, but that's the way to do it.
Good luck! :)
A.

It's frustrating I know and really hard to loose the weight! I have lost over 40 lbs by dieting. I ate 1300 calories a day until I got to the weight I wanted. Now I am working on toning my core because hanging out with a one year old has really wrecked what little posture I had before. I received some advice that I found helpful. Loose the weight first, then work on building muscle. Otherwise you won't notice your weight loss as much and could get dicouraged easier. Either way, it is easy to get discouraged (I onlt lost a pound or two a week) so hang in there. It took a long time to gain the weight and it will take just as long to get rid of it.

Good luck!