Need some serious motivation

I'm 31 and trying to conceive for the 2nd time. I already have a gorgeous 4-year-old son with my husband but we're ready for baby number two now. I've just come back from my GP who is requesting some hormonal bloods for me to check that area is still working ok but she has also recommended I lose some weight, I weighed 93 kg on her scales today - I'm approximately 5ft 2.

The motivation is there in my head but it's the act of doing the weight loss that I struggle with. I don't really exercise much at all, I feel I don't have the time. I work 25 hours a day in a desk job which not much opportunity to move around due to what I do. Once I finish my job i drive to fetch my son from his childminder, go home & then sit down for most of the rest of the day. I do some work from home & like to cross stitch. Most of the time I just don't feel I have the energy to do any form of exercise. Eating is also a challenge for me as I don't really eat much in the way of vegetables or fruit. I eat strawberries once a week, eat carrots a little and occassionally add parsnips to my plate. Most of the time my meal consists of fish or meat with potato accompaniment. I am now going to try and cut out crisps, biscuits and limit chocolate. Drinks - I don't drink enough, I tend to have 1-2 coffee's per day, a 600-700 ml bottle of squash at work and then sip from a bottle of pepsi or flavoured water through the afternoon/evening.

I'm wondering if there is anywhere that I can input the foods I like to have a diet plan/meal plan made up for me so I can stick to some healthier foods. I also think I could probably do with a diet/exercise buddy. Finding the time with my son is usually hard as after work I am always with him. I recently had my bike fixed but haven't used it as I don't have the free time in the evening's to ride due to being with my son.

Can anyone help/come up with any ideas at all?

[Hidden]

Well, you've made the first step, coming to this site.

Maybe take a look at a calorie counting app or myfitnesspal. When you input the food and the weight it tells you the calories.

A good idea to forgo the biscuits etc. just try a piece of fruit each day and I bet you soon get used to it.

Potatoes with your meal are fine but remember to watch how you cook them AND your portion size.

Good luck. You'll find lots of positive support on here.😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I was using myfitnesspal but have stopped using it recently - I was cheating far too much by not recording everything I was eating. I have some tinned peaches in the cupboard as I quite like them so may put them in a container to take to work each day. I'm thinking of maybe having more soups for dinner at work too instead of sandwiches all the time (I mostly tend to eat brown/wholemeal bread).

I usually tend to boil potatoes, chips are oven cooked.

Thanks for replying xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Just had another idea. Try smart recipes change for life. You can find it in Internet and download. Lots of tasty recipes for all kinds of meals. I made the salmon and cucumber wraps for lunch, and the chicken couscous. Also, if you like melon, it's about 31calories per 100g, very refreshing too.

Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks poppy, i'll have a look xx

[Hidden]

Thank you for replying & your ideas. The problem here is I don't like a lot of the foods you mention. I'll tell you what fruit & veg I like - strawberries, peach, mango, carrot, pepper (more red than yellow or green), lettuce & mushroom.

[alex7ra in reply to Hidden]

They say that if you eat something about 7-10 times then your tastebuds adapt and you start to like things. So why don't you just pick one thing you don't like, make yourself eat it and see if it works? What about starting with cherry tomatoes? Make yourself eat a couple a day for two weeks and see if you like them by the end of it. Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to alex7ra]

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind x

[demotivated]

You sound very much like me when I was working. Kids do restrict your ability to do a lot. My suggestions would be cut the Pepsi and flavoured water and stick with no added sugar squash, u increase your water supply but still tastes ok. Sounds like u do ok on fruit and veg again something I tried try one new fruit or veg each week or couple of weeks. Just think about your expanding your sons knowledge and tast buds. Def cut out the sugar. It makes your blood sugar spike then drop suddenly making u feel more tired, it so addictive too. Think smoking that's what sugar addiction is but it's instead welcomed by society instead of banned! Awful stuff but it's the monster in the room for most of us!!

As for exercise have u tried fitness videos for during the week and make cycling a weekend activity with your son, can he ride a bike yet? Even a little exercise may make u tired at first but will increase your energy also as u lose a little weight. Make it a fun thing rather than another chore. Also Is there anyone that can cover your son for an evening my friend joined a netball club for one evening a week. It seems it's part of a national strategy to get women exercising and playing team games its a good social thing for her away from the kids and great exercise.

Hope this helps it's hard when u feel either chained to your desk then chained to your child doesn't feel like it leaves u much wiggle room but it is possible.

[Hidden in reply to demotivated]

I've just done 20 mins on a dance game on hubby's Xbox but personally I don't like using this console so may look at getting a 2nd hand Wii console to try the fitness games (my son likes these too). My son isn't that good yet on a bike so I couldn't go out with him sadly.

I already go out once a week to sing in a vocal group & twice during my husband's 4-weekly shift pattern I have to ask my mum to stay with my son, either until approx 8.30pm or until I get home at nearly 10pm. She works until 6.30-7pm & has her own things to do as she plays bowls so I don't like to ask her too much more than I already do. I'd love to swim more or do aqua aerobics though x

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm sure your son would be very happy if you go outside with him after yuo picked him up from the childminder. You could get off the car a bit away from a meadow or playground, walk and later run there together and then play ball or so when you're there. That's how I get into movement every day. My son is 3 soon and he's quite fast already on his balance bike, so I run next to him when we go to the shop nearby or friends or playground. With some practise your son might become fast on a bike as well or you can buy a thing to attach his bike to yours. And drink lots of water or herbal teas! I realise that I get more appetite for fruits like apples or veg when I'm moving more. And it's all life improving for your son as well. All the best for you!

[tedd881]

Hi. I too am 31 and trying to lose weight in anticipation for trying to conceive baby number 2.

In the past I have been so good and lost weight quickly but this time it feels so difficult. Nothing seems to be shifting fast and each time I start a new diet I seem to fail miserably and quickly too!

In the past I have used myfitnesspal which has worked well. The other thing which I had good success with was writing everything down in what I called a 'fat book'. Absolutely everything I ate would be written down. After a few days you start to look back at each day and realise the foods that you could have done without and then the next day it makes you think twice about whether you actually need that biscuit/cake/crisps, etc. I would also note how much I was drinking and what types of drinks throughout the day and write down all the exercise I did.

[Hidden in reply to tedd881]

Hi, well I've definitely taken some steps. I've rejoined myfitnesspal & am being honest with it and have started exercising too. I'm varying my exercise between strength & cardio, using a couple of leslie sansone videos on YouTube & my mini exercise bike too. I'd like to do more but for me time & money tend to get in the way. I've started slowly anyway. I weighed 93 kg last Monday but this was after 3pm & during my cycle but this morning I weighed 88.3 kg so it's definitely a step in the right direction. My hormonal bloods are ok too.

I hope you're successful with baby number 2 as well xx

[Popgoes]

I grew up with school dinners, meat and two veg and from the early seventies tried different diets. Weight watchers, Slimming world and Rosemary Connelly s low fat diet.

I haven't counted calories or sins for years!

Now it appears I am out of touch and their are new ideas around fats etc.

One big change for me was changing to skimmed milk. I would much prefer whole milk and I love whipped cream and soft cheese. I always considered these to be my dieting nightmare.

So things have changed dramatically. Yea?

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