I've been a stay at home mom for going on 10 months now, and I've managed to put on that much weight, on top of my leftover pregnancy weight. Any ideas how I can work on my weight loss and management while being at home all day and no more then twenty feet from the fridge? Feeding my toddler little snacks and tasty treats is hard. I either end up eating what she eats or not eating at all! I cannot afford a gym membership right now or I'd gladly drop my little bug off at the gym daycare and get a nightly workout.. but, can't!

Any advice?:)

Discipline is the key word and you may be putting pounds on your toddler as well. Get a home video workout. And discipline to a routine at home working out. Go for walks with your toddler. Sit down and make a list of everything to do with your toddler that will get you out of the house and away from the fridge.

Weight will come off fast after you get into a routine.

Visit here
www.goworkoutmom.com

tickle said what I was thinking. Just much more to the point... I ramble. A lot. Sorry in advance.

I was a stay at home dad for a time. I've always been a bit of a nut about being fit. Always liked working out. But the complete schedule change from being in the public workplace to being at home was an unexpected hit... couple that to the fact I would eat when my wife, who was breastfeeding and needing more nutrients, would eat... suddenly id put on a little weight and had to crank things back down.

for food... you need some discipline or at least a different plan. If you snack when you feed your toddler, that's not the worst thing... as long as the food is good for you AND you cut back at other meals. Smaller portions more frequently throughout the day is actually better than fewer, bigger meals. I know the social event that dinner has become, but why we eat the biggest meal of our day at the end of the day, when our metabolism is winding down... it just makes no sense.

so what to do?

during the day make sure you are eating smaller amounts. A piece of quality cheese and lean meat is a great late morning snack. A later afternoon snack of healthy nuts (oven roasted macademias, almonds, cashews... all light on the salt) is a pleasant surprise to curb your hunger a bit while getting healthy oils.

at dinner, take smaller portions. You would be amazed at how much you can cut back, little by little, even while giving your family the food and time at the dinner table.

one of the first things I did to my diet when I had a little added weight to lose, was to simply take about 2/3 of the meat and carbs id been taking. This was easier to do by using a smaller dinner plate. I upped the fruit and veggies. Within a week the switch was no longer noticed, and I began craving the fruits and veggies even more. I love good food, and have always like fresh veggies and fruits, but when you deliberately plan it in, it becomes a bigger part of your dietary habit.

concerning exercise... as expertly mentioned, one of the best things you can do is get some dvds for your home. I'm a huge fan, as is my wife. Yes, we have a gym membership, a bike trail behind our home, etc... the dvds have been worth every penny spent.

I love tae bo and pilates. Billy blanks tae bo is fast paced, can be done in as little as 30 min to an hour, and works your body in unique ways that you just don't commonly get. I can tell you what sets we own and what I like about them if you are interested.

same with pilates. It isn't cardio, but it does increase your core strength, something that I think is absolutely critical when doing any kind of workout. Again, I have some suggestions if you are interested.

my wife does all the same vids... also has some other dvds... a dance one (yoga booty ballet... =)... she tried to get me to do that... I just couldn't based on the name. Id have to give up my "guy card"... union rules you know)... and a few other workout vids to keep it interesting.

if you aren't interested in buying workout dvds, which you can often get cheaply online through eBay, Amazon, etc... go to your local public library. You can often "rent" movies for free, and it's a good way to try out a new program without spending the cash first. Don't neglect your public library for this... its FREE!

have you jumped rope since you were a kid on the playground? Oh my... does it ever suck. Really. I mean really, really. I would rather carry 40 lbs on my back, walking up stadium stairs for 30 minutes than do 10 minutes of jumping rope. You'll probably be gasping at three minutes the first time.

and don't forget stairs. Take ten minutes out of your day to walk up and down stairs. Even better with your child. Sing a song going up and down. If stairs don't work out for you, get something you can use for a step, and step up and down.

I've found that my child loved inimating me... hilarious to see a 3 year old doing tae bo. And when he became tired of my not paying attention, I could still do a lot with him in my arms.

also, I know how hard it can be to find a good time with a little one... but ugly early AM is one of the best times, even if its just a few days a week. I don't get up at 5-6 AM because I want to... I do it because it works out in terms of time to myself. Also, when you workout in the morning, it has two great benefits... it get it checked off the list, first of all... none of this "ill do it later"... and then later, when your time is being pressed with all the things you still need to do, what gets lost? The workout. Get it done. Second, a workout in the AM is one of the best things you can do for your metabolism and caloric intake. When you workout in the morning you prime your body to burn more calories, especially in the hours after the workout... so that food you'll be consuming is more likely to be burned. I'm not saying an evening workout is the worst thing, especially if you can't get it any other time, but you won't get that added benefit of an increased metabolism throughout the day when you are taking in food.

one thing id suggest about a gym membership... don't neglect talking to the local ymca. While they have common rates for family memberships, they also have "scholarships" that can decrease your monthly payments... it is something worth asking about. Seriously... even if you decide not to join, all you've done is confirm what you thought... and if you are lucky, you'll find you might be able to afford that membership after all.

I know when we searched around for a new gym after a move we stumbled on one that was too pricey for us, and didn't feel as family friendly as the Y... after being told, sorry, we can't extend you any special deals, what happened? Within a week we were called back by the gym... seems someone talked to someone talked to someone and suddenly they were willing to waive some fees and reduce our membership price.

an in this ecomony, you might find someone very willing to give you a steeply discounted rate, a drop in initiation fees, or several early months "free"... something to think about. Those times when I can drop the little ball of energy off in the childcare and go work out... those are great times for both of us.

so consider at least calling up the local ymca and asking about membership scholarships or other new member plans. You can also look at other smaller local gyms who might be struggling with people cutting back.

just something to think about.

lastly, studies show that two things can dramatically change your results. A journal and a workout partner. Those who keep diet and workout journals lose twice the weight as those who do not. Put in on paper. On the list. Be accountable to it. Honest about it. Journals keep you on track and accountable. So does a workout partner. If you cannot get someone to workout with you, make your child your workout partner... again, you can do some things with your child in your arms, and when your child is able to imitate you, it will engrain a great habit into his or her life. Big, big fan of workout out with my kid... even if it means I'm a little distracted or restricted.

so.. you need a little structure... you know, that thing that completely disappeared when the little one came along? It happens. So fast and furiously. But you can begin to take your life back bit by bit. Been there, done it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tickle

Discipline is the key word and you may be putting pounds on your toddler as well. Get a home video workout. And discipline to a routine at home working out. Go for walks with your toddler. Sit down and make a list of everything to do with your toddler that will get you out of the house and away from the fridge.

Weight will come off fast after you get into a routine.

Visit here
Go Workout Mom

---

My response should have been to to "Agree"! This was a great help! Sorry for the error!