I have 5 kids and need to lose weight

[Anonymous]

also (I am the pp) I found it totally transformed my energy levels and made my skin look great and made people start commenting that I looked younger. people started asking if I did botox! just by cleaning up my diet.

[Anonymous]

Love this troll. You “had” 5 kids, that was your choice.

Anyways, your network heavy DH makes tons of money and you stay home, probably half your kids are in elementary or could do preschool, so hire a sitter or get a gym with a daycare.

Drink black coffee rather than Diet Coke.

Don’t stock carb heavy foods. No one needs them. You control your schedule, control your home pantry, it’s totally within your power to eat better and still very easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I personally found kicking a Diet Coke habit helpful. I lost 5 lbs without any other changes and it seemed to help sugar cravings. I switched to plain seltzer and plain hot or cold tea.

Consider having that be step one.

If you want to lower carbs, I found it pretty easy to do in the context of family cooking. I make rice and cauli rice or use buns & lettuce wraps. Now I eat a protein heavy diet but I did something similar when I was the only vegetarian. It helped me lower inflammation and I have more energy.

Congrats on the little one!

Diet soda definitely messes with blood sugar.

https://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_does_diet_soda_raise_blood_sugar_a1c/article.htm

I honestly wouldn’t be breastfeeding while drinking that fake stuff too.

[Anonymous]

I had a similar path with 4 kids.

The only thing I found that worked was to eat less. Not diet, not restrict. Just less portion size. One snack a day. Women's bodies change 40+. Due to breastfeeding, you will likely not want to start this until your baby is weaned.

For now, just add more walking into your day. Take the kids for more active outings. Don't wait in the car or sideline during kid events. Walk or run in a nearby neighborhood if you can.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, everyone! I appreciate the recommendations. I do indeed know what to do, just find self-control and motivation really difficult at this stage in life. I’ve never needed to lose this much weight. I only needed to lose 15-20 before and it seemed more feasible. I’m sort of posting as a first step - “public” acknowledgement that I need to make better decisions. Stop eating mountains of chips and sweets. And the reason I think I need to kick Diet Coke is because I feel bad about drinking in, then feel bad about myself and make worse food decisions.

I live in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon, but I do think it’s 95% diet. But walks make me feel better about myself and then I make better good decisions.

[Anonymous]

Argh to the typos. I make better food decisions.

[Anonymous]

To the person calling me a troll - I’m not one. But tough love actually works pretty well on me so thanks, I guess, for the “encouragement.” I actually homeschool my kids but do have help and can make time for my health, especially now that the baby’s schedule is more predictable. And yes to others’ questions, I do cook good food, I just eat too many snacks.

[Anonymous]

The Diet Coke habit is NOT absolutely fine, it should be the one thing you focus on changing right now. You’d be better off developing a habit of drinking coffee or green tea, preferably sweetened with nothing other than honey.

ALL artificial sweeteners are dysbiotic meaning they disrupt gut biome and can lead to metabolic disorder. Additionally many are now linked to other health issues and there is substantial evidence that diet sodas drive weight gain because the brain expects calories when it tastes the sweet and seeks other calories when there are none from the soda.

Green tea and coffee are both metabolic boosters. Ditch the soda and develop the healthier habit. One step at a time, start there. And lift some weights every day to get some muscle mass back it will help burn the fat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, everyone! I appreciate the recommendations. I do indeed know what to do, just find self-control and motivation really difficult at this stage in life. I’ve never needed to lose this much weight. I only needed to lose 15-20 before and it seemed more feasible. I’m sort of posting as a first step - “public” acknowledgement that I need to make better decisions. Stop eating mountains of chips and sweets. And the reason I think I need to kick Diet Coke is because I feel bad about drinking in, then feel bad about myself and make worse food decisions.

I live in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon, but I do think it’s 95% diet. But walks make me feel better about myself and then I make better good decisions.

Unless it’s Death Valley - which is for sure where you don’t live - it’s never too hot to simply do some walking. You aren’t 90 years old here. If you can’t handle WALKING in heat above “the 80s” you are in for a long road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I personally found kicking a Diet Coke habit helpful. I lost 5 lbs without any other changes and it seemed to help sugar cravings. I switched to plain seltzer and plain hot or cold tea.

Consider having that be step one.

If you want to lower carbs, I found it pretty easy to do in the context of family cooking. I make rice and cauli rice or use buns & lettuce wraps. Now I eat a protein heavy diet but I did something similar when I was the only vegetarian. It helped me lower inflammation and I have more energy.

Congrats on the little one!

Diet soda definitely messes with blood sugar.

https://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_does_diet_soda_raise_blood_sugar_a1c/article.htm

I honestly wouldn’t be breastfeeding while drinking that fake stuff too.

This. All the fake sweeteners like Sacharin, Splenda, Stevia, etc. are VERY HARMFUL. If a person wants something sweet, stick to honey or pure sugar/molasses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, everyone! I appreciate the recommendations. I do indeed know what to do, just find self-control and motivation really difficult at this stage in life. I’ve never needed to lose this much weight. I only needed to lose 15-20 before and it seemed more feasible. I’m sort of posting as a first step - “public” acknowledgement that I need to make better decisions. Stop eating mountains of chips and sweets. And the reason I think I need to kick Diet Coke is because I feel bad about drinking in, then feel bad about myself and make worse food decisions.

I live in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon, but I do think it’s 95% diet. But walks make me feel better about myself and then I make better good decisions.

Unless it’s Death Valley - which is for sure where you don’t live - it’s never too hot to simply do some walking. You aren’t 90 years old here. If you can’t handle WALKING in heat above “the 80s” you are in for a long road.

I'm sorry you've never been outside before, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, everyone! I appreciate the recommendations. I do indeed know what to do, just find self-control and motivation really difficult at this stage in life. I’ve never needed to lose this much weight. I only needed to lose 15-20 before and it seemed more feasible. I’m sort of posting as a first step - “public” acknowledgement that I need to make better decisions. Stop eating mountains of chips and sweets. And the reason I think I need to kick Diet Coke is because I feel bad about drinking in, then feel bad about myself and make worse food decisions.

I live in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon, but I do think it’s 95% diet. But walks make me feel better about myself and then I make better good decisions.

Unless it’s Death Valley - which is for sure where you don’t live - it’s never too hot to simply do some walking. You aren’t 90 years old here. If you can’t handle WALKING in heat above “the 80s” you are in for a long road.

I'm sorry you've never been outside before, PP.

Evidently, you need to seek a little discomfort like the OP.

I stand by what I said. There are virtually no temperatures that prohibit WALKING. OP is 40 years old. Women her age go out of their way to RUN in temperatures in the 80s and 90s because they expect to be racing in those temperatures. Three weeks from now there will be plenty of them at Ironman Florida, where the run temperatures can easily be extremely hot. A majority of them will have HAD (as in not currently carrying) multiple children.

If OP is unwilling to WALK because she "live[s] in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon" - that's a very clear indication of the commitment level here and demonstrates how she got herself in this situation in the first place. That attitude is even more applicable to her diet, which is 99% of this anyways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I personally found kicking a Diet Coke habit helpful. I lost 5 lbs without any other changes and it seemed to help sugar cravings. I switched to plain seltzer and plain hot or cold tea.

Consider having that be step one.

If you want to lower carbs, I found it pretty easy to do in the context of family cooking. I make rice and cauli rice or use buns & lettuce wraps. Now I eat a protein heavy diet but I did something similar when I was the only vegetarian. It helped me lower inflammation and I have more energy.

Congrats on the little one!

Diet soda definitely messes with blood sugar.

https://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_does_diet_soda_raise_blood_sugar_a1c/article.htm

I honestly wouldn’t be breastfeeding while drinking that fake stuff too.

This. All the fake sweeteners like Sacharin, Splenda, Stevia, etc. are VERY HARMFUL. If a person wants something sweet, stick to honey or pure sugar/molasses.

Yep, if you want cola, grab a Mexican coke, drink 1/4 of a bottle, and be done with it.

[Anonymous]

You’ve got this! It sounds like you know what to do- just need to do it.

Just what to echo the sentiment that Diet Coke is terrible for you. It really is. It is horrible for your tooth enamel and leeches calcium from your bones. NOT what you need at 40 and while breastfeeding, which is already taking a lot of your nutrients. And just think about aspartame being in your breastmilk. That should be enough to drop it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, everyone! I appreciate the recommendations. I do indeed know what to do, just find self-control and motivation really difficult at this stage in life. I’ve never needed to lose this much weight. I only needed to lose 15-20 before and it seemed more feasible. I’m sort of posting as a first step - “public” acknowledgement that I need to make better decisions. Stop eating mountains of chips and sweets. And the reason I think I need to kick Diet Coke is because I feel bad about drinking in, then feel bad about myself and make worse food decisions.

I live in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon, but I do think it’s 95% diet. But walks make me feel better about myself and then I make better good decisions.

Unless it’s Death Valley - which is for sure where you don’t live - it’s never too hot to simply do some walking. You aren’t 90 years old here. If you can’t handle WALKING in heat above “the 80s” you are in for a long road.

I'm sorry you've never been outside before, PP.

Evidently, you need to seek a little discomfort like the OP.

I stand by what I said. There are virtually no temperatures that prohibit WALKING. OP is 40 years old. Women her age go out of their way to RUN in temperatures in the 80s and 90s because they expect to be racing in those temperatures. Three weeks from now there will be plenty of them at Ironman Florida, where the run temperatures can easily be extremely hot. A majority of them will have HAD (as in not currently carrying) multiple children.

If OP is unwilling to WALK because she "live[s] in a ridiculously hot area and it’s just starting to get in the 80s so I will be able to go on walks soon" - that's a very clear indication of the commitment level here and demonstrates how she got herself in this situation in the first place. That attitude is even more applicable to her diet, which is 99% of this anyways.

Omg. Go away. You clearly don’t have any helpful comments.