Don't be so hard on yourself. Sure you ate it, but we are all being guinea pigs for the food industry and sugar and hidden calories are in everything. I bought I bag of beet chips yesterday, and then remembered to look if it was actually just roasted beets and not flour and potatoes and some beets! I am still not sure what it was. Don't do anything drastic, but start slowly eating only real food, meat, veggies, fruit. I am not fond of Atkins, or whatever people call it these days, but it does work. And remember that you are not just a mom, you are a person that deserves spending time and money on herself too, and weight is not who you are. Good luck and again, don't be hard on yourself. It is very easy to gain weight in this food environment when you are a busy mom.

Start walking today, 10,000 steps. It's the easiest way to get started. You can add in harder exercises when you're a little stronger. Cut the junk, drink tons of water. Slow and steady.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, everyone. I thought for sure I'd get bashed. I appreciate the kind words and HELPFUL advice.

I'm glad to hear it is diet, because I don't have a lot of time for exercise now. We are in the process of moving, and then I am hopeful that we will walk a LOT more (we are moving to a convenient, downtown location not in DC). We used to live in Alexandria and I logged 3-5 miles a day just walking to do errands. Then we moved to the suburbs and my eating stayed the same but I never walked. Next month we are moving downtown.

In the meantime, no more junk. If I can't exhibit more self control then I will hand shopping to my husband. We rarely go out to eat, so if it is not in the house then it won't be eaten!

You’ll need a much more specific plan than that.

I lost 30 pounds in four months. Nothing special, just decent weight loss. Say goodbye to beverages that add a lot of calories, chips, cookies, and excess intake of bread. Watch that perilous period of 2 to 4 when the bad snacking urges take over. Consult a doctor about an exercise plan. But get the calories down.

Summer is a great time to try to lose weight. There are lots of great fruits. Find a beverage that works for you (water with lemon and cucumber, unsweetened iced tea, whatever) and sip that all day long from your favorite container.

Anonymous wrote:Start with a low deficit. Be truthful with yourself about how many calories a day you eat. If it’s a lot, subtract at least 500 from that. 1600 a day is a reasonable place to start. Download MyFitnessPal and log everything. Get a scale because your eye all is not accurate. Weigh your servings and log them. Stop at 1600 calories.

When you’ve lost 10-15 lbs and can manage it, addictive in exercise to help burn more calories. You can do this but it will require you seriously focus on your nutrition and food intake and eventually you have to start moving. Send your husband to the store for groceries so you can’t buy junk. Don’t keep it in the house.

I did this to the letter. I was 5”4 and 208 pounds in Sept and I am down to 175. I allow myself 1750 calories a day and try to exercise at least 3 days a week. Slow and steady.

Anonymous wrote:The New York Times wellness site has easy six minute interval workouts with fun music earlier in the year. You can find six minutes to workout. Give yourself this. And don’t let yourself have excuses. Also you might want to buy a couple of two or five pound weights. You can work with them any time. Hang in there. Muscle burns more calories than fat.

6 minutes of even hardcore workout isn’t going to torch enough calories or build muscle to make a difference but it might help start to build a habit and orient OP’s day toward making better choices.

The New York Times wellness site has easy six minute interval workouts with fun music earlier in the year. You can find six minutes to workout. Give yourself this. And don’t let yourself have excuses. Also you might want to buy a couple of two or five pound weights. You can work with them any time. Hang in there. Muscle burns more calories than fat.

Honestly no one is too busy to work out. It’s not that you’re busy it’s that it’s not a habit. If it were a habit like showering you wouldn’t even worry about scheduling it.

Anonymous wrote:My solution was not to buy junk food. If I buy a big chocolate bar, i know it'll be gone within hours, so I don't buy it. Can't snack on it if we don't have it. I also cut out all sugary drinks. I only drink water now. That alone caused me to lose 5 pounds.

Then 15-20 minutes on the exercise bike, every day, without fail. Even while on vacation. Stay on a routine.

+1.

OP, let your husband grocery shop for awhile and stop buying the things you binge on. Sometimes the simplest solution really is the best solution. You will never lose the weight if junk food is easily available to snack on and that’s not a moral failing, it’s just the way your body is wired. I’m the same way.

OP, start slowly, make one change and stick with it. Then once you've nailed that change, continue making another. Slower, healthier changes are the best way to lose and keep the weight off.

- no more eating out (one meal/week max)
- always take the stairs & park further away
- no alcohol
- if you need a sweet, you need go to out to get and eat it - ie, don't get ice cream at the grocery store and bring it home. Go out for ice cream. Don't get cookies to bring home. Go out and get one cookie at a bakery.
- move more
- etc

Thank you, everyone. I thought for sure I'd get bashed. I appreciate the kind words and HELPFUL advice.

I'm glad to hear it is diet, because I don't have a lot of time for exercise now. We are in the process of moving, and then I am hopeful that we will walk a LOT more (we are moving to a convenient, downtown location not in DC). We used to live in Alexandria and I logged 3-5 miles a day just walking to do errands. Then we moved to the suburbs and my eating stayed the same but I never walked. Next month we are moving downtown.

In the meantime, no more junk. If I can't exhibit more self control then I will hand shopping to my husband. We rarely go out to eat, so if it is not in the house then it won't be eaten!

Realize it’s just food! If you don’t want to me fat then don’t eat it. It’s not that complicated.

Op, I recommend weight watchers (ww). You should attend at least one meeting a week and use the app. The program assigns points values to certain foods and guides you toward healthier choices and portions. No food is banned, there are simply higher and lower (or no) points foods. Most importantly, at meetings and on the app, you will find support and encouragement, which I think you need most of all.

Start with a low deficit. Be truthful with yourself about how many calories a day you eat. If it’s a lot, subtract at least 500 from that. 1600 a day is a reasonable place to start. Download MyFitnessPal and log everything. Get a scale because your eye all is not accurate. Weigh your servings and log them. Stop at 1600 calories.

When you’ve lost 10-15 lbs and can manage it, addictive in exercise to help burn more calories. You can do this but it will require you seriously focus on your nutrition and food intake and eventually you have to start moving. Send your husband to the store for groceries so you can’t buy junk. Don’t keep it in the house.