What Can I Do to Lose Weight..

V.,

I am 40 and hating my body right now too. In the last week alone all three of my children have played with my flabby tummy and the "swing" hanging off of my upper arms. My problem is that I too cannot exercise because of the children (ages 8, 5 and 2) and I also self medicate with food. Right now for example there is a tub of frosting in my 'fridge that I nosh on when I'm feeling anxious. The only way I will lose weight is to quit eating so much and get off my tail. I do have two acres to walk on and the kids' trampoline I could use so it's not like I don't have ANYTHING I can do.

Good luck with finding the new you!

K.

V.,
I know exactly what you are going through! I recently lost 45 lbs doing Weight Watchers and I think it is the best weight loss program around. It teaches you about portion control, which is the hardest thing for me.
Also, any excersise at all will help, so you could go for a walk with the kids or something (although you are probably getting plenty of excersise chasing three children!)

Look up SPARKPEOPLE.COM

TAKES A WHILE TO LEARN BUT---It's GREAT!!!!

AWESOME WEB SITE!!!!!!
I get ON THEBOAT---THEN I FALL OFF AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!!
C.
LOUISIANA

Hi, my name is A. and I am a weight loss coach. Please visit my website. Go to www.firstfitness.com/aleader. Have you ever heard of Suddenly Slim. It is not a diet. It is a reprogramming of your system. It takes your body from fat storing to fat burning. I recommend you start with the Forever Slim since you want to lose more than 10 pounds because the average weight loss in the first 10 days is 8-10 pounds. We also have weight control bars. They are delicious. They can be used as a meal or a snack. Please call me at ###-###-#### if you have any questions.

V.! You have just met someone who was experiencing the exact same thing with weight (I too, had never weighed over 110 los in my life, until about 2 years ago when I had some health issues and my weight soared to a whopping 177 lbs! And I'm only 5ft. tall!) So, I, too, had tried everything to get skinny again...gym membership, personal trainer, Jenny Craig (the food for 1 week with Jenny Craig was $125 every week, I did it for about 8 mo....lost about 10 lbs and put it right back on!) So, since then, I have found the BEST PRODUCT ON THE PLANET FOR WEIGHT LOSS & GOOD HEALTH AT THE SAME TIME! In March, I started a weight loss program with a product called Herbalife. Of course, at first, I was skeptical after trying everything under the sun and all the "fad" diets to lose weight. But......after the first week I lost 8 lbs and knew I had FINALLY found the product that works! So, my story is that in 2 1/2 months I lost 45 pounds and 55 inches! I am back in my size 5/6 jeans (I was wearing 13/14 jeans in March!) and, as an added bonus--I FEEL WONDERFUL AND MY ENERGY LEVEL HAS LITERALLY SHOT THROUGH THE ROOF!!! So, since this product did this for me (I also have ALWAYS been very self concsious about my weight and thought I was fat at 110 lbs!) I decided to start selling the product to help other women with my same problem! The price of the product is about $200 mo. to get the total package that you will need for optimal results--but, if you think about it, that's much cheaper than buying the two meals a day that you will replace with a shake--and let me tell you, if you are anything like me, when I weighed 177 pounds, I would have paid $1,000 mo. to get the nasty weight off! (which with Jenny Craig, and the personal trainer and gym membership, it was costing me about $1,500 mo and I wasn't losing the weight!) Another great thing about this product is I haven't worked out one bit (you will obviously acheive your results faster if you work out, but you don't have to-I, personally, hate to work out!) Shoot me an email at ____@____.com and I can send you a before/after pic......you will be amazed and the product works for EVERYONE! Especially those that are serious about losing weight--everything in the product is good for you, so it also has other benefits that you will start noticing yourself just in general feeling better within 1 week! Good luck and call me at ###-###-####, or email me at the email address above and let's get you started! I lost 25lbs in the first 4 weeks!

I look forward to hearing from you,

S. Woodall

Honestly the best and healthiest way to do this is:

*stock up on fruits and veggies, make them front and center in your fridge. If you get a sweet craving, grab strawberries or have grapes with yoplait yogurt on top.

*Use self control when you are at the store to not buy fattening foods because if they are unavailable in the house, you will naturally start eating the good stuff that is IN your house.

*Tell your husband what you are feeling and ask him to help you be accountable for the kinds of foods you buy or bring into the house.

*For exercise, buy a few excercise dvd's, so you can exercise in your own house.

*Make a set schedule,(mommy's excise time) or your kids join you. You will be teaching them how to be healthy too.

*Go for walks with your family, go for a bike ride at a park. You will be surprised how happy you feel and will even feel closer to your family.

*Chose things that you enjoy.
Sometimes I go for a small walk when my little boy takes a nap or goes to sleep at night (7pm) while my husband stays home with him. This helps me unwind from mommy stress. I also love books so we walk to and from the library.

*Commit yourself to just 15 min. (or you can even start at 5 min. and work your way up to 30 min.) of exercise per day using a timer on your belt loop, then treat yourself to a good rest (read a magazine with your feet proped up, reward yourself with something fun) We always reward kids when they do something good, but we forget about ourselves.

YOU CAN DO THIS, remember you didn't gain this weight in one day so you shouldn't put yourself down for not being able to lose it in one day either. These things will help you become a happier healthier person and stay that way by replacing bad habits with good ones. Fad diets won't last in the long run so lose weight the healthy way. Good luck and please email me if you have further questions.

V.,
Hi my name is A. and I live in Newcastle. I have been working out at home for a very long time and it works. I am a Coach for Team Beach Body on the internet. If you go to www.milliondollarbody.com/coachanita. You can sign up for free and I can be your coach. I have helped so many people already. You can also join as a member and you get 10% off of any thing you buy. The only thing you will really need is to get one work out DVD. They are the best. Turbo Jam is a good one but look at them all and see what fits you. They all come with a diet plan and you can email me any time. My email is ____@____.com

A.

V., My name is K. S and I undestand how you feel. Mu first suggestion is to get on a weight loss program of replacing 2 meals a day and do as much activity as you can. Such as walking a mile a day, doing jumping jacks, etc. There are books and tapes that you can get to do some activity. Also, I would suggest watching what you eat such as processed foods and anything white ( cut back) . THe company that I own called Arbonne has a great program that has a 45 day money back guarantee. You can get recipes and ideas on www.gofigure7.com and check out my website at www.successfromtheheart.myarbonne.com. I personally have lost about 10 pounds in a month and there are other testimonials. Give me a call if you want ###-###-####. Thanks, K.

i have had success taking phentermine. not only does it kill my appetite, it gives me tons of extra energy to keep up with the duties of a mother of 3. i've recently lost 25 lbs and 25 more to go. during this time i have tried to make some lifestyle changes as well so when i no longer take the pills, i won't gain the weight back. good luck, it's been a lifelong struggle for me and my best friend has an eating disorder so i am very understanding and compassionate regarding your circumstances. i always tell her (my friend) to try to see herself as God made her and sees her. her body image is very distorted. prayers~~J.

I was around your age when I got serious about losing weight and finally took the necessary action to make it happen. I joined Weight Watchers in January 2005 at a starting weight of 216 pounds (a size 18 in clothes) and by March 2006 I weighed 130 pounds and was wearing a size 4. I've been able to keep the weight off by following Weight Watchers on my own for the past couple of years.

The plan is great. It's flexible, convenient and doesn't restrict you from eating anything. It's also the only diet plan out there that's been scientifically proven to work. Portion control and exercise were by far my biggest struggles. I ate way too much of everything and I hated exercise so much that I'd rather pull my eyelashes out one by one than break a sweat. The WW material gave me the tips & tools I needed to better control my portion sizes and I was able to find a workout plan that fit my needs.

A friend suggested that I try Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds DVDs. I loved those workouts from day one. They offer a good workout but not so intense that I feel like I can't make it through. I also like that I can exercise in the privacy of my own home and at whatever time is convenient for me. The 1 mile is about 17 minutes in length, the 2 mile is about 33 minutes and the 3 mile is about 50 minutes. I still do them now even several years later.

As far as Weight Watchers goes, I chose to attend weekly meetings during the majority of my weightloss but I also did the online program for a short time. Both are just as wonderful - it just depends on what works best for you.

Regardless of what diet and exercise plan you choose to follow, you CAN get rid of the pounds you want to lose. The biggest factors in whether or not you're successful at this are your brain and your heart. For so long I wanted to lose weight but I didn't want to put forth the effort it was gonna take to make it happen. The only difference in all the times I was unsuccessful and the one time I was successful is having my mind made up that I COULD make it happen, that I WANTED to make it happen and that I WOULD make it happen.

Two things about weight. 1. Calories and types of calories and when we eat them 2. Toxicity.

Don't eat carbs or sugar or anything like cereal first thing in the morning. Eat some protien, eggs and meat or cheese, you've a trigger in your brain that tells your bod what to burn today and you turn in on to fat or sugar with what you eat first.
Second, do you know how may calories you are eating every day? Take it down to 1200 to 1400 a day (make sure you check with your doc!)
Take a water soluable multivitamin something really potent with all the b vitamins. Preferably a liquid. Try Ionix Supreme or Mona Vie. (both mlm but hey, if it works!)
Eat a piece of bakers chocolate in the morning. bittersweet.
it cuts the craving for carbs.
Dring your weight divided by two in ounces of water every single day. This is where I slack.
Lots of veggies.

I used this with a program called isagenix and lost 32 pounds in six weeks. I've now lost 40 pounds.

Last thought, detox. Get an ion footbath and find out what is in your system.

Luck to you,
R.

You may enjoy going to the YMCA with your children, that way...u would not have to find a sitter. We joined the one in Norman (can't speak for the staff at other locations) and my kids LOVE it! One is in the nursery and one in with the older kids. The good thing about them LOVING to go, is that days when mom & dad don't feel up to it...they are ASKING us to take them! Also...if u had a friend to join and go with or even walk with...walking does wonders. As far as food goes, check out the book or website for bodyforlife.com, you'd be amazed if you gave it a couple of weeks! Good luck!

Hi V., I was never one to be concerned about my weight - ate what I wanted all thru my life. I was dx'ed with breast cancer at age 32. While on chemotherapy, I had to make some changes to my diet (they overdosed me on steroids and I gained over 40lbs). I did alot of research on foods and what I found not only made me change the diet of myself and my family, but possibly my career as well - I am now an advocate to healthier eating habits. Just about all of the processed foods we comsume (not only fast food, but storebought as well) contains monosodium glutimate - MSG. Its a chemical that works on the brain, convincing the comsumer that "this food is the best" and creates an addiction to it. That's why you "CANT EAT JUST ONE". Its also the same chemical scientists use to fatten lab animals for morbid obesity studies. You can google "MSG fast food" for a list of names this chemical hides under and some notorious restaurants. Once I learned to recognize this ingredient and steer away from it, I lost over 1lb a week, completely without exercising. Another added benefit of eating fresh food over processed is that I was able to take my youngest off her allergy meds, neither of my girls have been seriously sick in years (even when they had the stomach flu, they were better in days instead of weeks), and we all have a lot more energy, healthy skin and hair, etc. If you'd like some help and recipe ideas, please email me. I truly believe in this and that this is the main reason we are facing an epidemic in morbid obesity and a health crisis. We dont have a lot of money for "organic" foods, so I have to stretch my grocery dollar pretty far, and have learned how to shop healthy at places like Walmart and Crest. Its all about getting out what you put in. If your diet is healthy and wholesome, your body gets all the tools it needs to repair itself. I hope I can help :]

First of all, you can't be married to the best man alive because I've been married to the man who holds that title for 22 years..lol.

Now - you don't say how much you weigh now. Having children changes just about everyone...those that say it didn't are full of it...and those that lose their "baby weight" every time are few and far between...maybe in Hollywood where they have the money to hire personal trainers and nutritionists but not too many other places.

If your husband loves you he will love you no matter what you weigh...and your kids won't be embarassed.

I was always told I was heavy when I was a teenager...I look back on my pictures from that time and I wasn't as big as I was made to think. I had my stomach stapled, lost 100 lbs., got pregnant and gained it all back. My husband didn't love me any more or any less and, over the past 22 years I have gained much more weight because of being partially disabled and unable to exercize as well as having lupus...he still loves me as much, if not more, than when I was a lot smaller.

I'm thinking here that, since you didn't mention what you weigh, you are just dissatisfied because you aren't as skinny as you want to be. Look inside yourself and be happy there - the outside will follow.

I have a couple of ideas. You could go to the video store or library and rent a few exercise videos to see which one you like, then buy that one. I think there is one using an exercise ball which I have been told is really good by a physical therapist. I think it is exercise pilates. The balls are inexpensive. Can get them at amazon.com or academy sports or probably walmart. Walking is a great exercise. Even better if you take a dog. Maybe you could just get up early and go for 30-45 minutes prior to your husband going to work or after dinner. Another option. Get a girfriend and swap babysitting during workout time. Not sure if they have it in your area, but cox cable has something called fit tv. It is an exercise network, I think it is not very much if anything additional. Has a wide variety of exercise programs. I have heard it is great. If you did something like that, combined with ediets or weightwatchers online or even south beach diet online, it could very successful. They all will tailor a diet to your individual needs and have group forums and support online. Just make up your mind that it will be part of your day, no matter what. You will be amazed at how empowering it will be for you. Also, many churches have diet groups that meet, usually in the fall, usually in the evenings, once a week. Check with some of the larger churches. Best of luck to you. It would be great to find a girlfriend to walk with or even a friend to call and get support from.

Hi V.,

What have you tried already to lose weight?

I find walking and drinking lots of purified water every day is a huge help. I also started reading the ingredients on food packages BEFORE I buy so as not to get anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup or loads of sugar. If you drink soda (any kind) - that isn't good for anyone. You'll want to add fresh fruits and vegetables and cut way back on anything white like white bread, rice, potatoes, etc. Making these changes isn't easy - been there, done that. You don't really need to go to a gym to get the exercise you need.

There are also tons of diet programs out there, but they all equate to a person making a lifestyle change and sticking to it. There is only one of them; however, that helps keep and build muscle while getting rid of the unhealthy fat. I can send you the link if you want to learn more about it. You would need to have audio on your computer though in order to be able to listen.

I hope you have found my suggestions helpful.

God Bless,
~V~

V.,
You've gotten some great suggestions already but here I am anyway!
1. Your health is an investment in your children's future. FIND THE $$ to see a doctor and nutritionist, asap.
2. You don't say how old your children are, so I'm assuming that they are too young to walk fast, but if you can walk a couple of miles a day, pushing a stroller and following your son on his bike, you'll be surprised how fast the weight will fall off WITH a healthier diet. (Watch your serving sizes!) It will be good for the kids and you. Remember that you are teaching them nutritional and exercise habits, for good or bad, right now. If you eat unwisely and dont' get exercise, you are also setting your children up for the same problems later.
I'm assume that your husband leaves early and returns late with an hour commute. I'm sure if you would ask, he would watch the kids very early or after work so that you could walk on your own. It takes extra planning, but it's worth it. I knew a woman who had twins. As soon as the doctor cleared her, she started running every morning and she lost the baby weight pretty quickly. Running isn't for everyone, and certainly not for me (!!) but I've read that walking gets the same results if you alter your speed up and down. I've noticed in my own walks that I am able to walk alot faster now than I could when I started. I listen to books on tape for entertainment and limit myself to listening to it only on walks. That motivates me to go for my walk everyday so I can hear what is happening in my book! I'm sure music would work well too, especially if it was something lively. You could check online for a used Richard Simmons Walking to the Oldies cd. You can get quality walking shoes at a reasonable price at Academy Sports. Look for something that flexes only behind the ball and feels cushy under your foot.
Good luck in your endeavors. You CAN do this and think how proud you and your family will be of your efforts to be healthy! Best wishes!

Please, please don't go back to your bulimic habits! That will only hurt yourself and ultimately your children. Understand that losing weight will take some time. As long as you are seeing some pound loss and inch loss every month you are making progress. The first thing you must do is be happy with who you are and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. Get out every day with your children and play in the yard or go for a walk. It doesn't take much time to do 20 sit ups or touch your toes 20 times. If you make a point to do them 3 or 4 times a day it will help. Use your youngest child as a "weight". Get him/her under the arms and lift them up in front of you like your weightlifting. Then move on to the middle child. They will think it's funny and you are getting an upper body workout. Take these ideas and make up some of your own. It's easy to involve your children in your daily workout schedule if you just spread it out over the day. I do understand how you feel. I never lost my baby weight and now weigh 250lbs. I have started doing these myself and am seeing that I feel better and have more energy. If you still feel the need to hurt yourself, please consult a doctor. Good luck!
J.

V.,

I also struggle with my weight so I know how you feel. Granted I have only tried one program, but it works and it helps change the way you(we) think about food and exercise. Weight Watchers is extremely easy to follow and I never felt deprived of anything. I find that going to the meetings help TREMENDOUSLY because you get alot of ideas from others and it also holds you accountable. They do have an online program if it is too hard to get to the meetings. Best of luck to you.

I am in the same boat you are, except I am not just overweight, but obese. I have the same feelings though. I have gained 75 pounds over the past 4 years. I lost 30 but gained them back. I am at my highest weight ever. I'm actually considering Lap-Band surgery. I doubt if you would qualify for that (you have to be 100 pounds overweight). My daughter sometimes calls me fat and it breaks my heart. I'm a lot older than you (40) so it is harder than ever to lose weight. My problem is strictly emotional and stress eating. I exercise a lot, but eat too much and have not cared about it for awhile.

One thing I found myself doing is eating the leftovers my daughter doesn't eat. Any meal she has left winds up in my mouth. Another thing is eating in front of the TV at night. If you can't get to a gym, you can always do exercise videos. There are some great ones. Is there someone you can trade off babysitting with so you can go work out or go walk? Could you get up early in the morning while the kids are still asleep and go walking? What about getting a treadmill or exercise bike? I wish you the best of luck.

I noticed you didn't list your height and weight in your posting. It makes me wonder if you might still have some psychological weight issues. With your past history of bulimia, I really suggest you start by seeing your doctor, who can send you to a weight management specialist or nutritionist. Really, the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. So, you ean either eat less...or exercise more...or both. Some churches also have faith-based weight loss programs which can be pretty good. If this just isn't the time in your life when you can focus on exercise and weight loss, maybe you can focus on loving yourself as you are. I think that's a hard thing for most of us to do. Good luck.

Weight Watchers, Weight Watchers, Weight Watchers. It's completely safe, drug free and the correct way to lose weight. You can even do it online if you are unable to attend a weekly meeting.

First of all thank you for sharing your struggle with weight! Im sure every single mom in the world knows some of what you are going through! I have 2 children myself and my husband is in the military so he is often gone. I have absolutly no time to go to the gym! Im not sure what your financial situation is but we use netflix in our house to rent movies and what not, we pay 13.99 a month for unlimited rentals and you get 2 dvds at a time and get to keep them as long as you want! I rent Yoga booty ballet from them and do the workouts at night after my kids are in bed i make about 30- 45 minutes to do the workout! It has REALLY REALLY helped, so far ive been doing the dvd for about 3 weeks and have already lost 12 pounds and toned up A LOT! so its worth a shot right!?!

Anyhow i hope I helped you out, they have a ton of other workout dvds if your not into the one im doing, just find something that works u out but doesnt feel like a work out and it will work wonders!

Weight Watchers. Very successful and weight stays off for a long time. Good luck!

Hi V.,
I understand how you feel. I just lost 37 pounds in about 2 months. My doctor wrote me a prescription for phentermine which is an appetite suppressant. It didn't make me stay awake or feel jittery at all. It just made me not want to eat. I cut my calorie intake down to about 1500 calories a day. I am not taking the medication any longer and am exercising at least 5 days a week. I feel tons better about myself. Maybe you can talk to your doctor and see what he/she says. Good luck!

I understand how difficult it can be to do anything for yourself when staying home with children. Going to the gym is probably not an option, but what may be a great option for you to exercise is WALKING! I don't know how old your children are, but even if they are young, you can put them in a stroller to walk with you. If one or more are older, they can ride a bike alongside you. If you live in a good area to walk, just walk around your neighborhood. Find a suitable path and mark out the distance driving it in the car so you will know how far you've gone. If you have to drive to a park with a walking path, then do that. Large cemetaries are great for walking! Some community centers have indoor walking facilities that are excellent. There are lots of options to find good, free places to walk, and walking is a kid-friendly exercise program! Try to make plans to walk every weekday or 5 days/week. You can start with whatever you can handle and work your way up to say, 3 miles/day. You might even be able to jog sections of it, but the main thing is to at least walk it. If you watch your food intake, without extreme dieting, you could lose 20 pounds within a year just from adding the walking to your regimen. My mom did exactly this, and she is 63 years old! She didn't drastically change her diet other than watching her snacking, and with walking this amount, she dropped 20 pounds within a year's time. She also tried to add drinking more water than Diet Cokes. Walking is low-impact, so it's good for most everyone. Swimming is even better for being low-impact since the water supports weak joints, etc., but I know swimming for exercise isn't always as easy to come by with facilities, daycare, etc. You can walk in the morning, at night, or whatever works for you--as long as you do it and do it regularly! Once you get into the habit of it, it really is easy to make part of your lifestyle. You can spend that time talking with the kids, which is a bonus of taking them with you. I would highly recommend it. The weight won't just fly right off, but you will see some slow changes if you stick with it. As for eating, you really must try to limit sodas, excess sweets, junk food, and fatty foods. Drink lots of water! Eat, but eat less of everything. You can still eat a small slice of cake, but don't eat 3! Use a smaller plate for dinner so it seems as if you have larger portions when you don't. Don't eat whatever the kids leave behind like Moms tend to do (because we hate throwing food away!). Dump it for the critters, save it as leftovers, or just chunk it--but don't graze on more than what you put out for yourself. Try to cook without adding oil whenever possible such as by using non-stick skillets. Eat several small meals a day, and don't skip breakfast! Cereal is great to keep around to eat for any meal. Don't let yourself get so hungry without a healthy snack that you gorge when you do eat. Also, don't eat late at night. Try to eat for the last time at least several hours before you go to bed. I don't suggest diet pills since they are not going to help you in any permanent way unless you also make some serious lifestyle changes. It never gets easier to lose weight the older you get, so it's best to do something about it now. Good luck, and I hope this helps!

I've battled with this problem for several years. I was anorexic in high school, but after marriage and 2 pregnancies, I gained 100 lbs. Recently, I started journaling. I write down everything that goes into my mouth. I also write down the calorie intake if it's listed on the package and I use an on-line calorie counter if I feel the calories are alot. Drink lots of water. Start walking to exercise. The kids can come on the walk too! Keeping track of your food and calories helps you make wise decisions about what to put in your mouth. This has helped me lose 40 lbs in 6 months. I can cheat once a week, if I have the need for cheating. I've tried to keep my calories around 1500. Some days I go over, so days I don't.
Your body may be more resistant to weight loss because of your history. Talk to your doctor too and see what plans can be suggested.

Hi V., Glad to hear that God blessed you with 3 beautiful kids and a wonderful husband. The best way to lose weight is to walk, it slims and tones at the same time, it is inexpensive and you can do it anytime of the day. You need to work your way up to 2 to 3 miles per day at least 3-5 times a week. Watch you fat intake and eat more fruit and vegetables, less bread and rice, and ration your red meats through the week, eat more chicken and fish. Your task is not impossible, you just have to continue to work at it and don't give up. Once you get closer to you weight goal, start using light weights to finalize toning of your arms, start with three sets of ten. Good Luck on your weight loss challenge and may God continue to bless you and your family.

What kind of exercise have you tried? You need to make sure to do cardio! Walking or jogging or running, which ever works best for you. I try to do 2 miles a day, sometimes I can't, I have 3 kids too. I add push-ups and sit-ups in on every other day to change things up. Even taking the kids outside and playing tag for 30 minutes is a good and fun way to get in the exercise. Just a couple suggestions. I had my tubes tied and have found my motivation to lose weight has dropped. But within a year after having that, going to the gym, and watching what I ate, I lost 50 pounds. I have gained about 20 back and I'm now working to get it back off. BEST OF LUCK!

V.,
I didn't get to read all your responses so I may be repeating. First of all, your children will not be embarrassed of you! You are their mommy and they want to go to the pool with you and play with you at the park, and that is one place to start working on your excercise, play hard with your kids. Go for nature walks, bike rides if they are old enough, run through the sprinklers with them on hot days. (And I need to take my own advice.)
I've struggled with my weight since Jr. High, puberty hit and I bloomed!! Several years ago I got Dieting for Dummies from the library and later bought it. It taught the right way to lose weight and keep your self-esteem up as well! It will take time if you follow the book, but it won't be as hard as starving yourself or going on liquid diets and you don't have to waste money on gimmicks that don't work long term! Cutting calories, watching your fat intake, excercise, and drinking water. Very basic and we all know what to do, its just really hard! I'm taking baby steps right now and cutting back on snacking and increasing my fruits and vegatables. Good Luck and God bless-don't forget to pray about it too!

You are not 18 anymore, and you have 3 little ones. Chances are you're body will never look like you did at 18, but there are things that you can do to help loose weight. Playing with you're children will help get you active and help loose some weight. One afternoon in the pool burns a lot of calories. You might also want to look on the internet and join weight watchers. Weight watchers has a program that you can do on the internet.

It can only be done slowly and with much determination. I used to watch tv and exercise at a certain time when the program I wanted would come on. Count calories, find something to do other than snacking and be patient. It doesn't happen overnight. Bulimia, as you know can damage your body and mind and the older you get, the harder it is for your body to recover from such punishment. Go to a doctor for help. You could even have a thyroid problem or something similar or medications can cause weight gain.

from C.

OK. First of all, you have had 3 children in 7 years if my math is correct. So don't be so h*** o* yourself. You are young, which is definitely in your favor. You are wanting to do this sensibly. GOOD FOR YOU!!! After battling bulimia you are wanting to do this sensibly. GOOD FOR YOU!!! You have SO much going for you. The best success I've had has been with the Curves diet. It makes sense and is super easy to follow. I was eating either a small meal or a great snack all the time. You don't have to join a Curves. Just get the book. It's available online at half.com for pretty cheap. It has many, many different menus and food to choose from. I chose what my family would like and modified it a little so they would eat it too then I just ate a smaller portion. Do try to stick with the first 2 weeks as closely as possible though. Now I have the same snacks to choose from but vary the meals a little more. Please keep us posted. If you need support email me at ____@____.com.

V.- the first thing you have to realize is weight loss doesn't happen overnight...it takes awhile to put on pounds and it takes awhile to take them back off so just don't lose patience and don't give up. what worked for me was changing my mind set...rather than telling myself i wanted to "lose weight" i changed it to "get healthy" meaning walking up a flight of stairs without being out of breath or having more energy during the day and sleeping better at night. i started making small changes to work towards getting healthier and a few months later the compliments started pouring in...and the better i felt the easier it was to make good decisions regarding diet and exercise.

that said, there are so many things you can do at home every day to help boost energy and feel better. you'd be amazed how much drinking more water will help. make a habit of grabbing a small glass of water each time you walk by your kitchen sink.

what you eat is just as important as getting exercise. i'm sure it's difficult to eat well while chasing after 3 kids. make it easy on yourself, take small steps like making sure you eat fruit and vegetables every day and getting plenty of nonfat dairy and whole grains. i found that when i was eating everything my body was supposed to get i really didn't have room for anything else! don't ever skip any meals! rather than eating 3 big meals each day, eating 6 small meals each day really does so much to keep your blood sugar levels balanced and keep energy up. it also keeps you from being so hungry when you finally do eat.

exercise doesn't have to mean running miles everyday or sweating your guts out on a stair master...some simple exercises you can do at home for a few minutes in front of the tv or when you just roll out of bed are squats, lunges, wall pushups and crunches. stretching is really important, helps relieve stress too. something we've started doing is going on nightly walks as a family after dinner. (i'm 8 months preggo and HUGE, so i figure if i can do that then anyone can!!)

remember that every little bit helps. you owe it to yourself and your family to feel your absolute best so take some time for yourself and really think about what you want and how you want to get there. best of luck to you, keep your chin up!

I have to count carbs and I have lost weight you might try that. I eat 3 meals of 31 -40 carbs 3 times a day and 3 snack of 15 catbs. I also try to walk a haft a hour a day, Also try something like play ball with the kids, jump rope, swim etc. The main things is to eat less and move more. Ask your hubby to watch the kids for a haft hour at night, He might like this time he can play blocks, read to them ot just talk anyway it will give him time to get to know his kids better.

About 6 weeks ago I started a diet called "The Flat Belly Diet". It was put together by an editor from Prevention magazine. It has worked wonders for me! In this amount of time I've lost 9 lbs and a total of at least 7.5 inches (total from waist, hips, and thighs). The plan is easy to follow and the meals are delicious. There are a lot of recipes and easy quick fix meals and snacks. The book has not been released yet but you can buy it from the publisher at www.flatbellydiet.com. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about it if you'd like to email me directly at ____@____.com.

V.-
I am in your same boat. I have 4 daughters and every time I look in the mirror I think "What happened to my butt and hips?" I have restarted my weight watcher (I know this works I have done it in the past). I also bought an exercise ball. This thing is wonderful. I got it at Wal Mart for around $10.00. It came with a poster full of different work outs and what each workout targets. I can say I have not seen the scale go down but I know it is working because all my cloths are starting to fit differently. We have had the gym memberships and never went. I also do workouts in the pool. My pool is only 4' deep but I use the kids arm floats for weights (they thing it is funny). I did water aerobics at the YMCA and remember some of them the others I just make up as I go or do like jump in jacks or run side to side while in the pool.

Hi V.-
First things first: BEWARE OF DIET FADS! I am a personal trainer and other people on this board will probably not like what I tell you because I won't tell you to eat this or that. Let me address a couple of the other comments I have seen here: 1) If you cut your calories too far back, you are very likely not even getting enough to support your resting metabolic rate (Meaning enough to keep your body functioning they way it is supposed to if you were to lie in bed 24/7)
2)You will receive a lot of "advice" on diet products, "nutritional" supplements, and the like. People will tell you to quit eating at a certin time, or to quit eating carbohydrates, and just ridiculous baloney. These all are fads and quite unhealthy and cannot be maintained over the course of ones life and expect to have complete wellness.
The BEST thing to do is to go to your doctor, (and make sure that you have a doctor that you feel like you can have a partnership with), and if necessary, have him or her recommend a dietician that can create a meal plan for you. Make sure that you address any food allergies and preferences and keep to that food plan. The dietician may recommend that you keep a food diary. You will need to increase your activity level by walking, calisthenics, workout videos, etc. This is not something that you can get fixed overnight and don't EVEN think about going back to the unhealthy lifestyle of bulimia. The weight didn't come on overnight and won't disappear overnight either. Another thing you need to do is make sure that your husband is 1000% supportive and won't quash your efforts by bringing crap food into the house for you or your kids.
There is a show that I recommend you watch, either find a friend to TiVo it for you or get the channel, it is aired on BBC America and it is called "You Are What You Eat". It is real life stories of how people ate themselves into obesity and a nutritionist comes in and revamps their eating and exercise habits. If you think my advice is hard, you should hear this lady, she gives the honest hard truth but these people make changes and their lives and families are better.
Remember this: It is a lifestyle change. Weight loss is only a bi-product of a lifelong commitment to healthy eating and exercise. If you pursue only the weight loss, you will fall into a ditch on either side and you won't reap the rewards of what you are doing. Your husband and children need you healthy and taking that first step of making the commitment to change will be the most important step you can take. You have the most important job in the world. . . MOMMY. Your children can be your biggest supporters and can even start a healthy lifestyle in them as well. You are not too old to start over and to do it right. Take it one day at a time and if you have a slip-up, move past it and get back on the wagon.
If you don't have one, I recommend that you start a blog that you can privatize and have as a diary. Write in it every day, your struggles and triumphs and everything in between. If you have tendencies toward emotional eating, this could help as you go through your journey to getting healthier.
One final thought before I go. Find a friend or someone that can help hold you accountable to whatever you and your doctor decide to do. It is just like breaking a habit, except it is a series of habits (eating bad, no exercise) and will not always be easy but it will be worth it!
Best of luck to you, feel free to send me a message. Let me know how it goes!
God bless!

Hello V.,
Have you tried going to the park in your town. Take the kids with you. I know that it is hot now but, you could go in the morning when it is cooler. Make it an adventure for your children as well as a work out for you. Look that the trees, birds, flowers ect. I think that walking at the park and drinking a lot of water would be a great way to jump start your program. (what ever program you choose.)

Remember your children will not be embarrassed of you. Your their MOMMY and they love you!

Good luck.
J.

Your children WILL NOT be embarassed! They will remember having fun with you.