Seeking Moms on Deiting Advice

I just started a diet. I stopped eating sweets,drinking pop, and staying away from pasta and bread. This is my third week and I have lost 10 pounds without exercising am going to start exercising this week starting Monday. I have started to eat smaller portions. Good luck to you. I want to lose 50lbs and hopefully by october I will be there.

Hi M., I am a mid-40's mom of 3 (14, 11 & 5) who has tried to eat well and stay active. The last year I put on 10 pounds and finally did Weight Watchers this month. I now see that my so-called healthy snacking and portion sizes were to blame. A group of moms from my kids' school joined so it is fun that we all support each other. I am down 9 pounds and want to lose another 10. Good Luck! Sandy

I agree with Jenny! I have been on the Transitions Lifestyle System for 6 months and have lost 25 pounds. The program is NOT a diet, it is a lifestyle change. Love it! Also - there are dietary supplements that support the program that are optional. One is specifically for that stubborn belly fat!

S.

Hi M.,

I have battled with my weight for years... even before my daughter was born. I never looked super overweight because I'm fairly tall... but before my daugther was born I was a good 20lbs over where I should be.

I have tried it all. Seriously. With my daugther I gained almost 30 lbs. Not too bad I know...but I really wanted to just get the weight off and set a good example for my daugther. I am her role model for body image and healthy lifestyle...so I knew I needed to make a change.

Honestly, if you look at ANY diet program... ever notice that there is always fine print 'results not typical' when they show off their big weight loss losers? That's because nothing works unless you are REALLY dedicated to doing the work... and actually making a lifestyle CHANGE.

I've been on diets and exercise programs before...but never really committed to making the lifestyle changes permanent.

You want to know what works? Eat less, move more. That's all it takes. REALLY and truly! I promise!

Now, that being said, you have to commit to not dieting...but living a healthy lifestyle. Making better choices ... permanently. It will not only be great for you...but you will be setting a great example for your kids too!!

As far as the eat less... that is a little misleading because depending on WHAT you eat and how much you move.. you CAN eat a TON of food! :-D REALLY! What you need to do is keep track of what you are eating and how much you are moving and what type of movement.

www.calorie-count.com from About.com is a GREAT resource and totally FREE! You set up a profile, and then you can daily input the food you eat. Based on your profile it will tell you how many calories you should consume (you can deduct calories eaten by moving) and it will offer suggestions on what foods you should increase based on what you eat. It allows you to log exercise and has a huge database of exercises... everything from aerobic workout to vaccuming! Yes.. housework burns calories! =)

The program also lets you input recipes so you then know how many calories a serving of your favorite homecooked meal is! It's really a great program.

When you start actually logging EVERYTHING you put in your mouth you suddenly become very very aware of how your habits might not be so healthy and you instantly can see where you need to change things. You see where your fat is coming from, where your protein is coming from, carbs etc... and then make adjustments accordingly. It isn't about not consuming ANY carbs or cutting out ALL fat... it's about moderation and knowing what you are actually eating. After doing it for several months you most likely will find you just automatically know what you need/should eat every day ... as your new lifestyle will just be second nature.

Moving is also a big part. Of course you are limited right now because of your foot. Sorry to hear that! But... you could sit in a chair and do a little free weight action with your upper body. If you don't have any small free weights at home... SOUP CANS! Low weight, lots of reps is a great way to start !

So, bottom line is... don't waste your money. I can't tell you how much money I've wasted on DVD's, equipment, supplements...what not. Really, everything you need can be obtained for FREE. It just takes some discipline and the commtiment to make a lifestyle change. Doing that will get the weight off in a healthy safe manner and will KEEP it off! 2lbs/week on average is a healthy weight loss rate. Anything more then that and you really are loosing too fast.

I'm 25lbs below my post labor weight, 10bls below my pre-preggie weight and working on those last 13 lbs to my ultimate goal.

Good Luck!!! You CAN do it!
R.

Hi M.,

1st I have to say that breastfeeding helped me eat the foods I wanted to and still lose that baby weight.. of course I did workout doing taebo as much as possible during the week (3-4 days) I also started lifting weights 2 times a week. After nursing I found that the South Beach Diet really works!! I lost 6 pounds in the first week of doing the phase 1, however phase 1 is very hard to stick to for the whole two weeks, but if you can stay close to phase 1 and 2 you'll definitly take off that belly fat in no time. Of course getting a good workout plan is a MUST! South Beach is all healthy foods...Its pretty much about making the right food choices. I try to live by their recommendations because I have found it to really work and I feel good!! Best Wishes!!!

Rachel Ray did a show a few weeks ago about this and had three women try it out and it was successful for them. when I went on line to order book it wasn't out yet. Do you know how to get a copy of this diet?

I haven't tried to that particular diet, but a couple months ago I took my husband to the doctor for an annual physical and becasue of his weight (300+ lbs.) the doc said he obviously needs to go on a diet. We were already planning to anyway, but we had no idea what kind of diet to go on. She said the only ones that she will recommend as a doctor are Weight Watchers and South Beach Diet. Rather than cutting any one particular thing (i.e. carbs) completely out of you diet these two teach you how to eat healthy, balanced diets!! She also said you don't need a heavy workout routine, 30-60 minutes of walking a day will give you most of the exercise you need...Hope this helped!!

Hi M.,
I'm sorry to hear about your broken foot. Don't worry about not being able to workout right now, you'll get right into soon. In regards to losing weight, I was in the same boat you were. I need to lose 20 - 30lbs. in my stomach, upper legs and butt. I tryed everything and I couldn't get the weight off. I did a lot of research on internal cleansing and it's the missing link to why we/women have trouble losing weight as we get older. Have you every though about it?

Definately Weight Watchers. You learn portion control, focus on healthy food choices, and the program leaves room for our favorite indulgence now and then!! Everytime I've done it, I've lost successfully and never felt deprived.

Also, I highly recommend finding a friend who wants to lose weight for encouragement and accountability. It is so important!

Check out this article on WebMD.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/flat-belly-diet

The belly is a problem area for all moms...well most of us, anyway. I found that when I drink lots of water (64oz.) and cut back on my dinner portion, it really helps. I try to make breakfast and lunch the main meals. Keep it healthy.

I hope your foot heals well.

I can understand your frustration about loosing weight. As we get older it gets harder too. Things I've learned about various programs are: loosing weight quickly comes back quickly, it is better to focus on loosing more inches than the pounds (muscle weighs more than fat). One pound of muscle the body burns 50 calories, one pound of fat burns 2 calories. Having lean muscle mass speeds up the metabolism naturally.

Hope this helps.

M. (____@____.com)

M.,
I found out about a very interesting thing while I was reading a pregnancy book. It told about a thing that started in the 70's. You too should read about it. It is called HFCS also known as High Fructose Corn Syrup. I am over my thirties and did not want to eat unhealthy. I read everything about it on the internet and found out that your body can only use 20% of it and the other 80% gets stored in the belly area. It also says it makes you crave more food. You never use the other eighty percent because you eat more food with HFCS in it. Read the good and bad stories on it and you decide for yourself why you should eat the stuff. Diets are great but, eating healthy is good, too! It is hard to find products that do not have it but, for me I think it is okay to have to read the labels.

M.,

You have gotten some great suggestions. I'm sorry to hear about your broken foot. It makes it hard to follow through with your vow to lose weight. I know how hard that can be.

I have been using the Momentum system. http://www.momentumfs.com/

I know that you can't use it right now, but when your foot heals it might be something that works for you. The system comes with a heart rate monitor and tailored workouts to fit your health level at this moment. As you lose weight and your heart gets stronger, the workouts change too. You can use anything from a treadmill to a stair climber to walking to biking. Also included with the system is a DVD with the No Excuses Core Training workout that strengthens your core muscles.

I have gained a lot of muscle in the last month and lost 5 inches in belly fat. My weight hasn't changed yet because of my muscle increase, but all of my clothes have been fitting better. I have a large bust and am very excited to see that shrinking as well. =)

Anyways, the momentum system might be one more thing to look into. I really like it and it is the first workout system I have been able to stick with in a very long time.

Good luck and I hope you are feeling better soon!

well i can just tell you my husbands experience.
he went from a 38 waist to a 34 waist by eating better.
he ate cereal for breakfast, a wheat bread and turkey sandwich for lunch and i made plain chicken breasts, rice and a veggie for dinner every day. he lost the weight in about 3 months and has kept it off for about 6 months now. and this is with us taking a break from the diet on the weekends and going out to eat. basically its from eating healthier and smaller portions. he tried the carb diet and lost a bunch of weight but he gained it back pretty quickly too.

I have not tried the "flat belly" diet, but I am a huge fan of "The Firm" series, and I have many of them. I keep getting new ones when they come out just to keep some variation/excitement in my workouts.
I finally lost my baby weight when my son was 7 (I figured I couldn't use that excuse any longer since he was in first grade!) My biggest diet advice is DON'T diet. Make a lifestyle change that includes eating sensibly and exercising. Diets are temporary, because no one can keep up with them forever. Choose each day to do the best you can, and don't beat yourself up if you blow it once in a while. Once I started exercising and cranked up my metabolism, I found that I could regularly treat myself to something I love, and not pay for it later. Another thing I don't do is weigh myself. If you are losing fat and building muscle (like you do with The Firm), the scale can be very discouraging. I go by how my clothes fit, and if I can stay in the size that I am happy wearing.
If you want to try a Firm system but don't want to pay big $$$, check out eBay. I'm sure you can find someone getting rid of one!
Good luck!

I'm sure you've been getting a ton of responses.....but I thought I'd write anyway. I've been meeting w/ a nutritionist. His biggest tips were no fruit or carbs after 4pm. This being, because your body doesn't have time to break it down before you go to sleep....so it just store it. So, for dinner you have meat and vegetables. You'd be amazed at how fast it comes off!!

I have found that eating half a plate of salad or other veggies with each meal and excercising every morning really helps me.

L.

All I know is that my exercise instructors all insist there is NO such thing as spot reduction. Sorry--but maybe others have different advice.

The only way to lose any belly fat or any fat for that matter is to do cardio exercise. You can not stop reduce. Also count calaroies sparkpeople.com is a great way to do that. My daughter is a dietitan and a personal trainer so I know first hand about this stuff (lol)

M.,

I have not tried the Flat Belly Diet. However, just over two years ago I did join weight watchers. I lost 45 pounds in 6 months and now I am in better shape then I have ever been in my life. My husband has never known me this small. It is safe, easy to follow but you need to realize it is more then a diet it is a lifestyle change. At first for excersise I was just walking, then eventually I was able to have the energy to truly work out. In July it will be 2 years that I have kept the 45 pounds off. I highly recomend weight watchers, if you are ready to make a true committment to your health an a great example to the children in your life. (I am in my mid 30's work full time outside the home, and love being able to be active with my 4 year old daughter)

Have you heard of Cinch from Shaklee? Cinch is enriched with high levels of Leucine, which promotes fat loss and muscle preservation, and muscle growth stimulation.

Two Cinch shakes and a snack bar provide clinically proven levels of Leucine that have been shown to provide these desired effects.

Check out this site for more information: http://www.cinchplan.com/safeforyou. Let me know if you have any questions! I love the vanilla shake and the peanut butter chocolate chip meal bars. They are so yummy!

So sorry about your injury! I do the Windsor Pilates and this would be very do-able for you with the broken foot. I purchased the Ab Sculpting and the Buns and Thighs sculpting DVDs after I had my third baby and the results are amazing in just a few days. I feel the secret to success with pilates is in your mind...focus focus focus with each move and see your muscles lengthening and strengthening. And Mari Winsor is great during the workout with verbally keeping you focused on doing the same. Because truly, you want to lose the fat, however, it's the toning of the muscles that you want and the fat just falls off. Keeping that powerful thought in mind as you do the 20 min. work outs three days a week will make you feel so good. www.winsorpilates.com, or check craigslist.com to see if anyone is selling their copies! God bless.

Hi M.,
I have 3 children and got pretty stretched out and wanted to loose weight too, yet do it in a healthy way. I found what was most effective was the Transitions Lifestyle System, it's a program with Market America that teaches you how to loose the weight and keep it off for life. This is not a diet, but a lifestyle and the advice from it helps in many areas. I am doing a class right now for it and I know there are others available too (another Momsense Mom also does this program; Sheri). You can get the info on line at my web portal (or hers) www.marketamerica.com/jendiehl and click on Transitions... it is not an expensive program and it WORKS! Eating low glycemic index foods and increasing the amount of water you drink and veggies will help. Don't skip meals, your body needs food and will store fat if it thinks you are starving. There are nutritional suppliments available to help with stubborn belly fat. I've been very impressed with this program and everything I've learned from it. In just a few weeks I lost 2 1/2 inches in my waist area and about 9 pounds, from a few simple changes (ie: cut back on sugar, watched DVD series, kept journal, followed low gylcemic index food guide and exercise). If you want more details feel free to call me or e-mail: ###-###-#### home or ###-###-#### cell, ____@____.com sounds like one of the responses you got may have been from someone else who has done this by the advice...try it and you'll be happy with how you improve your health too!
Keep in mind that you can do some exercises in spite of your foot, such as sit ups (crunches), weight lifting (muscle dictates metabolism), etc...
Good luck, let me know if I can be of any help.
J. Diehl

Since you cant work out, I would try weight watchers, as you can ajust your points depending on your activity level. It worked well for me. Good luck.

HI M.--

Well you have gotten some great advice. It does take moving more, however it also takes using your own bodies natural abilities. That gets kicked off by doing the right things, managing your blood sugar through your foods and increasing metabolism the same way.
I handle a program that is NOT a diet , it is a healthy way of eating and learning what that is. Calories are really not your biggest issue , it is fat and sugar. However it is not looking for just low fat foods, cause if you look at the country , we gott fatter when those were kicked off. So anyway I have tons of info, however too much in an email--getting kids off to school.
I know that you need to be off your feet right now however a few changes you can make, is making sure you are having enough protein, snacking on protein between meals and eating all food groups at meals, lettuce, fruit, protein, and veg.. this balances your blood sugar and between meals great protein snacks keep your metabolism going.. Water and just moving even your waist side to side.. Love to talk more feel free to call me or email me. ###-###-####, ____@____.com