Attention Mothers: How did you get your "Body" back?

[Grendalynn]

Ok, so I just fininshed folding a load of laundry.... and as I do laundry these days, I find my self squating and qlenching as I pick up cloths piece by piece to fold.... Being a working mom of 3 very busy boys, almost 4, 8 and 3 months, I have little to no time to exercise.

What little "tricks" have moms out there come up with to work out and burn a few extra calories while having the kids and going about the usualy household activities?

The treadmill gets little to no use lately and I use the boys as leg "resistance" when we play on the floor. The kids have a blast and it helps me too! I am cutting calories now that I am done nursing, drinks lots of H2O and watch what I eat (lower carbs). I find myslef wanting and needing to be active again to get my pre-baby body back. I know and have come to terms, this bing third and final baby#3, that it will probably not get back to how I was whenI was younger. BUT I would like to lose the BUTT I have aquired since DS3mo arrived. I know I know - it took 9 months to put in on, and will take 9 months to take it off... what little things have you come up with to help the process along in a busy daily routine?

 

[meandtheguys2]

We all walk together. The excercise does us all good. It doesn't have to be a long walk. 1/2 hour, we get to talk about the day, etc. Serves a lot of purposes...

 

[sassyMNmom]

Weight Watchers.

Seriously. If you want to see real, consistent results. It is the only thing that gets me back every time ( I have three boys age 2, 4 & 6).

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

I wish I knew some little tips too, but unfortunately the only thing that works for me is consistent workouts and keeping a food journal. I run and do weight training now. I've also walked and used an elliptical in the past. I love the TransFIRMer series--I'm getting serious muscle definition for the first time in my life! I either get up and workout before getting ready for work or do it at night after the kids are in bed. I have to do it, and I do it for me.

It took me over two years to lose it all after each of my children. Nine months was a cruel myth for me!

 

[kapear]

Another vote for Weight Watchers . DD#2 is 6 mos old and I am 15 lbs lighter and 2 sizes smaller than when I got pregnant. I started when she was 6 weeks old. She is my 4th and I look better now than when I got married. We try to walk in the summer.

 

[poohfriend]

Still working on it though!

 

[pbharris4]

I'm still looking for mine! Have you seen it? It's tall, long legs, 36C perky B**bs, long brown hair, no stretch marks, and looks awesome in a bikini? If you see it walking around please tell her I really, really miss her these past 11 years!

 

[Grendalynn]

I'm still looking for mine! Have you seen it? It's tall, long legs, 36C perky B**bs, long brown hair, no stretch marks, and looks awesome in a bikini? If you see it walking around please tell her I really, really miss her these past 11 years!

Yours must be the same place mine is. Along with our Housekeeps, Laundry Lady, Personal Chef, Taxi Driver and Masseusse (sp?)! LOL If you see them tell them they have a lot of work to catch up on!!

 

[jensen]

I breastfed both of my children and came out of it slimmer than before I got pregnant... of course, as soon as I quite breastfeeding the weight came back.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

Mine must have gotten lost because I am still waiting!

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

UUGGHHHH! This makes me so frustrated! I did not appreciate how easy it was to maintain my body when I was younger. I took it for granted.

Anywho, if anyone sees a brown haired, hazel eyed, 5'4", size four, let her know I'm truly sorry for not appreciating her enough. If she'd only come back, I'll never take her for granted again.

Seriously, the only thing that works for me is a very sensible diet and at least twenty minutes a day on the treadmill. But, nothing repairs all the changes brought on by pregnancy. If someone knows how to get rid of stretch marks, lift my b**bs back to where they used to be, and shrink my butt, PLEASE let me know!

 

[NotSoNewMommy]

We go on walks, I chase DS around the house, at the park, etc. It is his favorite game and VERY tiring for me.

 

[LaraK]

My old body is MIA as well.....I've given up looking for it.

 

[Juliet25]

Re-lactate!

Seriously, nursing just melted the pounds away for me, particularly past the fourth month.

 

[misha]

Is is bad to despise women you don't even know because their "girls" still point north! Honestly - the weight problem I can work on but the poor girls - duck tape may be the only cure......

I agree with the previous posters about Weight Watchers - you can even download it onto your palm pilot!

My favorite souvenier from childbirth I affectionately call my butt shelf - you know that extra portion of your bottom that the kids rested on when you held them on your hip. Don't get me wrong it came in very handy for a while but once the kids hit 50 lbs or so it has no use and should politely go away. No such luck! I started training for a 4 mile women's race - did I mention I HATE to run! So my butt shelf is gone, along with a few lbs - I still hate running but now I like my bottom!

I think you just have to find what works for you and group of women to comiserate with - a cure for whatever ails you!

Good Luck!

 

[fofinia]

Ok so I'm doing WW too. And that has been the only thing to help get the weight down.

But as for ways to exercise when you can't. I do squats when I brush my teeth. I try to go for 50. Be careful you don't forget you are brushing your teeth and stop doing it though.

I also keep 3 and 5 lb weights in my room and do some triceps and biceps right before bed.

I lay on my back and put the kids up on my feet, hold their hands and do leg lifts. Bend my knees have them lay from my ankles up to my knees and pull them in toward me. Stomach crunches.

Carry your 3 month old in a sling and you can dance. Maybe don't jump. We put on music and just dance around. I try to aim for 3 songs at a time- about 15mins.

And I go up and down the stairs as many times as I can. I aim for 30x up and down on days when I'm home.

I find it hard to do an exercise video with the kids. They always lay under me or some sort of nonsense!

Good luck!

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

I lost all but three of the 36 lbs I gained with pregnancy with in 3 months thanks to breastfeeding, however my body was so very different. I decided that i would try running. I ran 3-4 miles a day and dropped an extra 25 lbs I was carrying around before I got pg. Unfortunately, as soon as I stopped running, i gain 15 of it back. Time to hit the road, again!

 

[Grendalynn]

Thanks oh so much for all the great info. Full time Breast feeding just isn't in the cards I don't think. Not sure if I can "re-lactate" as a PP mentioned....

Its too cold here in NH this time of year for walking or running. Eventhough it hasd been unusually warm here this winter, a cold snap in the 20's is coming this week. I will have to just go on the treadmillmore at night I am thinking. Its hard because thats when the kids are in bed and I get get a few things accomplished and get to sit down for a bit undisterbed. Thus being why I asked for other ideas. Such as the squats while brushing my teeth, and extra stairs. Unfortunaly I dont have stairs in our house....

thanks again, I am looking forward to more responces and ideas!

 

[tigger1972]

Okay, I'll tell you how I did it using some simple math and a formula I learned back in college biochemistry. Really, this works for all members of the human species...anyone who tells you their "metabolism just slowed down" hasn't really tried this.

1)You need to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of body fat
2)The healthiest weight loss rate is one pound per week - this means you must "burn" or eat 500 calories less than your baseline each day
3)To calculate what your current baseline is, multiply your current weight times 13 (this is for most of us who get a small amount of exercise each day just doing our everyday activities).

example) I currently weigh 115. I want to weigh 108 before my next Disney vacation. 115 times 13 = 1495 calories. This is my baseline. If I continue to eat 1495 calories every day and add no additional exercise, I will maintain my weight.

If I want to lose one pound this week, then every day I must find a way to shave off 500 calories. This means on days that I don't get on the treadmill, I must only eat 995 calories. If I get on the treadmill for my "power-workout" - 50 minutes of pushing myself hard, I usually burn 500 calories, and on that day I can eat 1495 calories. If I do my 20 minute workout (200 calories), I can eat 1195 calories.

After 7 days, I will weigh 114. This is important...you must recalculate your baseline now. It will be 114 times 13 = 1482. Now on days I don't work out, I can only eat 982 calories to maintain a 1 pound per week weight loss rate. If I burn 200 calories on the treadmill, I can eat 1182 calories.

Four weeks later, when I am at 110 pounds, my baseline will be 110 times 13 = 1430. Now I must either only eat 930 calories or workout to raise my calorie intake by the amount burned (on days I do my 200 calorie workout, I eat 1130 calories).

Once I am at my goal of 108, my baseline will be 108 times 13 = 1404. If I want to maintain 108, I must never eat more than 1404 calories each day, or if I do, I must work out to burn those extra calories.

The only way to really do this is to keep a small notepad and actually write down absolutely everything you eat. You will be surprised how quickly it does add up.

Also, most people that hit a "plateau" in weight loss have just failed to recalculate their new baseline rate. Once you lose weight, you really do have to work even harder to keep losing weight.

I am a mom in my mid thirties, and I have struggled with maintaining what I see as an acceptable weight my whole life. At only 5'0", any extra weight really shows on me. Using this formula, I was able to lose all my baby weight and more. Six months after giving birth, I was able to wear my string bikini with pride - no cellulite, firm tummy. It was hard - I had a c section with complications afterwards which prevented me from getting on my treadmill for 3 months after giving birth.

And the first three days of this are really the hardest. I swear your body goes through a "food withdrawal" like drug addicts do. I get weak, shaky, my body sweats, and I want to just give up. When this happens, I have four words of advice..."Mint Chocolate Pria Bar". I swear it is Power Bar's gift to woman. At only 110 calories, it has lots of nice soy protein, plenty of vitamins and minerals, and tastes like a Girl Scout thin mint!!! I buy them by the case at Wal Mart. Try one...they are about 75 cents a piece and make a wonderful lunch along with a 100 calorie light yoplait yogurt.

Finally, you must be accountable to yourself. I bought a wall calendar and hung it in my kitchen. Every Saturday morning, after my 500 calorie "power-workout", I weigh myself. I then write it in small numbers on the bottom of that day on the calendar. I do this even when I am not counting calories. This way, when the weight starts to creep up again, I see it and can nip it in the bud.

Okay, that's all of my advice. I hope it helps!

-April

 

[Grendalynn]

Okay, I'll tell you how I did it using some simple math and a formula I learned back in college biochemistry. Really, this works for all members of the human species...anyone who tells you their "metabolism just slowed down" hasn't really tried this.

1)You need to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of body fat
2)The healthiest weight loss rate is one pound per week - this means you must "burn" or eat 500 calories less than your baseline each day
3)To calculate what your current baseline is, multiply your current weight times 13 (this is for most of us who get a small amount of exercise each day just doing our everyday activities).

example) I currently weigh 115. I want to weigh 108 before my next Disney vacation. 115 times 13 = 1495 calories. This is my baseline. If I continue to eat 1495 calories every day and add no additional exercise, I will maintain my weight.

If I want to lose one pound this week, then every day I must find a way to shave off 500 calories. This means on days that I don't get on the treadmill, I must only eat 995 calories. If I get on the treadmill for my "power-workout" - 50 minutes of pushing myself hard, I usually burn 500 calories, and on that day I can eat 1495 calories. If I do my 20 minute workout (200 calories), I can eat 1195 calories.

After 7 days, I will weigh 114. This is important...you must recalculate your baseline now. It will be 114 times 13 = 1482. Now on days I don't work out, I can only eat 982 calories to maintain a 1 pound per week weight loss rate. If I burn 200 calories on the treadmill, I can eat 1182 calories.

Four weeks later, when I am at 110 pounds, my baseline will be 110 times 13 = 1430. Now I must either only eat 930 calories or workout to raise my calorie intake by the amount burned (on days I do my 200 calorie workout, I eat 1130 calories).

Once I am at my goal of 108, my baseline will be 108 times 13 = 1404. If I want to maintain 108, I must never eat more than 1404 calories each day, or if I do, I must work out to burn those extra calories.

The only way to really do this is to keep a small notepad and actually write down absolutely everything you eat. You will be surprised how quickly it does add up.

Also, most people that hit a "plateau" in weight loss have just failed to recalculate their new baseline rate. Once you lose weight, you really do have to work even harder to keep losing weight.

I am a mom in my mid thirties, and I have struggled with maintaining what I see as an acceptable weight my whole life. At only 5'0", any extra weight really shows on me. Using this formula, I was able to lose all my baby weight and more. Six months after giving birth, I was able to wear my string bikini with pride - no cellulite, firm tummy. It was hard - I had a c section with complications afterwards which prevented me from getting on my treadmill for 3 months after giving birth.

And the first three days of this are really the hardest. I swear your body goes through a "food withdrawal" like drug addicts do. I get weak, shaky, my body sweats, and I want to just give up. When this happens, I have four words of advice..."Mint Chocolate Pria Bar". I swear it is Power Bar's gift to woman. At only 110 calories, it has lots of nice soy protein, plenty of vitamins and minerals, and tastes like a Girl Scout thin mint!!! I buy them by the case at Wal Mart. Try one...they are about 75 cents a piece and make a wonderful lunch along with a 100 calorie light yoplait yogurt.

Finally, you must be accountable to yourself. I bought a wall calendar and hung it in my kitchen. Every Saturday morning, after my 500 calorie "power-workout", I weigh myself. I then write it in small numbers on the bottom of that day on the calendar. I do this even when I am not counting calories. This way, when the weight starts to creep up again, I see it and can nip it in the bud.

Okay, that's all of my advice. I hope it helps!

-April

Wow is all I can say! While I am not a number cruncher... ... I like to see the hard facts! It is super information and I am very eager to try it out!! Thanks so much for the science of it all! I am interested to see how it works for me!??