I wanna loose 20lbs!

[kirsteen]

I want to loose 20lbs by December. I think an average of 2lb a week would do this but I have little motivation! I work full time and don't really have the money for fresh fruit etc or time to cook meals (aswell as chasing a toddlebot!)
Im going down to part time hours in september so hoping that I will be able to fit in exersize. What easy and practical ways have you guys found to loose weight with a toddler attached to you? (he doesnt really nap either)
Someone help meeeeeee!! xx

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

2 lbs a week can be difficult unless you have a lot to lose. 1 lb is more realistic. For 1 lb a week, you need to have a 3,500 calorie deficiency, which can be created through eating less, exercise, or a combination of both. What has worked for me has been to track my calorie intake on MyFitnessPal, and to get a Fitbit Flex which tracks my daily activity so I have an idea of how many calories I burn.

I also exercise during naptimes and after our toddler goes to bed. We also go for walks in the evening as a family to get a little more calorie burn in. You can also do activities that involve your toddler that get you up and moving too.

You don't technically need to exercise to lose weight (but it is great for toning so your body looks better), as long as you eat less than you burn. Try keeping a log of everything you eat for a week, figure out the calories, and then look up a TDEE calculator. It should tell you how many calories to eat based on how much you want to lose. Stick to that goal, re-evaluate your calorie goal every 10 lbs or so, and you should see results.

(The first week will probably be a large weight loss due to water weight loss... it'll even out to normal drops afterwards)

 

[kirsteen]

Thanks!
I think Im gonna walk to work twice a week and try incooperate more walks with my little one. When I go parttime I will be walking to sure start groups etc so that will also help!
Just gotta try stay away from the bad food Its really hard (which sounds stupid) but I enjoy eating and its gonna be super hard to eat less x

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

It's easier to work on portion control than to give up "bad food", at least from what I've experienced. I make sure to include chocolate in my calories every day (yesterday was M&Ms, mmm), because it's something I can't do without, haha. Figure out how much of it you can do, and eat it. Then try to fill the rest with the "better" options like veggies or a salad. Try to make smarter choices when eating out. I really wanted the chicken ranch sandwich from the fast food place yesterday, but it would have pushed me over goal, so I went with the grilled chicken wrap, with half the calories and double the protein. It worked, and was actually delish.

And don't beat yourself up if you have off days! That's just part of living. Good luck, sounds like you've got a good plan figured out!

 

[emyandpotato]

For 2lbs a week you need to burn 1000 calories a day more than you're eating. It's tough. You could, for example, eat 1500 and run for an hour, perhaps in the mornings before your OH leaves, or on a treadmill? You could also put a bike seat on your bike and cycle for a few hours each day, or take your LO on long walks? But yeah I echo what Kitteh_Kat said, 1lb is more realistic if you don't have much time or motivation.

 

[TTC First]

I have started having smoothies and found that it is great for weight loss. I have a smoothie for breakfast and lunch and a healthy dinner. I snack in-between on healthy foods and cheat every once in a while. I don't count calories.

For the smoothies I take a bunch of greens and add some other things. This morning I had spinach, kale, ginger, beet, celery, grapefruit, pineapple, and banana. I think that's it. For lunch I incorporate some fruit like apple and banana. Because you have to add a lot of it to get a large glass it really fills you up. They are full of fiber. There are so many recipes for different smoothies online.

They are so fast to make. Add water to a blender then add all the fruit and vegis. DONE.

Take a look at videos they have online, it seems that this is the new thing. You get results really quick!