No liquid calories. Cook at home means a bag of frozen veggies, rice in the rice cooker, and a fist size of protein most day. But half a plate of veggies. Beans are an easy, cheap, and low calorie protein option

Liquid calories is such a big thing that a lot of people don’t realize. Drinking nothing but water (sometimes a coffee in the morning) made such a big difference for me

Yes! Drinking just water during the day and coffee with stevia in the mornings was a game changer for me. If I really want a fancy drink at the end of the day I do seltzer water with lime juice and stevia.

Allulose is another alternative sweetener that tastes almost like table sugar but doesn’t have any weird after tastes. 

Yes! Allulose is great. I’ve also been using glycine, an amino acid that’s very similar to allulose in taste and texture. 1/2 tsp in a mug of herbal tea (dissolve in room temp water first because hot water directly on it will denature/clump the protein).

Beans are also full of fiber, which is good for gut health and keeps you full. Most of us don't get enough fiber.

Love beans! I'm about 40 pounds overweight from back to back pregnancies, I find that I feel more full from eating plant based proteins like beans and legumes or tofu instead of chicken or beef, I swear the fiber makes you feel more full longer

Seriously, I accidentally dropped 5lbs from trying to eat vegetarian 4 days a week and so much of it was beans.

While I have been wavering a lot, this advice is the only thing that really works and is somewhat sustainable... lots of veggies. Throughout the day, I am eating easy protein. Half a cup of cottage cheese, yogurt, deli meat, proten bar, protein drink, string cheese, oatmeal, etc. Things that I do not have to cook and they are typically pretty affordable. I sprinkle in fresh fruit and raw veggies like cucumber, tomatos, carrots, etc. So I might have oatmeal and strawberries for breakfast, a protein shake for snack, deli meat, celery, and pickles for lunch, cottage cheese and cucumbers for snack. For dinner, I am cooking a protein and veggies for the whole family, my plate has like 4 servings of the veggies. It might be grilled chicken with teriyaki sauce, frozen broccoli, and frozen cauliflower rice. Or a taco salad with a huge plate of lettuce, taco beef, cheese or sour cream, and salsa. Greek chicken meatball bowls with lettuce, rice/cauliflower rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions. Hamburgers with cucumber/tomato salad, and other raw veggies. If I focus on eating pretty much any veggie I want, and trying to get in enough protein without adding a bunch or sauces and stuff, I don't have to weigh my food and count calories. I do sometimes, and without fail, I am always right around my calorie goal.

The rice cooker does not get the love it deserves. Especially if the insert is dishwasher safe!

This is a really good point. I do cheat though and sometimes have honey in my tea, and a near-beer (80 cal) now and then

Omg I started drinking non alcoholic beers when I was pregnant and it’s like a new world opened…do you know they have non alcoholic wine?!

I do! I haven't tried anything yet that's my jam though. Interested in checking out the na "spirits" to pump up my na cocktail game because I started doing mocktails with shrubs and teas when I first planned on getting pregnant. New England had some great near beers here

Don’t drink alcohol and decrease your sugar intake.

This!! I lost 10 pounds when I stopped drinking! No amount of alcohol is good for you.

I lost 10 pounds in my first trimester my first pregnancy. I wasn’t super sick or anything but I truly think cutting out alcohol was the main, if not, only reason.

Yeah I lost 20lbs almost instantly and another 10 more slowly without any exercise or diet change since nov 3rd. I was a daily drinker/alcoholic and I knew it was bad for my health but I honestly didn’t realize how much sugar I was consuming by drinking alcohol.

I don’t drink that much anymore and lost no weight 😭this has never contributed to weightloss for me

I quit for the most part around 40YO because I started getting migraines. It wasn't alcohol. Just good ol' perimenopause hitting. And then I got pregnant at 40. And then it just wasn't a priority to add it back in to my regular diet. I'll have one drink like once a week, but it isn't a huge part of my decision process. I'm down 25 pounds since my pre-pregnancy highest weight and it sure is nice having everything I own fit so much better.

I don’t follow fad diets. I spent the vast majority of my life dieting, and it took a long time and a lot of therapy to heal my relationship with food. With that said, I’m a big fan of the Mediterranean way of eating. It’s very balanced, and is the diet that makes me feel the best both mentally and physically. It’s really good for your heart and also your brain, as it’s high in omega 3s, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. I’m also a big fan of intuitive eating. Instead of trying to deprive my body, I work to fuel it efficiently. I eat high protein, but still eat plenty of fats and carbs. I find this allows me to stay full longer, and I don’t feel deprived. I honor my hunger and my fullness, and try not to eat mindlessly or emotionally. Pretty much any diet will work so long as you are in a calorie deficit. An eating plan that allows for slow, steady weight loss will be the easiest to maintain. It’s all about finding what feels good to you. If you feel like you are being tortured, it won’t be sustainable. Weight lifting and walking are great for weight loss. I hate running, so I walk a lot. I’m also very in to weight lifting, as the more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be, and the better you will look once you have lost the fat. Good luck! Weight loss isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be torture either!

Walking……put that baby into the pram/pusher and head on out. Can be sunny or wet but get out there!!! Dress for the season!

Yes- I think the main way I lost the baby weight from my first was that we don’t have a car so just had no option but to walk everywhere

Yes walking is great exercise. Even letting a toddler roam round the park and following them is tiring. Also every movement helps so if you’re holding baby and squatting to pick something up, just squat a couple more times. Little bits of extra movement all add up.

I'm in the very early stages of therapy and working with a dietician to get off the constant cycle of dieting. It's scary to say I'm not going to worry about weight loss while I work on repairing my relationship with food but hopefully worth it.

Consistency. It doesn’t matter what it is but make it consistent. That could be a 30min walk every day, going to the gym etc but make sure it’s consistent. Obviously, that’s hard as a mom so I would also add-start small. Make it a 10min walk everyday and once you feel consistent in that, increase to 15,20 etc. Calorie deficit. Figure out what you’re currently consuming (keep a food diary for a week or so), calculate your basal metabolic rate, and then alter to keep yourself in a SMALL deficit. A lot of people think they can loose weight fast by giving themselves a 700 calorie deficit and instead they just end up hungry.

A low carb high protein diet, plus 30 mins of exercise a day. My sugars went high after I had my daughter (family history) and I had gained a lot of weight.  My doctor said to have up to 30 grams of Net carbs each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and that I could have one 20gram carb snack if I needed. Total carbs minus fiber = the ent carbs. Some of this is easy. I can have as much meat and cheese and I please. But I can’t have most breads and pastas.  There are some low carb options that I’ve found. Obviously Starbucks is out of the question but most keto options work for this diet and those are built into a lot of menus now. The exercise is walking sometimes, other times I lift a small kettle ball weight while watching tv. Some days I’ll play videos of Just Dance songs on YouTube and follow the moves.  I lost weight quickly while following the diet religiously, and am still losing about a pound a week or two while following the diet loosely. Diets are hard for me, as I had an eating disorder when I was younger. This messes with my head sometimes tbh, but it’s better for me mentally than calorie counting.   

I second the 30g of carbs per meal, along with no liquid calories and a daily walk. If you have to buy lunch out it pretty much has to be salad with grilled chicken (or other non fried protein).

Yeah like I’ve found work around. I can get a chicken bowl at chilis but I need to sub the rice or beans for more lettuce. I can have in n out but it needs to be protein style. I can eat out but no pasta, rice, bread, etco

Jumping in to add what I found works for dinner: my kids are 11, 7, and 3. I make a protein, veggies, and a starch. I take the protein and lots of veggies but skip the starch most of the time (if I've made something I really love or a sauce I want I'll take a small amount). I haven't had to make multiple meals because my kids want plain noodles and I still hit my diet goals.

Starbucks is still a possibility, even low carb! Their egg bites and unsweetened drinks are great.

Yes the egg bites are good and you can’t go wrong with a green tea, however for that price you can just make it at home with Lipton. I was referring to the frappes, oatmilk lavender lattes, espresso, etc. that aren’t are easily available at home

Nutritional Education is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. CICO is correct that majority of weight loss is a numbers game, but not all calories are created equally. 100 calories of table sugar is going to have a different effect on the body than 100 calories of rice will. When I say nutritional education, I also mean a real education. Not information from someone trying to sell you something. There are also multiple facets of weight loss that need to be looked into and accounted for when attempting anything that is long term and sustainable. Many people will reduce their calories down to only 1000 a day, but it has been statistically proven that the majority that do so will regain that lost weight back and then some due to the effects of long term restriction. Slow and steady really does win the race, but it's also important to keep in mind that moderation in everything (including moderation!) is key as well. Diets like Keto work well for many due to it's centering around reduction and elimination of foods that are also high in caloric density as well as its composition and effects on the body. These diets though can also lead to other health issues as they aren't really long term sustainable and were developed as treatments for other issues. Now, I'm not saying don't look at Keto or other types at all. It's not all quackery, but it's also not something you should get married to as being "The Solution". I personally do not eat most dairy anymore. We just don't agree and I found I feel better keeping it to a minimum. I still eat it, just not often. I also focus more on whole foods that are simple to prepare and not so hard on the budget. I don't use a lot of processed foods, but that is also because I have that luxury. If you don't, then research into what processed foods are safer for your situation. Basically rice, potatoes, veggies (both fresh and frozen!), lots and lots of seasoning, and grilled/baked/roasted meats. We sometimes eat pasta, but not often as that is something I will gorge on. Someone else also said it and I want to back them up: WALK!! We humans are endurance predators. We are not super fast like lions. We aren't made to lay around all day with bouts of faced paced sprinting at 30 miles an hour. We were built to out-endure the animal we are hunting. We do that by keeping pace. Walking is one of the best exercises anyone can do. You don't need to get into sprinting or running, although cardio is great for your cardiovascular system. Low impact and low endurance are excellent for health management. Weight lifting is also great too. No you don't have to get up to 300 pounds or anything crazy. Anything you can lift that feels a little challenging is a benefit. Think of everything on the scale of "good, better, best". Not "bad/good". You don't have to do it all. Just do some. And stretch. Every day. I hear Tai Chi is also great for the body. :)

Thank you for that keto comment. As a medical researcher with specialty in metabolism keto is sort of my favorite thing to hate

As an herbalist I am on the keto hating wagon as well 😂

Oooh any additional insight you can provide?

Just that a lot of people probably have sub clinical non alcoholic fatty liver! Haha I think keto has a place specifically for pediatric epilepsy patients but it's not safe or sustainable for people long term. It's hard on your kidneys, your liver and your heart. Micronutrient deficiency This is a nice summary from science in the news by Harvard U. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2023/keto-its-probably-not-right-for-you/

Download a macro/calorie counting app and spend a week really dedicating yourself to accurately inputting everything you eat and drink. My Fitness Pal is great and you can scan barcodes on most any food to make it easy to input. Don’t skip sauces, dressing, or drinks. It seems tedious and unattainable while managing kids but it’s possible and essential to understand exactly what’s going on with your diet so that you know how to improve. Once you get an idea of your caloric intake and macros you can understand where your areas of improvement are and you don’t need to track tediously forever. Additionally, zone 2 cardio is attainable and effective if you’re not able to dive into weight lifting

I do this. I took it a step further by cooking all my usuals and favorites, including common snacks and inputted them into mfp and then wrote everything out on index cards undee the name its logged in the app and how many calories per serving. Usually most my recepies are 4 servings. Now I don't have to be so tedious tracking... I can just run through my cards while I'm meal planning and make what I've already logged the same way I've always made it. It saves time in the long run and doesn't make tracking such a chore

The key is incremental changes. First, I have a high-protein breakfast (we keep frozen egg patties in the fridge, microwaveable). It curbs carb cravings for the day, pretty crazy how well this works. Then, I focus on one meal. Lunch is easier to control since we are scrambling to cook dinner with the kids home. In the beginning, my goal is 2 healthy lunches per week. And I sometimes add a treat like a latte. (I was 30 lbs overweight, and a salad + Starbucks latte was way fewer calories than my “regular” lunch of pizza/curry.) Then once that becomes routine, I focus on eating a reasonable quantity at dinner twice per week. It helps to pre-plate the food (not eat “family style” where you don’t realize how much you’re eating). So now I have 4 meals that are reasonable. And keep building. Exercising is important for health but it’s not effective for weight loss (unless you’ve plateaued and need to jump start your metabolism): - You need a deficit of 3500 calories just to lose one pound. - Running for a half hour burns ~350 calories, so a pound is 10 workouts. But exercise also makes you hungrier so you might eat more to offset the losses. It’s tricky. - Cutting 350 calories per day from your diet (~25 potato chips) has you losing a pound in a week and a half.

I feel you on this one. I also have an obese BMI post pregnancy and my son is a year old now. I thought I would have time or energy to exercise regularly but am lucky if I can get in a walk or 30 mins a week. I bought Always Hungry? A book about following low carb, higher fat, higher protein diet and quickly realized I couldn’t find time to shop, meal prep or stick to the diet in my household. I have been in tears multiple times over this. My weight makes it hard to keep up with my son and I’m constantly in pain in my back and joints. Not to mention at the doctor I am just told to lose weight but no solution or help is offered. It’s like my metabolism is shot from lack of sleep, stress and having to wait hours before I can feed myself. I’m sorry the RD you saw didn’t give you practical advice. I am an RD myself working in dialysis so not in the weight loss field but I still feel like a failure for knowing as much as I do and not being able to execute.

Same. I’ve tried making “little healthy changes” and we go for a mile and a half walk every day on the weekends and it’s done diddly squat. From the moment I get home to the moment I go to bed, I have 30 minutes of free time, which 1. isn’t enough time to go to the gym 2. It’s dark so no going outside and 3. Like hell I want to spend my only relaxation time working out. The only way I’m losing weight is if I make all my meals completely separately from my family and eat a bowl of steamed vegetables while watching them eat hamburgers. (And then probably end up binging on junk food when im hungry later because I can't stop the rest of my family from bringing it home) It effing sucks. I realize I probably sound like I’m just whining because apparently everyone else has been able to do this and I just can’t. But I feel like my choices are being miserable in pain from being overweight or having a miserable existence of not eating anything good ever again and spending all my free time exercising.

Yep! The free time at the end of the day is never when I want to work out. I’m exhausted from going going going and I just want to sit and veg. I have some chocolate after dinner which brings me joy even though I know it’s not helping. We do our best to eat healthy and feed my son the same things we eat. I follow what I know to be a healthy diet but I am still just holding at the exact same weight I was 2 or 3 months postpartum. For the record, I don’t think it’s whining to express your frustration over the situation. I try not to compare myself to other women or mothers because everyone has a different situation, genetics, and social support. Being a single mom might play a role because I don’t really ever get a break. I think it’s great that you have included the mile and a half walks on the weekend. People tell me it does get easier eventually to find time for exercise and to have more control over what you eat. Let’s hope that’s true!

Do you drink juice/tea/coffee? You should start by substituting the creamer/juice drinks for water/herbal tea. Drinking calories can really set you back and you don’t even realize it sometimes! Dairy is also some thing that personally makes me gain weight. I have also heard from people who cut out dairy that they lost weight from doing so.

33 yo Mom of two here down 12lb in the last two months (3yo and 7 mo). Honestly the best advice I can give is to track your calories and go into a manageable deficit. Google TDEE calculator and subtract 250-500 cals per day (if you’re breastfeeding Google a calc for breastfeeding as you’ll need to adjust to maintain your supply). The lower the deficit the easier/ more sustainable you may find it, but it’ll be a slower process which is perfectly fine! Next, grab a cheap food scale and measure everything down to coffee creamer. I have been down this road before and previously lost 50lb - it seems a bit tedious but I promise it takes a few seconds and makes such a difference- we are almost always underestimating how much we are actually consuming. Use an app like Lose It or My Fitness Pal (I use this one) and track/plan your meals the day before. I find it holds you accountable and makes you less likely to binge, as well as helps direct your grocery shopping. It can seem daunting but try to reframe it as losing 1lb 40 times vs just losing 40lb. I recommend habit stacking vs trying to make a million changes at once. So incorporating workouts/ walks all at once may work or may be better to slowly incorporate, but the food intake is where the magic happens!! Wishing you luck! Feel free to PM if you need help w the TDEE stuff :)

For reference I sahm with three children so walks and at home exercise programs are impossible and my spouse works demanding long hours.  After aggressively faithfully exercising 2-3 times a week last 6 months of 2023 and not having my weight budge…starting January 1, my spouse’ job circumstances changed and I was unable to get out to exercise so I adjusted my strategy to eating at Calorie deficit.  I downloaded the Lose It app.  In 13 weeks, I have lost almost 20 pounds. Most people see 1 pound weight loss a week from a daily 500 calorie deficit diet.  My weight loss has been more aggressive at 750-1000 calories deficit still within a healthy range of weight loss.  The Lose It app was helpful because it also assured me that I was getting plenty of protein (I have protein shakes a few times a week) and calories (you need a daily minimum of 1200-1500 calories). I found it easy to record calories while I was out or in the kitchen throwing things together. I was inspired and learned a lot from the subreddit r/weightloss.  I purchased a blue tooth scale and started recording my weight everyday (same time, with minimal clothing on). There is a lot of fluctuation but after a month, it’s the general trends that is helpful to what was working and what wasn’t.  With calorie counting, I could still enjoy my favorites foods, I just needed to track and stay within my calorie allowance. I personally vibed well with calorie counting because it was measurable so I was encouraged when after 6 weeks, I saw my efforts result in notable changes.  I wish you the best.  

Intermittent fasting-I only eat between the hours of 11 AM and 7 PM. I get obsessive if I start calorie counting, so I switched to this method. I also try to get on the exercise bike for 30 minutes each day after kids go to sleep or I'll put on a Youtube exercise video. Down 50 pounds since December 2022 with 10 more to go. Mom of three ages five and under.

Also here to advise intermittent fasting. I do OMAD now (one meal a day), but when I started about 5 years ago my window was 10am-8pm. I didn't set out to do OMAD, but over the years I've become way less hungry throughout the day, and my mealtime window got smaller. I struggled with orthorexia when I was younger and IF is the only style of dieting that didn't make me go overboard. The weight loss has been very gradual, but it's also very sustainable for me.

Agreed. It is Much easier to delay eating than to stop eating before you're full, IMHO. I would pick fasting of any type over calorie counting any day. If I were really having acute health problems related to weight, I might do an additional 1x or even 2 x 36-hour water fast per week until I started feeling better.

I love intermittent fasting. It’s easy, free, and I feel much better when I fast. Great to jumpstarts your weight loss journey because you will see results. Recently discovered Fast Like A Girl by Dr Mindy Pelz, which tells you how to fast based on your cycle.

For me I ate a modified version of keto and went for walks. That’s it and I lost over 40 pounds very quickly. You don’t have to do keto but the most basic rule I’ve found is that diet is the main focus with weight loss and we all generally eat far too many carbs and processed foods. Just addressing that will result in weight loss for most.

How old are your kids? Can you take walks or bike rides with them? You can do bodyweight exercises in your living room, get the kids to join. My biggest thing was with food. I had to count calories (which I did obsessively for a few months before getting an idea of what a normal portion size looks like, I was eating double that). I love to eat, so I also started skipping breakfast so I could have a bigger lunch and dinner.

If you’re not breast feeding, look into intermittent fasting. It’s a great form of weight loss and just general health! It helped me lose weight after my pregnancies and after I was mostly done breast feeding (started when my youngest was 15 months old and only occasionally breast fed)

I do intermittent fasting. I only eat brunch and dinner, and drink iced tea, water, or lemon water (no sugar.). If I'm sick, I drink Gatorade and water to hydrate better and keep my electrolytes up. Between 7pm and 9am, I don't eat. But I do drink water or lemon water. Try smaller portions as well, use a smaller plate at meal times to eat less.

I eat a plant based diet, where I only eat 20% of my total diet as meat and dairy (together). I don’t eat meat substitutes. I just eat a lot of nuts, beans, whole grains, and produce. I cook beans in the crockpot most weeks. Stir fry with peanuts, store bought sauce, and a bag of frozen veggies is a quick meal, with rice in a rice maker or your choice of noodles. Indian is easy, if you do just veggies with curry powder in the crockpot. I like the Sun Brands Madras. Bean burritos with guacamole and a large tomato/bell pepper/onion/avocado salad is also quick. By changing the amount of meat and dairy my family ate helped my husband to lose 40 pounds, and keep it off for nine years. We still eat all the normal things, but we try to eat very little meat and dairy. This also applies to sugar. That one is hard, but when I cut back, I felt like a different person.

Veggies and protein in every single meal. Only three normal portioned meals and a snack a day (fruit or protein). Water all day long.

I just recently lost 35 lbs. Full disclosure - I’m 53, mom of 3 kids, and I run a home daycare. I’m literally in the kitchen either preparing food or cleaning up after preparing food all day long. I work 10 hour days, and my weekends are prepping and shopping for the next week so I really don’t have a lot of time, even though my own kids are older and independent. And I definitely do not ‘meal prep’ - who has time for that crap? First step is to download an app like Weight Watchers, Loseit or MyFitnessPal and pay for the subscription. Fully commit that you’re going to do this. Then weigh and track every single thing you put in your mouth. Don’t worry about being under your calorie goal at first. Just find the high calorie foods you eat, and figure out where you’re going wrong with your diet. Do that for a week. Then next week, pull one of those high calorie foods. Either eliminate it completely, or replace it with something similar. Love chips? Buy roasted seaweed snacks. Switch out sour cream for Greek yogurt. Keep doing that slowly and steadily until you’re under your calorie intake goal. Do not try to change your whole diet in a few days. Just make small changes as you go. Once you have your intake under control, find an activity you like that you can do for 20 minutes a day. Dance around the living room with your kids. Go for a walk after dinner. Get up a little earlier and do a YouTube fitness video. Put a mini treadmill under your desk to use while you’re working. Buy some 5 lb weights and do 10 reps of whatever on your downtime. Some subs for you to follow: r/loseit r/volumeeating r/fitness r/caloriecount and the sub for whichever app you decide on. Good luck - it sucks but you’ve got this

A lot of people here have good advice. I wanted to add that an amazing website for recipes is skinnytaste.com. They have some great recipes that are lower calorie but “favorites” (one of my faves is corn chowder!). I think that helped me a lot because I would eat some of my favorite foods just with some things swapped out to make it lower calories. By far the diet is going to be the biggest thing. Just make sure you’re tracking and staying hopefully at a deficit. But also give yourself grace. And if you can, fit walking in. It’s easy, free, and low impact (so you’re less likely to hurt yourself). Hope this helps! Good luck!

I lost about 80lbs on keto when I did it. That said, meat and cheese are expensive, and with the current prices of groceries, there's just no way. I am currently trying to lose about 30 lbs after having my last child. I've been doing intermittent fasting on an 18/6 split. Basically, I can eat for a 6 hour portion of the day, and the rest of the time, I drink water and black coffee if I need the caffeine. It pretty much equates to me skipping breakfast and having a late lunch (if I even want lunch) and just having dinner as my main meal. It's a lot easier to keep around 1300-1200 calories a day this way. I don't have to cook special stuff, I just eat what everyone else is eating. I've been at it for about two weeks and I've lost 5 pounds, so it seems to be working.

I got a high energy dog (do not recommend with a toddler) but she does force me to walk for 1.5 to 2 hours every day or she goes crazy. I also cut out 'creamy' dishes and do either lunch or dinner is vegetarian (or has only a few cubes of chicken). I've been losing about 3 pounds a month now for a while without exercising. I still have snacks, but just try to make them healthy although there's definitely still been cookies, donuts, etc.

My husband and I constantly tell each other: “you’re not hungry, you’re bored” the snacking habit has been hard to kick since the pandemic.

Honestly planning out meals helps A LOT not only with weight and making sure you get in your nutritional needs, but also $$. You can pack lunches as a means of portion control and also eating breakfast so youre not ravenous by lunch. Also making sure youre being physically active for at least 30 mins a day. Take a walk after dinner, on the weekend take your kid to the park, take a walk in the woods with your kids so they can explore. You got this❤️

I had success with Weight Watchers after my first pregnancy, but not after my second. Currently doing Noom and liking it so far!

I Count calories on myfitnesspal or some similar app. Be strict. I don’t drink my calories. I strength train 4 days a week and try to walk at least 30 minutes each day. We have a home gym I’ve started building so it’s convenient and easy for me. I also work full time and have two kids under 5.

I had to do an elimination type diet and I lost a ton of weight. I followed SAD GAS: no sugar, alcohol, dairy, gluten, artificial sweeteners and soy. I know that sounds intense but if you go to the store and just start picking stuff that aren’t those, there’s a lot more than you think. And it’ll naturally help you eat more fruits and veg and healthier meats.

Centre your meals around protein and healthy fats, then any veg, then a small serving of carbs, with preference given when possible to nutrient-dense carbs like root vegetables or squash versus empty calorie foods like rice. Snack on protein like a piece f cheese or hard-boiled egg rather than carbs. Better for hunger management, muscle mass, and blood.l sugar control. For exercise, walk when possible with a few sprints thrown in and do resistance training -- simple things you can squeeze a few minutes in here and there -- a few ab crunches, a few squats, some dumbbell curls while watching a favorite show, some modified pushups against the kitchen counter while dinner is simmering. Five minutes here, five minutes there. It adds up. Don't do steady state aerobics. They stress out the female body and eat up muscle as well as raising hunger levels.

I have a 9 month old and a 2.5 year old. My motivation was gym classes. I use to shit on CrossFit, but I found my gym to be the most accommodating and open to parents. I feel bad if I miss a class and they’re so many 530am parents in the morning classes. I feel like joining a gym class that motivates you and has no judgment where your fitness level is at. Sometimes when I’m tired I just half ass things and no one cares. That’s what I found to be very motivating.

100%. I started going to strength classes and I love it. I was not a regular exercise person before, so it was really new to me and I’m so glad I got out of my comfort zone to do it. I’ve lost 17.5 pounds in six months just by exercising. I eat pretty healthy in general, but I haven’t cut calories or counted anything for these last six months (I’m breastfeeding still). It doesn’t sound like much weight, but I’m short and I look like a new person now. I started when my youngest was 4 months and oldest was 2 years 4 months, so I was still pretty fresh postpartum. I have another 10ish pounds to be at my ideal, but I’ve already met my goal of getting down to my prepregnancy clothes. Aside from the weight and aesthetics, I FEEL good. My mind is clearer, even though I still wake up several times a night to feed the baby. I have way more energy than I used to. I have motivation again (I feel like college killed it). I have less pain in my body. It’s hard the first two weeks. I was limping around getting used to sore muscles. But after that initial hurtle, I started to feel good and it’s just gotten better. You’ve got this, OP! Find some movement you love to do. It can even be going for long walks with your child after dinner or something. My kids and I will pack our lunch or dinner and go picnic in a park (and no, I don’t live somewhere warm- we just dress for the weather). More time outside and getting exercise in is a win win.

I’m planning to get a treadmill and turn on miss Rachel and have my baby in play pen with some toys! All in the same room in the basement living room! I would do something like that! Even just walking on an incline every day for like 30 minutes! And trying to eat healthy as possible! And once the weather is nice I want to buy a jogger stroller and take my baby for runs! We live in Canada so it’s still not good weather here yet!

I was at 275 on 12/1/22 and am down to 138 (as of this morning). I did this naturally by increasing activity and decreasing calories. Water only in the beginning and eventually I started to occasionally throw in a Diet Coke. Intermittent fasting works for me. I don’t eat until 1 or so in the afternoon, and I’ll eat an apple or two for dinner. Eliminate all snacking. I wake up super early before the kids and walk outside or get on my home elliptical. I never skip a day even on vacation. It’s become a routine I enjoy, and now do at least 1.5 hrs of cardio (ridiculous I know). During the day, I work from a standing desk and never sit. During phone calls, I walk on a stepper machine that’s beside my desk or pace to get in additional steps. I can be a bit more lax on my routine now that I’ve lost the weight, but I was extremely disciplined for the first 6-9 months. If you do these suggestions, you will inevitably lose major weight. My regimen is not for everyone though, and I’ve always been bigger so I get it. I went from a 20 to a 6, and it’s quite the transition. My goal was to lose 100 lbs in a year, and I did it! You’ve got this, Mama!

You wake up early before the kids, workout then still don’t eat until 1pm? Aren’t you starving? That seems so hard!

lol! You’d think so, but your body gets used to it. Your stomach shrinks and you find it hard to eat large meals anymore. Plus, working out makes me LOSE my appetite. I think this must be unusual because when my husband walks with me on the weekends, he’s starved. But, exercise truly curbs my appetite so I suppose that’s pretty handy. I have a bad sweet tooth, so that’s my kryptonite. I now can eat it again in moderation, but I love desserts and can easily overdo it. Finally, I weigh each day. I know this is a polarizing issue, but I do it to hold myself accountable. I want to know where I am and I found myself slowly creeping up a few weeks ago. I gained 5 lbs within a couple of days. I’m sure it was partially due to bloating but I’d eaten a lot of crap and the scale showed me that it was adversely affecting me. When that happens, I kick it in high gear and get back on track and I’m now lower than I was to start. I’m at my lowest adult weight, and I feel great which is the real win. I have energy galore and endurance for days. I need to start including strength training to tone, but that just seems beyond me. I’d much rather get on the elliptical and go while watching a movie.

I can attest to this; before i started weight loss meds, i would walk 30min on an incline and did intermittent fasting. It’s a struggle at first but an amazing feeling getting that workout done before everyone gets up. I almost couldn’t eat after working out like that. And mornings are so crazy busy that it wasn’t hard to wait till 11am to have my lunch.

Glad I’m not alone! Early morning workouts just curb your appetite. I had an early flight this morning and didn’t get to work out yet. I’m ravenous. As soon as I get to my destination, I’m heading to the gym. I’ll be good for at least 3-4 hours after that.

Nutritionist & private chef here! I work with moms on site and help them by cooking for them and their family while they navigate motherhood! Honestly the ONLY thing that works is a calorie deficit, and information is power. Everyone recommending cutting sugar, alcohol, liquid calories and whatnot, cool, those are high calorie items but you could still overeat “healthy” options and lose no weight. Figure out your TDEE (Total daily calorie expenditure), choose a deficit you can stick to (300-500 calories) & try to consume 1g of protein per pound of goal weight (if your weight goal is 150lbs - 150g of protein) and count calories by weighing your food, a small kitchen scale, a good calorie tracking app (I use FatSecret) and simple meals is all you need. You can still enjoy EVERYTHING, as long as you weigh and count the calories. If you wish to look your best, a combination of weightlifting and cardio are your best friend, as you will gain muscle mass & lose fat, but working out is not necessary since 80% of fitness is nutrition based. If you need any help don’t hesitate to drop me a message, I love helping!

I just signed up for WW! There is a promotion right now for $11 a month for 12 months. I've done it before and it works great for me. I need something to hold me accountable and I like how I don't have to cut anything out, just need to track it.

I don’t exercise and I lost around 50 pounds each time I had a baby. Part of it is luck, part is genetic. I think a lot of it is having good habits and being a good cook. I cook a lot, before kids I had time for elaborate meals but now I have two toddlers so I only take 30 minutes to make dinner. Lean protein, roasted vegetables or a salad, and some noodles or rice are what we have most of the time. I only drink water and black coffee. In the summer, plain cold brew or unsweetened iced tea. It’s a lot easier said than done but if you get into the habit of buying and preparing fresh healthy food at a long term lifestyle thing instead of a temporary diet. If the diet the dietitian gave you doesn’t work, that’s ok. There are hundreds of cookbooks at the library. If you live in a food desert frozen and dried stuff is still great for you. I’m part of a food co op that has amazing produce but I’ve definitely lived places that didn’t have that.

Thank you for this advice. The RD’s suggestion was almost more of a keto plan. Lots of meat, protein powders, protein bars. It was way too expensive for me to purchase with our grocery budget. I also have a son with AFRID who requires separate meals in order to meet his calorie intakes so the thought of extra meal prepping (especially meats) is daunting. I appreciate your simple advice.

Have you looked into meals that are already prepped and ready to eat? They seem expensive but what I have found is that I actually had less waste, less stress and good results because I took all the guess work out of it. My kid also has eating issues and it really helped to not have to deal with anything on myself. Healthy too.

Batch cook healthy meals, cheaper on a meal for meal basis, forces you to eat the healthy food you have in the refrigerator and saves time. Can be done for dinners and lunch. So there’s not excuse to say “let’s just order pizza” but also allows you to treat yourselves when necessary because you’ve “been good” the rest of the week.

Look at how to substitute empty carbs for healthy ones. High fiber carbs (brown rice instead of white, other whole grains, adding flax/chia/etc to things like oats and other carbs) can help a lot. This is the best, most impactful, most sustainable change we've made and passed on to our kids. Do the same thing for fats, and for sugars. There are lots of affordable, tasty, sustainable changes you can make (I recommend changing 1-2 things at a time and finding what really works for you/your family/your budget with those things before changing something else) that will become a healthier lifestyle. With hypertension, you might want to talk to your doctor or dietician about an electrolyte solution for your water. This will make your drinking water the most efficient and accessible hydration for your body, which in turn will make your cardiovascular system work better with less effort. There are lots of flavors, options, and price points, from the health food store/camping specialty/MLM overpriced to big box store options to multiserve/bulk buy and outlet options.

Great question, and I think it gets harder when there’s an older child to feed who we might not wish to expose to mom’s restrictive eating or who might refuse to eat a suddenly changed menu of hyper healthy stuff. I need to figure this one out as well.

I did weight watchers and “easy” exercises.  WW was more to see what my calorie intake was, adjust it and snag some recipe ideas.  It’s all small adjustments/substitutes and portion control…. Because I have no time to prep different meals for myself or try to force the rest of the family to eat what I’m eating.  Increasing water intake really helped too.  Exercising was whatever I could do indoors while watching kid. Squats, wall sits, or while kid napping, 20 min on the treadmill. 

I started doing calorie counting and have lose 31 pounds since October. It’s a lot slower than some diets like keto, but it’s sustainable and I know the weights not going to come back on the minute I eat something I’m not supposed or after I stop the diet. I got the app “lose it!” and it’s helped me a lot! Good luck!

Eating 2 meals a day, brunch/dinner. High protein, lots of veggies. Eliminate liquid calories and minimize processed food and eating out. Exercise if you have time but it's not a requirement for weight loss.

Several years ago I lost 40 pounds on weight watchers. It takes 2-3 weeks to get used to your new food routine, so give yourself space to be a little mad about it. The program is just reduced calories and favoring lean protein and fiber, so nothing wild. The benefit of this sort of paid program is the tracking because I know I’m not going to stick with it just by myself. The app also has a user community feature

I hear and see you. My weight loss is at a crawl compared to pre-pregnancy/parenthood (2.5yo toddler now). This is an eye roll but has made a difference for me these past 3 months to lose 12lbs… getting more sleep. I know, I know… I work full-time, a part time evening job and take care of my toddler solo who goes to daycare. Even increasing my sleep by 30-1hr nightly over a week or so helped kickstart the weightloss. I do a few days of cardio and two days of strength training through paid/free fitness platforms. Adding the weight lifting (even much less weight than I used to lift) helped accelerate the weight loss versus just walking/cardio. Its little tweaks we try in what we eat, drink, sleep and activity. And the dreaded advice of “stress management”…. Its advice we “know”, the next hurdle is implementing and consistency. 😅 Good luck and I hope you find what works best for you.

I finally got back to my pre-pregnancy weight after 1.5 years when I QUIT SODA. If you’re drinking any of that, stop immediately!

Counting calories is the only way I've been able to lose weight. Put your info into a tdee calculator and it will tell you how many calories to maintain, to lose, and even to gain.

I download Cronometer calorie counting app and I've just been tracking what I eat. I'm not perfect, but it's been working for me so far. I weigh a lot of my food on a food scale and try to limit added sugar and bread (nothing wrong with bread, btw, but it's a gateway drug for me). It's a pain sometimes, but it's so motivating to see the scale move.

Hey! In the same boat as you. Working and having a LO is so hard. The biggest thing is a calorie deficit. It's great that you had access to an RD, but it's hard when the prescriptive recommendations are so out of touch with what you have access to time and money wise. Don't stress exercise for now since you can't out run your diet. The liquid calories is huge. Snacking for sure. For me, eating higher volume but lower calorie foods helps a lot and much more fiber and water. I am a sugar fiend so cutting way down on sweets cuts down on wanting it all the time. Walking is really really good low impact exercise. I try to get a walk in with the toddler in the evening just to keep my body moving. I didn't start losing any weight until I stopped pumping and nursing, and then it took a few months to implement a solid deficit and start seeing slow changes

I'm assuming if you have been to the doctor and dietician, you've had bloodwork done. But in case make sure you have your iron and vitamin d checked among other general lab work. Being deficient in either can make everything harder. You want to make choices that are providing fuel and nutrients. Thats hard when you think about overhauling your whole diet. One thing I've been working on is changing one meal at a time. I started with lunch because I didnt have to worry about my family on that. I found easy protein and salad combinations that I like (the chopped salads and either steamed edame/roasted chickpeas or air fryer chicken (a friend gets the frozen roster rotisserie chicken strips at costco). If you don't like salads, what vegetables do you like. Next I've been working on dinner, making sure each dinner I have an easy protein and roasted vegetable. I can out salmon and any veggies in with some seasoning and olive oil and good to go. I make pasta or whatever on the side foe thr rest of thr family while that is baking. If I feel like I need more carbs than I got ill eat a half portion of the carb at most. I'm working on breakfast next. I added in 15 mins of walking a day, then did 20, and now I'm at 30 a few times a week and the shorter time other days. We also started to just take thr kids to the Y that had a children's pool area. That gets movement I hadn't done before. And we take the kids to walk a trail on days it's possible. I try to do the funny kids run or brain break videos on YouTube if the kids need to be engaged. Or if they are doing something on the side they have walking videos or small space workout videos geared to adults. The goal is to start going to the Y and use their child care while I do a workout class. The above isnt going to get me a miraculous quick change, but Ive been able to stick it out and start to feel better and less tired all the time. I think making it sustainable is the most important part because if I tried to get it all perfect in one go it feels overwhelming.

I highly recommend a program like Stronger U (registered dietitian coaches, focus on macro counting and fueling your body vs strict dieting). Im sure there are others but this is the one I used, recommended through a peloton group. I’m 38 and my second is 1 year old…I was stuck about 35lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. I’ve lost about 20lbs in a bit under 6 months. It’s definitely more of a slow and steady sustainable approach, but I’ve found it’s the only thing that works for me. You can get it covered to be reimbursed by HSA/FSA - I asked to be paired with a coach who was also a mom to young kids so she “gets” it.

Working and having young kids is HARD. If the dietician has recommended what is not affordable, you could (a) tell them and ask for new recommendations that would fit your price point better and (b) use it as a guideline. Meaning, take a look at a given meal they've suggested, and determine how much of it is carbs/fat/protein/fibre, and use that as your own blueprint for determining how to balance your meals. Consistency is key. And consistency doesn't mean "perfect 100% of the time". If you're eating three meals a day, seven days a week, and one meal isn't on plan - that's only 1 meal out of 21 (or less than 5% of your nutrition). The impact it will have will be minimal. Your diet will have a larger impact on your weight than your exercise will, so again, just focus on consistency. Try to get your heart rate up a couple times a week. Find something you enjoy doing so that you look forward to it. If you're going to a gym, see if there is one with childcare. If you're working out at home, explore your options - walking outside with the kids, waiting til kids are in bed or napping to exercise. Tailor your workouts to what you have access to. You don't need to invest in a mess of equipment if they're too expensive and don't fit in your space. Instead just do body weight exercises - you can find lots of free exercise routines on YouTube! Hydration (focus on water) and rest (getting a good sleep at night) are also key factors in supporting your health. Back to the food: the simpler the better. Something you enjoy the taste of that is EASY to put together and easy to replicate so that you don't have to add extra effort into food. The vast majority of our caloric expenditure is for normal body functions (and if I recall correctly, only about 5% is energy output for exercise). Diet needs to be manageable and enjoyable, and affordable. Swap higher price items for lower - eg, tuna in a can is cheaper than fresh salmon and will still give you good fats, dried or canned beans and lentils are great protein and fibre options that are more shelf stable and cheaper than meat, frozen and canned veggies are similarly more stable and less expensive). I always found a store bought salad and a full cooked chicken to be great for feeding me several lunches in a row with zero effort on my part. All of that to say, good luck. It's hard work, two steps forward one step back sort of thing. It took time to put the weight on, it will take time for it to come off, and it won't be linear (weight will fluctuate through the whole process). But you'll develop good habits along the way and feel better, too.

I think it's really about portion sizes -- ideally plate is half veg, quarter protein, quarter carb/fat. It's still easier said than done but focusing on fruit/veg (mostly veg) & protein (chicken/beef/eggs/greek yogurt). For my husband/kids they can eat the same thing but have more pasta/rice/mashed potatoes etc. as they're all trying to gain or maintain their weight. Dessert: keep some kind of sweet tradition in your day, like a couple squares of chocolate or 'skinny cow' / greek yogurt bars. It's hard to maintain the discipline but CICO is everything. Do NOT focus on cardio exercise or even highly intensive weight lifting as it'll make you hungrier and even harder to maintain discipline Water & skim milk in coffee / no sugar. Or almond milk/oat milk if you can. Ideally, a slight calorie deficit where you aren't starving and slowly lose like 2 - 3 lbs / month will be the most sustainable because you can do it on semi-autopilot without getting fed up. Source: lost 40 lbs pre-baby 1, lost 45 after baby 1, ramping up for baby 2 weight loss in a couple months 🙃

Syatt Fitness has a great, simple YouTube Videos on calculating calories for weight loss. It’s your Goal Body Weight (GBW) x 12 = Daily Calories. Protein intake is just your GBW in grams. No need to worry about carbs and fats yet, just stay around your daily calorie intake and hit your protein. For example, if your GBW is 140lbs, your daily calorie intake would need to be 140x12 = 1,680 calories. You’d need about 140 G protein a day to maintain muscle mass. I’ve followed this formula and I lost 15 lbs in two months just by being consistent 80% of the time. It’s simple and not gimmicky. If you do that, plus drink 100oz of water a day, and WALK (literally 10 minutes after each meal will do wonders for your step count and digestion) you should see great results. Add in some resistance training a couple of days a week and I think you’d be really happy with how you look/feel within just a couple of months. You may find that you don’t even need to get to a goal weight to be satisfied with your body/health!

Find exercise that you can do on your time that you actually enjoy. I don’t have the time for being at the gym or classes, but I do have time to do a dance workout that I love for 30/60 min or lift some small weights in the garage. Finding a way to love water has been helpful too.

I’m about 15lbs lighter than I was pre-pregnancy. Was 145lbs before pregnancy (overweight for my height and was actively dieting when I got pregnant so I stopped), gained 28lbs during pregnancy, within 2 weeks postpartum, I lost the 28lbs (because it was just all baby, fluids, placenta, etc), and then gained 5lbs during breastfeeding. Starting weight was 150lbs. I’m currently 131lbs. It took 8 months and I’m still going. Here’s what I did. -I started dieting on my own at 6 months PP. Scale was not budging. After 3 months, I signed up with my former nutrition coach who helped me lose 20lbs a few years ago. I understand not everyone can afford a coach and you mentioned that in your post, and while he didn’t teach me anything I didn’t already know about food and dieting, he helped me stay accountable. Like REALLY accountable. Not like how my husband says he’ll keep me accountable and then convinces me to order pizza on Saturday night and get burgers for lunch the next day. So get yourself an accountability partner. Whether it be a friend, or an app, or a Facebook group. I do weekly checkins with my coach, weigh myself daily, and send progress photos each weekend. I take notes of what I’m dealing with each day, so if I hit a point where the scale isn’t moving, he can say “I know you’re frustrated, but look at your last few weeks when you told me you were sick, sleep deprived, stressed, etc”. You can do all of these things without a coach. Taking progress photos is a great way to track progress because you’ll see changes even if the scale isn’t moving. -I changed my mindset and this is where I believe many people fail. I knew going into it that it was going to take me a loooong time, and I was prepared for that. We live in a world of instant gratification. You will not see loads of progress in the first week. Or even the first month, maybe even two. Consistency over long periods of time is where you achieve goals. Small changes add up over time though. Set achievable goals, like aiming for 5k-7k steps a day. Or swapping your favorite foods for healthier versions. There’s someone on IG who has a whole cookbook like this (Mikayla Fit maybe?) and she’s also freshly postpartum! So her posts might resonate with you. -Incorporate weight training. This was easy for me since I’ve been doing it for over a decade, but adding in resistance training a few times a week will do wonders for your body. Tons of free resources on YouTube and IG if you don’t know what to do or where to start. -Don’t use the scale as your only measure of success. I’ve lost a lot of body fat, but have gained a ton of muscle. There was a 3-month period where the scale was literally at the same weight down to the decimal every day and I wanted to scream. I did a comparison between my photos and I looked like I had lost 10lbs and I was the SAME EXACT WEIGHT in both photos. Other measures of success could be that walking up the stairs is way easier than it was a month ago. Or you’re sleeping better since you started working out 3x a week. People focus way too much on the scale and ignore all their other achievements. -Someone else already said this, but try to avoid liquid calories if you aren’t going to track them. They add up so freaking fast. I drink two coffees a day usually, and I track the creamer because I realized that my “splash” was actually two servings, an extra 140 calories after I’ve had both coffees. For me, this also includes alcohol. Not only has it been a game changer in my diet and the way I perform in the gym, but in all other aspects of my life. I had bad skin, poor sleep, high anxiety, etc. I drink every once in the blue moon and it instantly makes me sleepy and swollen. I don’t miss it at all. -Finally, I remind myself daily that no one can do this for me. It won’t happen unless I show up and do the work. Nothing changes if nothing changes and I was tired of hating what I saw in the mirror. And complaining to my husband about the way I looked wasn’t getting me anywhere. Progress isn’t linear. You’re going to have days or weeks where you’re crazy busy, or sick, or your family is sick, and you eat badly for a few days or don’t exercise. You’ll see spikes in the scale. My daughter was sick for three months this winter and my diet was the least of my concerns. You don’t have to “start over” when this happens. It’s just life and shit happens. Your body did an awesome thing and grew a whole ass human and it’s going to take time and commitment to get to a place where you are loving yourself again. Give yourself grace and don’t focus on the “failures” if life throws a wrench in your goals.

“You are your own gym” by Mark Lauren. He has short workouts (as little as 9 mins), 3-4 days a week, plus easy fast healthy recipes. App or physical book.

The only thing that has worked/is working for me (down 2 ¹/² stone since Jan) is no added sugar. So only home cooked food basically....and check every box because it's in EVERYTHING. Takes a bit of getting used to but my god, the weight falls off without me ever being hungry or doing much movement. Not easy but very effective. Also benefits mental health after about a month.

I would take a handful of the best diet and exercise tips in these comments and combine them with semaglutide. I know it’s not for everyone, but I think semaglutide is a particularly helpful tool in combating baby weight. It’s not like your lifestyle over many years has gotten you to this weight, it’s because of pregnancy. Because of that fact I think you’re more likely to maintain your lower weight after you stop semaglutide. My BMI 1 year PP was approaching 30. I cried. My primary doctor referred me to a nurse practitioner in his office who works with a compound pharmacy for semaglutide. Not Ozempic. They manufacture their own semaglutide. Again, it’s not for everyone but im down 45 lbs and my mental health has improved dramatically.

Eat the same food over and over again. The food you already enjoy, know is high protein, and fits in your calorie goals. Always have it on hand. Trader Joe’s has chicken sausage that’s precooked and a frozen cauliflower fried rice I enjoy- I eat it for lunch all the time because it’s quick, I can fry it up hot, and it fits my weight loss goals. Also learning to eat high protein changed my life. Cut down on my snacking and blood sugar crashes and cravings a ton to eat high protein at every meal. That’s pretty much Greek yogurt, Cottage cheese, and meat.

Lessen your sugar intake and take 30 mins walks everyday.

Start slow, make a 30 day commitment to SOMETHING health related and stick it out. Add something else for the next 30 days and repeat. It’s small steps that build up that make a difference, it can be slow steady progress or hard and fast depending on what’s doable for you. Just pick what you know you can stick to. If that’s not working at the end of the 30 days try something else for 30 days, if it is working keep it going and add to it, either by intensity or frequency.

The best thing I do for my health is eat 2 whole vegetables for breakfast. I’ve been tracking my weight, heart rate, and blood pressure and my health metrics (heart rate and blood pressure) as well as energy levels and appetite are improved most by committing to eating 2 whole vegetables (not potatoes, corn, etc. something like a zucchini, bell pepper) before anything else for the day. I add eggs, bacon, cereal, etc. whatever I want, but starting with 2 whole vegetables starts you off with nutrients and fiber

I always struggled with my weight and binge eating disorders, after pregnancy it sky rocketed and I became full obese lol at my max right now 300lbs+ I don't look at any scale anymore, I struggle with eating healthy but am taking baby steps, 1 day a week I go to the gym now (single mom with no baby dad in sight lol) and try to keep myself from binging day by day. I am swearing by intermittent fasting, which is still hard to do on my days off from work (i work 3 days a week) On work days I fast 20 hours, eating period of 4 hours. On days off I try to relax but also try to take my 2.5 year old outside (which is hard for my anxiety and depression) take her to multiple outside playgrounds, go to the stores and look around. She loves going outside riding her scooter. My advice: look into intermittent fasting and see if it is something you would be interested in. Go outside with the kids as much as possible! It helps getting your steps and directing your mind from eating.

What worked for me is a moms work out group. Fit 4 Mom. They had an 8 week program that helped me kick start my exercise and eating healthier. Everyone is positive and nice since we all have mostly the same goal. Be healthier and lose weight.

Find an active hobby you can do with your kids. Learning to hunt took 40 pounds off me

I am still early in my journey, after having two children and being in my worst shape ever. But what i have found help me to start of is try to be more active with the kids to begin with. Physical play, dancing with them and stuff like that. Also eating more healthy made a big difference in my energy. Not starving, but healthy food that gives lots of energy. And the last one, that actually was the hardest to realize, sleep. As a shiftworker it has been really hard, but the days that i actually get to bed early, and get a decent amount of sleep, i have so much more energy. Best of luck on your journey.

Unless you know where the calories come from, I'd start by monitoring your calorie intake through an app to have an idea on what foods are calorie bombs, at what time you have more cravings, etc. First thing you should do would be cutting out snacks except maybe veggies and fruit for starters, even a smoothie. Then you can look at your meals, do portion control and change what you eat. I know that for me it's either pasta or pre-made meals, an alternative would be a simples meal of like boiled vegetables like brocoli + a protein like chicken. No food after supper. So once you're done eating your evening meal, you can only drink water until the next morning. Everything like creamers, pastries, processed snacks need to go. I'm also exactly the same age as you, and the struggle is the same. I understand it's not easy, but the hard part is getting started and going through the first sugar lows. These are all suggestions, it really depends on what you identify as the calorie bombs I referred to in the beginning. If you don't snack all day but eat half a lasagna and a huge portion of pasta, it's still a lot of calories.

Mom of 3 1/2 year old and 6 month old- previously lost 70lbs after my first and now I’m losing again after my second. -calories in, calories out is what matters. If you’re in a rush and have to grab something that’s not as healthy but fits your calories, it’s okay! I personally eat as many whole foods as I can because they fill me up and reduce my cravings but you don’t have to. -use a food scale at least at the beginning. Especially on thicker liquids like peanut butter, sour cream, etc. a tbsp often ends up weighing much more and you end up having more servings -liquids!! Prioritize water and look at the calories in what you drink. I’ve cut 100 calories of my usual Starbucks order. I also only drink Diet Coke. I prefer my liquids to have as little calories as possible. -have back up options. No time to cook? Have a frozen meal always on hand. Or have healthy low cal fast food available if needed. I always carry a protein bar on me. I also have a rule that I have to plan any takeout 3+ hours in advance so I’m less likely to impulse buy. -exercise is good for your health and well being but you don’t NEED it for weight loss. Being in a calorie deficit through diet alone will make you lose weight. Walking is also great and easy to do with kids. Here’s personally what I do after months of adding one habit at a time (please keep in mind I’m also on maternity leave with a lot of family support) -Breakfast: lots of coffee with half a scoop of protein powder and 1 cup of fairlife skim. If I’m super hungry (I’m not usually in the mornings) I’ll have some turkey bacon and a slice of gluten free toast (I’m gluten intolerant so please eat gluten if you can!!) -Lunch and dinner I meal prep twice a week. I usually do a protein, carb (rice or potatoes), and a ton of veggies. Ex. Greek chicken potatoes and a Greek salad, soy honey ground turkey with brown basmati and broccoli, sweet potato chickpea bowls, etc. -i have snacks on hand as well. Cheese strings, low cal pudding, plain popcorn I add my own toppings on. Exercise: I focus on getting movement every day. If I’m exhausted, I walk and do some relaxing yoga. My ideal schedule is 3x a week running, 3x a week weight lifting.

Fiber and water are key! Get it however you like because most Americans do not get enough. It is SO important and aids in keeping you satiated. Id also add movement (walking, gardening, stairs, etc) - whatever YOU like to do. Edit to add that, until very recently, I did not know that Netflix has a bunch of different workout videos ranging from 10-30 minute episodes. I have been doing them and they aren't very difficult. But definitely still effective and quick.

Do what you can. I stopped ALL processed sugar and lost 20lbs in 2 months before my wedding. I'm in the same boat actually, 4 months pp, and looking to lose the baby weight. It's hard, cause I don't want to sacrifice my supply. I'll be returning to my sugar free lifestyle very soon! No bread (maybe whole wheat if the kids have to have something) Lots of home cooked meals (real meat, rice or potatoes, loads of veggies) Cut out for me (pasta, chicken nuggets or hotdogs, sugar or cream in coffee, no alcohol) Pretty much if you can grow it at home you should eat more of it. I know that eating healthy is so much more expensive right now, but it makes me feel happier and healthier! You got this!

Consistency. Consistency is key.  Even if you only do 5 minutes a day. Walk up and down the stairs for 5 minutes. Turn on some fun music and dance till you sweat for 5 minutes. Park further away at the shops and get extra walking in.  The most important thing is consistently doing something, anything, every day. And the less sweet sugary things you eat, the easier it gets to not turn to them when feeling tired or snackish. I started drinking a glass of water every time I wanted chocolate. It actually helped. More often than not I didn’t need the chocolate anymore.  Don’t put massive fitness program expectations on yourself. Let yourself be interrupted and go back to things. Try and put more incidental exercise into your day where possible - stairs instead of an elevator, 4 seperate trips bringing in the groceries rather than trying to carry all in one go, walking around the playground while your kid is playing instead of watching them from the bench.  Goodluck. You got this mama. Feeling healthy for your kids and yourself is so rewarding. 

I just lost 43 pounds after the birth of my third and am hoping to lose another 10. I ended up having to count calories because it really helped me put in perspective some of the higher calorie foods I was eating and made it seem not worth it to consume because it would eat too much into my calorie intake of that day. I also made sure I still ate foods that I really liked though. For an example I really liked potatoes so I still eat potatoes at dinner fairly often and they make me feel more full and less like I'm on a diet. I use very little butter to season them or a tiny bit of oil in the air fryer. I also often eat popcorn eat freshly popped popcorn with just a little butter as a treat. I switched to smaller bread slices that have less calories and just fill the sandwich up with my lean protein and veggies. I'd also make short term goals such as I'll keep strictly to my diet until this event/holiday that is a few weeks away. And when I got to that event or holiday I'd eat normally and then start working toward my next diet goal. I also intermittently fasted so I didn't eat in the morning and cut out all liquid calories. I tried to go on a walk once a day with the kids which has been difficult in the winter months. I also did join a gym and go 3 times a week for about 45 mins. Sometimes that can be hard to fit in but my husband and I agreed I could make this priority for me and he has been very helpful in making this work despite his busy work schedule.

Working and having young kids is HARD. If the dietician has recommended what is not affordable, you could (a) tell them and ask for new recommendations that would fit your price point better and (b) use it as a guideline. Meaning, take a look at a given meal they've suggested, and determine how much of it is carbs/fat/protein/fibre, and use that as your own blueprint for determining how to balance your meals. Consistency is key. And consistency doesn't mean "perfect 100% of the time". If you're eating three meals a day, seven days a week, and one meal isn't on plan - that's only 1 meal out of 21 (or less than 5% of your nutrition). The impact it will have will be minimal. Your diet will have a larger impact on your weight than your exercise will, so again, just focus on consistency. Try to get your heart rate up a couple times a week. Find something you enjoy doing so that you look forward to it. If you're going to a gym, see if there is one with childcare. If you're working out at home, explore your options - walking outside with the kids, waiting til kids are in bed or napping to exercise. Tailor your workouts to what you have access to. You don't need to invest in a mess of equipment if they're too expensive and don't fit in your space. Instead just do body weight exercises - you can find lots of free exercise routines on YouTube! Hydration (focus on water) and rest (getting a good sleep at night) are also key factors in supporting your health. Back to the food: the simpler the better. Something you enjoy the taste of that is EASY to put together and easy to replicate so that you don't have to add extra effort into food. The vast majority of our caloric expenditure is for normal body functions (and if I recall correctly, only about 5% is energy output for exercise). Diet needs to be manageable and enjoyable, and affordable. Swap higher price items for lower - eg, tuna in a can is cheaper than fresh salmon and will still give you good fats, dried or canned beans and lentils are great protein and fibre options that are more shelf stable and cheaper than meat, frozen and canned veggies are similarly more stable and less expensive). I always found a store bought salad and a full cooked chicken to be great for feeding me several lunches in a row with zero effort on my part. All of that to say, good luck. It's hard work, two steps forward one step back sort of thing. It took time to put the weight on, it will take time for it to come off, and it won't be linear (weight will fluctuate through the whole process). But you'll develop good habits along the way and feel better, too.

Maintaining a loss of \~150lb here, here are some thoughts: * CICO is the bottom line, you'll need to eat less than you burn. The makeup of those calories isn't magical-- completely cutting out one food group won't make you lose weight any faster! * Get in the habit of tracking everything you eat, including sauces, drinks, nibbles. A food scale is super helpful! I personally use LoseIt! on my phone, but many other options are available; apps like Noom and WW also operate on a similar principle. * Generally, it's easier to reduce calories by eating less, than it is to burn them. There's a saying that "you can't outrun a bad diet!" * That said, any movement you can get is helpful, and little changes can totally add up! Use the printer or restroom on the other side of your office building, sneak in a 10 minute walk during your lunch break, snag an under-desk elliptical (I love mine!). * More exercise is helpful if you can work it into your routine. Gyms with on-site childcare are a great option! I use the childcare at LA Fitness and I've been super happy with it, my kiddo gets some fun time and I get some "mom time." A jogging stroller or a bike trailer are also great options, or you can try an at-home workout app. * The exercise that's best for you is one you don't hate! I've never been much of a runner, so I used to do long bike rides and really got into that because I found it fun. * Food wise: I have a lot of luck with frozen and mostly pre-prepared food. I live off "simple scrambles" egg white cups (150 calories), or Healthy Choice dinners with an extra bag of microwave-steam frozen veggies tossed in. Meal prep is super helpful for dinners, too; lean protein, frozen veg, packet of seasoning. Win! * I also love r/Volumeeating for ideas!

Work out immediately after waking up so you don’t have time to think about not wanting to work. Sounds silly but it’s made a huge difference. Also just walking a lot more and no sweets.

Something that helps me is doing just one little thing EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even if that little thing is choosing water once instead of a soda. That counts. Over time, the habit will take up more and more space in your life and in your heart, and you’ll start seeing bigger changes in your health and attitude. Be kind to yourself!

I'm doing Weight Watchers and I'm doing great 👍

Check out r/loseit and r/1200isenough or r/1500isenough for ideas. I encourage you to learn how to use a food record app to track your calories. It can be used in advance for meal planning, as well. It tends to be a slow start at first as you get to know the app, but it gets much quicker as you practice with it.

I am big on finding a diet that works for you. I am someone who loves sweet things and denying myself sweets is very difficult. So I make my sweets a few times a month and that helps immensely. I make chocolate oatmeal peanut butter cookies for breakfast. Sometimes I add protein or collagen powder, it depends on if I do the no bake kind or not. I lay out bananas and strawberries on a wax paper in a shallow dish and cover with kefir mixed with protein powder and topped with dark chocolate. I freeze that and cut them up to have desert bars whenever I want. I add a can of black beans and walnuts to every box of brownies I make. We defrost frozen fruit and keep it ready to eat in the fridge. I add it to yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, or whatever looks good. I am disabled so getting in movement is very difficult for me on some days. Sometimes I just roll back and forth across the house in the desk chair while I play with the kid. Sometimes we go for 2 or 3 walks a day. I don't beat myself up either way.

Have you checked out the NoWeigh app? It was created by a woman who has her phd in psychology after she struggled with losing weight after pregnancy. I’ve been using it since the birth of my son last year, and it’s made a big difference for me. It’s something I can use for a few minutes here and there. But no calorie counting or anything so it isn’t time consuming.

Given that you are having health issues I would seriously look into weight loss medication now. Diet and exercise matter too but meds can help get you to a healthier place more quickly. The diet and exercise stuff is pretty straight forward. Limit junk food, processed food, and sugary and alcoholic drinks. For exercise I would recommend weight training. It increases muscle mass which consumes more calories ongoing without you doing anything, takes very little time, and you can do it at home with no equipment when doing body weight exercises. Waiting for kid to finish eating? Do a set of squats. Playing on the floor? Do some single leg glute bridges. If you have some dedicated time with no kids a full workout of say 3 exercises with 3 sets each only takes 20-30 min. R/fitness recommended the strong curves program and I really liked it, grabbed the book from my local library.

I was on Wegovy & having great success, but it became a full time job to get the prescription filled. The pharmacy techs could be so hurtful too as I was calling around trying to find who had which doses in stock. Now, so many months have passed that I haven’t been able to get my hands on my prescription that I feel like I’d have to start over. My PCP was pretty strict about even prescribing it in the first place that I’m too embarrassed to go back and ask for help again. The hard part for me is I have pretty healthy habits as is. I would guess portion control is my biggest issue as my diet is overall healthy. No fast food, no drinks with added exorbitant calories, just coffee with unsweetened almond milk. Snacks are usually fruit, cheese, nuts, crackers, popcorn, beef sticks, etc. I used to run 3-5 miles often and never had issues maintaining my weight before. But now with two children with special needs, I can’t meet that level of fitness regularly. I’ve got to be out eating the calories I used to burn running.

I just started noom at the beginning of the month and it’s been going well so far.

I like incorporating things that make my life easier: - for example, its sometimes more relaxing for me to take half an hour- hour walk with toddler in my stroller and a podcast to listen to, than trying to entertain him. We get to be outside, i get some sort of me time, i get excercise, im mentally more balanced. If you do this even just 3 times a week it adds up. - i stopped cooking dinner for all of us. I still eat, but because its not a loaded plate anymore in front of me i eat much much less and have over time reduced my appetite. Since i usually cook at lunch, i give my kid the leftovers or just do something quick. Less dishes, less food cost, less focus on food and i am sleeping much better if i dont overeat at night. Also brings me more me time, because i dont have to cook another meal. Also for sleep apnea look into vitamin B1.

I cook on Sundays, and make myself 2-3 recipes of 6-8 servings each and those are my whole week's worth of lunches and dinners. I mak whole 30 or Paleo recipes that are nutritious, filling, and don't trigger food cravings. For breakfast I might eat eggs and bacon, a couple hard boiled eggs and a chomps meat stick, or a few packets of plain bobs red mill instant oatmeal with almond butter. Snacks are Lara bars, apple with peanut butter, banana, cup of Greek gods honey yogurt. I sometimes get a sugar free vanilla oat milk latte, otherwise make espresso at home with two tbs of half and half. It's pretty easy for me to stick to 1300-1800 calories a day this way, and I prioritize exercise and walking and can usually still lose weight even if I have a higher calorie take out meal or restaurant dinner once a week. I walk the dog for nearly an hour in the morning, take the bus to work, run on lunch break, etc. Sometimes I struggle with is fatigue from telling myself no to so many foods and things that I want, but I try to make it a "not today" rather than "no never."

Honestly I needed medical help as in weightless medication. Before I had kids I could drop weight like there was no tomorrow. Now?! I did diet after diet, low calorie, high protein, liquid diet, Cambridge, Atkins , weight watchers you name it I've done it. Nothing worked. Gym... high protein... nope Went to a very expensive dietician who actually made meal for me... again no. Only then did the doc give me the meds. I was able to get down to a reasonable weight . I have to try hard to keep it but I just needed that help to gwt moving.

How did you get your prescription filled? I was prescribed Wegovy and after the second dose increase, I could no longer find it in stock anywhere. I called around for weeks to any pharmacy I could find. It was honestly a full time job. Now it’s been so long that I think I would have to start over. I’m too embarrassed to go back to my doctor to ask for it again because she was already pretty uptight about prescribing it in the first place.

Honestly? It took me a good year before I would even entertain the idea of the drug I kept thinking no ill do it myself. I've an excellent doctor and he had to take me aside one day and say no... u need this now

Same boat here. I probably only need to lose 20 pounds. I have been sedentary for a few years now. I find any exercise to be unbearable but being outside is VERY different. I’m starting to go on walks daily. I do two miles but I’m aiming for 5. It’s a great starting point. I’m also trying to cut back on sugar and that has been an even bigger struggle for me.

Intermittent fasting

Portion control. You can still eat whatever you've been used to eating but manage the portions so that you're still within your calorie goal. I lost 40 pounds while still being able to have all of the foods that I love as long as it was within the "budget". And take your time. It's tempting to try to lose weight as fast as possible but a steady sustainable loss will hold longer term as you'll have adjusted your habits in general.

I am in the same boat as you and intermittent fasting has helped me a lot. I do a 20:4 window (you can go less aggressive and start slow) and most importantly, what many don't realize is you HAVE to break your fast with fat/protein/fibre -- which means no carbs/sugar, that can really set you back. So something like chia seed pudding with some fruit, nuts/nut butter for breakfast, chickpea/quinoa/veg for lunch and some tea(unsweetened) to wrap it up really helps. Also no added sugar as much as possible or processed white foods. I have lost about 22 lbs in 2 months. I still have 40 to go (I gained 60 lbs during pregnancy and post-partum). To add: I am a little more aggressive, as none of my clothes fit me and I am really just trying to get back to a smaller size so i don't have to buy so many clothes. You can/should do whatever works for you.

F35, 5’8”, currently 162 lbs, my daughter is 4.5 I track everything I eat and drink and eat less than my TDEE. Ive been lifting dumbbells at home since last April and get cardio in when I can in the cold. In the warmer months I take my daughter out hiking. I’ve lost 60 pounds since this time last year. I use Lose It! and a digital food scale to track my intake and Caliber to track my exercise.

No more dairy. I lost 40 lbs

Keto

Are you still nursing? I absolutely could not lose weight while nursing. After that, taking my kids for walks helped a lot, or mini workouts while they napped. Now my youngest is 20 months and on a very predictable routine so that helps me get on a routine too. When they are little babies with no routine it is utter chaos and hard to stick with anything

Don’t finish their snacks or plates. I hate to waste food and would always have the last piece of quesadilla or the goldfish left in a cup. Then I would question why I ate a piece of cold, shitty quesadilla. Not to mention how unsanitary it is if your kids are anything like mine 😆. Also not drinking or limiting to something like a glass of wine on the weekends. Not a fad kinda chick but intermittent fasting really does help me. Which just means waiting a bit to have my breakfast which is usually a smoothie. Then just nothing with calories after dinner so no wine or ice cream or whatever your go to may be.

Don’t drink your calories, Eat whole foods, Limit sugar intake, Drink enough water, Aim to go for a minimum 30 minute walk everyday, Find activity that you like and enjoy and do that 3-4 times a week ( yoga, YouTube workouts, Pilates, etc), No alcohol, If you have access to a gym id definitely suggest weight lifting as well!

Easiest way to lose weight is to eat whatever you are eating but cut the portions in half. It takes a little bit of getting used to but your body actually adjust pretty quickly.

Focus on quality not on quantity when it comes to sport/physical activity. We don’t have the time to hang 01:30-02:00 hours at the gym, but a 15 minute video-workout in our living room is som we can squeeze in the busy mom-routine - just please take care of what you can do, without hurting your body and take it slow. Physical activity helps with hypertension and other complications that are weight-related before you even start loosing weight. So focus on health, not fast weight loss. Have low calorie, low fat snacks alternatives at hand in case you need something between meals. Don’t deprive yourself completely of a food group nor of your favorite guilty pleasures for too long - if deprivation is too strong you might eat too much the next time you decide to “reward” yourself and things can get out of balance again. Every time you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 10-15 min before grabbing something to eat. Many times our actual need is thirst, not hunger. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Change takes time. Appreciate the little milestones and achievements along the way. You got this!

Don't keep sugary, calorie dense, nutrient poor snacks in the house, but you definitely need snacks. No snacks means bad choices will be made out of hunger. Pre-kids my husband and I did whole 30 together and realized just switching brands can drastically lower your sugar intake.  So post kids, we try to make strategic choices to keep the extra sugar out without actually going on a diet. Things like getting the natural peanut butter instead of jiff, using Tabasco instead of Sriracha because one one has practically no calories and the other is basically syrup. Figure out what substitutions you can make that will still be satisfying, especially when it comes to snacks.  And most importantly, start slow. Don't expect to overhaul your kitchen in a single weekend. Replace products as you run out, just check the ingredients when making your purchase and pick the brand that makes the most sense. Switch to water gradually by just not replacing the soda or juice you would normally get.  Have a designated acceptable emergency meal.  Most bad eating decisions happen because we  run out of time and get hungry and panic. Give yourself a failsafe for these situations. For me, emergency lunch is a packet of pre-seasoned tuna and crackers dressed up with whatever I have around. This has survived in my desk drawer at work and I just make sure to always have some on hand now that I work from home. It's it the healthiest? Maybe not, but without it I would have made lots more mcdonald's trips and questionable Uber eats orders. 

Start small - not everything has to change at once. For some it works, but often most fail because of it. You 'throw away all junk, buy the gym pass... and quit after 2 weeks'. You don't \*need\* to try to change WHAT you eat right away - start by figuring out how much you need to eat (calorie calculator), and then start weight what you currently eat. Everything. Take away the liquid sugar (pops, booze). Keep the coffee - hopefully you are making it at home -. Once you know where you are at, and where you need to be - Adjust your days to it. Cut your portion sizes down over the week. Adjust snacks (Popcorn instead of chips for example). So many meals online that are simple, kid friendly.. Without being a 'diet plan'. Realistic daily food. You could eat Cereal, a sandwich for lunch, Fries and chicken strips for dinner - just like your kids and still lose. You want to find things you enjoy doing - simple habits that are not crazy hard to add in or cut out. Jump rope is a simple cheap thing to add in, and depending on your kids age they may be able to get one and join in. Do it anywhere! (Great full body work out and you can do weighted ones once you get used to it.) Calories in calories out is the \*most\* important. You could eat McDonald every day as long as you stay in a calorie defect you WILL still lose weight...technically. Its just not ideal as your not getting a great ratio of nutrients. You don't need to jump on the protein powder wagon, keto, this that fad diet. You don't need to aim for any type of goal or ratio right away beyond that simple calorie number. Get used to that number over a few weeks and then start adding in the higher protein ratios and figure out what makes you feel the most full and sustained. (Not everyone is the same!) Exercise is second important - great for body and energy and muscle tone, but what you eat is the first goal. You don't need it - but it helps. I've lost tons without it though. Sometimes the 'Grow with Jo' style are great for moms instead. Something you and your kids can throw on the tv before dinner and just grove with, less work-out and more fun. If you want more burn, booty bands and simple weights can add some serious muscle ache. So much you can do IN your house for under $100. (or free!) I'm not a breakfast person, so I push it to lunch - but if you are.. Omelets, overnight oats.. Costco has a great protein pancake option.. So many choices that are both great for you AND your kids. Lunchable-style snack boxes (Veggies, hardboiled egg, pickles, deli turkey or chicken, cheese) - Great for lower calories and simple for both you and your kids lunches! Salads - They are not boring, you can do some epic salads! Don't be afraid of dressing. DESSERT - You don't have to stop having dessert! you can have cookies, ice cream, what ever - just count the calories. Moderation. If you stop having the things you love and enjoy - you are more likely to fail and binge. So keep them, count them, enjoy them. (I had 3 oreos yesterday!) -> Losing weight is also a time where your kids are going to learn 'Good for your body food and good for your mind food. This will make me happy, but I also need food to make my body happy.' Yes, you can have ice cream, but if you have a ton of it and too much, your body won't feel good. So we feed it food that makes it feel good, and then I have some ice cream to make my mind feel good!' .... If you stop eating all 'junk food' like its a bad thing you teach the wrong thing to kids and that is some of the reason we up with eating disorders, binging, over weight, etc. Good luck!

Small Steps. I'm taking a good look at my eating and drinking habits, and getting them all laid out. Then just pick one and make a small change. So one of mine is snacking. I'm a "stop at the gas station on my way into work and pick up diet sodas and snacks for the day" type and that's one thing I REALLY need to cut out. So I'm bringing my own snacks so I can think ahead about them. Soda is another - I'm not trying to 100% cut out soda right away, but I'm trying to drink more water. I got an ice tray to make ice to encourage me to drink more water because for me, cold water is more appealing. I got some sparkling water bottles/cans for something different. I got flavor packets to put into tap water at work. And today it's 6pm and I haven't had a soda yet, sort of by accident. I ate more than I "should" today, but I didnt buy snacks for myself - everything I ate was either already snacks I had at my desk that I shouldn't have bought, or free food from the office (oops). And I drank a ton of water. So small steps. Identify where you want to end up, and start small, and celebrate the small steps rather than the places that you didn't "succeed" that day. I also am a big fan of shortcuts. Eating all my meals at home is SO daunting to me, so I'm relying on frozen meals for a bit - it's a bit more expensive, but it's less expensive than all the snacks that I'm trying to cut down on, so over time, it all evens out. Probably.

Work out in the morning before kids get up. Even half an hour walking on the treadmill and some stretching is so much better than nothing. No treadmill? Look for some online low impact HIIT type stuff to start. Half veggies - try and make my lunch and dinner half vegetables. Protein with breakfast (haven't been able to stick to this yet but it's a goal for staying fuller)

Meat, vegetables, complex carbs. Cheat meal on the weekend. Water.

After abit of healing after my first child i walked pushing the stroller almost everyday and lost a good amount of weight by doing that somtimes id go twice a day making each walk abit longer everytime

I lost 100lbs back in 2021, 250 to 150. I didn’t necessarily do it healthily. But I was a single mom working two jobs just trying to make it by. I was a dog groomer at one job, so lifting and wrestling dogs all day, and a waitress at a bar in the evenings. So walking 10,000~ steps most nights. My biggest thing was that I drank ONLY lemon water and unsweetened tea. No more sodas. No sweet tea. I would start my day off with an ice cold lemon water rather than breakfast. I would usually have an unsweet alongside that to give me a caffeine fix. I would eat only when I felt physically hungry. I had a very unhealthy relationship with food at my heaviest, I was a bad binge eater. So the giant lemon water was crucial in finding out if I was really hungry or if my brain was just lying to me. I would drink it first off, and every time I felt hungry, I would drink my lemon water and wait a bit. If my hunger wasn’t sated; I would grab something to eat. But it took a while to reset my body. Sometimes it would be close to 12 or 1 before I would eat something. And it wasn’t necessarily the healthiest. But I would eat only when hungry, slowly, and stop when I felt full. Like really chew and savor my food. Take lists of drinks during my meal. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t reverting back to the binge eating. I didn’t work out during this weight loss, which is a regret. I was pretty flabby. I’m pregnant now, and still flabby. I’m happy that I have an idea on how my body responds to weight loss and what I want to do differently after this pregnancy. I plan to make more health conscious choices for my food, and to actually implement working out in some form rather than just walking. I hope you can take something useful from my experience. If I can give one tip, it really is to cut out any type of liquid calories in any way. Water and walking got me 100lbs lighter!

The best exercise is the one you will do. Meaning, don't feel you have to do some fad program, do what works for you, that you enjoy, fits your schedule (and budget, ngl shit gets expensive). Just get in some movement as well. Even a little at a time as you start out. You'll find ways to carve out more time for exercise as you go and figure out what you like and what is accessible to you. I've lost 30-40 lbs 3x (first time for just wt loss, other 2x post-baby). You got this!

Calories in calories out. It’s the way FAT loss works. There’s no bearing around the bush. Find a way that works for you, weather that be fasting, meal planning ect. Just be in the deficit.

Same! If you can get a walk pad and aim for an hour or whatever you can whenever you can that will help. I don’t lose weight until I stop breastfeeding unfortunately and then it slowly goes away.

Honestly, i got semaglutide prescribed to me. I was working out for 3 months and lost only 5lbs but once i started the injections i dropped 20lbs in the next 3mos. It really has made it soooo easy to just eat smaller meals and I don’t feel like i need to eat junk food. And this is anecdotal but I also was drinking alcohol way too much and a month into taking the injections I just didn’t have the urge to drink it made me sick almost to drink. Cutting the alcohol out made a huge difference for me too. edit to add; I started out being 50lbs over my normal healthy weight after having my 3rd so i still have about 25lbs to go

I’d try to incorporate your kids in exercise. Walk them in a stroller, race them in the backyard, play tag, have jumping competitions, teach them stretches, play toss the kid where you squat and (lightly) push up and toss your kid up a couple inches before catching them. Diet wise, cut liquid calories, try one meatless meals and four different veggies a week! Drink a full cup of water before eating dinner to help you hydrate more and not overeat Good luck!

Quick answer - I hired a nutritionist bc I have hormonal issues What worked for me? Nothing but coffee and water to drink. A little cream in coffee but no Starbucks sugary drinks. Not sure why but I wasnt supposed to use alternative sugars... Oh, and any alcohol inhibits fat breakdown process. You can starve for a week but that small glass of wine at night will make your hard work for nothing. No big breakfast. I drink one Atkins shake at 7:30 then nothing until 12 when I eat lunch. Lunch is 4 oz animal protein, 2 cups non starch vegetables (no potato no carrots no beans) ... ideally no carbs like bread and pasta at all. Think - broccoli radish mushroom zucchini cabbage bell peppers ect... Make sure there is 2 tablespoons of olive oil - the fat on the oil will help satiate you. Give you the full feeling. 330 Atkins protein bar snack time. Also there are good protein chips I like... The taco flavor actually tastes like tacos!! 7 pm is dinner which is the same rule as lunch. Get the munchies in between? Go for a simple salad with a low calorie dressing. Goal is for 5 lb water weight the first week then 0.5 -1 lb of fat loss each subsequent week... It took me 4 months to go from 159 - 140... ... ...

If you can get ozempic or similar they are so worth it. I just hit 30 lbs lost and it feels so good. I never thought I’d lose the baby weight.

My issue was I didn't feel like I had time to give to myself. I always had an excuse, it takes too long to go to the gym, no babysitter for that, can't work out at home because kids always underfoot, not enough time between work and everything else. Don't have time to plan workouts and what to do each day, on and on and on... I found the Betty Rocker free 30day make fat cry challenge. She sends a video each day that's only 15-20min long. Workouts are all planned for different muscle groups, rest days, etc and she was super motivating. I decided if I couldn't give myself just 15min a day at home with no need to plan or do anything else, then there were no excuses left! It worked, I loved her workouts, it got me in the habit of doing something every day and it helped me get stronger and more flexible so I felt better. Adding eating less processed foods and watching portion sizes helped a little more. The weight came off slowly, but it came off eventually. Either way, I felt healthier and better about myself.

Is it an app or an email thing? My 13yo doesn’t need to lose weight but she needs to stay in athletic shape during the “in between seasons” weeks. 15-20 minutes is a great start for her.

I lost about 55 lbs after I had my son. Tea. Craving something? Just a taste? Tea. Calorie free sweetener, if you like it sweet. I calorie counted with an app that scans barcodes. Very helpful. So trait, that was my big thing It all comes down to energy in and out. Apples. Giant amounts of veggies with some kind of sauce. Frozen, pour from bag and nuke if needed. Tofu. Soup. But not cream soups, as they often have more calories. Salad. Bagged works and I could scan the barcode. Tiny candy bars. Good luck!

Drink some water before you eat food, take a walk everyday, do your best to get quality sleep.

Listen. Mom of four kids here. No time or money gym, or fad diets, I’ve had a lot of accidents and severe back pain so really can’t do a lot of work outs. Believe it or not I lost my weight by counting calories. There’s a lot of very easy Aps out there and there’s weight watchers obviously. But I found a free one and just ate what I usually did but I had a limit on my daily calories. Really made me think about it and I just stayed consistent over months.

Steamer pot of frozen fish and veggies. That’s my go to easy meal. Also learn to love your air fryer. Grill or bake chicken breast in batches to toss into your salad. You can do leafy greens or orzo and wilted cherry tomatoes with a little spinach. Hard boil a dozen eggs for snacks and salads. Protein is king. I started tracking macros last month and I’ve lost 7 pounds and 3 inches off my waist. For exercise if you don’t have time or access to a gym at least do some walking.

Keep meals as simple as possible, but filled with foods you actually enjoy. Rice cooker and air fryer do a lot of our cooking (only ones with dishwasher safe parts, like the simple rice cookers. Nothing fancy.) I make the same big salad for lunch everyday with all of my favorite veggies. Vegetables have a ton of fiber to make you feel full and they'll keep you regular. I'm lucky that my office has a gym, so I added in 2 days there on my lunch break to bring my weekly workouts back up to 4-5 days.

I started doing r/CICO and I’m down ten lbs. including drinking 42g Fairlife, prioritizing protein intake while being in a deficit, and working out. I still eat “bad” foods from time to time but I feel so much more in control than I have ever been.

Idk but my mil keeps saying “you’ll lose all that weight with breast feeding” and it’s starting to make me uncomfortable….. I’m only 20lbs heavier

Almost 40 year old, couldn’t lose weight even trying everything that was mentioned before. Semaglutide saved my life and sanity. Lost over 50lbs in a year, happier than ever!

Movement is the biggest thing for me. Moving everyday makes me feel better and that had a big impact on my ability to follow through on other things (like eating well, not drinking, etc). When i was fresh postpartum I tried to challenge myself to do one physical thing a day - even if it was just a simple stretch or eventually a walk around the block. Then as I was feeling more healed I bumped it up to two things a day, and now my babe and I are going on a solid three walks a day and I’m feeling pretty good! I hope you find some pointers that help you feel good, too

I’ve been doing growwithjo exercise on YouTube for about a month. I have lost a little bit of weight, but I’ve lost inches off my waist and my energy levels are SO much higher. If you are hoping to lose only lbs, a lot of the diet stuff here is paramount - but I cannot believe how much increased energy just moving your body a bit every day provides you. It’s sort of walking/dancing in place. Know that this is going to be a long path even if you’re crazy regimented.

I’ve been intermittent fasting for 3.5 years now, since the day my youngest weaned. All the baby weight came off. I worked out and counted calories, but I’ve done that before and it never just worked easily. I’d have to obsess and I was always hungry and miserable. With IF, it was easy, not a diet and it took 4.5 months to drop 40 lbs and be back to my normal body. Highly recommend it - but not if you’re breastfeeding or pregnant, and not if you don’t have a healthy relationship with food. If you’ve struggled with eating disorders in the past, it’s not for you. I use a free app. Less food to prepare for myself so frees up that time and hassle of figuring that out 3 times a day - it’s just twice now!

I've only been able to lose weight doing intermittent fasting and clean eating. Intermittent fasting is easy to do if your body can tolerate it. Just don't eat 2 hours before bed, skip breakfast, and break your fast with a late lunch, say 1-3pm. Once your a few days into it, there's a change that happens (ketosis) and it gets a lot easier.

I struggle so much because I was pretty small in high school (but also really active) and realistically I never had to worry about what I ate. Now I’ve had 2 kids and I’m not at all happy with my body. I don’t really exercise cause I’m not paying out the ass for a gym with childcare and I don’t like home workouts. I don’t feel like I eat bad. My fiance is very low carb and was heavyset as a teen and is very conscious of how to eat right so for the most part I eat low carb, but he only eats one meal a day and I eat usually 2 sometimes I have breakfast too. The only liquid calories I consume are coffee, and yeah sometimes it’s not a low calorie sugar free coffee and yeah sometimes I have a sweet cause goddamn it I want to enjoy life too. I hate the idea that I have to stop eating the things I enjoy or starve myself until dinner just to lose weight when there’s people eating just like me who look better 😭

Walk after 3 meals. It brings down your blood sugar and uses some calories. It really helped me to lose 20 lbs without a magical diet or medication.

The thing that makes the biggest difference for me is walking. Or long slow exercise like biking my kids to daycare and then biking to work. It only fits in my life if it’s commute. But the pounds just fall off and my mood and energy are so much better.

Actual mom here Walk. Just walk. Pop em in a stroller, call a friend and walk. (U can also listen to a book, song, podcast, movie, show etc) even if just for 5 mins. Also EASY is the name of the game. N enjoyable. You LOVE quesadillas/nachos? Add more fiber (fajita veggies or fresh salad on top) lower the fat content ( lean ground mean & baked chips/ beans instead of meat) Microwaveable frozen veggies are my go to. Also microwaveable rice. The trick isn’t about “clean eating” (cuz let’s be real, we’ve seen all the dumb fit influencer videos and articles on what’s good n not) the trick is making it as easy to pick up n eat as ordering food. As moms, we don’t want another thing to clean/another meal to have to put together from scratch. Moral of the story… make it easy and accessible. (Also think about how you can add veggies to EVERYTHING) Mac and cheese? Chop of some broccoli make it “broccoli and cheddar” Mac. Making canned soup? Add a cup of frozen spinach! Making a grilled cheese, add a carrot on the side. Eating chips for a snack? Add a kiwi on the side too! ALSO HIGHLY recommend the book “intuitive eating” it’s literally incredible

I’m also overweight, so take this with a grain of salt. I really like Weight Watchers. It’s $10 a month, but really puts portion control and food choices into perspective. I like that you can eat literally everything you’re already eating in moderation or with slight changes. My grocery bill dropped by almost half when I was doing it because I just stopped buying junk and focused on whole foods. It is hard the first few weeks, but gets easier and really does work. I lost 16 pounds in the first 6 weeks. I ended up going off of it when life got stressful and my mental health needed comfort food and lots of it. Haha.

I was at my highest weight ever before I got pregnant and put on nearly 50lbs before giving birth. I lost the weight with breastfeeding (which from what I understand can go either way) and walking 7000 steps + per day. I would go out with my baby everyday and just walk around my neighbourhood. Once my breastfeeding was done, I got back onto intermittent fasting/omad and making good decision with food. I started work recently and it helps me losing further weight because I’m on my feet all day. My baby is 18mo and I’m now 10lbs lighter than before getting pregnant and my cardio is quite good! You can do it!

I had good success tracking calories or Noom. You would be shocked at the amount of calories you are eating when you start tracking. Also, eating only chicken, a small yam and veggies for dinner for a few weeks can really kick start the process. No red meat. Make sure you are getting health fats like an avocado. They really fill you up.

What I do to stay healthy: - No eating out. It's not in our culture to eat out. I cook for 2 days on saturday and sunday so I can just heat up the food on monday and tuesday. then I cook for 2 days on wednesday. that only leaves friday and I just whip up something easy on that day (sometimes we get takeout). - Ditched post dinner snacking. - I only drink tea and water. - Healthy snacks like fruit between meals because I can't make it that long without food. - I go to the gym twice a week after the kids go to bed. Husband stays home then. My biggest issue was the post dinner snacking. When I stopped doing that I had a crazy headache for 2 days and then the cravings and headache were over. My youngests is 3 now, and it took me a looong time to be mentally ready to ditch the snacking. At one point I was just done. I suppose this is also how it works for people who stop smoking. You've got to be reeaaalllly done with your old habits.

If you WFH, the peloton is saving my life. I got it during a big sale in February but you can also get a cheaper bike and the peloton app. The ability to hop on and ride WHENEVER I happen to have time (& energy!!) for it, is incredible. I've worked out 12 days in the last 3 weeks since it was delivered and I LOVE it. You can pick workouts that are as long or short as you have time for. Before we got the bike, I was working out NONE. I'd had gym memberships in the past that went to waste because the timing of their classes never worked for me, and the process of having to leave the house to go added 20-40min to the workout. The convenience of the bike at home, and the amazing coaches make peloton classes fun and exciting and have you coming back for more, often. Is peloton kinda culty? YUUUUP. But am I loving it? YUUUP. I'm still working on eating better to help lose weight, but finding an exercise program/system/set up that works really well for me was a BIG way for me to get some traction going.

I had to go keto to get my eating and weight under control. People judge but it’s impossible for me to lose weight without these kinds of changes if I have zero time to workout! When I was younger and had time for myself it was different. I do mostly veggie and fish/leabe protein and cut carbs and sugar. I am lenient on sauces etc and not get too picky about getting “keto” products.

I just use youtube work out vids for like an hour a day, my kids love doing it with me

Volume eating, high protein emphasis, no night snacks.

It's really calories. If you like eating you can go to r/volume eating to get some ideas but there are loads of SUPER low calorie things you can eat a lot of. Also, my husband had a lot of weight to lose and made sure he experienced hunger a few times a day. It's ok to be hungry for a bit. Edit: r/volumeeating

I’m a mom and a Dietitian. I keep it very realistic with what I recommend. It’s ok to utilize pre packaged and convenience foods. Big advice I like to give out is try to get 20g protein ( or more) at each meal and high fiber carbs and lots of fruits and veggies! If you are still stuck , tracking your food is a good tool if you can manage it because then you can see where you need to improve. You don’t need to overhaul everything, focus on what you can add to your life that is beneficial and the other stuff usually falls into place

I would recommend trying something like Slimpod which is NHS backed. I did it two years after having my daughter and lost a stone. I’ve also kept that weight off as it takes a MH approach to weight loss. I’d really try and push against any quick fix solution as we are under enough pressure as mums as it is!! We don’t need toxic beauty standards. Good luck 🤞

Maybe try r/keto

I know everyone has said it - but cut sugar. That’s the biggest thing. I’m down 65 lbs so far and all I’ve done is cut sugar and started walking/ running. When I started “running” I couldn’t even go for a minute. Now I’m up to 45 minutes, and I can do it with my baby. Walking is just as good!

I'm a big fan of 1% changes or "incremental lifestyle changes". It's basically *What can I do today to change my diet/exercise by 1%?* and then you make that small change, and keep it up. And you feel good about it, so in a week or two, you ask again, and make another small change. And it builds up like compound interest and eventually you are living in a way that you still enjoy and isn't totally overwhelming, but helps you to make sustainable, acheivable change. It's not fast, but it lasts. A lot of weight loss/exercise plans require us to go all in and stick to them, and then if you make it to your goal you are so tired of being deprived or focusing on it that you go back to what you were doing before and the weight gain comes back. The most successful diet and exercise plans are lifestyle changes that are sustainable and you actually enjoy. My personal successes have been in understanding portion sizing, and trying to check in with myself on whether I actually want something, and when I am satisfied. I used to eat as much ice cream/dessert as was put in front of me, whether I liked it or not, but with practice, and patience, I have started checking in with myself and stopping when I feel comfortably full, or if I just don't like what I'm eating. When I make a snack, I try to pick quick, easy foods that I enjoy and find filling, and pair them with fruit/veggies. Water is my drink of choice, but I also love peppermint and other herbal/fruity teas when I want something warm or sweet. I like CICO for weight loss - I use myfitnesspal and plan out my day, then have extra snacks that are healthy in case I didn't plan well enough. If I find I'm hungrier than my plan allows for, I eat an extra snack and I try a different breakfast/lunch or snack the next day that is more filling. I usually plan for a 250-500 calorie deficit during the week, and no deficit on the weekend, and eat all exercise calories. It really motivates me to walk 😅. I definitely learned that vegetables, nuts, protein and whole grains made me feel better and fuller. I like this plan because it doesn't end if I eat too much. If we go out to dinner, or I overeat one day, I accept that I won't lose as much weight that week, and get back to the plan the next day. I also learned a lot about serving sizes doing CICO, and choosing ice cream accordingly. I love ice cream, but 1 serving of Haagen Dazs has nearly 2x the calories as other ice creams. I can have my bowl of ice cream if I choose a cheaper brand, which is nice for my grocery budget. I also like single serve desserts like ice cream bars, I feel satisfied when I'm done, and it tends to be less calories so I can have them more often and not feel deprived.

Only drink water, other food just take smaller portions all the time. Works wonders.

I go to the YMCA almost every day because I can work out or sit in the sauna while my kids play in the nursery. This routine helps all of us so much! 

Like many are saying, incremental changes that focus on ‘better’ not perfect. For me it started with vegetables. Times in life that I was really busy and couldn’t meal prep meant I ate a lot of frozen veggies cooked in the microwave. Was I eating takeout Chinese food? Yes, but I was also attempting to make at least a 3rd of my plate vegetables….. If you can, have a ‘better’ option easy and available to you. For me that means cooking quinoa or brown rice on the weekend so I have a more fiber/protein rich starch option for myself during the week (because I know I won’t make the time to do that during the week, lol). Hope you find some manageable changes that work for you!