Newbie here and I would like a little help Please.

Hi Everyone! I am a newbie here 31 yrs,  and have been looking around the site for the last week or so. I have joined because my son and I both need to loose some weight. I am a single mom and have just quit smoking about 8 weeks ago. I did gain a bit after quiting and I have decided that I need to do some more healthy things for my son and I. I am not all gunhoe on loosing 50 lbs right away or nothing. I have tried to take baby steps and change things slowly for us. I have tried to add fruit and veggies to our diet. Which we never ate before. And I am making our portions smaller. I LOVE FOOD!!!!! And I have to start controling what we eat.  I did keep track of calories 1 or 2 days but I need to get back on track. We do walk about 25 mins 4 days a week but that is it. Its still cold and yucky out from winter. IF anyone has any info to help us out that would be greatly appreciated. Meals is the hard thing. I have been looking for diffrent meals that would be good for us. But please feel free to give me suggestions. Thank You!

Hi! Welcome

I'm a single mom, too. I have about 25 to lose...I gained back after losing a ton.

I have a hard time with meal planning as well. When I first started, I did baby steps, too. I started out by not getting extra mayo on stuff.
I tried using the smaller plates, too, so I HAD to have portion control. Which helped a lot, cuz it made me realized the huge portions I was giving my daughter too.
And now, no matter what, I try to leave at least a bite or to on my plate. Every little bit counts, right?

And I just try to keep in mind to not eat so many carbs (HUGE carb freak, I eat a ton of bread and pasta and cereal), and instead get more veggies and proteins. I used to make dinners and it would be a heaping of carbs, a little veggies and a little protein. Now I hardly ever even MAKE the potatoes or the extra pasta, and just leave it at veggies and proteins.

 I have been looking up diffrent ideas for meals but am just having a hard time. Carbs is what is hard to stay away from for me. And for my son. It is hard for him to eat right at school because of school food. I am trying to not make potatoes and pasta but I have never realised how hard it is. Still baby steps though. It all takes time.

I did not lose my weight on weight watchers, but I like their cook books. Pick one up and try a few recipes. When I first started my weightloss program I looked at the first ww book and thought, "that does not sound real good", but most the recipes are quite good.

Keep making small changes.

1. If you use oil for cooking meat use less and use olive oil or smart balance instead.
2. Substitute pork and beef with chicken as much as possible.
3. Drop white bread (and all other simple carbs) and eat wheat and other whole grains.
4. #1 Stop drinking calories (juice, regular pop, popsickles, cream & sugar in coffee, etc.
5. Eat less cheese, red meat, and other high fat stuff.
6. Absolutely nothing deep fried.
7. Be realistic and treat yourself once in a while (Have a steak, small piece of cake, etc) just keep the frequency and portions under control.

As far as children go you should pack their lunch. School food is generally terrible.

You absolutely gotta gotta gotta get exercise. Keep walking but try to do some more vigorous exercise (if approved by your doctor). Find active things you like to do. I play softball and work out on a puching bag. Much easier to exercise if you like it.

You will get there but you have to be focused and reasonable about weight loss. Good luck

Scot

The Chub Chronicles

 

From a post I saw today, grab a deck of cards, have your son choose an exercise and then pull a card...you both try and do the number of those exercises on the card.