Professional Moms... let's group together!

I have other groups online with working Moms... they help me find cool things to do with our 4 year old... help me keep up with my scrapbooking.  But I would love to get into a group of other mothers that also work full time outside of the home... and are trying to lose weight. 

I respect SAHMs... but it's a different perspective to have to pack lunches, work a full day, make dinners on the go and find time to work out as well. 

Here's a bit about me... and hopefully there will be other professional Moms wanting to team up to get rid of some extra weight!

33, 5'5", CW 168; GW 145.  Married x6.5 years; we have a 4 year old daughter.  I work in healthcare 5 days a week (8-6 M-Th; 8-12 on Fri).

tracking food religiously would be a cool challenge.  I'm good about it when I've eaten within my means...and terrible (i.e. don't do at all) when I've eaten over my plan of calories. 

Who would be willing to commit to track and post all caloried eaten for the next work week -- this coming Monday til the next Sunday? June 16-23rd??  Say log in... get your analysis and post here the pie chart, grade and calories part.  Even if we go over...or get poor grades... to just be honest about it and put it out there... to help increase the awareness throughout the day??  Please reply by Sunday night... if you are in... and don't worry if you'd rather sit out. 

Sounds great!  I'll do it!     Starting Monday (which will be starting at midnight for me ha ha)  I vow to LOG everything I eat. 

*praying*  Please eat good please eat good!  ha ha  

Let's see how it goes!!  I'm in!

can i get in?  27, 5'5, FAT about 80 lbs to lose at this point...

single parent, kid is 8, work about 8 to 6 during the week, weekends as needed, studying for another state's bar exam 3-5 hours a day.

i have absolutely no time that is my own.  im exhausted when i get home, and make dinner, do a load of laundry, get the kid in the shower, then study till 12 or 1... all to get up by 6 in the morning, tho the alarm starts going off at 5 for me to work out.

i didnt see any other single parents in the mix....  anyone?

Welcome Drea99!!   You are most welcome to join our time spare, lots to do often a bit tired... group of mothers! I believe you are the first single parent... but I'm sure if the group keeps going... you won't be the last  

I'll add you to my buddy list... and if you keep a journal -- I'll make comments. 

Tomorrow... or maybe you can think of it as tonight at midnight... we are going to log in all calories eaten. (I've purchased a little bitty notebook to help my failing memory).  High calories...low calories... whatever it is... log and post... just be honest.  Maybe we'll get some sort of awareness of where/when our pitfalls are. Also...please post daily if at all possible.

Hi everyone!  I know I didn't say so by Sunday, but I'm in for the challenge starting today! 

We had a rather rough weekend, my 12 y.o. daughter had 4 teeth pulled on Friday afternoon...in anticipation of braces (poor kid), and I didn't do any logging, so starting today will be great! 

I'm jealous of those of you that can ride a bike to work!  My ride is just a little too far for me to be riding....it's about 20 miles one way!!  And the people around here drive like maniacs so it makes me very afraid to even want to try! 

Maybe we could come up with different/varying weekly challenges.  That would be fun! 

On another note...I've gained a pound.  It doesn't sound like much, but when you are trying to lose 40 lbs...and the scale starts going the opposite way...it's discouraging. 

Also, welcome to the new people!!!!

Ok... I have logged the last two days.  I started early... ha ha   Yesterday was pretty good!  Today...  yeah where did that banana bread come from?  ha ha  I am just barley under 2000 calories  :(  and pouting a little bit.

So then I think about my day... it started off great.    I slept normal. Then was up and eating at 7am.  Had double fiber toast with PB and J and coffee.   Had a whole wheat bagle with smoked salmon for lunch had half a hamburger for dinner with a couple bites of pasta and a few french fries.   And a small piece of banana bread.   The I went to bed.  Slept for an hour and got up to start working my night shifts.  This is where I always get stuck... should I start my calorie's over after my nap since it starts a new day for me?  Or should I continue counting and work my 10 hour shift and then start again after I get up....   grrr.......   I can't wait til I only have one job left!!!!! 

How did you guys do?  Enter everything on your sheet??

Hello all ... another single mom looking to join the group.

I'm 31, 5'5", 147 lbs, (edited to add GW 130-135 lbs), 13 year old daughter.  My typical schedule is wake up around 5 am ... leave home at 6 ... drop kid off by 6:30 ... drive 1.5 hr to get to work by 8 ... work until 4:30 ... drive 1.5 hr to pick up kid by 6 ... get home at 6:30 and scramble to get through dinner, cleanup, homework, and get kid in bed by 9:30 ... then zone out with tv or book for a while ... I try and exercise 3x a week which I usually do from somewhere between 10 and 11pm ... and I end up in bed by 12 or so.  It's a hectic schedule but I've been doing it so long it doesn't really bother me anymore.

Ok...I think I'm done for the evening.  If I eat anything else, I'll edit later.  Just got done with a 2 mile run and it's time to shower!  I'm interested to see how everyone did.  I think I didn't eat enough today...especially with a 2 mile run, but I can't find anything else that I want...that's good for me!  I ate my last apple the other day.  Oh...I know...I'll eat a banana.  That's good post-workout food!  Let me add that, and edit my grade, etc.

Here's my entry:

  Fat - 17.9% (28 grams)
Protein - 13.9% (49 grams)
Carbohydrates - 68.1% (241 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 2,169 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 103 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 15 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 9 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 30 grams
Nutrition Grade

Date Calories Grams Fat Carbs Protein Grade 2008-06-16 1,346 1,954 28 241 49 A-

spookrepitus:

I agree....I hate when other people who either have no family obligations go on endlessly about their fabulous life of working out or stay at home moms who constantly talk about being able to go to the gym and chat with their friends.  It always seems like they have these expectations that working Mom's have a choice about our lives.....I guess we do. God only knows I am not sure I would ever be a stay at home Mom, though sometimes I wish I was, but I work because I am the breadwinner in my house and need to work. And I chose to get married and have kids....single women without kids don't have that (at least not yet....).

 

Welcome new single Moms......single Moms are special because they have double duty! I used to be a single mom so I know how hard it is to work full time, raise a child full time, and try and fit in exercise or healthy eating (boy, those Happy Meals look really tempting when you are too tired to cook!!!)

As for the challenge, I just checked this today. I am sooooooo bad about logging my food for the week, but will start today.

 

I had to leave out part of my lunch because it was part of a buffet at Au Bon Pain. I had like 2 tablespoons of a few different salads and pastas. I got a c+ for my day....

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - The Classic Reese's D+ 26 133   Breakfast Iced Coffee with Cream C+ 720 105 fiber 1 granola bar

140   Dinner Avocados B+ 201 322 Mission 10" Low Carb Whole Wheat Tortillas, 8ct.
70 200   Snacks hostess 100 cal cupcakes B 37 100 Total Calories Consumed

999

 

Fat - 47.8% (58 grams)
Protein - 8.1% (22 grams)
Carbohydrates - 44.1% (120 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 1,008 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 34 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 43 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 17 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 50 grams
Nutrition Grade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For some reason my last entry wouldn;t let me add onto my posting after I pasted my analysis.

ANyways, my reporductive endocrinologist scheduled me a appointment with the dietician.  I need someone to really help me plan a bit better. I try to watch my calories and even with my stuff at Au Bon Pain, I know I came nowhere near 2000 calories. I generally try to cook recipes from cooking light, but I am so bad at planning! I am just so busy to really plan well. I either eat too much or too little.

I ended up yesterday right between 1850 and 2000 (I usually add an extra 100 or 150 to my total in case of errors, cuz you know, estimating....).

Sodium is my downfall.  Ugh... weight was up today.

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the new people.  The last few days have been nutty, who’s haven’t right.  Anyway I love the idea of tracking and having challenges.  I try to track what I eat; however, I am not always successful at it.  Like today, I did not get to it, however, I will definitely track tomorrow.  I find it really keeps me in line. 

Does anyone read prevention magazine.  I really love it, One of today’s simple strategies was:  Write before you eat:  Keeping a food diary is proven weight loss tool, but don’t wait until after your meal.  “When my clients record what they’re going to eat, it puts their dietary habits on pause long enough to decide if their food choices are really worth it,” says Bonci

I would say this is true for me, if I log it and see that if I have x instead of y and the calories are less then I avoid the higher calorie items.  Also it helps me when I want to have cookies or something.  I will have say sandwich meat without the bread or something.  Do not get me wrong it is hard enough to track, doing it ahead of time can really be challenging. When I plan my meals first I do eat less - this happens once a week if I am lucky.

Hey I love to bike also, kudos to everyone who has been biking.  I love it, but I know what you mean about uncomfortable seats.  Oh my gosh!!

Snacks, hmm let’s see tortilla, sprayed with cooking spray, tomatoes, basil and low fat cheese then microwave a few seconds to melt cheese. 

Are we going to do a walk, run, or bike for thirty minutes a few times a week challenge?  I would be up for that if anyone is interested.

Oh, gaining just one pound back totally upsets me.  However, I know it is what I am eating.  I am a major chocoholic and the evening snacking always kicks my butt.  Keeping motive also challenges me.  I start out great and then a few weeks into my routine I just do not want to do it.  Like yesterday, I totally did not want get out of bed and did not want to do my workout.  I kept going, but it was tough.

Well, ladies great to read everyone’s posts.  I think I wrote a book this morning.  Everyone have a great day!! 

Keep Smiling :-)

Bran

Hello again,

I just went back and tracked what I eat Tuesday.  I am sure I forgot a few items (selective memory.)  Anyway, here it is: 

Fat - 32.9% (52 grams)
Protein - 13.0% (46 grams)
Carbohydrates - 54.0% (190 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 2,343 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 52 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 142 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 11 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 15 grams
Nutrition Grade

B+
Date Calories Grams Fat Carbs Protein Grade 6-17-08 1,390 1,534 52 190 46 B+

    Fat - 37.6% (55 grams)
Protein - 17.0% (56 grams)
Carbohydrates - 45.5% (149 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%


Nutrition Grade

 

Date Calories Grams Fat Carbs Protein Grade 2008-06-17 1,267 1,598 55 149 56 B+

 

I forgot to log all day yesterday, which is odd for me.  I'm usually on here logging all the time!!  Guess that goes to show how busy my day was yesterday.  Work has been crazy...and I had a rough night last night. 

Anyway, today is a new day.  I'm headed to go get my morning cup of coffee and really get my day started (I only drink one daily)!! 

I have a family reunion coming up in July...and most of these people I haven't seen since I was 13 years old!!!  that's almost 25 years!!  Well, I did see them briefly at a wedding back in the 90's....but still, that's a long time!  And I had lost 45 lbs then.  Now it's all back on and I'm working really hard to lose some of it before the reunion. 

Man...I HATE trying to lose weight!!  It's SO hard!! 

As far as the workout challenge portion...I'm in if we do that!   

Keep up the great work everyone!!! 

Hey does anyone every go to this site?

My friend at work showed this to me today and it looked really cool.

http://www.exercisetv.tv/

Runningbellydancer - I know what you mean losing weight is really difficult.  I get so frustrated and feel like I am sacrificing all the time.  Then if I cheat I feel guilty.  BLA 

branblow - I just went to the exercisetv site...it looks pretty cool!  I can't wait to try some of those exercises!  I think I'll do some tonight!  Thanks for the info on that!!  And btw, yes, I feel the same...like I'm sacrificing all the time and super guilty when/if I cheat! 

OH I am so out of the loop!  I'm in for the challenge...I will have to get the hang of logging here, I do Weight Watchers as well and am really here for the support, so I am used to tracking that way.  However I do at least have a log of food I have eaten all week. 

 

I am up for the exercise challenge.  How about 15 min/day of whatever you would like to commit to for one week.  If you would rather do 30 min every other day or whatever variation you like, you can as long as you do 105 minutes (15 x 7) for the whole week.  How does this sound?  Should we start Monday after the current challenge is over?

OOOkay going to work on logging my food...

yeah, maybe we can come up with weekly challenges.  Starting on Monday sounds good to me, since we are already halfway through this week.  I don't know if we can find that many challenges to keep us going, but we can at least rotate them. 

I dunno...what do you all think?

I can think of a few, at least enough to get us through a couple months even if no one else thinks of any.  I like the idea of each week focusing on a different aspect of our lives....one thing I have learned from WW is how to take care of myself in all aspects of life, not just weight loss.

Er...the log is pretty cumbersome to use.  How do you all deal with it?  Do you tag your favorite foods and use that to find them quickly?  I also have difficulty with putting in homemade recipes...gotta crunch the whole thing into the analyzer first and I forgot to bring all my cookbooks to work with me today