Moms How do you stay in shape?

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Corinne3

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I didn’t want to hijack the thread posed on here by a dad, so i thought this might be good to hear from other moms/women, and thought i’d pose a separate thread for us women.

How do you keep in shape?

I’m the worst one to talk, I’ll start out by saying, because i have been so depressed now for 2 years over my husband’s infidelity, but i really want to start getting back in shape, and getting my life back, with God;s help. And your help.

When i first discovered my h’s affair, i was so distraught, i couldn’t eat or sleep and i lost 40 pounds. i then looked great and wore a size 8 jeans again, like i did 25 years ago. I then promptly gave away all my fat clothes and bought some new jeans, etc. Then when he moved home repeatedly I started cooking up a storm for my family again, (one of my favorite hobbies) and i put on weight again, as we had BBQ’s galore, (my h’s specialty) and he loves to cook too, so I gained all the weight back. UGH. Now am up to a size 12, which is what i am presently. i still look good i think, at 5 feet 8, but i would like to be that size 8 again.

when we get our tax refund, i plan on buying a new bicycle, and going on rides daily like i used to. this is my way of getting in shape, and something i really enjoy, and a great way to get in shape. I just love bike riding. Also no carbs after 4 p.m. I can eat all i want all day, but at night, i must forego all bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, any carbs. This is what i did before and it really took the weight off.

what do you all do? I’m not the “gym type”, but i love to bike ride, love snow skiing, and love jogging. We have a life cycle at home, but i’ve been too depressed to even go on it lately, i’m sorry to say. I hope to change this.

Would love to hear from anyone.😃

I know i need to get my life back, but when you’ve been so wounded, it’s so hard to do.
 
I know you said you’re not the gym type, but I love my Zumba class. Honestly, I could do it every day and still love it.

The classes are offered at many gyms, I take mine at the local Y, but you can also get dvd’s of them to do at home.

I think if you like dancing you’d like Zumba. But well, if you don’t like dancing, perhaps you wouldn’t like it.

For me, I enjoy it because I don’t really feel like I’m working out. I’m focusing more on the music and the movement that I’m not sitting there thinking “another 30 minutes to go?!”. The class is an hour long and it seems like only about 20 minutes most days.
 
Like I said in the other thread, bike riding is awesome. I see you agree. Check out the deals on used bikes. Craigslist is totally great if you can find one that was a good bike to begin with and which has been kept up.

I think in addition to just exercising and eating right, it’s also good to just get out and stay active. We don’t have TV in my house, so we aren’t really couch potatoes. We go to a lot of museums, actually pretty regularly. I also keep an eye out for what local events are going on, particularly ones that are free or low cost and we go to those. We also love the beach.

Almost a year ago we moved to a townhouse, so I don’t really have a garden any more. When we had our own house I enjoyed gardening and even loved to mow the lawn. Gardening can be decent exercise. I totally miss that.

I also bought a book of local hikes and we have gone on a lot of them. The kids enjoy it too. My daughter developed a love for photography I think in part due to hiking.

Corrine, I have been divorced for 3 years after a 1 year separation. Life just gets better and better. Believe that.
 
*Hi Corinne…you should click on the link here in my signature. 🙂 We’d love to have you there. I have always enjoyed running, and had a foot injury a few years ago…thankfully, that’s healed, and I’m back into the swing of that. Just something about running that I love…and I’ve taken to do doing pilates for over a year now, bought a reformer for the bedroom…it’s perfect for strength and ‘‘core’’ training. Find something you love, and you’ll stick with it. 🙂 *
 
Corinne3 said:
I didn’t want to hijack the thread posed on here by a dad, so i thought this might be good to hear from other moms/women, and thought i’d pose a separate thread for us women.

How do you keep in shape?

I’m the worst one to talk, I’ll start out by saying, because i have been so depressed now for 2 years over my husband’s infidelity, but i really want to start getting back in shape, and getting my life back, with God;s help. And your help.

When i first discovered my h’s affair, i was so distraught, i couldn’t eat or sleep and i lost 40 pounds. i then looked great and wore a size 8 jeans again, like i did 25 years ago. I then promptly gave away all my fat clothes and bought some new jeans, etc. Then when he moved home repeatedly I started cooking up a storm for my family again, (one of my favorite hobbies) and i put on weight again, as we had BBQ’s galore, (my h’s specialty) and he loves to cook too, so I gained all the weight back. UGH. Now am up to a size 12, which is what i am presently. i still look good i think, at 5 feet 8, but i would like to be that size 8 again.

when we get our tax refund, i plan on buying a new bicycle, and going on rides daily like i used to. this is my way of getting in shape, and something i really enjoy, and a great way to get in shape. I just love bike riding. Also no carbs after 4 p.m. I can eat all i want all day, but at night, i must forego all bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, any carbs. This is what i did before and it really took the weight off.

what do you all do? I’m not the “gym type”, but i love to bike ride, love snow skiing, and love jogging. We have a life cycle at home, but i’ve been too depressed to even go on it lately, i’m sorry to say. I hope to change this.

Would love to hear from anyone.😃

I know i need to get my life back, but when you’ve been so wounded, it’s so hard to do.
Click to expand...
*Check this out too:

www.spinervals.com

I have one of these workout tapes (there are many for different levels), as we have a bike in the house like you, and it’ll make you sweat big time!! 👍 It definitely takes stationery bike riding to a new level, for sure. *
 
I’m watching this thread and taking notes. I currently wear a size 20 dress and dream of one day getting back down to size 14. With two little kids and working full time, it’s hard to imagine having the time to work out. DH works nights so we can cut down on the amount of time the kids spend in day care, but that leaves me very little time to spend on myself. Any advice on working while caring for little ones? Going for walks is about all I’ve managed to do so far and they aren’t very fitness oriented, more stopping every few feet because someone spotted a pretty rock or a leaf leftover from the fall.
 
samovila said:
I’m watching this thread and taking notes. I currently wear a size 20 dress and dream of one day getting back down to size 14. With two little kids and working full time, it’s hard to imagine having the time to work out. DH works nights so we can cut down on the amount of time the kids spend in day care, but that leaves me very little time to spend on myself. Any advice on working while caring for little ones? Going for walks is about all I’ve managed to do so far and they aren’t very fitness oriented, more stopping every few feet because someone spotted a pretty rock or a leaf leftover from the fall.
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How old are your children?
 
Dear Samovilla:

I remember those days when i also worked full-time and had little kids. It was very tough, i don’t recall i ever worked out then though, i was too busy like you. If i could do it over again i’d…do this…

i would though recommend a Life Cycle or a treadmill. You can do it in front of the TV when the little ones are asleep. That would be a great way to get in shape.

Good Luck!
 
whatevergirl said:
*Check this out too:

www.spinervals.com*

I have one of these workout tapes (there are many for different levels), as we have a bike in the house like you, and it’ll make you sweat big time!! 👍 It definitely takes stationery bike riding to a new level, for sure.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this website–i will check it out.Looks fun
 
I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. First, I’d be positive that you managed to stay a size 12. A lot of women with emotional difficulties could easily get up to much higher sizes than that. I’m a 12 too, working at it everyday. My big downfall is cooking also-- I cook and bake for the kids and then I eat… I’m going to start following your tip of “no carbs after 4” and see what happens.

I see a lot of success when I spend a lot of time on a treadmill watching tv. For a while, I had a rule for myself, “no tv unless I’m moving” and I saw a big weight loss then. I need to start that again. Maybe you could get a stationary bike since you like bike riding. Just an idea…
 
whatevergirl said:
*Hi Corinne…you should click on the link here in my signature. 🙂 We’d love to have you there. I have always enjoyed running, and had a foot injury a few years ago…thankfully, that’s healed, and I’m back into the swing of that. Just something about running that I love…and I’ve taken to do doing pilates for over a year now, bought a reformer for the bedroom…it’s perfect for strength and ‘‘core’’ training. Find something you love, and you’ll stick with it. 🙂 *
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I love running too (mostly on treadmills, but outside sometimes too), but I’ve been dealing with heel spurs in the past several months so that’s slowed me down a bit. From what I hear they usually go away after a while, so I’m hoping to get back in the game sometime soon.

I also love going to the gym when I can… I used to be able to sneak it in during my lunch break at work, but work’s been so dang busy lately… so I normally only get to go on Saturday mornings… it’s better than nothing, I suppose…
 
I’m not a mom (not even female) but I just wanted to shoot this out there-

Even though your not a gym person (don’t blame you at all for that) have you considered martial arts? Many women in my school are moms, and they stay in really good shape.

Just an idea…
 
Eat less and move more.

Use little “salad plates” at your meal instead of big dinner plates. Most of us can cut down what we eat by 1/2 to 2/3 and feel so much better.

Drink water. Cut out soda and sweet (even diet-sweet) drinks. Black coffee, unsweetened tea and water.

Go natural - if you are going to have something sweet, have natural honey or real raw sugar. Eat butter instead of spreads and margarine.

Whole grains instead of white.

Brown rice instead of white.
 
whatevergirl said:
*Hi Corinne…you should click on the link here in my signature. 🙂 We’d love to have you there. I have always enjoyed running, and had a foot injury a few years ago…thankfully, that’s healed, and I’m back into the swing of that. Just something about running that I love…and I’ve taken to do doing pilates for over a year now, bought a reformer for the bedroom…it’s perfect for strength and ‘‘core’’ training. Find something you love, and you’ll stick with it. 🙂 *
Click to expand...
I’ve always been a runner too and my husband ran as well until his hip started giving him chronic trouble. I do alternate a couple days of walking on a treadmill or outside just to save the joints. I’ve been going through a tough stretch with my son the past 4 months and without the running, I’d be a complete basket case. It’s such a stress relief and helps set up the day. The daily running does take it’s toll on the body as the years go on, so adding Pilates makes sense because the flexibility can suffer with running. My “core” has always been something I’ve neglected. I hate sit-ups but maybe I should give Pilates a try.

Before kids, I was an afternoon runner but that was 19 years ago, so I have been a morning running since they were born. I find that I eat better and maintain my weight easier by starting off the day with exercise and it’s not as easy to miss when things come up later in the day. I know that might not work for everyone’s schedule, but for me, getting it done in the morning keeps me on track.

I also started light weight training a few times a week to offset the muscle that we lose as we age. Helps keep the metabolism going and injuries in check.

The added benefit when parents are regular exercisers is that their kids often pick up the habit. Both my daughter and son are regular exercisers and have always been active in sports. I think it helps with building self esteem and stress relief.
 
I’ve been 5’10" since I was 13, and until I went through menopause at 42, never had a problem with weight; I weighed between 130-140 for decades. Post-menopause, it was like a runaway train, and so very depressing. I had NO metabolism and could practically watch the numbers on the scale go up daily.

Last year, my husband was told he had pre-diabetes and should lose weight. In typical male fashion, he attacked the problem, stopped drinking ALL soda, cut out sweets, and rather quickly dropped 30+ lbs. I did the same (we had actually been eating pretty healthy for quite a while) and dropped all of 6 lbs. Grrrrrrr…

I decided I was tired of this, and we bought a treadmill. I have been very good about using it lately; if I have something good to read, I can walk very briskly, at a decent incline, for 30 minutes or so without even noticing, burning close to 200 calories. I feel sluggish if I miss a day. I have taken some Zumba classes, but there isn’t one close enough to us right now. Whenever we get the chance, we will do some ballroom dancing; in the early 90s, we used to dance all the time and I was a size 8.

I have been really watching portion size, as well. We’ve used whole grains, little or no sugar, very little red meat, etc., for many years. I have a 40 year high school class reunion coming up in September, and I just made the decision that nothing tastes as good as being thin would feel; I’ve lost 8 lbs. in the last month, taking it very slowly. I’ve not been hungry, and I like what’s happening.
 
smos said:
I’ve always been a runner too and my husband ran as well until his hip started giving him chronic trouble. I do alternate a couple days of walking on a treadmill or outside just to save the joints. I’ve been going through a tough stretch with my son the past 4 months and without the running, I’d be a complete basket case. It’s such a stress relief and helps set up the day. The daily running does take it’s toll on the body as the years go on, so adding Pilates makes sense because the flexibility can suffer with running. My “core” has always been something I’ve neglected. I hate sit-ups but maybe I should give Pilates a try.

Before kids, I was an afternoon runner but that was 19 years ago, so I have been a morning running since they were born. I find that I eat better and maintain my weight easier by starting off the day with exercise and it’s not as easy to miss when things come up later in the day. I know that might not work for everyone’s schedule, but for me, getting it done in the morning keeps me on track.

I also started light weight training a few times a week to offset the muscle that we lose as we age. Helps keep the metabolism going and injuries in check.

The added benefit when parents are regular exercisers is that their kids often pick up the habit. Both my daughter and son are regular exercisers and have always been active in sports. I think it helps with building self esteem and stress relief.
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*You’re right about the burden running can put on one’s body…so I try to mix it with days of power walking now, and not just running…I think you would LOVE pilates. Look up some good dvds on amazon…or at target, they have some. Also…if you are looking for a piece of equipment, try that pilates reformer–I got mine from HSN. I love love love it. Really has made my back and core much stronger…I don’t think regular situps cut it, enough. :o

EM–I had plantar fascitis (sp?) …I think it’s also known as heel spurs. I had it for over a year! I had to see a podiatrist…and got shots of cortisone…it was all due to running on a poorly built treadmill back then. I hope your foot feels better soon…don’t push the running, because it really won’t heal if you do. :hug1:*
 
*smos–I would be VERY interested in your morning workouts…I would so like to do this, but I admit…I love sleep. :o So how long do you workout in the morning, then? At least maybe two days per week I would like to make the transition. I look forward to your reply. *
 
I’m inclined to be lazy, and for most of my life I thought that I wasn’t capable of being super fit and healthy. I did some gym work, managed to work up to a 5 km run sometimes, and that was about it.

Then my friend convinced me to sign up for a triathlon.

I had no idea how I could do it, but I decided to have a go. To be able to complete it, I had to increase my training, and to my surprise I found that I could do much more than I thought. It wasn’t easy, and it took time to ramp up, but I got there. I also learned to swim in the process, and I’ve now completed four or five triathlons and four open water swim competitions (I’m not really fast but I finish). My suggestion is to book yourself into a competition, and then you’ve got no choice but to train, or not finish. Also try to find a friend to motivate you. My husband hassles me heaps about training, and although I hate it at the time, I appreciate it as well.

Now my friend wants me to do a marathon. :eek:
 
My cousin told me her weight loss secret and that is no carbs after 4:00 p.m… No bread, no pasta, no rice, no potatoes,no chips, cookies, junkfood, just salad, protein, fruit, etc. For instance when you make burgers for the kids, just skip the bun, and have the lettuce/tomato on the side. And i love the idea of using a salad plate too, (thanks) that’s a great idea have heard that before, but sometimes i forget to do it…you can pretty much eat whatever you want before 4:00 though, just watch the after 4:00 p.m. intake, and then exercise daily. Resuming tomorrow…LOL

I never drink soda, just mineral water, but my kids drink way too much of it. UGH. They;ll go out and buy it because i don’t…

Everyone too has a good time for their bodies to exercise. Mine is before i begin making dinner…around 5:00 or so, in front of watching Dr. OZ, or The World Over on EWTN on my Exercise Bike which i really like,t will probably change once i have a job again…we’ll see…when you work, it’s very hard to fit everything in.

Martial arts…hummmmmm

i adore swimming too, but can’t afford right now my Y membership each month. maybe soon…way to go moms~👍

My goal is to get back to my size 8 jeans by summer. Yay~~~hopefully…we all can do it if we put our minds to it~
 
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