Really Need to Lose Baby Weight- HELP!!!

I too recomend weight watchers or a nutritionist. Both will show you how to eat right. And both will let you eat anything in moderation. Good Luck.

I, too, would recommend Weight Watchers. Sounds like you're a true beginner (like everyone once was!) and you could benefit from a strong support group and sound nutritional/exercise education.

A few helpful hints:

-It probably took several years to put the weight on, so don't expect it to come off overnight. It's unrealistic and unhealthy for weight to come off too quickly, and if you come across a program that promises like "lose 30 pounds in 30 days" or some crazy nonsense like that, RUN.

-Understand that you are making a change and a lifetime commitment to a healthy way of life. You need to pick methods that you can do every day...for the rest of your life. Programs that have shakes, meal replacement bars, and supplements without incorporating REAL food are garbage. Pills are the same way. These sorts of programs will do more harm than good and even though you may lose the weight, as soon as you stop 'the program' you'll gain the weight back and then some. What I like about WW is that the program will teach you how to prepare and eat as a way of life, and do so in a healthy manner.

-Any program that is restrictive on calories should be avoided. You should, at minimum, be consuming 1200 calories per day if not slightly more. If you do not eat 1200 calories per day, your 'inner cavegirl' will start holding on to body fat for dear life and you won't lose weight. The body will freak out, thinking "Oh my goodness, this girl is STARVING me! Let's drop our metabolism down really low in case she continues to starve us so that we'll have something to eat!"

-Ideally, you should eat 5 times a day and about every 2-3 hours. This will help blood sugar levels remain consistent (you won't get that sugar rush, crash, and feelings of being sluggish and hungry again). Also, continually fueling your body keeps you from overeating or bingeing at your next meal.

-Avoid any program that requires you to completely eliminate a food group. Carbs are NOT your enemy - simple carbs are. Your body's favorite source for energy is carbs, in the form of complex carbohydates. Simple carbs (refined sugar, white flour, etc.) have little to no nutritional value and wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels, so avoid those. However, complex carbohydrates are not only released more slowly in the body (making you feel fuller longer) but they are also chock full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber - all of which have wonderful health benefits.

-Incorporate both cardio and strength training into your workout plan. Start with walking. 30 minutes would be ideal but if you can't make it that long or do not have enough time, start with 5, 10 - whatever you can do. And, add strength training - www.sparkpeople.com has great programs for at-home to follow. Muscle burns more calories when at rest, so the more muscle you put on your body, the more it becomes like a furnace - burning fuel while you're at rest. The upside? Even if you strength train you won't look like a huge, bulging bodybuilder.

I've been dieting for years, trying all kinds of diets and always gaining back what I lost.

I read Jillian Michaels book Master Your Metabolism a few months ago, started eating right according to her book and also started exersising and have been looking weight. That book is awesome, even for people that are not trying to loose weight, but want to eat and live a healthy life. It talks about all the toxins, chemicals in our food and surroundings and how to eliminate all this stuff. It made me realize that I need to change some things around my house in order for my family to eat healthy...

Try it it will help you loose weight, I lost 20 lbs so far and continue loosing....
Good luck

Hey! Not sure if this will help, but here is a great recipe for a salad that I concocted that is high in nutrition, fills you up, and is easy to prep:
slice --> onion, cucumbers, carrots (shave with peeler), green, yellow, red peppers, a little jalapeno (optional), fuji apples, radish, celery, tomatoes, salted peanuts, feta cheese. Big bowl, mix and eat. (You may add boiled egg, walnuts, avocado, too..)
We used to eat this, with grilled seasoned fish for months and months on end. And then baby happened, and all our fixed meals went out the window! After this second one arrives, I plan on aggressively getting back on our regular meals. Otherwise, as per Carla below, I am going to try weight watchers! :)

I have been on the Eat Right for your Type Diet for 11 years now. When I work with the recommended foods I feel and look my best. I find it less restrictive than many calorie based diets and have personally experienced better weight balancing and an improvement in my overall health.

When I recommend it to my clients, they have similar results.

There are cook books for the Eat Right for your Type Diets and I find them pretty simple to follow. Simple foods are really the best, they digest easiest so take it easy on yourself about being a creative cook. Good basics works wonders.

Over the many meals I have cooked, I find one pan meals you can put in the oven the best. IE: Chicken and veggies with broth and rice - cooks in about an hour and is very simple or Baked Tacos: Layers of Spelt Tortilas (soft) with cooked seasoned protein (beef, chicken or protein substitute) with shredded cheese, chopped veggies and salsa with beans. Layer and bake about 1 hour, serve with a big bowl of cherry tomatoes and carrots. Grapes are a great dessert.

You can cut corners and still use wholesome foods. I agree stay away from boxes and factory food as much as possible. Maybe you can find a local mom who will trade cooking chores a couple of days a week.

Make sure you are getting enough rest. Better to do deli and enjoy the fam than make yourself nuts over meals that will be long forgotten in a few minutes.

If you teach them to eat simple and fresh foods, they will.

J., there are some great recipes online that you can get, just use google and you will find a lot of great recipes.
My husband and I have used a new program called Core 4 that has worked wonders for us! We are both super busy and wanted something that was easy to use and actually worked. Core 4 is just that! Easy to use and boy does it work; I have lost ten pounds and my husband has lost over 14 pounds, all in a month and a half! Shoot me a message and I can tell you all about it!

B.

I recommend going to Weight Watchers. They have a great program where you can eat anything as long as it's within moderation. I have been there for about 10 weeks and have lost 11 lbs and ate whatever I wanted during Thanksgiving week!! Even without working out, I know it's possible to lose weight while going there. Good luck!

the store I go to now has almost 400 different products and they have weight loss stuff such as fiber drinks,weight loss bars and shakes and fat burning bars and shake....http://www.switchingstores.com/fourply
when I went there I just requested more information and they contacted me fast! now I even save money over buying from walmart !!!! try getting more information it was free for me you have nothing to lose except weight!!! Good luck