Ah, yes - the inevitable "weight loss" topic that pops up every once in awhile here...
My New Year's Resolution last year was to be in shape/at goal by the time I turned 30. Now I realize that I have been playing around and not really committed to my health, and I only have nine months left. It's still very much do-able, though.
The thing is, I want to start a family soon. DH and I have always said we'd start our family around age 30. But I don't want to be pregnant while I'm overweight - way too many health problems associated with that!
More or less, I'm just venting. I know what I need to do. The problem is that I do it BEST when I'm working out at a gym and/or have some sort of "plan." Right now, I have exactly $0.00 to work with, so joining WW (not crazy about the meetings, but I do like the program!) or a gym is out of the question. But I need to stop making excuses and, as the old Nike commercials say, "Just Do It."
I guess my newest motivation can be, "What do I want more: to stay fat or have a baby someday?"
Any suggestions for an eating plan or an exercise program that I don't have to pay for (Keep in mind, it is November and I live in Minnesota!!)? I really, really, really want to do this...I thought about waiting until my life settles down, but that's never going to happen. With no big events/projects on the horizon (oh, yeah - other than a potential church move ), I'm about as "settled" as I'm going to be! No more excuses. I start now.
P.S. I have a Richard Simmons "Food Mover," as well as his series of "Broadway musical" exercise videos. I know he's cheesy...but has anyone here had success or known anyone who has had success on one of his programs?
I have been fortunate & have not had a major struggle w/ my weight. But I definitely need to develop healthy habits. To be honest, I don't eat as healthy as I should nor do I exercise (unless you count chasing a 16 month old, 4 year old, & 8 year old around the house.)
So w/ that said, my advice to you, knowing that you want to soon start a family, is to eat healthy well-balanced meals, w/ plenty of fiber (there's a tendency to become constipated during pregnancy which can lead to other "pain in the rear" problems), folic acid, etc. It's also not too early to start taking prenatal vitamins to ensure you're getting adequate folic acid. And if you're a heavy soft drink user, I'd start cutting back now & start drinking more water.
Definitely work on getting the weight off before you have the baby. Pregnancy weight is difficult enough to get off, let alone some on top of that. The more you do now the better off you will be. I would advise you too...exercise during your pregnancy. Not anything extreme or dangerous - but under your doctor's care -- exercise appropriately. It's easy to just throw caution to the wind when pregnant because you are gaining weight anyway. But don't. Gain the appropriate amount and exercise within reason.
Take it from me, Puppetmaster. I wish I would have been in shape at 30 Throughout my 30's I was out of shape and I regret it. I am getting in perfect shape by 40. Don't get me wrong - I'm so glad I finally am...but now that I've done it...well, I see how much better it is! And think, "why didn't I do this sooner?" Honestly a big part of it is resources. I understand where you are coming from. Nothing that I do now would have been affordable for me before. I am living in a whole new life therefore...I have things at my disposal that I did not in the past. Quite honestly if I were back in MD, I'd probably still be fat. I hate to say that but not only did I not have the resources there that I have here, but the stress I was under was extreme and here I am not driven as much to comfort myself with food as I did there. Because I am not under the same situations here.
Anyway, I relate to what you are saying and I just advise you -- do what you can do that is healthy and works for you. If the Simmons program is healthy and works...go for it. Eat healthy, exercise 5 times a week if you can. That's what I do...I skip Sundays and then usually one more day. Mondays is often the day I also skip because I'm just so beat. If I manage to exercise Monday then I take Wed. off because it's so busy with church. I always get in five days and that helps me.
I have 9 more months until I turn 40...and I plan on being at perfect weight for my height and age by that time. Just last night my assistant Lindsay was at my house with some of the college girls and we were talking about swim suits for some reason and the topic came up of some pics that Lindsay and I took on the beach of us this past summer. We posed like Sports Illustrated models on the beach in our bathing suits. The funny thing is, the pics came out really good...we both were in the best shape of our lives, and very tan. My dh was scared to death somebody from church would see the pics...he ordered me not to show them to anybody but the funny thing is, Lindsay has one of them taped on the dashboard of her car. She always says, "My gosh PD, look at us...we are two hot chicks!" I must say, if you would have asked me a year ago, I would have never thought the words hot chicks would be in any sentence with my name in it!
Love you...go for it Puppetmaster...YOU'LL DO IT BY 30!!!!!
Thanks for the advice and encouragement, Trace and Deanna!
I whipped out my Food Mover last night - decided that would be the best way for me to go (It's free, and it's set up a lot like WW - i.e. based on the Food Pyramid; you're allowed to eat whatever you want as long as you stay within your parameters...). As far as exercise goes, I will probably either do a video or at least get in a brisk walk each day. DH is planning on buying a PS2 and Dance Dance Revolution with the Christmas $$ he will most likely get from his grandma - that game gives you a SERIOUS cardio workout. Those of you who have kids with PS2's (or any gaming system!) should check it out .
Okay, here's what annoys me about men, though: They take weight off so much faster and more easily than women! My DH has done absolutely nothing in the past few months other than switch to diet soda and cut down on snacking so much, and has lost 15 POUNDS! Then you have me, who was hitting the gym, counting points, etc., and I took off about that much over a year. Two or three months vs. a year. Not fair.
Anyway...we were talking about starting to try to have kids THIS spring. Then I started thinking about how I still have this excess weight, and how diabetes, heart disease, etc. runs rampant in my family, and how a pregnant, overweight woman is a target for both, along with a host of other problems. So DH and I talked about it and decided to hold off for awhile, until I can get to or close to my goal weight.
I'll probably be doing my fair share of whining about it - In general, I'm sort of a junk food addict, and I'll be going through withdrawal, lol!!
I am definitely going to check out that PS2 Dance Revolution. It sounds great.
Yes I think you are smart to wait a little while longer before getting pregnant. Plus, do you want to start out your new job pregnant? Nothing wrong with that, but I'm thinking you will need an awful lot of energy especially if you go from pastoring in a church of 60 to having a kids church alone of 300! That's going to require a lot of energy especially in getting things started - your way. You might want to wait til' you get in the swing of things and then ease into starting a family.
I know you don't have the job yet, but I'm just thinking positive and believing if it's God's job for you, that every light will be green!
), I'm about as "settled" as I'm going to be! No more excuses. I start now.
I must say, if you would have asked me a year ago, I would have never thought the words hot chicks would be in any sentence with my name in it!
