OK! Let me tell you a little about myself and you make up my excersize program!! - Weight Loss Message Board

littleone314 · 12-30-2003, 01:31 AM

I'm 5'3 1/2 at 160-165. I just had a baby 9 months ago and weighed 208 when I delivered. I don't get much time for exersize as I'm with the baby all day long. It's to cold to walk around the neighborhood (so I guess i will have to stick to videos). I want to get to around 120-125. What would be the best excersize routine for me? What should be my caloric intake? Thanks guys! I'm anxious to get onto a real routine. Oh and what are some really good (non expensive) workout tapes for home that will get me sweating and dropping pounds? I'm also thinking about buying Trimspa. I know it comes in different forms (IE. fat blocker carb blocker etc.). Should I purchase the original? Which one did you have most success with?

lovemygirl · 12-30-2003, 03:30 PM

Hey,

Firstly, congrats on the birth of your baby. I just had a baby girl four and a half months ago and absolutely adore her, and i understand about trying to find time to exercise, it is so hard.

Anyway, in regards to your calorie intake, it depends on whether you are BF or not. Most people should not eat less than 1200 calories a day or your BMR (basal metabolic rate) will drop, and your body will go into starvation mode, and then muscle will be lost and not fat. Your calorie intake should not be less than about 1500 if you are BF. They are absolute minimums. After all, it is better to increase exercise than lmit cals too much! Keep in mind also, that 1gm of fat is equal to 7 cals whereas carb and protein are equal to only 4 cals.

As for exercise, i brought myself an exercise bike so i can ride on it and watch movies at the same time. I also take my daughter walking everyday to help. I also have the 'Aussie Fit' program (i don't know if it sells overseas) and that was only $10 a video where most are around $30. Cheap and effective. It's a bodysculpt program that has a video on each part of the body for 30mins and a couple of cardio workouts for 45mins each. They are great!

I have the same weightloss goal as you (120lbs i am currently 140lbs) and i think a sensible diet of 3 meals a day, and an hour of exercise is a simple and effective way of losing weight or at least getting fit.

Good luck

Herd_Fan · 12-30-2003, 06:12 PM

I'd also like to congratulate you on the new addition to your gene pool! I, myself, have no children so I can not sympathize with the demands on your time but I do have a few solutions to offer.

Every morning Denise Austin has a workout show on Lifetime ... if you already have cable than this show will cost you nothing more than what you already pay for cable. The workouts are actually pretty decent and relaxing, which I can only presume would be good for you as a new mom.

Another option is to spend a few days a week at the mall if you have one nearby. A friend of mine who has a 20 month old goes walking with me twice a week at the mall for a little extra exercise. She's a stay-at-home mommy and this gives her a chance to get out and be around people and do a little extra walking as a bonus. I know the demands of motherhood sometimes get her down when she spends all day with Blues Clues and the Wiggles. In the summer we go to the park but during the cold months, the mall is an alternative. Now with the holidays over, it shouldn't be a hectic experience either.

I know you will need to spend time doing normal exercises but walking does help to keep you energized. You can get cheap little step counters at any drug store. Purchase one and find out how many steps you take in a day. Most people average about 4,000 to 6,000. A quick way to boost your activity is to boost the amount of walking you do for normal activities. My doctor recommended "upping" my steps to 10,000 a day. A quick way to do that is to stay on your feet when you would normally sit down. For instance, if you're on the phone, walk around the room instead of sitting on the couch. If you're setting the table for dinner, carry one thing at a time instead of stacking plates and silverware and then placing them on the table. I know it doesn't sound like much but it helps. Also remember, you will likely gain a little extra muscle mass with a new baby so that's a freebie weight training exercise. My friend has developed some pretty good arm muscles from picking up a little one for the past 2 years.

These may not be the recommendations you were looking for but I hope they help. I regularly go to the gym but I know that may be a tough task for you between naps, feeding, changing diapers and playtime. Good luck!

TheLizzy · 12-30-2003, 08:16 PM

I've heard of exercise classes that incorporate your baby into them, perhaps look into one of those? Another idea, once your baby is old enough, is to take those parent/child swim classes in shallow water.
Can the baby's father help you out at all? You didn't say you were a single mother, so perhaps daddy can take care of baby a couple nights a week so you can take a pilates or step class or something. Sure, daddy probably works, but being a domestic goddess is hard work too! Tell him that you need this for yourself to make yourself a better mother/wife/lover, everything. Good luck and congrats!

P.S. I admire your weight loss goals. They are reasonable for a person your height. Thank you for not saying "I'm 5'3" and want to be 98 pounds. If I read one more post like that on this board, I'm gonna throw up.