So I did great at first and now Iam just discouraged....my bad eating out habits have returned but obviously not in great amounts of food. I just have no motivation at all...I haven't lost weight in about 4 weeks and I got for my first fill finally on Wednesday after 8 weeks...I feel like I have failed....I dont like alot of foods so I become picky....I am just stuck and need help...I am always on the the go so it is hard for me to prep meals for the week and cook...I probably cook at home 3 times a week....I work 60+hours and have a 4 year old so I am always running around....Anyone else in the same boat or any suggestions...I am completely drained after work and never want to go to the gym... I have been 1 time....

My 4yo loves doing workout DVDs with me. I like Walk Away The Pounds....you can do a mile in under 15 minutes!! You can add some small weights (around 2lbs) and work your upper body too.

Ask your surgeons office if there is a local service to order food from. My surgeon has worked with a former patient to start a band meals service. If you could find something like that it would be so much easier on you...

Until we start getting fills (my first is Tuesday) we are going to be able to eat more than we should. I'm the same as you though, in that those amounts are no where NEAR what I used to consume! Things are going to stall (I gained 1.1 this last week).

As far as the food goes, is it possible to cook on the weekends? I made a black bean lasagna over the weekend, gave us 2 meals plus enough leftovers for 5 lunches (a serving for DH alone or I split it with DD)! A pot of Soup that I also made over the weekend is giving us one meal as a family and a couple of meals with just DD and I and enough left to go in the freezer for another meal later. It took me little time to make these and yet we're getting several meals out of them. Do you see where I'm going with this? You're already cooking a few nights a week, make it count. Cook something thats big enough for a few leftovers later. When you clean up after dinner, portion it out and freeze it. Just today I found a chicken enchilada recipe on here and plan on fixing it this weekend (if you don't want to take the time to actually roll the enchiladas, just layer with tortillas like you would a lasagna). It's another recipe using my 9x13 pan and I'll be throwing at least half of it in the freezer. Check the food & nutrition board here. I also find a lot of stuff on the food network website.

Just some thoughts. Hope it helps. As far as exercise, I have a 2yr old, I'm still working on it for myself, so I'm no help there! Sorry!

Take care and let us know what you get figured out!

Thank you! I wish I could cook and put it away...I can only stretch leftovers until the next day. I work in food Microbiology so I have a problem with it even ifyou freeze it...I am a weirdo....but i have to try something....I work 7 days a week because I am the sole supporter of my son and household...I have to do what I have to do.

Liquidblue,

I *totally* get the overwhelmed thing. As a full-time homeschooler, part-time employee, and the person who is supposed to cook and clean the house, I know there is no time for all of it. I find myself saying, "Well, I could exercise or I could cook dinner. I could exercise or I could go to the grocery store. I can't do both." This is the reality of my life. I could get up earlier, but that would make me miserable and cranky. I don't want to be miserable and cranky.

I can give you tips, but what I most want to give you is sympathy. It's no fun wearing many hats. I'm sorry you have to work all the time. That can be debilitating for sure.

So what to do? I kind of bargained with the hubby (we didn't really talk about it, but the surgery made this clear) that I needed to focus on myself this year. Why have the surgery otherwise? So when it has to be decided if I take the kids to their stuff or exercise, more and more I'm choosing to exercise. I don't get to do it as often as I like, but I'm letting something else go so I can squeeze it in more. I try to let different things go - at-home work stuff one day, laundry another day, grocery shopping another day. It has that "nothing is done right" feeling about it, but I'm learning to live with it.

I eat ready-made stuff a lot. Little tins of tuna are my friends. As are cheese, canned Beans, applesauce, and yogurt. I eat what's easy. The kids also get what's easy a lot, which doesn't add up to great meals all the time, but hey, they can survive it for a year.

I hope some of this helps. It may not help at all - other people's advice often doesn't. If I remember right, you just got back from a trip to Vegas (yes?), and I am at my lowest and most harried right after a vacation. Maybe tomorrow will give you some breathing room in which you can take stock (and maybe decide to let go of some activities?). I hope so.

Edited October 6, 200817 yr by mdhomeschool

I am also a single working parent and can really feel your pain! It is overwhelming to have to prioritize and be rushed constantly with something left undone and I usually am the one losing out, not the kiddo, the job, the house, but usually me...

The most difficult thing is cooking for my daughter, who will eat what I prepare for myself, but still likes Pasta and bread, foods I am staying away from. Also, it is hard to plan ahead. I default to tofu burgers, tofu hotdogs and yogurt when I can't think and have little time to cook.

Be gentle towards yourself, change takes time and consistency...you are doing it.

Dancingbear

All my son ever wants to eat is linquica and mac and cheese.

I like the turkey meatballs that are ready to eat. I just put some marinara sauce on them and pop them in the micro for 1.5 minutes and I have an easy dinner.

I also use the grocery store deli to get easy, ready to eat foods. Our deli has grilled chicken breast and veggies, very easy! They also have some vegetarian selections that are doable.

What about Lean Cuisine? I just don't eat the rice or Pasta when I have them. They are not to bad and very easy to pop in the micro and have a quick meal. You can keep them in the freezer and it gives you a quick easy option that is good for you.

Keep working at it - it does take time to make these changes. It is a challenge that you have to face each day, there will be some bad choices along the way, but just make sure you look ahead to the positive outcome and make a better choice the next time! You can do this!

So I did great at first and now Iam just discouraged....my bad eating out habits have returned but obviously not in great amounts of food. I just have no motivation at all...I haven't lost weight in about 4 weeks and I got for my first fill finally on Wednesday after 8 weeks...I feel like I have failed....I dont like alot of foods so I become picky....I am just stuck and need help...I am always on the the go so it is hard for me to prep meals for the week and cook...I probably cook at home 3 times a week....I work 60+hours and have a 4 year old so I am always running around....Anyone else in the same boat or any suggestions...I am completely drained after work and never want to go to the gym... I have been 1 time....

Blue:

I hear ya on the gym...I am having that struggle too. But as far as food goes, I keep string cheese (low fat) and Buddig meat on hand. The Buddig is 2 oz, 90 cal or 10 grams of Protein. They cost about 79 cents each here. They really help me a LOT. Also, what about tuna? I try to keep the little cans (or the packets without liquid) around for emergencies at home or work.

Good luck and hang in there...you know that you can do this, you have come so far already!:biggrin: