What Can I Do to Get Rid of the Big Belly and Spare Tire?

1. Cut all processed sugars out of your diet. If it's not the sugar God put in it, don't eat it.

2. Eat 5 snacks every day intead of eating full meals. Think of your metabolism like a fire. Keep it burning all day long instead of making two bonfires that burn out quickly and you'll have better results.

3. Don't eat after 6pm. Go walking for a full hour each day. Take the girls. They can bike or walk or scoot or whatever. Just get out of the house and walk.

4. Drink 8oz of water right before you sleep.

5. Go to bed and wake up at a reasonable hour, and don't try to sleep in. Being consistent with your circadian rhythm helps increase your metabolism and keep it consistent.

6. Consider jumpstarting your lifestyle change by visiting with your doctor and discussing a cleansing fast like The Daniel Fast or Clean Eating. Stay far away from diets that fill you up with cholesterols and too much meat (Atkins).

Good luck!

TF Plano is correct! You need to eat 6 small meals a day, even if you are not hungry. Your body stores fat when it doesn't not get the proper nutrition and calorie intake. See a specialist and see what your calorie intake should be. If you have a smart phone you can download an app called Fitness Pal, it is amazing! It tracks your calorie intake and so much more! Exercise is the key as well!

You're not eating often enough. Your body thinks it's starving, like there's a famine. It's storing fat. Your metabolism has slowed down so much that it's not burning anything - it's storing fat for future energy needs. That's what happens in nature.

You need small amounts of a balance of protein, healthy fat (YES - FAT) and carbs. You need 5 small meals a day starting today:

Breakfast: try an egg or oatmeal with fruit (frozen berries are fine - put them in for the last few minutes of cooking so they heat up without getting mushy) or goat cheese spread on a warm piece of whole grain bread. No sugary juices but an apple would be great.

Snack: celery with a teaspoon of peanut butter or a low fat cheese like Laughing Cow, or PB on an apple, or a handful of roasted almonds.

Lunch: salad with grilled chicken or tuna (hold the mayo) and some seeds or nuts like sunflower or sesame seeds. Add avocado - a healthy fat

Afternoon snack - anything you didn't have in the morning.

Dinner: broiled chicken, stir fried chicken/veggies/tofu (use olive oil - a healthy fat), fish (broiled/baked salmon, tilapia, etc.). A great way to make either one is to dip it in a beaten egg or some milk, then in a mixture of whole wheat bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese, then bake. You can also make healthy versions of nuggets and fries. tacos/enchiladas, pasta dishes and so much more that will please you and the kids at the same time. I have a zillion recipes I used with my picky eater son and 2 skeptical

There is a great protein powder you can add to a shake, either by itself or in a smoothie that will give you the nutrition you need to keep you from getting hungry. There is a natural peptide that controls appetite and also reduces free fatty acids will increasing the hormone that makes you feel satisfied. You can take that by itself or in another product - it's mechanically (not chemically) extracted and does no harm, does not stimulate the central nervous system, or do anything else. It nourishes your cells so they perform optimally. It's also safe for kids and gives their developing brains the nutritional support they need.

You want to get yourself as well as your children to develop healthy eating habits. Watching their mom not eat, go without breakfast, and just survive on water is not enough. This is going to take its toll on your immune system, your knees, your digestive system, and other things as well.

Sounds to me like your metabolism needs to be jump started. I would recommend two important things to get great success.

1. See a nutritionist. From this trained professional you can get some suggestions and recommendations for how to prepare foods, eating differently, calorie counting and the like. The more you know the more prepared you can be to change your life and loose the weight. A nutritionist may even recommend eating 5 times a day as opposed to only 2. Small breakfast, lunch and dinner with two snacks would keep you having that full feeling while you are addressing your metabolic needs.

2. Fitness. You need an exercise regimen. Consult your doctor on any limitations you may have then get out there and try all kinds of things. Walking is excellent place to start. Begin with 15 minutes of vigorous walking. You should exercise at least every other day. This gives your muscles a chance to recover. Consider signing up for a personal trainer. They can help motivate and push you beyond your comfort level. Swimming or water aerobics are also a great way to burn calories and get fitness. Taking the stairs and parking far from the front door are all ways of getting your fitness in daily.

There is no pill, no quick fix for weight loss just be consistent in what you are doing and you will get there little by little.

You've gotten some awesome advice below! I just want to throw in there how important it is to NOT cut out fat from your diet. Your brain requires fat to function well, as does your digestive system. Be sure to eat healthy fat like those in avocados, olive oil, or nuts. Good luck!

You can't eat only once a day.
Your body thinks it's going into starvation mode & HOLDS onto the fat.
Need to eat 3 meals a day (balanced, healthy ones) & 2-3 smaller
snacks per day. So, in effect, you are eating 6 meals/day (3 reg, 3 sm).
Limit carbs (bread, tortillas, rice, potatoes).
Eat a protein w/a carb (turkey & wheat bread, peanut butter on toast etc).
Lift small weights at home (helps to burn fat & rev metabolism)
Get moving. Walk. Start small. Go a short distance from your home.
Drink lots of water. Strive for 6-8 glasses per day.

If you truly are malnourished (have been eating only once or twice per day for 7 years) and you are 300pounds and moving all the time, you need a doctor because something is medically wrong with how your body functions.

If you eat a healthy, clean diet of reasonably spaced, reasonably sized meals, and exercise a lot, including weight training and strength stuff, you will lose weight rapidly if you are medically normal. Especially if you don't have a huge appetite.

I recommend eating 75% raw fresh fruit and veggies, and 25% everything else, and spacing that out to at LEAST three meals and two snacks so your body doesn't go into starvation mode. And increase your exercise, adding muscle work. A gym can orient you on machines and has various classes that incorporate strength training with cardio.

I don't lose weight at all from walking or "moving around" the house climbing stairs and stuff-even going to park and all that-I'll actually gain it even being "naturally active". I have to add in real work-outs several times per week on top of normal moving to maintain and lose weight when necessary.

It that doesn't work, you need to see a specialist!

I had a personal trainer tell me that you can't spot reduce, you need to lose weight all over. You can do sit ups, crunches and work your core to tighten the muscles which will hold your belly in, but you'll need to lose weight. I find that eating low carb works the best...
Do exercise in small bits...walk at least 2 miles a day and add some 5 lb weights to get the muscles going. Muscle burns more calories. Do squats with our without weights. The large muscle groups burn the most calories.

You are not eating correctly.

I am fortunate to not deal with weight issues but think logically... if you eat once a day, your body is storing fat to live on.

It is better to eat 6 very small meals a day than 1 big meal all at once. Eat in moderation and exercise.

Talk to your Dr. and make sure your blood levels are correct and see if they have a nutritionist on board who can guide you.

aw, sweetie, it's hard, isn't it? you almost certainly need to change HOW you're moving and WHAT you're eating, in addition to eating more often. by limiting your meals to so few daily, your system is constantly hoarding calories, worried that it will have to go too long before it gets fed again.
it's an endless, lifelong dance. you need to make sure you move enough to get your heart rate up, to the point where you can talk but it's difficult. eat more frequent meals, and make sure you're eating primarily plant-based foods, easy on the meats and dairy.
sugar is not your friend.
i get very frustrated because i've made so many great changes, but am still overweight. but it's no good railing against the way we're made. we just have to keep making incremental changes, and making sure they stick.
i'm rootin' for ya!
khairete
S.

You need to see a doctor. Eating twice a day is bad, bad, bad for you.

Like Amy said - if you are moving all the time and can't lose any weight? You need to see a doctor.

I agree with all the other posters - you need to watch and know what you are eating. Smaller meals spaced out through the day is a good thing.

Go to your doctor before you do anything else.

Do not fall for the liquid diets or pills or infomercials that show these people losing weight overnight. It just doesn't happen that way.

While many will tell you that you can "target" your weight loss, it's more important to lose the weight gradually and all over your body.

Eat more often but smaller healthier meals. You aren't eating enough and your metabolism has slowed down a lot. What are you doing that makes you move all the time? Walking and moving isn't enough to lose the kind of weight you are wanting to. You need to get some strength training involved and more cardio. If you aren't breaking a sweat or getting your heart rate up a little while you are moving around it's not doing any good. What do you eat when you eat twice a day? Incorporate more fruits and veggies and find something that works with your lifestyle that will help get your heart rate up (cardio) and can get some kind of exercise to strengthen up the muscles. It doesn't have to be at a gym with weights. Start off with your basic pushups, squats, wall sits, crunches, jumping jacks, chair step ups,plank, lunges, these all work the core and will help you get a good start.

I agree with Gamma G, you need to eat more. I did for many years what you are doing, and gained weight slowly. Got medical advice, and it turned out I was starving myself, and my metabolism had slowed W-A-A-Y-Y-Y down as a survival response. I was exercising like a fiend, eating 1000 calories a day, and getting fat anyway.

What finally worked for me was to divide a 1200-1300 daily menu into 5-6 small meals, and even tho I'm NEVER hungry before noon or so, I eat one or two of those small meals early. That boots up my morning metabolism so I can actually lose weight. My doc thinks I should actually add another 100-200 calories/day, but I haven't been able to accept that emotionally yet. But I did lose 35 lbs. 3 years ago, and have kept it off with no trouble. Just by eating more.

This has also been very helpful for maintaining good blood glucose, since my haphazard eating, plus genetics, pushed me into diabetes 12 years ago. I'm still doing great without insulin. By the way, putting on weight around the middle is often an indicator of diabetic tendencies. Google "metabolic sydrome" for more information on this.

It's also important to keep a healthy balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, while keeping carbohydrates low. Focusing on vegetables keeps my diet really healthy.

K.,

Welcome to mamapedia!!

First things first? Go to the doctor get a full physical and blood work up. Make sure you don't have diabetes or a thyroid issue. You need to make sure don't have health issues that will stop you from losing weight.

next? look at what you eat and how often. You only eat twice a day? your body is in starvation mode and stores EVERYTHING you put it to it as fat. You need to take better care of yourself. Eating twice a day is NOT working for you. What do you eat those two meals? HOW MUCH do you consume???

Plan your meals. You should eat 4 to six SMALL meals a day.

Breakfast could be oatmeal or eggs (2 is fine). Get your protein this way. Bacon is okay as well. It's called MODERATION...

about 2 hours later - have a celery stick with peanut butter or cheese on it and carrot or something else that is healthy.

Lunch - a lettuce wrap, soup or salad with chicken.

about 2 hours later - another snack - apple or yogurt.

Dinner - stick with lean meat - chicken, pork or fish - NO mashed potatoes, rice or noodles...with a veggie or a salad.

Cut soda out of your diet. PERIOD. Cut it out.

Exercise. If you haven't been doing it for a while - then start out small - walking around your block once, then increase to one and half times around the block, then two....then start adding in other exercises...if the gym is not for you - find a community pool and use that...or go to Lake Elsinore and swim there...

This weight did NOT get on in one night. It will take time to take it off. You want to lose basically half your body weight. You need to know the stress taking too much off will cause your heart - this is why I started off with telling you to go to the doctor.

Most people average between 2.5 and 5 lbs a week in weight loss. You will plateau as well...this means - even though you are working out and eating healthier - you won't lose weight. Then there will be times you will gain weight...as you continue down this path - DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED...this takes time. DO NOT go for the fad diets that promise to make you drop 40lbs in several weeks. You will end up gaining it back. the ONLY way to do this is to CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE HABITS....

please STOP eating two meals a day! You are seriously hurting your body doing this.

Drink water, hot tea or iced tea (without sugar) need to sweeten it? use honey or agave - again MODERATION...NO SWEET TEA...

Find out how your body reacts to fruit...I found out that I'm borderline diabetic and I was eating too much fruit - yes, it's healthy for you - however - it's STILL SUGAR - natural or not - it's still sugar....so you need to pay attention to what you eat...

No more Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, etc. unless you are eating a salad. No more processed food.

Good luck!!

I agree that you are probably starving yourself causing your metabolism to go into survivor mode. Maybe instead of 1 - 2 meals per day, you should have 4 - 5 small meals. And walking is one of the very best exercises for losing weight. Get the kids on bikes, skates, or whatever and take yourself a nice brisk walk once or twice a day. The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to change your eating habits, not starving yourself.

Good luck.

OK here's the deal...your body eventually falls out of starvation mode. So if you are eating that way for long enough, the body will just adjust to the new norm. You won't stay in starvation mode for longer than a couple of months. Period.

That said, look at what you eat and drink.
80% of weight loss is about what goes in your mouth. That includes things like alcohol, lattes, "protein shakes", soda, etc...

And like everyone else has said...get your levels checked. You may have a thyroid issue, especially if you have no appetite.

Lots of great advice here. I will say that I never lost my "spare tire" until I started doing a trash pick up everyday while I walk my dog. I used to hurry her along, not letting her sniff the bushes & was just waiting for her to do her "business" Since I need bags for her, I started taking several plastic grocery bags with me, wear a food service glove, bend over & pick up all the trash I see while walking by. I don't even walk particularly fast, sometimes my dog is ready to move on before me.

I had done all sorts of things--gym classes, yoga DVDs, walking with weights, jogging & walking, walking longer distances. walking up hills & although I was in great aerobic shape, I still had that tire.

All the bending has helped me lose the tire & now if I start slacking, my back will hurt because the bending also stretches the back & thigh muscles. Plus my dog gets squirrelly from being cooped up.

Even if you don't have a dog, you could start small, let your girls ride bikes or scooters to keep you company & go around your block or park. Even 10 or 15 minutes will make a difference. Good Luck.