I include the above photo not to embarrass Heather with our hopelessly outdated costumes (we were Britney and Kevin, y’all), but to show how seven years ago I was impressively thin. Like Kevin though I have added some poundage since then, and see no sign of going back.
The scariest part of this is that statistics show people continue to gain weight as they age. This holds true even with people who exercise regularly! People who exercise regularly do gain less though. Oh goody.
So obviously I need to start exercising regularly to “gain less” as I age. Problem is, it is a lot harder to motivate myself to exercise these days. When I was a bachelor in my twenties I used to exercise in order to be more attractive to women. Now I need to exercise for my “health” and “quality of life.” Those are significantly less exciting motivators.
But I have to do it anyway and stop lying to myself about how much exercise I get. I need to stop saying stuff like, “I may not work out anymore, but I get plenty of exercise running after the baby all day.” Right, Mike. Like “running after the baby” is equal to an hour long cardiovascular work-out.
I also need to stop lying to myself about how gaining weight really isn’t that bad. I need to stop thinking stuff like, “When Annie is older I’ll make an awesome Santa for her!” or “For Halloween I could dress up as Orson Welles!” These are not satisfactory excuses.
It’s not easy to find the time to exercise though once you have kids. I have a friend who gets up at five a.m. to exercise before tackling parenting and work. Yikes! I don’t like to exercise after sleeping in, let alone before the sun comes out. Seriously. Paul McCartney could be performing an acoustic set in my living room before dawn and I’d still stay in bed.
The other option is to be the guy who runs around pushing his kid in a stroller. If that’s how it has to be done so be it, but there’s something weird about stopping your jog to change diapers and pick up dropped sippy cups.
What do you and your husbands (especially your husbands) do to exercise after kids? I need help, because otherwise I’m going to be Santa Mike way too soon.
Dudge OH says:
The only post-kids-being-born exercise I’ve done is some rugby. I married it to reducing the carbs and processed food intake in my diet and within a few months I’d dropped 35lb and felt great, (even though I was still way too far over the wrong side of 200lbs), but a shoulder injury put pay to that. Being away from the family two nights a week and on Saturdays strained things a little, too and now, there’s a multitude of excuses why I haven’t gone back.
Jennifer says:
My husband bought a year pass to a gym near his office to use at lunch time or directly after work. Then the roof caved in. No, literally, a section of the roof collapsed. Is that the most awesome excuse for not working out ever?!
Shevaun says:
My husband works at a place that requires regular, consistent manual labor. So now, he’s pretty thin…and now I need to go to the gym. Like, now.
sarah says:
I did a boot camp to get me going. My husband is rail thin and in the army. He does have buddies pushing tape. On the weekends we are active as a family. running in the parks, playing soccor or flag football with neighbors. We also invested in a wii. It gets you up and moving. I really like the yoga and zumba for the wii. You will seriously burn the cal with zumba.
I also met with a nutrtionist about what my daily caloric intake should be and what meals would be good. I was able to meet with a chef to help show the meals and how to prepare. I also learened how to properly read a label on stuff. Who knew it could be read wrong? I love the biggest loser cook books. The food is fantastic! Really tasty. Good luck Mike.
sarah says:
I did a boot camp to get me going. My husband is rail thin and in the army. He does have buddies pushing tape. On the weekends we are active as a family. running in the parks, playing soccor or flag football with neighbors. We also invested in a wii. It gets you up and moving. I really like the yoga and zumba for the wii. You will seriously burn the cal with zumba.
I also met with a nutrtionist about what my daily caloric intake should be and what meals would be good. I was able to meet with a chef to help show the meals and how to prepare. I also learened how to properly read a label on stuff. Who knew it could be read wrong? I love the biggest loser cook books. The food is fantastic! Really tasty. Good luck Mike.
Elle says:
For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to exercise and I never realized how difficult it is and my daughter wants my attention as soon as I start.
I’ve been trying to eat healthier too and not scarf something like peanut butter cookies. Of course that’s just an example because I would never do such a thing. Ha!
suzanne says:
P90X
Betsy says:
My husband runs, sometimes pushing the runner with the toddler, sometimes alone while I watch the toddler. I go to yoga at the gym. I get up reeeaaallly early one day a week and then fit the other times in around my husband’s schedule so he’s home with the kiddo.
Nicole says:
My husband gets up and goes before work everyday.
Sherri says:
Manual labor. My husband does lawn care…and he refuses to get a riding mower. He is outside 6-10 hours a day sweating, walking, lifting, etc… The crazy thing is, he doesn’t consider this exercise, and still wants to go to the gym. On the other hand, I am going to be Mrs. Claus very soon…
Christina says:
Maybe you could join a recreational sport group that meets 1-2 times a week. That way you see it as just playing some sports with the guys?!
Kris says:
It’s not just the exercise. It’s your diet. In fact, there are scientific studies (and anecdotal evidence) that it’s more diet than anything else.
Back in September, I started working out at the Y every single day. I also started being more careful about what I ate. After 6 weeks, I had lost about 15 pounds. Then I wound up with bursitis in my knees and had to lay off the walking I had been doing. I was on crutches.
Guess what. I continued to lose weight with just the eating better and *no* real exercise, except hauling myself around on crutches for about a month. Today I am about 40 pounds lighter than I was when I started, and I never re-commenced the exercise.
Kris says:
Oh, and my husband who swims every morning for an hour? (Gets up at 4 AM to do so.) He hasn’t really lost any weight. Why? He still eats poorly.
Heather says:
With 2 kids, a work at home spouse and a home daycare… I totally get the whole ‘there is no time thing’. I started going at 5:30 in the morning so I could get in a whole work out. It sucked at first, but now it’s just part of my day.
Claire says:
My husband gets up at 4:30am every day to run before work. Rain, shine, snow, blizzards. Everything. No excuses. He’s slightly insane!
I drop the kids at the gym daycare most mornings so I can workout.
Holly says:
My husband gets up at 4am to go before work. He doesn’t start work that early, but we alternate taking our daughter to the sitter and we have to leave the house at 6am for that so it’s just the routine. I work 7-4, hour commute, do the evening routine (dinner, play, bath, bedtime) and then go to the gym when my daughter goes to bed, usually around 7:30pm. It’s tough to get started, but once you establish a routine it’s hard not to go without feeling like you missed a piece of your day. Good luck!
Porscha says:
I haven’t been able to get myself up any earlier than my daughter wakes me, so I either run at lunch (I work outside of the home, so this is really the only “me” time I get, or at least have given myself at this point) or I hop on my elliptical after she goes to sleep and watch whatever shows I have accumulated on my PVR.
DefendUSA says:
Do you like cottage cheese? Fat-free cottage cheese? My husband got pretty big…he was successful at “Body for Life” (Bill Phillips). But now, he runs and really cut back on the eating- he has lost 18 pounds in 6 wks.
Some tips…diet soda can make you crave carbs…if you take sleeping pills like ambien- you may be snacking and not even know it…small meals, less carbs-always!
Cardio is the key as much as people hate it….
Jessica says:
Mike – You and Heather must.get.KINECT! Heather needs to pitch about how she can tell everyone on earth on great it is on this here blog (so maybe just maybe you could get one for free or at least one to test) — plus you get to play AND work out. I play with my 9 year old and after an hour I’m sweating and the next day I’m so sore I can barely move. Annie will love it because she can pretend like she’s playing until she’s big enough to actually play.
Linda Campbell says:
I give my husband an hour every morning to go for a BRISK hour long walk. Without changing his eating habits much, he has really toned up and lost weight.
He needs that hour to himself everyday. We are both raising our three year old (busy) son.
Walking is also a great stress reliever, clears your head. Your new house looks like a perfect neighborhood to walk around in. Congratulations!!
Lacey says:
All these crazy husbands get up before work, but some people just aren’t morning people. My husband goes for a run after the kids go to bed. Or, I take over bedtime duty (he stays long enough to help get them in the bathtub), and he heads out for a run. That way, he’s not missing much time with the kids after being away from them at work all day.
That, or, we trade. One of us ‘rushes’ home from work to head out for a run (or to the gym) while the other picks up the kids from the sitter. Works for us, and the exerciser isn’t missing time at home with the kids. But, if you have a long commute, this probably wouldn’t work…
Good luck!
Kim Q says:
My husband has managed to lose about 50 pounds in the last few years. He goes to the gym 4 times a week- one weekend day and then he leaves work early 3 days and makes up the time with working at home while the kiddos are asleep or with mommy- he does computer work so this is feasible. It does not impact family time this way.
He also tries to eat healthy 6 days a week. He allows himself a cheat day on the 7th day to pretty much eat whatever he wants. This is really the only way it would work for him because NO WAY could he wholeheartedly agree to remove all “yummy” food from his diet forever. This also allows for things like holidays where your food intake might get out of whack- those are just your cheat days- then back on the wagon.
I am proud of him for sticking with it (even with a few lapses it is easy for him to get back on his plan) and only wish I could be as dedicated!
Shan says:
Being a mother to four kids..I don’t have the luxury of leaving the house to work out. A couple of months ago, I got a treadmill and started working out. Sometimes it is a struggle to force myself on, but if I don’t …I feel like I’m cheating myself. I slowly added in some weight reps..and am seeing results. Not a huge drop in pounds..but in my fitness and the way my clothes fit as well. I am also super proud of myself!
Deborah says:
I’m not an exerciser AT ALL, so I did Weight Watchers last year and lost 27 pounds, just by following the plan, watching what I ate, and not going overboard. If you can’t carve out time for all that exercise, maybe you can just monitor what you eat? I’m turning 32 this year and the poundage is so, so hard to deal with sometimes. I used to be thin as a rail, but like you, the metabolism has slowed down and I have to actually watch what I eat.
Lori R says:
About a year ago my hubby and I started doing low carb. He has lost about 60 lbs. We haven’t really worked out but 2 days ago we did start jogging about 1/2 mile and hope to work on that. Good luck in your weight loss!
Lori R says:
Also might add it’s important to have a “cheat” day to eat something you really want. Not to go over board with it but you can get burnt out eating the same things all the time.
Dawn says:
My husband goes biking 1-2 times a week at night after the little one goes to bed. I used to do exercise videos at night, but recently joined the gym at work and now I hit the gym during my lunch break and then eat while working later.
Angel says:
Hubby and I sign up for quarterly 5k, 10k or mud runs to keep us motivated. Since we both work full-time we take turns going to the gym at night after the kids are in bed… which is normally around 8 pm. I get Mon/Wed he gets Tues/Thurs. Then on the weekends we all do something active together, stroller jogs, park, bikes, etc.
Pros for Nighttime workouts:
1-The gym is emptier, except for January.
2-Only serious people are there, not a lot of chitter-chatter.
3-After-gym sex is AMAZING!
Cons for Nighttime workouts:
1-Extra energy burst before going to bed, which is why #3 above works out so well.
sarah says:
My husband and I take turns going. One stays with the kids, the other goes. We both are committed so we take turns. I work too and don’t like to miss seeing them after work from 4-7, so I often go at 7 pm since we put our twins to be by then. Giving up the evening relaxing on the couch was no fun though. I’m not so good with anything before 6 am so I just can’t get up early to exercise like you.
Michelle says:
My husband is a runner. He doesn’t do it with kiddos in a stroller, though. I watch them while he goes. And then he watches them while I go to the gym. It’s certainly not perfect and one of us often gets the shaft when the kids/work/workout schedules collide. We also have Wii Fit which is surprisingly fun and, with our competitive natures, can work up a sweat.
Ashley says:
I think you’re on your way – because first you have to decide to DO IT!
This is what I did: Told my dr. I wanted to lose weight.
She told me to watch my calories, exercise and whatever I put in my mouth – I have to document it. So I started keeping a journal… I know it sounds like a pain BUT it helped… I didnt want to write it down and be accountable for it – so I didnt eat it.
Then I went to a nutritionist. She told me about myfitnesspal.com. You can use it as a journal, it tells you how many calories you should have and when you put in what you eat- it subtracts and tells you what you have remaining. Then my husband got on board. We try to walk every night… even if its just 15 minutes… we load Jaxon (14mos) up in the stroller and walk around the neighborhood. We’ve even gotten up to 2 miles… now in a perfect world we would do this every night, but that just doesnt happen. But a little activity helps, so whatever you can do -DO.
Sooooo… in 28 days – I lost 14 lbs. And I’m still doing great. My 2 friends @ work are a lot of support, we keep each other honest. And I have to be accountable to someone now – my dr and my nutritionist…. so that helps too. One of my friends said the 3 Ws help her – Walking, Water and Watching…. being aware of what you’re eating is a huge help!
Anyway – try the myfitnesspal… I use it on my iphone. And I love it.
Good luck!!!
Erin says:
Ashley, Whoops! I basically wrote this exact same comment without reading yours first. We use myfitnesspal.com and it is amazing!!!
Diana says:
My husband and I struggle with the same thing all the time. I have been trying to walk at a park next to my office for about 30 minutes during my lunch hour, which helps. We have also started “weighing in” every Monday, and then writing our results on a calendar in our kitchen. Seeing how fat I am in writing every day gives me some motivation, as does my competitive streak to lose more than my husband! Good luck.
Amanda Joy says:
My husband rocks at going to the gym, me… not so much. The gym is my husbands favorite outlet from the rigors of medical classes. He is so stressed, that for the most part I just let him go and burn off some steam. The gym also helps with his anxiety and his narcolepsy… so I can’t deny him that sense of well being.
I need to be more like him. Not to be thinner, but to be more healthy. Good luck on your quest:) My best investment for exercise was a nice bike trailer that can convert to a jogging stroller.
Erin says:
Well, Mike, I’d say that you’ve made the first step by recognizing that you probably need to be healthier and that running after Annie all day doesn’t equal enough exercise to keep the weight down – and that first step can be the hardest one – to stop making excuses. I started exercising daily about 9 months ago and the weight didn’t start coming off until I started focusing on my nutrition. Then, I consulted my Dr. and it turns out that nutrition is about 90% of weight loss/gain and exercise is simply good for your heart….and since then I’ve lost 50 pounds and my husband has lost 20. So I work out during lunch and my husband works out in the mornings while he runs/walks the dogs. We also got an elliptical (very cheap, used one) that he and I use at night. In terms of nutrition, I highly recommend using myfitnesspal.com that is the website we use on a daily basis to track our calories and we started seeing results immediately – it was almost scary. Good luck, though! It’s tough to get going but once you start losing weight and feeling healthier, you’ll be happy – at least we are….
Jerilee E. says:
I have 5 kids. I got up at 4:45 this morning and ran 7 miles. It sucks at first- but I weight less now than I did when I graduated from high school… so it’s worth the early rising
Lacie says:
I did the 24 Day Challenge through Advocare and basically retrained by body to eat to nourish myself and not for fun. I still splurge every now and then but because I’m getting all the nutrients I need by continuing supplements through Advocare I don’t have all the weird cravings anymore. During the challenge I dropped ten pounds and continue to drop as time goes on. It’s a good way to kick off any weight loss plan because it gets you in the right mindset about eating.
Cara says:
I get up early 2 x during the week to exercise plus add 1 weekend day. I also do Weight Watchers, and the combo has allowed me to lose 15 lbs so far. I love WW, and they have easy online tools plus a program geared towards men. Getting started is the first hurdle. Good luck!!
Beth says:
Hey mike! My husband struggled with this also. Recently he’s started getting up at the time his alarm actually goes off (instead of snoozing until…. the child comes in and wakes us up) and taking a 30 minute walk and then he takes another one right before he comes up to bed. It’s not huge but if you’re so inclined you could do some sort of C25K situation and run/jog in those times instead of walk. He has only been doing it for a couple of weeks but I think he realized that time to work out was never just going to present itself so he had to make some minor adjustments. And they really are minor. You can do it, K-Fed!
Rebecca says:
I just want to get a treadmill so I can walk here at the house in the comfort of room controlled air (heater in winter and air conditioner in summer). I only have about four readers on my blog so waiting for someone to sponsor a few posts about a nice new treadmill isn’t going to happen. Maybe I should go ‘hook it’ on the street corner to earn some money so I could buy one????? Huummmm
Elizabeth says:
My husband bought a bike and he loves it. We are looking for either a seat attachment or a trail along seat for our 14 month old so she can join in on the ride. I too will be getting a bike next month to join in. Once Annie is old enough there is a tag a long attachment to the bike you can get. That is our plan so our daughter feels like she is riding with us but we have control of where she goes.
Erin says:
I agree with the above commentors, you have taken the first step by being honest with yourself about your health. It’s good to rephrase things into an “I” statement. Instead of saying, “There’s not enough time to exercise because x,y,z.”, think “I don’t make the time to exercise.” This will put into perspective that you need to do this for yourself and it will only benefit your family in the long and short term.
As far as when to exercise, you could join a gym and go after work a few nights a week. Also, watching portions is a great thing to do. Many people have no idea how much they are actually eating in one sitting (in terms of size and calories). The gym that I go to in IL has a free childcare area for members. That way you and Heather could go and Annie could spend an supervised hour playing with other kids. Everybody’s happy!
Pattie says:
Like you, we’re not morning people, so we force ourselves to work out in the evenings. We do it by trading off who watches Coraline so the other one can work out, then switch. If we didn’t do that, we’d never work out.
Now to eat better ….
Stephanie says:
I agree it’s really about the food that you eat, like the fuel you put into your car. My husband and I both switched to a plant-based diet (recommended in “The China Study” by Dr. Colin Campbell, Bill Clinton also switched to this diet to save his heart). I lost 40 lbs after the 2nd baby. I jog and do karate once a week, take moderate walks in between. I am more fit now than I was in my 20s. My husband lost 20 lbs of the sympathy weight. A well-balanced, low-fat, high-fiber diet, avoid processed food, focus on whole-food in its natural packaging, are what we are supposed to eat. If we want our children to eat healthy, we have to set up an example for them. We’re in our 30s, and if we don’t take care of ourselves, it’ll all go down hill from here!
Amy D. says:
This is a life-long battle in our house. That is only partially an exaggeration. Do you work all day and then ignore your child so you can exercise? Do you not exercise at all because it takes time from being with your kids?
My husband and I trade off in this department because there is no right way to do it and you will never feel 100% great about your choice. We both work full time and our two girls (3 and 16 mo.) are in daycare all day. Three days a week we get up early around 530 or 6 to work out before the girls wake up. the other 2 or 3 days we exercise after work. one of us cooks dinner and feeds them while the other exercises, then the other person exercises after dinner while the first exerciser gives them their bath.
as much as you love your children, you have to make time for you – at least 30 min. a day – so you can be a good healthy parent for them. yep, it sounds and feels totally selfish, but you HAVE to do it.
ps – I switch off doing Wii fit workouts (yoga/strength) with Jillian Michaels 30-day crunch. I love to hate her. my husband plays old-guy basketball 2 mornings a week and then does various P90X workouts every other day.
you can do this Mike!! especially in your fabulous new house with more room
Amy D.
Hezzie says:
I can’t do the 5 am thing either. The most functioning I do that early is making coffee. So we bought an inexpensive treadmill for the basement and run when the kids go to bed/nap.
amy d says:
I think you’re on to something with the stroller running thing. My husband does it with our son. He’s even pushed him in 5K races. Jackson (our2 yr old) LOVES it!! In fact, when he was about Annie’s age and younger, he always fell asleep during the runs. A rested baby AND a fit husband….win/win for me;)
Get in a routine with something. You’ll feel better and subsequently look better too.
sohobutterfly | natasha says:
I recently discovered the joy of workout videos. I pop one in when the babe is sleeping and sweat off the pounds. I am currently doing the 30 Day Shred right now and… ohhhhh boy. Enjoy!
PS: I also track calories (and exercise) through MyFitnessPal, but that’s going hardcore… not sure you want to go there. :o)
Mom in MN says:
I go to the gym at 5am before anyone is awake at my house so that I can get home and showered by the time the kids get up at 6:30am. I hate it every morning, but I have to admit that I feel better on the days that I do go.
Amelia says:
My husband is in charge of bath/pj time/start of story time. I use that 45 minutes for exercise. I have a treadmill in my bedroom, and when she’s all ready for story time in our bed I take a quick shower and join them. It’s working very nicely and I greatly appreciate the time. He doesn’t exercise. So he’s on his way to be santa Josh too. Interesting.
aqua6 says:
I lost 40 lbs. last year to get to a really good weight — very healthy BMI too. I’m now about to deliver a 2nd baby and I weigh the same at the end of this pregnancy as I did normally before! Like others have said, 90% of it is diet and the other 10% the exercise. I did a challenging stroller exercise class – yes they exist, so baby could be with me and we were in a park. It was very affordable and an hour at a time, offered once a day. But the major change was diet. No soda, junk food. Mostly ate vegetables, some fruit and carbs and about 4-5 oz. of meat per day. It does matter what you eat, not just total calories. I think that’s where diets fail is thinking you can eat 12o0 calories of cookies per day. Yes you can lose weight initially this way but not keep it up. I felt so much better once the first week was over. Apparently the less meat you eat, the less sugar you crave and vice versa. Good luck! I can’t wait to deliver and get back to exercise and better eating.
Bradley at AmateurParent says:
This post! Wow. Hits home. I clocked in at 196 lbs on December 31, the heaviest I’d ever been in my life. I didn’t even bother to index my BMI at 5’8″, I’m sure it would have read, “obese”. A likely combination of pregnancy sympathy weight, followed by premature baby stress weight, followed by infant confusion weight followed by…well, you get the drift. Anyway.
My wife and I joked that we had “fat 2010”, so we needed to make it a “fit 2011”. Enter mandatory 30 minutes minimum exercise a day. Walk, jog, whatever. Just to be moving!
The answer? Make yourself accountable in as many ways as possible. Keep a calendar. Get a consistent running buddy (maybe another dad who’s not too happy about his weight?) Bring the kiddo along in the jogger (believe it or not, -most- kids actually enjoy the scenery). I can get a solid hour run in with the munchkin with no fussing. Who knows if/when that will change, but for now. Awesome.
Anyway, accountability was key for me, and I find myself beholden to my “cardiotrainer app” on Droid, along with a buddy of mine who I can count on for runs at least 3 days a week.
B
mommymae says:
i run with my kids in the jogging stroller. just today i happened to have all 4 kids at school and ran 4 miles all alone. it was bliss. my husband gets up at 4:30 to run since he goes to work at 6.
TracyKM says:
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Babywearing! Put Annie on your back in a wrap or mei tai, and get housecleaning! Or packing! Go for a hilly 2 mile walk. You have to have good posture when walking up hill/stairs with a baby on your back….not like ladies who push the strollers uphill, practically bent in half at the waist. Good posture means you’re working your core And, it’s fabulous for the legs and butt. All it takes is 30 minutes, plus a little here and there when you’re out and about. You get weight bearing, muscle building, AND cardio at once! And don’t forget that muscle building is more important than long cardio sessions (Jim Karas “Cardio Free Diet”).
Lisa says:
We are the greatest at working out anymore either. Last year we did sign up for our local rec center. We take turns going to the gym after our daughter goes to bed. On the weekends we’ll sometimes head over as a family and one of us will take the kiddo swimming while the other one works out. It works pretty well but working out after kids is definitely harder.
Wallydraigle says:
I have a protein shake every morning for breakfast (scoop of unflavored whey protein, some fat free yogurt, a banana, and some frozen berries all in a blender; sometimes I add almond milk or a little agave nectar). I think, along with weight lifting, this is what has made the biggest difference for me. We got an elliptical over a year ago, and I continued to GAIN weight despite regular exercise. It was only when I started eating a high-protein breakfast and added in some weight lifting that I started to lose weight.
I do have to pay attention to what I eat during the day, too, though. Mid-morning protein snack (usually a hard-boiled egg), light lunch (sandwich on whole wheat with lean meat and lettuce), handful of trail mix mid-afternoon, and–here’s the best part, and I think what enables me to stay on this diet–WHATEVER I WANT for dinner, within reason. I don’t eat past fullness, and I don’t bathe in deep-fried foods. In the evening, I’ll have a bag of popcorn (made with canola oil, no butter, but lots of seasonings, like curry powder, or garlic, or whatever strikes my fancy), and if I’m still hunger, a teaspoon of protein powder in milk, or an apple or some carrots.
I drink water like a fish. No soda, no juice, only my first cup of coffee of the day has any sugar at all.
I do a quick, easy workout (20 minutes) when the girls are napping just to get myself moving and my afternoon sluggishness to go away. That’s also the time when I’m most prone to lazy eating; exercise helps regulate blood sugar. And then at night, after bedtime, I do my full workout: 20 easy minutes elliptical, weightlifting, then 20 more minutes (MWF), or 40 minutes of harder work (MTT).
I have lost only 14 pounds in the last three months, but I’ve gone down two whole pants sizes. I have muscle definition in places I didn’t even have it when I was 16 and swimming four miles a day.
Talia says:
I don’t have the same time restrictions as you, no babies here, but I am planning a wedding and have managed to pack on an extra 20 lbs since i met my fiance 4 yrs ago. No likey fat bride.
I’ve always been a bit of a runner, and when i kick it up i always lost weight…so 4 months ago I signed up for a 1/2 marathon and stuck pretty well to an adjusted training program (I have injuries that prohibit the dreaded 3-4X/week runs). I basically do 1 long run a week and 1 short, fast run a week, with some cross training in between, and I’ve lost about 11 lbs since starting that with very little change to my diet. Cut out the worst of it, like massive breakfasts every saturday and sunday mornings, but besides that i still pretty much eat what I want.
For me, having something to work towards is the biggest motivator. I don’t want to have to be ambulance assisted on the side of the road during the 1/2 marathon.
Nona says:
Dude, you need to look good for your wife, Heather, or she’s gonna find herself another man!
Just kidding, you’re adorable, and I’m neither married nor particularly fit, so I don’t have any /real/ advice.
alimartell says:
Do you play any sports?
Gabe plays hockey 2-3 times a week…and he is committed to his team, so it forces him to go.
Kristin says:
Change your diet. I recommend the paleo diet (or as I say, lifestyle) or as close as you can get to it. You will be amazed what cutting out grains and sugar will do for you. I’d also recommend crosstraining as the most effective form of exercise. You can do it at a CrossFit affiliate or just do it yourself with a few pieces of equipment. Tons of workouts and info here – http://www.crossfit.com. I’m pretty petite and was by no means overweight, but I lost 8 lbs of fat in 6 weeks by adhering strictly to paleo and doing CrossFit 3x per week (and walking my dogs). I had been doing CF for a year, but really slacked at the holidays, but still… the major change was diet. I now do a modified version (I allow myself a few cheat meals and have added in limited dairy) and have lost another couple of pounds. It was tough the first week or so, but after that, I don’t even miss the “crap.” Feel free to e-mail me if you want to discuss further. I truly cannot say enough good things about my overall health, energy, fitness, etc. after changing my diet, and I was one of those people that said there was no way in hell I could ever do that, because I love all food. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Carin says:
I’m not a parent, but I’ve been doing a series of exercises with my husband that have helped us both and have doubled as a nifty couple-bonding exercise.
We basically use each other as weights – I jump on his back for his squats and put my legs on his back for added weight during push-ups, and he holds my arms down for that kind of sit-up where you’re lying on the ground and you raise your legs to a 90-degree angle. We’re both each other’s weight for leg presses – if you brace your feet against a wall and your partner puts their feet on your chest and uses you for reps, it’s really effective!
The pluses are, no gym equipment needed, it’s actually SUPER effective, and you can encourage each other as you go. It feels like being in the hands of a super supportive coach. Think about it!
jaclyn says:
My husband and I splurged and joined a gym with childcare. Not a really super nice gym, but it gets the job done. It is really nice to take the kids and have someone else watch them for 1-2 hours a few times a week while I take care of myself. However, sometimes it is really tempting to take them to the gym and then sit in the sauna with a magazine instead of working out =)
Lorrin Wagner says:
Sports, we did a co-ed kickball team, basketball, tennis and football. Not a lot of exercise but it helps to motivate you and the whole family participates. We also do a lot outdoors, kayaking, biking, hiking. Not much cardio but being out and about is good. We have high asperations but weeks keep going by and we aren’t doing jack! Good luck on your goals, hopefully you will do something (perhaps more than us).
Trisha Vargas says:
He joined a over 30 basketball team and it forced commitment and gave him 1-2 days a week of practice and a game 1 day a week.
He also didn’t feel so bad about his declining physique as everyone on the league was feeling the burn of letting themselves go a little bit. He lost weight but did not sign back up for the next season
Now his job requires work out in the Florida sun and he sweats worse than a lady of the evening in church on Sunday, so he seems to be keeping it off. He also runs on the treadmill occasionally and works out to some of the kids Wii games, like Wii Boxing and Wii Sports.
Hope you get ideas for something that will work for you. Good luck!
Diane V says:
My father, who is 79, has worn the same size since he turned 18 because he works out at least 2 hours every day (each and every day since he was a teenager). He used to get up at 4 am when we were little and work out an hour before work, work out during his 1/2 hour lunch on a bench with weights at his job, and then work out 1/2 to 1 hour after work (usually making us kids go for a run with him.) He can still bench press 300 pounds, run a mile in about 6 minutes and shoot basketball like the former high school All-American he was 61 years ago. He always tells people that it is YOUR choice how you spend your time and that all you need to do is get off your butt (stop watching tv or surfing on the internet) and get your body moving.
Sounds like you’ve already made the decision to get your butt in gear — so good luck finding the exercise program that will work for you.
FYI – He passed a stress test like a 20 year old to the amazement of his new doctor who couldn’t believe what great shape he was in.
Kutusha says:
Hi Mike!
First let me tell you that I am one of those people who “has a lot of time for his/her self because I don´t have any children” blah blah.
Sure, I don´t have any children BUT I have four dogs, three cats and also volunteer at an animal shelter being a foster home for other doggies and/or cats… so as you might imagine it is a lot of work, of course I´m not comparing human babies with companion animals, but still poop is poop wheter or not it´s in a diaper. Me and my partner both work around 12 hours a day even on Saturdays and that leaves us very little time to have some quality time together (Let alone working out!) aaaaand that has led to some pound gaining… ahem… more for me than for him, but oh well.
I decided I was tired of hating the way I looked and now I’m doing the Insanity workout. My boyfriend is also working out whether we do the routine together or not and we stick to it so we don’t have to count every single calorie we eat. I like cooking and eating and if the price for not being an overweight person is to burn all those extra calories off… so be it!
Sorry I wrote such a long comment, I hope you find it helpful in some way.
Andrea says:
My husband walks/hikes every morning.He is up to 4 miles and makes a chart so he can see how much he does. He has lost 50 pounds in 4 months! Good luck in whatever you decide to do!
Wendy says:
The Insanity workout and P90X
Babbalou says:
When you move to your new house maybe you could get a bike and one of those bike wagons to pull Annie around. If she enjoys it, the two of you could do a bike ride through your new neighborhood together in the evenings. You could do a faster ride without her on the weekend. I agree with those who say alter your diet for weight loss, exercise for health and fitness. Exercise helps you adhere to your healthy diet but even running 5 miles a day and eating low fat I didn’t lose any weight. For me, the ONLY thing that works is limiting cargs. Egg or protein shake for breakfast, salad or sandwich on light bread for lunch, and then dinner with protein and lots of vegetables, roasted in olive oil for flavor. Saturday nights are free days. Some can lose weight by counting calories but I have proved again and again that I cannot. Also you might read the research on the impact of that Diet Coke you love. Best wishes!
Babbalou says:
sorry, carbs – limiting carbs not cargs
Sandra says:
We have a treadmill, so I can work out at home. As soon as the kiddos go to bed, on to the treadmill I go. It was hard at first because after working all day, the last thing you want to do is run at 8:00. But, after a few weeks of forcing myself to do it, I now crave it. I also sign up for races to stay motivated. Gosh darn it, if I am going to pay the $30 dollars to register, I will run the race! My husband plays on a tennis league. One night a week he is gone to play. Most of the time he still gets to help out with the kids because the matches are so late. And when he doesn’t, it is okay because it is only one night a week!
Tauni says:
My hubby watches his calories on Myfitnesspal.com and then he also keeps track of the days he exercises on an app on his phone. He usually goes to the gym for an hour or he will run outside. He used to get up early to exercise (like 5) but lately its been later. He is doing things like “the dirty dash” and 5ks here and there. Find a sport (biking, running, whatever) then do it. Biking with little ones in the bike carriage is pretty nice cause it is all enclosed and pretty impossible for them to through the sippy out while biking down the road!
Me…well I am not as good and I have put on 5 pounds and need to get them back off!
Jen says:
I’m not a dad, but I love to throw my duaghter in the jogging stroller and rollerblade for about an hour. We often rollerblade to the park, let the kid play for 30 min or so (sometimes I even do pullups and things at the park) and rollerblade back. It’s good motivation because my daughter asks to go rollerblading. How can I tell her no??
Erin says:
Pick one of the “easier” Beachbody programs. I know it still takes the motivation to set aside the time, but it’s easy to do at home with kids around, get it done, and move on with your day. And with most of the programs the average daily routine is between 30 and 45 minutes. To me, that’s wayyyyyy better than a full hour. High intensity cardio, resistance (some programs use weights with this as well), etc… I never have much time to get something in, but believe me, it’s do-able even with a new house, yard, etc…
Kate says:
Hey Mike!
Not a dad (or even a mom yet!) but I wanted to give you the perspective of a grown-up daughter with a “fat” dad. Growing up, I was never embarrassed about my dad’s weight or anything like that….I don’t even think I noticed. As long as someone played with me, I didn’t care.
But now that I’m my late twenties and my dad is in his early sixties, I worry. He’s still overweight but now he gets to add diabetes and heart disease to that fun plate of diagnoses. It’s getting harder for him to get around. I’ve noticed he’s started to self-limit his activities because of the physical issues he has. Meals aren’t fun anymore for him because of the diabetes. He’s a pretty happy guy but I know his weight issues and the health problems that go along with it brings him down, makes him less happy.
I’m worried that he won’t live to meet his future grandkids. I worry that every time my mom calls, it’s going to be to tell me that he’s had some sort of health crisis or heart attack. I know he was busy when he was young taking care of our family and being my dad, but I wish he could have taken care of himself so I can worry less now. I want to enjoy my adult years with him. I want him to enjoy being retired and, someday, a grandfather. I still need my dad to tell me what do about my car and my house. and my electrical devices. I still need him at age 29.
Sorry to be such a downer, but I just wanted to give another perspective. Consider this a note from 29 year old Annie: Don’t do it for your health. Do it for Annie. She’s gonna need you around when she’s grown-up just as much as I still need my dad.
Kellee says:
Have you considered a piece of exercise equipment for your new house? I spent a few hundred dollars on a stationary bike several years ago, and it was the best thing I ever did…. My laptop can balance on the handlebars, so I can work/email/tweet/blog read while exercising, or I can watch tv or read a book, etc. It’s kind of amazing, and makes it that much more convenient because it is RIGHT THERE. 30 minutes of exercise only requires 30 minutes, rather than preparation/transport/etc.
J. P Martin says:
I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
I am not a big gym person. I can’t stand being in an enclosed space running on treadmills, etc (it sort of makes me feel like a rat). My biggest weight mainnence secret is to only have one car in the family. Since my husband has a 45 minute commute, , he gets the car on most days.
To get around, I have to walk, cycle (before my kids rode bikes, I pulled them in a bike trailer -I called it my eco car) and take public transit (sometimes, I get off a few stops early). My kids’ school, the grocery store, the library, the park and most of their activities are with in a 3k (about 1.5 mile) radius. Yes, some of my peers think that am insane but , most of them are overweight and even more sadly, their kids are overweight.
I know that is probably not possible to get around LA with out a car but start with the rule to leave your car at home if the destination is in a 2 k (appron 1.5miles) radius. Not only do you burn calories, but you relieve stress, get fresh air, save money (no parking or gas) and save the planet (less polution) all at the same time. You will also be a more positive role model on Annie and any future children.
Jennifer
oh yes: another idea is trade off with Heather while you are at the park -one parent exercises while the other watches Annie. For example, you can do some step ups on the park bench or an elevated platform; run around the sand pit; do arm pull ups on an elevated surface. planks on the grass (bring a mat if you need to) – Use your imagination!
As for eating, take control of what you are eating. Eat fewer meals in resturants (limit to once a week) or meals that come out of a box……Don’t drink your calories (they add up without you knowing it)…..and watch out for portion sizes (as you know, we North Americans like to supersize things).
Hope this is helpful.
Jennifer from Toronto