Well, hello!

[Kaylsikins]

I found this site upon Googling "How to start eating healthier," and I've been perusing for most of the morning since.

I am a 24 y/o mom of a just shy of two y/o who is also 32 weeks pregnant. I'm really wanting to get healthy so that I can be the kind of mom that is actually fun and so that my kids don't go down the same path as me. I also wouldn't mind looking nicer for myself, and I GUESS my husband. I'm also working to finish my degree in Elementary Education, so I'd like to be a good role model for my future students.

One of my biggest struggles is balance. I have always fought with my weight, and it always seemed like a struggle to lose a pound, even if I did everything "perfectly." In high school I battled eating disorders, and once I went into recovery I blew up. As an adult I was diagnosed with PCOS, which explained why healthy weightloss had been so difficult. Unfortunately, when I start trying to lose weight again, I tend to go over board again. That leads to me scaring myself and quitting altogether. So, I'm hoping to learn how to lose weight in a health manner that actually gets results.

 

I'm hoping you all will help me along the way.

[Morrigainz]

Welcome! The NF community can certainly help you with your goals I've found these folks to be so supportive, understanding, inspiring, etc etc etc. 

 

Are you doing a challenge? They are a great way to stay motivated and focus on just a few things at a time

 

Good luck to you in your journey and welcome to the Rebellion!

[Dimia]

Welcome to the forum.  I'm also new here but this is a great place to get the support and information to help you live a healthier life.  Congratulations on your pregnancy!  I have PCOS as well so I know that getting pregnant with it is not always an easy thing nor is losing weight.  

 

Best of luck with your journey, I'll be peeking in your thread from time to time and if you start challenges.  Always good to find someone else struggling with PCOS and what works for them.  Good luck and welcome again!  

[Kaylsikins]

Thanks for the welcomes! I haven't started any challenges yet, primarily because I don't know what would be appropriate right now. I started my pregnancy out of shape, and as the months have gone by, that has not improved.

Thanks for the congrats, Dimia! Yes, PCOS has all sorts of joys haha! Both of our little ones are here thanks to fertility treatments. I love seeing what works for other cysters as well, so I'll keep an eye on your posts too!

[Dimia]

You're welcome!  My husband and I actually started talking about having kids and my doctor scared me to death at all the possible complications between my PCOS and my weight.  So I've started trying to lose the weight and get in healthier shape.  I can't do anything for the PCOS but I can help the weight!  

 

There are a lot of things you can do for the challenges if you want that won't be harmful to you but it all depends on what you want?  Maybe some stretching, walking, or light yoga (depending on how in shape you are overall and what your doctor would recommend of course).  Or you could work in improving diet/what you drink if you're struggling with those.  I'm sure you'll do awesome whatever you decide to do.  You've made the first step in joining the forum and getting with other people who can encourage and help you

[Morrigainz]

I agree - do some research regarding the diet. Educate yourself and you will already be in a better place than you are now!

 

Regarding exercise, I'm no medical professional and I've never been pregnant, so no ideas there besides what Dimia said. Unless you have severe issues and/or have been confined to bed rest, you can always walk, and that's great exercise!

[Kaylsikins]

Dimia, working on diet now really will help in the long run with pregnancy. Even with the PCOS, as frustrating as it can be to hear and as difficult as the stupid disorder makes it, losing any weight will make it easier to conceive. It took us about 2 1/2 years to get pregnant with our first, and about 11 months the second time. There is some research that says gluten can worsen the symptoms, and so women with PCOS should cut it out of their diets. With number two I had cut out gluten for other health reasons, and I truly think that's why everything happened so much more quickly the second time. We had literally JUST started doing fertility treatments again when I got pregnant. Just something you could talk to your doctor about.

I misunderstood the challenges! I thought there was an assigned challenge, I didn't realize we make our own. That makes it much easier! I went ahead and started one for myself. My goals right now are to drink more water, either walk for 30 minutes or do a prenatal workout every day, and eat 2300 quality calories. My biggest battle, foodwise, tends to be lunch. I use a healthy meal planning service for dinners that is awesome. The bulk of your groceries are fresh produce, and the meals are ususally really good. I tend to run errands after my son's nap, which usually works out so that we are gone during lunch. This leads to bad decisions that are fast and delicious. It doesn't help that I'm hitting the exhausted phase of things, so I just do not want to cook. Honestly, my husband is lucky I cook dinner hahaha! So, yeah, that's what I need to work on.

[Dimia]

I didn't know that there was any relation between gluten and PCOS but that's definitely interesting.  That's something I'm sort-of working on.  As a picky eater who doesn't like meat or many veggies it's a little difficult to change my diet around too much.  I love fruit but with the PCOS the sugars in them can cause some problems.  I'll definitely be keeping that in mind though as a goal to work toward and talk to my doctor about next time I go.  Thanks for the advice!  

 

I stopped in to your challenge I'm glad you got it figured out and now have some goals to work toward now!

[Kaylsikins]

This is true, but natural sugars are still going to be better than processed ones.

Yeah, changing dietary habits while picky has to be really hard. I'd just go at it slowly. If it's a texture thing, try different preperations. My husband has a thing about texture, and if I alter that he tends to eat a better variety.

 

Thanks!