Losing Weight While Running A Daycare?? Is It Even Possible?

[Christian Mother]

I just thought everyone might have some tips for me.

I worked in a center for five years, and it was so hard for me too lose weight. Between having the food served that was too high in calories for me, and not really having time to eat something else during lunch break, I really only gained.

Since having my daughter, and being a stay at home mom, (well, I first gained massive amounts but that's beside the point) I've lost 41 lbs. I'm on my second week of doing daycare, and I just don't have the TIME to really count calories, let alone journal what I'm having.

Any tips on losing weight while doing daycare? How about maintaining weight loss (I'm 9 lbs away from my goal weight)?

Girl...I am trying to gain weight..!!

I am tiny, very petite...not trying to rub it in but...I'm the one everyone always makes fun of for being to skinny. ::

Water, no soda...eat small snacks (healthy) carrots etc during the day..then pig out after the kids leave!! I find that I am go go go all day long..only time I get a break is nap time and some times that doesn't even happen. So I eat quick and when I can and it's in between the kids. With coffee in between of course. I am 5 ft and 87 pds. Always maintained that weight since high school 15 yrs ago. Well, other than being pregnant with my kiddos but being active helps a lot too. Good luck and congrates on all the weights you've already lost!!

[saved4always]

I have an excercise bike now and I would do it every day as soon as the kids all went down for nap.

I lost 50 pounds about 7 years ago using the Weight Watcher points system...my best friend had joined online and gave me a copy of the points so I followed that. At that time, I was doing daycare in my home and I would get up early and do a half hour excercise show before the kids arrived. Later, I joined a place like Curves and would go right after everyone left for the day. It was a pain to plan all my meals but I did it an followed it pretty closely and it worked for me. By that time, my oldest was old enough to watch my youngest for the hour I would be gone. I have kept it off by keeping my daily "treat" to a low calorie count and continuing to excercise. I gotta have my chocolate daily to be a happy mama.

[littlemissmuffet]

I often work out during nap

[DCBlessings27]

It's definitely possible to lose weight/maintain weight loss while running a daycare. Before getting pregnant, I had lost 20 pounds since October with Weight Watchers.

Could you pre-cook portion controlled meals that you could quickly reheat for lunch? One meal that I often had was mini pizzas made in a muffin tin. Very few points and yet very filling because the "crust" was a whole wheat flatbread/wrap. Another suggestion would be to have fresh fruits and veggies like other have said.

I also sometimes did a walking dvd during naptime. When I took the kids outside each day, I would do lunges, toe touches, quick walking around my yard. I would just try to keep moving the whole hour the kids were outside.

[daycare]

I often work out during nap

me too... I have a stationary bike and I ride 20 miles during nap time...Guess what I even sit and chat in the chat room while on the bike too. If I am stressed, I just ride.

It is a great way to be able to let some stress out and regroup for the rest of the day.

[dave4him]

I dont get to eat.... its like living with four hungry puppies

[bluemoose_mom]

So after reading all your suggestions, I did some minor crunches, lunges, sit ups and push up spread out of 30-40 minutes today while DD and DCG played. It went well. I think I'll just plan on doing that for awhile and see how it goes. Thank you for everyone who said to stay active while the kids are active...I would never have thought to do that.

As for actually exercising...I feel like I need to shower after I do anything major, like riding a stationary bike, and that wouldn't be able to happen during nap time.

@christianmother- That used to be me! Before I was 20, I weighed 105 (I'm short too-5 ft- and petite as well). Since then, I got up to 155 (for various reasons, none of which are a very good "excuse") and am now down to 114. My goal is 105. I'm so close, it's hard to imagine. After I get to 105, I really want to tone and shape. I've never really been toned before, and I really want to in the best shape I can be.

Thank you everyone...I'm was getting nervous that I wouldn't be able to continue to lose or even maintain. You all have put my worries to rest. All I have to do is continue trucking!

[Christian Mother]

Your doing awesome girlie..keep it up!! I wish I was 114 pds...I looked GOOOOOD!! heheh!! Seriously...I had meat in all the right places and I had some great curves...now...hmmmm and when I went to the gym they told me I had more fat then I did muscle. I was looking all over for the fat...I didn't see it but the trainer was just shacking his head at me frowning.

Now in days I feel pretty good!! I am think bc I am go go go with the kids all day long..there is no time to sit or think bc the 2-3 yr olds have me on FAST PACE!! Warp Speed ahead at all times!! I eat really good to though and lots of water. I can't drink soda bc it makes my tummy upset so I guess that is a good thing.

You really don't have much to go now so keep it up and also...speed walk...even if it's in your back yard...when the kids are gone and you need to grab the mail...some speed walking will help too.

[AmyLeigh]

I actually lost weight after starting the daycare, more so after we went on the food program. There are so many more fruits and veggies in the house that I lean towards them as the main part of my meals. I will often go out to the gym after closing just to burn off some steam. It's more for stress relief than health...but the side effects are nice. I have about 15 pounds left to go.

[DBug]

I'm short too (5 ft on a good day : and I've gained since starting daycare. The thing with being short is that EVERY pound shows. Most women say they'd kill to be my weight (115 right now) but they also have several inches in height on me. Makes a BIG difference!

I'm trying to lose about 10 more pounds, and I've noticed that since I hit 35, it's alot harder to drop the weight! I lost a bunch several years ago with SparkPeople.com (which is totally free!), and that's what I'm doing again.

PP, you mentioned not having time to count calories -- I leave SparkPeople open on my netbook (which is on the kitchen counter) and whenever I eat something, I quickly log it. It's as painless as you can get for logging calories. I've gone down two pounds this week, so it's working so far!

[karen]

If you google what a 1600 calorie meal looks like it will show up.
3 fat chicks on a diet, is another great resource.
You could join the local y as they have free baby sitting while you work out. And they have scholarship programs if you are in need. Goes off of how much you make will determine your monthly rate.
Since I started my day care
I quit smoking
Can now jog 3 miles
Joined Jazzercise
Do Zumba plus other classes at the y
eat only good for you food. I try to make the right food choices. It helps if you watch food inc. Boy that will really wake you up and gross you out at the same time! When you learn what they are really doing to our food boy that's an eye opener!
Good luck!!!!!

[bluemoose_mom]

@DBug-We're pretty much at the same weight/height--except you choose to manage it before you got to 155 like I did! Good for you, as you want to manage your weight now, before it gets out of hand. Being short stinks, I totally agree. Every does show, and it's simply not fair. Not to mention, people that are taller get to eat more cause they need more calories to maintain than I do. Again, not fair. I have a laptop, and use myfitnesspal.com, which is a amazing to count calories. I keep my laptop open on my table, and I still am having a hard time finding time to log. I think I'm still hitting my calories right, as I've lost a half pound this week happyface. Which is about what I've been losing the last month or two. It's not that odd for me not to count or log, as I lost about 30 lbs without logging or really counting calories. I've just really need to log and count now that every stink'in calorie counts, since I'm so close to my goal weight.

@Karen-I don't transport my DCK, and I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my DD is someone else's care that I don't know. Besides, we don't have a y here. I live in town of 1600 people. Nearest y is 30 minutes away. Good suggestion though.

I am a little sore from my mini workout yesterday while the kids played, and did it again during free time. Plus, DD helped me by adding weight to my legs when I had them hovering while doing sit ups, so it was some good "bonding" time.

Thank you everyone, even if I didn't respond back to you! I'm so glad that it is possible to lose weight while doing daycare.

[saved4always]

So after reading all your suggestions, I did some minor crunches, lunges, sit ups and push up spread out of 30-40 minutes today while DD and DCG played. It went well. I think I'll just plan on doing that for awhile and see how it goes. Thank you for everyone who said to stay active while the kids are active...I would never have thought to do that.

As for actually exercising...I feel like I need to shower after I do anything major, like riding a stationary bike, and that wouldn't be able to happen during nap time.

@christianmother- That used to be me! Before I was 20, I weighed 105 (I'm short too-5 ft- and petite as well). Since then, I got up to 155 (for various reasons, none of which are a very good "excuse") and am now down to 114. My goal is 105. I'm so close, it's hard to imagine. After I get to 105, I really want to tone and shape. I've never really been toned before, and I really want to in the best shape I can be.

Thank you everyone...I'm was getting nervous that I wouldn't be able to continue to lose or even maintain. You all have put my worries to rest. All I have to do is continue trucking!

I also feel like I need to shower after I would do the stationary bike during nap, but I just settled for a new shirt and a swipe of deoderant. I did feel kinda gross afterward, but I knew if I didn't do it then, it sure wouldn't happen when my family was home later. Hopefully no one was offended at pick up. If they were, they never said anything.

[karen]

Oh BlueMoose Mom I think you misunderstood me I would never ever suggest to anyone to take day care kids somewhere else and be supervised by someone else. YIKES!
I feel like a lot of people have young children at home and was trying to help them out by passing info that I have learned about the Y. I meant to say that: Someone could take advantage of the baby sitting services offered at the Y so they could get a workout in AFTER day care kids leave.

[E Daycare]

Ive lost 35lbs sinc January of this year by seeing a nutritionist through my docotr and cutting all bad carbs and sugar (unless berries) by following a keto and diabetic based diet.

I started at 171lbs and am now at 136lbs. My goal was 30lbs by my 30th bday (which is the 31st) and I exceeded it! I still want to go another 6lbs but I know I can do it.

It's A LOT of work!!! I make menus and research what was good and bad and have to track every last thing I consume as I'm limited to up to 100 carbs a day (for example a baked potato plain is 65carbs). I was borderline diabetic and have type 2 metabolism (carbs turn into sugars upping my insulin and it's making my body take a longer time to process it in turn making the sugar turn into stored fat). I couldn't lose weight even though I was watching my calorie intake. After switiching to a very low carb and no sugar lifestyle I noticed a complete change in my weight, skin, mood and how my clothes fit.

Some days it's hard as I made junk today for breakfast for the kids-cinnamon rolls at a whopping 60carbs each!!!! I did make myself "doughnuts" the other day (made from cream cheese and whipped egg whites" that taste like curellers) that have no sugar and 1.2 net carbs. So I'm able to satisfy my sweet tooth and not feel like a balloon. This diet also allows me to eat meats and bacon. Because I'm not consuming sugars and my body is processing foods naturally (think Paleo diet) and faster and eliminating my bad cholesterol. I go for another cholesterol check in June and I know my ratios will be great even though I had cheese and bacon for snack last night.

My primary doctor (a normal doctor not just some off the map doctor) was happy to see I adapted to the diabetic food style so greatly.

I should never need medication because I was too lazy to get my butt in gear and eat right. That was enough for me to decide this was the right choice for me.

My mother died at age 30 ( non-related. She had cancer) and Im determined to not eat my self to death if I can help it. My motivation was my son. He needs his mother. I don't have one and haven't had one for almost 20yrs. I refuse to let him see me make bad choices that could lead me away from him. Mommy don't play that.

Good luck on your journey! It's a long one let me tell you.