Hi to everyone

I just started back on Atkins. I did it back in June and did very well. But I phased it out and now the weight has crept back. I'm a stay-at-home mom of 5 kids who are all in school now. I spend all day cleaning, doing laundry, cooking etc. (exciting, huh). Eating all the time was a big part of my day too! I'd like to know how other at- home moms cope with the temptation that is always under your nose. With it being winter, I feel like hibernating instead of exercising Help!
Tricia

Hi, tag, I'm also a stay at home mother (I call myself the oldest living mother of a 7 year old, lol). I have two children also and spend my days much as you do. However, I've learned how important it is to me to exercise! For one thing, it gets me out of the house and in the company of other people, which otherwise I wouldn't do (I go to a gym). And it does help keep the weight off, or at least the inches. Also when you're working out you can't eat! But I know exactly what you mean about being tempted to eat all day. Once my kids come home from school ahd I've helped them with their homework, it's really inviting to start nibbling on everything in sight. I try to control this by drinking LOTS of water and tea, and doing things that are not compatible with eating, like typing on the computer, lol.

We should start a support group of stay at homers, for when we get the urge to snack.

Hi!

I WISH I could be a SAH mom, does that count?

Ya know, being at work really isn't all that temptation-free, with the vending machine right down the hall! At least you have the opportunity to keep it out of your house!

Ever consider joining a gym and going during the day? I'm sure you'd find other SAH moms hanging out there, too! Might be a nice circle of friends there, waiting for you! AND it'll get you out of the house and away from the temptation! Just a thought...

I am a SAHM too. My girls are 1 1/2 and 2 1/2. They eat all day. I do a couple of things to keep myself in check. I put my fat pictures on the frig. and everytime I feel like cheating (one bite want hurt, yeah right) I weigh myself. I keep the scales in the kitchen so it reminds me not to cheat.

I also drink tons of water. When I just can't stand it I eat a low carb snack. My favorite are hot wings.

Good luck, I am glad to see other SAHM's on the board.

Kat

i get on the computer for awhile, or i look at other peoples before and after photos for encouragement. it helps

kerrieof3
stat;225/205/140

Count me in too!

I get on the computer a lot when I feel the urge to snack...keeps my fingers busy! I have 3 kids... an 8 1/2 year old, 5 yr. old, and a 2 1/2 year old. I have 2 at home most of the time - my (just turned) 5 year old is in preschool 2 hours a day 3 days a week. They keep my busy - but sometimes not busy enough to keep the munchie montster away!

I am a stay at home wife ( no kids) and not a stay at home wife by choice i just can't find a job .... i live in a hick town and there is nothing that i can used my degrees with.

Anyway to keep from snacking I stay busy and when i feel a snacking attack comeing on i go to the computer and come on here. or i go out to the dog park you can not eat at the dog park with out getting mobbed by dogs. I Have also learned to keep bad food out of the house and i keep my hands busy by doing cross stitching or candle making. I also think to my self " do you really NEED this? will veggies be better and still fill me up?" ( i keep celery cut up in a bag with a little water to keep it fresh)

I have also found that dogs are great cause i cant resist her begging so she get a couple bits of everything.

Hi tag, I'm a SAHM of 3! I have only been LCing since December, but I've made a lot of changes. One thing I did was completely reorganize my pantry. I threw out lots of junk (year old candy, Nesquick, etc.). When my kids finished off certain sugary things like Pop Tarts and Cocoa Puffs, I didn't replace them. Things that are good for you, but high carb, I decided to donate to our local food pantry (such as canned beans, etc.). When I get to Maintenance I will add back in some of the good carb items.

Since my husband has not gained an ounce since we got married 10 years ago (6'1" and 175) and my kids do not have a weight issue, I haven't changed our household into a total LC one. However, I decided to get rid of a few things that just didn't do our family any good. Like juiceboxes. And Oreos. The rest of my family still likes bread, pasta and potatoes, and I don't prevent them from eating it, although I moderate it.

I filled up the empty space on my pantry shelves with lots of LC items. I have a few "frankenfood" items like Russell Stover candies and CarbSense protein bars, but I don't eat them often. I read Atkin's chapter on how to stock the kitchen, combed the internet for more LC items, and have stocked up based on that. There's lots to nosh on that's OK Atkins-wise.

I also take the time at the beginning of the week to make lots of snacks that I can nosh on if hunger strikes -- egg salad, cheese cubes, summer sausage slices, etc. I'm also a sugar-free Jello addict. I like to put perhaps a little too much whipped topping on it, but hey, we all have our vices.

Your stats are similar to mine -- I am wondering how long it took you to lose weight. I've lost about 9 pounds, but I've been on a stall for about 3 weeks now and I'm wondering if it's taking me longer to lose since I don't have too much weight to drop.

Good luck!

I'm a part-time SAH Mom of a 14 yr. old boy(?)man(?). I work on Friday. I usually stay on the computer a lot of the day, after chores, I mean.....
I try to have a special project to do each day to keep me busy.............sometimes, I just don't want to do it though !! LAZY!!!!!
I love this site !!!
pati

I am also a stay at home mom of a 21 month old little boy. I would love to stay in touch with you and I also think we should start a forum or something for stay at home moms. I also started back in June but fell off the wagon but have just recently restarted back. Feel free to write in my journal when you have some extra time.

Hugs,
Erin

Hi tag, I'm a SAHM too. I have a 9yr old and a 6 month old. It is hard sometimes not to snack all day, but I make sure I have acceptable foods around to eat. I have learned now to eat just when I am hungry, not when I'm lonely, which used to be a huge part of why I gained weight in the first place.

take care,
melissa

I'm a mostly SAHM. I work two half days/week out of the house. I homeschool my 3 kids (ages 7, 5, and 3).

I try to keep busy cleaning something when I feel like snacking on carby foods. There is *always* something to clean. <sigh>

What I also did was get snack-y foods for the kids that are either ok for lowcarbing (lots of fresh veggies and low glycemic fruits) or something I don't like to eat. I don't keep high carb foods in the house that would tempt me.

Thankfully, my kids enjoy sliced cucumber as much as anything else for a snack! Also cream cheese stuffed celery sticks, or cheese cubes, or strawberries with whipped cream.

I also try to have a cup of tea, or bouillon, or a glass of water or something when I get the munchies. If I just have to have something, and cleaning or tea won't cut it, then I look for a low carb substitute recipe... there are great recipies here on this site! I figure eating 8 carbs worth of "3 minute low carb chocolate cake" is way better than breaking down and eating something with sugar in it.

Thank you all for support and good ideas. I am always blessed when I come to this forum. I know what you mean Shannon when you say you are never busy enough to not find time to snack. I remember when I first started having kids I thought I could never ever have a weight problem because I would be so busy that I'd never have time to think of eating! Ha! How naive of me! I always had time to gorge, even with a baby in my arms and another on my ankles! I live in a small town too, Petcrazed, and have a degree, which I have never used. The kids can't understand that. They think I just waste my time staying home and not working. THumbelina, I liked your snack ideas, especially the egg salad. You asked how long it took me to lose weight--I lost 9 lbs in the first 2 weeks and then nothing for weeks. I finally added yogurt to my diet and then lost a couple more pounds. After that, I kinds drifted away. Now my jeans are strangling me. Time to do something. And Melissa, I hope to check out the chocolate cake recipe after induction! Thanks everyone. I also like the idea of setting up a forum for SAHMs. I'd like to get to know some of you even better.
Tricia

I'm a SAHM with a 13 month old. We've pretty much removed all carbs from our house. So even when I'm starving for a snack, the only food I can find in the house is LC.
But since I've been on the diet, my appetite has really decreased so I don't even get in the mood to snack. Have you tried the Atkins Morning Start Bars - they're great! I just grab one of those when I get the munchies and they do a good job of satisfying my sweet tooth.
I wish that I could get out and work out more, but then there's the baby - what to do with the baby? I even have a tread mill here at home, but my little boy keeps me running around so ragged that I rarely have the willpower to get on it.
I could work out when my son naps, but then I'm usually so thankful to have a little peace in quiet time to myself then I just want to relax before my little tornado wakes up again.
Oh but wait...I got off the subject - sorry! just venting a little.
The key is to get rid of all carbs - you're kids don't need the junk either. You can always replace those bad carbs with fruit and cheese, veggies and dip, pork rinds, and so on for the kids.

Here is a trick that I play on myself with the treadmill Cmwig . I tell myself that I only have to walk real slow on it. After a few minutes I want to crank it up. If I think about a "work-out" before I am warmed up I resist it. -I have been a stay at home Mom most of the time. Now my 11 and 13 year old grandchildren come to my house after school. Their Mom and Dad work out. I love to hear about stay at home Mom's. I never have regretted staying home with my 3 children. Now they are adults and we get together often. We adults are all on low-carb. All of us were on low-fat together and all would lose and gain it back. This woe is so much more satisfying. I keep telling them about new ideas from people on this forum!!