Insomniac kids mean I am getting fatter by the day! Help!!

[soknackered]

I'm looking for some tips/kick up the bum!
Have a 3 year old and 4 month old and neither of them like sleep much!!!!

Some nights (like last one) me and DH get about 3-4 hours as if it isnt one awake its the other!

The only way I am functioning at the moment is basically, stuffing my fat face!!!!! I need to lose a good 2 stone to resemble a woman and not a giant ball!

I am just finding it very hard to be strict food wise and get exercise. By the time we get them to sleep at night (for the first time) and think about dinner we are shattered and have something very naughty usually washed down with something naughty just to console ourselves!

DH works very hard... I am home and trying NOT to finish the 3 year olds meals and trying to stay OUT of the fridge!

I used to be a very slim, attractive professional woman. Love the kids more than life but am not loving the fact my tummy warms my knees!!!!!

Help me out of this vicious calorie filled cirlce!

I could have written your post - apart from I don't have a baby, just a non-sleeping three year old. I'm two stone heavier than I was before I had him and get through the day on carbs and caffeine. I know, from past experience that eating low GI (esp cutting out caffeine and sugar does), fairly quickly, improve my energy levels and make me lose weight, but I can't get through the first week or so of cold turkey.

Have you checked it out at all? I think there used to be a GI thread in teh weight loss sectoin here

Well I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but I wonder whether trying to get the KIDS more active will actually help you all? Do you do many walks etc? Just thinking that getting them plenty of exercise and fresh air might get them sleeping better as well as getting you moving. Obviously the 4-month-old can't get very "active" but can at least be pushed in the buggy while the older one runs round the park or something I suppose? Swimming is great for tiring them out too, though with 2 of course you would need some help (take DH at the weekend?).

snap is all i can say - there is meant to be a link between obesity and lack of sleep. At least your DH helps, last night for one of the few times in my life DS slept through but DD who is 3 woke me instead, saying she had done a wee in her nappy... I have a stone to lose before I can fit into pre-pregnancy weight. Also finding second time round I'm stuck indoors more.

I have no idea about whether this would help you, but depending on the pram you have for the kids, and depending on local footpaths, might it be possible for you to go jogging, pushing the kids in the pram?

I know this sounds ridiculous if you are shattered, but you will feel so much better after 15 minutes a day for a week or two.

The extra weight of the kids will mean you get a lot of exercise in 15 minutes - so just jogging round a few blocks would be enough. and once you (and they) get used to it you can go for longer, or jog to the park and let the 3yo run around, then jog home.

Having lived through various patches of insomnia and 5 yeaars of a DS who very much likes being awake ALL NIGHT if possible, the only thing i've found to work is exercise...

I have read that is is very hard to keep weight down when you have interrupted sleep and I have found that since having DS2 2.6 years ago I weigh 1/2-1 stone more than I did before he was born.
I think it's supposed to be something to do with your adrenal gland which makes weight loss a problem.

I do think it is worth trying to tire the kids out so they will be more tired, fall asleep mor quickly and you will benefit from both more exercise and better sleep.

Here is some info
www.nhs.uk/News/2007/November/Pages/Losepregnancyweightwithsleep.aspx