Getting in shape as a single mom

[ilwj]

I’m a single mom with not much free time. I have a very active job but not anything that will “tone”. I am currently about 15 lbs over the weight I’d like to be.

My schedule doesn’t allow me to go to an actual gym. At home I have a walking pad type treadmill, some 5 and 8 lb dumbbells, some bands, a yoga block, a couple of lighter kettlebells. A quality spin bike with a peloton membership. And a jogging stroller for my three year old. However, have not actually used any of them in months.

I have a goal of dumping that weight and getting toned/“bikini ready” by a vacation in August. Is this a realistic goal? Given this, what would you do to lose the that baby weight and really tone up in the next 6ish months?

I’m clueless. Help.

 

[lnjblessings]

@ilwj Losing 15lbs in 6 months is easily achievable. The rate at which you lose the weight will depend on how big of a deficit you want to maintain.

"Toning" is a generic and entirely subjective term. If you want to build muscle then you'll need to find a routine that fits your goals, equipment available, how many days you want to workout etc.

You'll need to provide more specific goals questions for more specific advice, but here's a good jumping off point:

https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/

 

[satanworshiper666]

@ilwj Calorie intake (diet) is the key to weight loss. It's a lot easier to eat 500 fewer calories, than to exercise enough to burn 500 calories. For example, on a stationary bike, burning 500 calories would probably take you around 45 minutes.

A realistic goal for weight loss is about 1 pound per week. This requires a calorie deficit of 3500 calories, or 500 calories per day. Take the amount of food you would normally eat in a day where you would neither gain nor lose weight, and cut out 500 calories.

A good way to do that is to eliminate junk food and reduce or eliminate unnecessary snacking. The easiest place to start is sugary soda, candy, cookies, cake, donuts, ice cream, potato chips, Doritos, corn chips, etc. These are all nutritionally empty except for calories.

If you do need a snack (I understand the feeling), find something that's real food, not factory-made. Baby carrots work for me. They're crunchy, slightly sweet, cheap, and easy to store. You can buy a 2-pound bag for about $2-$3. They are ready to eat, no peeling or cutting needed. They keep for a long time in the fridge (several weeks)

Fresh fruit is also a good snack. Apples, oranges, bananas are cheap and easy to prepare. They do contain some sugar, but also lots of fiber and micronutrients, so it's much better to eat whole fruit than to drink fruit juice (no fiber, and you can drink a lot of it quickly)

For exercise, if you already have a spin bike and Peloton membership, that's pretty ideal. I'd do that at least twice a week, or 3-4 times if you can find the time. Early morning might be best, it makes me feel good for at least half the day if I get some cardio exercise before work.

For the kettlebells, find some Youtube videos to figure out what to do with the kettlebells. It may take a little searching to find a YT channel that works for you.

Jogging stroller also sounds good. Try to make it a regular part of your weekly schedule. Even just walking with the stroller for 30-60 minutes helps.