I am a mom of 4, the best things I have found that work for both loss and maintenance are these:

Food: Always eat breakfast it gets your metabolism running and lets your body know it's time to do buisness for the day. By 8am

Kashi makes great breakfast cereals and snack bars. You want to find foods that are high in both fiber and protien- fiber regulates your bodies caloric intake and waste, and the protien promotes muscle building and fat calorie burn. I suggest kashi go lean bars(chocolate almond is great) and fiber one (peanut butter and the chocolate & oats is great)
I also take a fiber suppliment, fiber choice chewables are good you get the highest dose of daily fiber and you don't get the doo's (hahaha)!

Lunch: Always have lunch before 12:00! This is a good way to get your body on a new schedule! You are burning most of your calories between 8am and 4pm. Eat your biggest meal at lunch time. whole grains, yogurts, white meat and fish, and don't forget those veggies!!!!!! All your fruits should be eaten by 3pm, other wise all that unused sugar calories and glucose will be stored as fat in the body!!!!

Dinner: Should be as close to the 4pm hour as you can, and it should be more like lunch. lighter foods, veggies, white meats, fish. No breads , starches, or fruits should be had.

Before bed snacks should be small, a fiber bar, or veggie, cottage cheese, or a cup of yogurt. These are great mid day snacks as well, or if between breakfast and lunch it could be an apple, banana, orange, pinapple, etc.

Start becoming aware of what is in your foods, read the labels, low calories, low fat, high fiber and high protien!!!!!
No White breads, Schwebels fit for life lite wheat is the best bread out there.
Use sprays when cooking lite is best, no oils, thick greases or fats, no butters!!!!!!!!!notice you have to say but to say butter, there is a good reason for that!!!!

Exercise:
If you don't have alot of time to do a work out, put your house work to work for you, do squats while loading and unloading the washer and dryer. Even the dishwasher.
Do lunges while you are vacuuming the floors. Do clenches while sitting at the computer, and kegals are great too(your hubby will thank you for those)hahahaha!!!! Tightening butt and stomach muscles while sitting, driving walking through the grocery store, are great little things you can do to help.
Do squats at the counter while washing dishes or putting them away.
If you have stairs in your house, go up 2 and down 2 and up 3 and down 2 and so on everytime you use them , try going up and down them a few times at faster intervals each time.

For those of you who have time:
Pilates is a great work out, you can get some cheap dvd's at wal-mart to do at home.Flat tummies.It is low impact but packs alot of punch!!!

If you need more go for a great dance video, have you ever seen a fat dancer? And they all have great legs!!!!

And for those who really want to work- Billy Blanks has it- GO TAE-BO!!!!! It is great cardio, great muscle sculpting and toning, and even great for learning self defense.

Start walking if you have never done any exercise, and work your way up, start with a half to a mile every other day, then go to everyday after your first week. By your third week go to 2 miles a walk, then on week 4 you should be up to walking a half jogging a mile and walking your 2nd half, then week 5 jog 2 miles, and so on.You should be working up to about an hour of good heart pounding jogging or running , with a half hour total for your warm up and cool down. Can range from 3-5 miles depending on your pace and level of fitness. My husband is an avid runner, and his cousin runs for Reebok professionally, so if you have any questions about where to start, or what your short or llong term goals should be , please let me know and I will get you the info!!!!

GOOD LUCK , AND WORK HARD!!! BE DILIGENT, AND REMEMBER-SOMETIMES IT HURTS TO BE CUTE!!!! :hugs: