LINKS in MFP you want to read again (and again)

In short; eat more or you won't lose weight. If you face your body in a gloves-off match, you will always lose. It keeps a horseshoe in its glove.

I thought I would post what happened to me in light of reading THE answers to THE questions post.
Maybe it wil help.

I went for a Metabolic Assessment last Friday. It is a medical grade test that let's you know what your BMR is (resting and active) and what your redzone (starvation mode) is etc.
Mine was VERY different from what everyone has been saying. I think I have been coming dangerously close to throwing my body into starvation mode. Not on purpose of course, but just because a lot of people say 1200, 1200, 1200 and mine is WAY higher than that.

I LOVE the thread titled THE answers to THE questions, so if you haven't read it do so NOW, run, run , run to the thread! And then please consider getting your own MA (metabolic assessment) done to know where your BMR is in reality so that you have 100% accurate goals. Plus if your BMR is higher than what is listed on here, you can eat more!!! GEEEZ!

posted by Casta34

I find it interesting (and a bit frustrating) how people think they can live off of granola bars and protein shakes and lose weight while being "healthy." I look at some of my friends diaries, or hear what my friends and coworkers are eating while they try to lose weight, and it seems like it should be obvious as to why it's not working, or why they're still hungry all the time, or why they don't have the energy.

If you want to lose weight, AND be healthy the key is sticking to whole unprocessed foods. Things like vegetables, fruits, and fresh meats (not stuff like lunch meat). These are the type of foods our bodies were designed to eat - not powerbars, slimfasts, chewy granola bars, and 100 calorie packs. It shocks me when sometimes people don't even touch a single fruit or vegetable in a day. Seriously? That's supposed to be the foundation of our whole diet. Plus, there's SO little calories in each serving, allowing you to fill your plate without feeling guilty (to an extent, of course). I mean, a cup of broccoli is ~35 calories. How can you beat that?

If you're eating a well-balanced diet and getting adequate amounts of protein and fiber in your diet, you won't feel hungry all of the time and you'll find you have a lot more energy. Especially if you try laying off of the carbs a bit more which tend to give you a more "bogged down" feeling. Protein and fiber are key elements in a diet, and it's one thing I notice a lot of people's is lacking.

So if you're current diet isn't giving the results you want, maybe it's time you revamp the way you eat. Hit the produce section of your grocery store, or explore the Farmer's Market. Buy some fruits you've never tried before, make a big salad with different ingredients and various balsamic dressings, throw together a omelet in the morning with a bunch of veggies and/or meats. Make it FUN! That's one of the best parts about veggies, fruits, and meats. You can make them/combine them ANY way you want, where as buying those prepackaged foods gets so routine and boring. So, although it may be hard at first (and trust me, it was for me... I'm in college, with little time to spare and limited cooking space considering I'm in a dorm), think of it as an adventure. Make it a goal to try a new fruit or veggie every week, find new ways of adding things together to get a new taste. Even something as simple as adding an onion to your salad can change it up. It can be as simple or as extravagant of an ordeal as you want it to be.