vmsolko Member

quick question on the calorie goal: is 1300-1400 at a goal of losing 2 lbs per week? If so, maybe change it to a 1 lb or even 0.5 lb per week loss goal. That way you will adjust to counting calories itself as well as helping your stomach adjust to normal portions. When I started, I remember the first week to 10 days being…

Buy new shoes for sure. I started with a pair I had lying around and paid for it dearly. Got new specific running shoes and couldn't believe the difference. I like my Brooks. I second the stretching. I am horrible about stretching, but I ALWAYS do before running or I pay for it during the run and after. c25k was the best…

I like doing RDLs (reverse deadlifts) and deadlifts to feel a burn in my butt. Also fire hydrants. We consistently do them with the donkey kicks. IDK if any of those specifically tone that part of your butt, but it can't hurt.

I'm married and it's still just another day...

Speaking to the "huge mountain to climb" aspect, I recommend setting smaller goals rather than just the large xx pounds lost. I only had about 30 lbs to lose, but I broke it down into increments. I gave myself a "reward" for each 10 lbs I lost. (Just make sure it isn't food related.) So one of them was a new pair of…

Try some sites that allow you to work up or provide a calendar for beginners. I started with www.hasfit.com. It's a free site by a husband and wife team with hundreds of videos. I started with the 30-day beginner program calendar, but they have lots of calendars for your individual fitness and you can pick and choose based…

Congrats on getting started! I've never worked a full-time job while going to school, so I can only imagine how little free time you have. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders. I agree with all the above advice: paying attention to food & water and getting adequate sleep. Figuring out actual portions and…

Congrats to you for taking these first steps! It does sound like you have a lot on your plate. Parents are all busy, but throw in single-parenting and special needs... I can't imagine the stress. I started MFP and working out when I had 3 kids under the age of 4, and was nursing my last child (which is basically a…

I think you are doing a great job. Yes, it is coming off slower than you had hoped, but keep in mind that you are learning a lot about what makes up your food, what exercises you like, gaining strength, and learning healthy habits. I know it's hard when you are putting in so much work and being so diligent. But I think you…

And actually that article is at least 2 years old and isn't even accurate anymore. #5 Ali Vincent just revealed in the last week or two that she has gained every single pound back too and is now joining Weight Watchers and Danny Cahill is the one referenced in the NYT article as gaining it all back and destroying his…

FitnessBlender is good. I use www.hasfit.com for a lot of workouts. You can search by type of workout (such as low impact) as well as muscle groups, fitness level, etc. There is a month-long calendar with links to the videos just for low-impact beginner exercises. It's all free and I don't find the coach annoying at all. I…

Okay, so you obviously look fabulous, but your skin! Your skin is gorgeous!!

I have to disagree with the fact that anyone who loves you will not judge the things it takes to keep the weight off. I have a couple of people in my life that love me, but they aren't okay with their own health/looks/etc, so they judge what I do to keep the weight off and stay healthy. I've gotten eye rolls aplenty when…

I lost 30 lbs just doing workouts at home with only a set of small dumbbells (3 lb, 5 lb, 8lb). I found a free site I like (www.hasfit.com), and I also use fitnessblender.com occasionally too. You don't need to put money into machines or fancy equipment. If you want to lose the weight, you can find a way for free/cheap. I…

You can get a basic set of hand weights and find free workouts online that you can do from home. I don't have the option of a gym - living in the middle of nowhere - but I use a free online website frequently (www.hasfit.com) and I like that there are plenty of different levels. I started with basic beginner videos and…

The recipe builder is a huge life saver for me. For as long as you've been doing this, you could probably have quite a list of your own recipes built up by now and you would know for a fact the nutritional information. We cook lots of different items, but I always use the recipe builder if doing a casserole, soup, side…

I am going to give up swearing. I don't have a huge potty mouth, but I have my favorites. ;) And with kids around, it is a bad habit to drop one from time to time. Thanks for the extra motivation.

I'm guessing that 1200-1300 feels to restrictive and something you can't maintain long term. To me, MFP has been most beneficial because it has helped me figure out how to eat for the rest of my life. I'm not restricting for a few months until I hit a certain number. I feel like that is a fast way to gain the weight right…

I'm finishing up week 6 myself. I did it for the first time last spring, and completed my first 5k in May. It was great. I learned to like running and incorporated it into my workout routines about twice a week. But since I live in Iowa and there is snow everywhere, I stopped in November. We got a treadmill last month so I…

THIS! In my opinion, the whole point of getting healthy and using tools such as MFP is to learn life skills to figure out how to eat the foods you want (within reason) and maintain a healthy weight. It's smart to up your veggies and fruits and eat healthier foods in general, but if you want a sandwich, have the sandwich.…

c25k all the way! I used to hate running, but when I broke my hand last spring I needed a new goal since weights and many of my weight/cardio videos were out for those 6 weeks. I used the app and just like that, I did a 5k and now actually LIKE to run. :)

Sure! It's Hasfit.com Everything is free - videos, meal plans, etc. I originally found it just googling and finding YouTube videos. But I liked this site the best because there were different exercise plans for different fitness levels. (Definitely what I needed!) I started with the 30 Day beginner plans:…

I started out the same. I always thought I hated working out or that I didn't have time. I actually found a website with free videos starting at 5 mins for some of them. NO ONE can say they don't have 5 minutes in a day to exercise. Quite a few of their HIIT videos are only 10 mins. I think 10 mins is extremely doable for…

Thanks for all those links - I'm sure they will help someone - but that didn't actually help answer any of my previous questions. I have my Fitbit linked to my MFP account. The negative calories are enabled. I get an average of 15,000 steps in a day, and when I run or do other step-based exercise, I make sure to log the…

I haven't started any new exercise. I did recently start wearing a fitbit, so I am probably walking more, but I'm sure that is not attributing to the gain. nxd10: That's helpful to know. As soon as I got within 8-10 lbs of my goal weight, it really tapered off. I did readjust in MFP for my calories. I learned that the hard…

I weigh myself once or twice a week. The weight seemed to come on all in one week and has stayed put since then. I realize my body is not going to be the same weight everyday. I weighed myself more frequently when I was more actively trying to lose, but I never got freaked out about my weight being up a couple of pounds.…

I've got 3 young kids: ages 5, 4, and 2 1/2. I had 3 kids under age 3 for a couple of months. Crazy times at our house! We don't have a gym in our tiny town in the middle of nowhere, so I do all my workouts at home - with no equipment besides 2-8 lb weights. It's hard but it can work if you make the time. I've lost 35 lbs…

For me I find it goes much more quickly on the treadmill. But maybe it is because the treadmill is a novelty for me, so I am always excited to use it. Nerdy, I know. I live in a tiny town without a gym and don't own a treadmill, so my only option is outdoors. And with it humid as hell right now, I would love a treadmill…

Just wanted to say I LOVE your screen name. LOL As a fellow T1 diabetic, I can appreciate some 'betes humor. :smile: From what I've heard from most people with abs (not me, lol) it's a lot about abs being made in the kitchen. Aka - cut out the junk. So maybe you're one of those people who carries extra weight in your…