BlueSkyShoal Member

Do you feel like your thighs are "fatty" bigger or "muscley" bigger? Usually cardio doesn't bulk you up like strength training does, but I mean you ARE still using your muscles with cardio . . . I used to do stair stepping (literally exercising in a stairwell, lol) and I definitely saw my legs get more toned from that. The…

A lot of restaurants do that where I live, and it's great!

I'd suggest getting zero-calorie sodas like Coke Zero or the zero-calorie Cascade Ice flavored carbonated water drinks. I've always found it really interesting hearing about people who are so "into" soda. I love a refreshing glass of plain water myself, so I never had that experience. (Not bottled water though, it tastes…

I have a good immune system and usually don't get the flu. But I did this year! Man do I wish I'd gotten the flu shot. The flu is terrible this year, I was sick for a week and a half.

You guys are inspiring, and slow progress is still progress. :)

It always annoys me when people connect this sanctimonious moral imperative to weight loss. If you want to lose weight, lose weight. And if you want to be a better person, donate to charity or adopt a rescue dog or foster a child. Because losing weight, by itself, doesn't make you a better person; you will be the same…

I'm amazed that in the same thread where people say people are too thin skinned over "have you lost some weight?", we get people being thin skinned over "happy holidays." Oh noooo, someone offering sincere good wishes to you! Telling you to have a happy holiday, which is exactly what Christmas is! So awful!! Much offense!!

5 pounds in two weeks is a really fast rate of loss. Congratulations! Don't get frustrated if you lose more slowly some weeks. It's not a process, not a race. :)

I did!! HUUUUGE. But--I think it would be too peanut buttery for me. My favorites are actually the mini cups. I feel they have the best ratio of peanut butter to chocolate.

I hear you on that, OP. The more exercise-y an exercise is, the more I hate it. Anything in a gym? NO. Walking home from work? I don't mind that. Biking? Haven't done it recently but I loved it as a kid so I should really pull out the ol' bicycle. I guess I mostly like exercise if I'm physically travelling somewhere. I…

Those are like protein shakes, right? You might consider getting a personal blender (I bought this one) and making your own. Not that there's anything wrong with buying prepackaged ones, but I like experimenting with different flavors and combos, personally.

Since someone mentioned them, full size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (just one) is 110 calories.

Consider this another vote of appreciation for the bra-fitters at Nordstrom's. :) They will not only find a bra with the right cup / band size, but one that flatters your shape.

I have no opinion on the accuracy of any of the diagrams, but the whooosh has happened to me.

I have trouble eating candy in moderation. Sometimes I can manage it, but usually I end up eating more than I planned to. So I do tend to not buy it much. There's nothing wrong with avoiding a food that's giving you problems or that you tend to cave around. Like, it's great to have a dog that's well-trained enough to…

For me, treat days are easier than working treats into my existing calories every day. I'd rather eat a couple big slices of pie than a sliver of pie each day. Don't feel guilty about it, though! Enjoy everything you eat. :)

Even when researchers aren't promoting an angle, reporters very often misunderstand scientific studies and write sensational stories about the report, rather than accurate ones. The other thing that reporters and the general public don't get is that just because a study comes out saying "Such-and-such is good for you",…

I never measure and rarely count. I don't care about losing exactly two pounds a week or one pound a week as long as I'm losing. And I can usually estimate and eyeball well enough to achieve that.

I do cheat days, not once a week but whenever they happen to happen. (Probably an average of once every two weeks.) I'm not a great one for logging food to begin with, I usually just estimate (I know, not recommended, but I do lose weight consistently so it works for me), but on cheat days I just throw caution to the wind…

Are you just starting out? My main advice is HANG IN THERE. It was really, really hard for me the first week. I was hungry all the time. But once my body adjusted and started "expecting" less food, I was fine. Power through it with the knowledge that those hungry feelings won't last forever.

Basically, there's no way to reduce fat on one particular part of the body; it's up to genetics where it comes off. Give it time . . . the belly fat will go eventually. :)

I like hard-boiled eggs because I can carry them around easily (and because I really like eggs). If you work in an office that has a fridge and a microwave, you can keep a couple raw eggs and a carton of milk in the fridge and scramble eggs in the microwave, in a coffee cup.

OP, there is no guarantee that the dress will fit you if you lose 10 pounds, 15 pounds, or 20 pounds. For example: no matter how much weight I lose, I have broad shoulders for a woman. I could lose all the weight in the world, but I'll never fit in to a Petite coat because the shoulder bones ain't moving. There are also…

I had a friend who took diet pills in an attempt to lose weight quickly. As a result, she ended up having heart palpitations. Any diet pill that is actually "doing something" that you couldn't get through something like coffee is probably dangerous.

There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't.

Serve healthy foods. Model good behavior. Encourage her to play a sport she likes or go bike riding. But don't get caught up in the idea that a) your daughter is destined to be overweight or b) that your daughter's life will be ruined if she does turn out to be overweight.

Hmm, good question! Green food coloring vs. red food coloring? Hope all is going well (and better) with the OP.

Don't be afraid to start slow. Every time I pushed myself like crazy in a fitness program I ended up dropping it. The ones where I eased myself in and gradually increased the difficulty were the ones I stayed with long term.

I don't agree with it being the intention. People can be rude while still being well-meaning. They can also be polite while not being sincere at all. (Not being mean, but indifferent.) Some of my extended family have the sincere-but-very-rude thing down pat. Here's an example: One of my aunts was worried that her daughter…

If you lose weight too quickly you risk having loose skin. There's no rush. Also, once your determine how many calories you should eat a day (let's use 1200 as an example), that means net calorie intake. In other words, if you exercise enough to lose 200 calories, and your baseline is 1200 calories, then you should eat…