Mnaminal Member

I live on the south side as well...try my best not to go north of Taylor St. if I can help it ;)

But as far as training, I'd do as much stair climbing as you can before then. I remember the last bit being like a large, unstable staircase.

My husband and I took the trail that started in Llamberis. I think it took us about 5 hours to get up and back (with a picnic lunch) and it certainly caught our attention. We stopped in the tea shop near the trail head (I think it was Pen-Y-Ceunant) for some mulled wine and hot cocoa after the hike. That was awesome. We'd…

Southsider here. I live in Bridgeport and work in the Illinois Medical District.

I think you should examine why you're having trouble moderating your alcohol intake. If it's a social thing, having a soda water and lime "mocktail" just to have something fizzy and cold in your hand can help. If it's more that you want the effects of alcohol, you should probably take a few weeks off just to shake up your…

Before you go out, look at the nutritional info on their website(s). Make a short list of items that meet your nutritional goals and only look at your list, instead of the whole menu. If you have a very favorite dish that's very indulgent, you can also look up the nutritional info and figure out how much of it you want to…

Hello all! I'm Melissa in Chicago, IL. I started running about 2.5 years ago for the first time in my life. I'm a 5k gal, but I'm considering a 10k next year. I miscalculated a route in Pittsburgh last month and found out I can indeed run the distance (and with an uptick in speed toward the end if placed in an unseemly…

Back when I started getting my diet in order, roasted zucchini and yellow squash were my "gateway" veg. They were cheap, easy to prepare, versatile, and tasty. Sauteed red peppers was another go-to when they are in season. Then I expanded to other roasted vegetables, like green beans, cauliflower, and broccoli (though now…

Yesterday my husband asked me to help him get a tile saw up into the garage attic. I was able to get myself and the base of the saw (roughly 2' x 3' and ~30lbs) half way up the ladder and then push it over my head with one hand so he could grab it and pull it into the attic. I'm pretty sure that would have been a disaster…

I've not participated in a challenge before, but I'd like to try!

Meal planning for sure, but when that fails and I eat out, I have a handful of options from a few restaurants near work I know are okay (either as they are or with minor mods, like dressing on the side). I kept a cheat sheet in my desk for a time, but now I just remember.

Definitely get a digital scale. It will make your life so much easier. I recently switched to one with and LED display so it's a little easier to read when shaded by a plate. Also, make sure it's easy to switch between grams and ounces so it's easier to follow recipes as you go. I'm not sure any given brand is better than…

That is a tough starting point, to be sure. May I ask how comfortable you are with cooking? What do you have to work with in your kitchen? How much time do you have to cook, on average? The big first step for you sounds like transitioning from largely processed and prepared foods into fresh(er) food you prepare yourself.…

A phone call with a board member from my company was peppered with Dennis the Peasant quotes.

I'm one of those poor sods for whom "just cutting calories" doesn't work for. For whatever reason, I really do need to restrict (not cut out) my carbs more than most to consistently lose weight. However, starving yourself (ultra low cal + heavy exercise) won't work. Your body will fight to hang on to fat reserves, plus…

Is this a physician/nutritionist guided plan and temporary? Sounds awful restrictive for the amount of time you'll need to diet to reach your weight goal... and rather infeasible to maintain for the rest of your life. But to your question, in grad school I relied heavily on frozen, pre-proportioned, plain meat and fish…

I like setting goals, especially when I'm having a hard time staying motivated. Last winter I just got into a really awful funk and the only way I got past it was to set a few goals and commit to one week. Then a second. Then it got easier. Now you've got me thinking I should set some new goals for fall. As far as other…

I guess it depends on exactly what your goals are. For example, right now I'm trying to increase my running speed, so I consider my running workouts my "primary" workout. I'm following FIRST, in case you're familiar with it. On my cross training days, I lift and swim (in that order). In October, after I complete the race…

I've recently started swimming again as well. I swam competitively as a child (as competitive as one can be when they're like 7) but just started swimming for exercise about a month ago. I was motivated to get back in the pool as cross training for running (I started FIRST running training to improve my 5k time, but had to…

I've had great success with 5/2. Since I'm very active and train up to 5 days a week, I eat about 1700-1800 calories on my "normal" days and 600-700 on my fasting days. Last year I lost about 15lbs pretty easily and kept it off for several months when my diet and exercise went to hell (my MIL was misdiagnosed with a major…

Same here... I am so that girl. "What? The calories still count even when I'm eating out of the box, standing by the fridge?" Yeah....