RedSierra Member

The olive oil and pepper. They are fantabulous. I probably ate more than 480 -- that's a best guess. I was really mowing through the box and lost the exact count. The rest are outside on the ground now, broken up for the birds (or the raccoons tonight). Sigh.

It sounds like you're on the right track. Weight loss, diet and exercise should bring your BP down soon. FYI, don't drink caffeine for several hours before you check your BP or go to the doctor to have it checked. Caffeine can raise your blood pressure. Also, I was told to drink more water and that will bring BP down.

The doctor sounds ignorant. I just had a similar experience. I'm 5'4" and weigh 140. I've lost 40 pounds overall and maintained since last November. My doctor told me, "You're still losing weight. Don't lose any more." I told him I'm not still losing, my weight depends on what clothes I'm wearing, if I've eaten or gone to…

Lose it 10 pounds at a time. There's a great blog on MFP by The Movie Chair, a woman with the same weight loss goal as yours. You might look up her blog for inspiration. I have a medical problem as well as a control problem, so I stopped eating trigger foods. Many people learn moderation (more power to them), and feel…

Okay, the title of this is "What do you eat to lose weight?" Here is my answer for myself: I lost 40 pounds/18.14 kg last year and have maintained the same weight since November 2016. I look up calories for everything before I eat it, including in restaurants. I use the USDA entries a lot. The most valuable advice I've…

I drink plant milk instead of dairy. From my experience, Silk is a good brand. There's also Almond Breeze. https://silk.com/products Silk Protein Nutmilk 10 G protein in a cup. Cashew milk (thicker than almond milk, IMO tastes most like dairy milk) Almond milk (low calorie) Soy milk (upsets some people's stomachs -- I…

The MFP food diary gives you a list of nutrients and the calorie percentages. See the list at the bottom of the daily food total. You can also go into the settings and choose other nutrients to track. I can't answer about the treadmill or other exercise. For myself, the best exercise is the one I am willing to do over the…

I want to add something to my comment above where I said I don'r measure but do read labels. I eat a lot of salads (usually one a day, sometimes two) that often have spinach, shredded carrots, black olives, and many other things. I also eat prepared potato salads, but only once in a rare while. I really like fresh raw…

I just steam it and then turn off the heat and leave the lid on for several minutes. I taste a small piece and eat when it's soft and not chewy. The trick is to steam until soft but not overcook it. To season, I use salt and pepper or shake on a small amount of spice. Since you have teenagers, you could use your usual…

Your friends sound socially unbearable if they think it's weird to order water, a veggie patty or Greek yogurt. Why would you want to be around people who are staring at what you eat and drink? I eat veggie patties and drink water in restaurants and have the same friends I've always had -- they sit across from me and eat…

I lost 40 pounds using MFP last year. I'm a 5'4" woman over 50 and went from 177 to 137. I want to stay here and have maintained since last November. I am extremely happy with my results and so is my doctor. I used a measuring cup twice and that's it. No cups, no scales, no spoons. I do read labels, use the USDA entries as…

Good reminder to read about side effects. Thanks for posting it.

I feel for you with the work-related travel food problems. I have a medical problem and have to draw the line no matter what's going on. My suggestion would be drink a lot of water -- plain water or with a slice of lemon, whatever you prefer, but just drink water. Make water your beverage of choice. It's good for you and…

I LOVE okra.

Plain oatmeal with almonds and a sliced apple -- no sugar, no milk, etc. Sometimes I have it for breakfast and dinner.

I would enjoy the evening with my friends. I wouldn't try to log the meal -- or rather, would log 2,000 calories and let it go. I've logged 5,000 calories before just for laughs and didn't bother with listing the food. If it matters, I reached my goal weight about 10 months ago and have maintained it. You can still enjoy…

Most people manage sugar cravings in two ways. Some people learn to eat a small, planned treat in moderation (more power to these people). In this way, they don't feel deprived and don't binge. This is a lifestyle they feel they can stick with long term. Other people cut all most added sugar (it's impossible to cut it all…

It sounds like you're doing all the right things now to get control of your health, including seeing a professional for depression and anxiety. There's lots of good advice on here, so I won't repeat it. One that resonated with me was create or find more joy in your life: "You need more happiness in your life, not less...…

I agree with the person who said your taste buds will adapt to what you feed them. I love fresh vegetables with a tiny bit of salt or other seasoning. Vegetables can be prepared a zillion different ways. Some restaurants can ruin them, so don't judge all vegetables with one meal. You might see a therapist, seriously, if…

You don't provide any details about your weight and fitness goals. (1) Are you overweight or obese? Do you have any health problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol? Are you due for a physical? If so, seeing a doctor who will tell you the truth can give you plenty of scary motivation. (2) Take some photos of…

I just read this on CNN: 101 year old woman Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins sets world record dash (for runners in her age group). Over 30?? Ha ha ha. Lace up our shoes and go, no excuses. Click on this to see her running on the track:…

Better to ask the cardiologist than strangers on the internet who may have no medical experience. If it worries you and is not your normal condition, ask the cardiologist or your primary care physician. There's also no reason to feel stupid about asking. That's his job. I look at doctors in the same way I look at car…

People have different sensitivities to caffeine. Some people can drink it all day long with no side effects. Others are very sensitive. You can also become sensitive to it. That happened to me -- I went to the hospital emergency room twice in a week with high blood pressure and a racing heart after a lifetime of drinking…

FYI, your brain needs glucose to function (meaning sugar). You can certainly cut out processed foods and eat whatever you want, but (1) almost everything is "processed" to some degree and (2) some form of sugar is in all vegetables and fruit, plus dairy. You would have very little left to eat. I limit sugar in my diet…

This is good advice. I'm a shy person too. Here are a few things that have been helpful to me: (1) A public speaking class. I took one (required for a degree), thinking I would hate it, but instead discovered it was really fun and let me practice a whole new set of skills. I wish I had taken a class like that years ago.…

You talked about having PTSD. Walking is very good for emotional/psychological stress. It gets you out of the house and can take you out of your head. You could walk slower to burn fewer calories. What about some easy to drink beverages with calories? I like Silk Protein Nutmilk -- 130 calories a cup and 10 G protein. It…

I walk around them and say good morning -- if they're elderly or pushing a baby in a stroller, etc. I would step into the street or walk around them on the grass. If they're obviously hogging the sidewalk, I might loudly say excuse me -- or not, if they look like they're crazy etc.

I have a medical problem and try to limit sugar (both added and in fruits and vegetables). That said, sometimes for a snack I have a bowl of oatmeal with almonds and an apple for sweetener. It's filling and the fruit satisfies my need for something sweet. You might find a snack like that you can plan for evening. Also,…

Dharma36, I wish you the best with your treatment. Your post helps me keep things in perspective. I'm trying to keep up with a healthy lifestyle. Logging on here really helps and so does sticking with exercise every single day, even if it's just to take a walk.

So sorry you are going through all these things at the same time. Your depressed feelings seem normal to me. These big setbacks won't be permanent. Thousands of people go through the same thing. You can heal, too. It might not seem this way right now, but it's better not to marry someone if things aren't right than to get…