nuzziek Member

I'm loving get back on here and reading where I left off in this thread in 2019-2020, on page 450. This is such an inspiration and also makes me reflect on my own journey. I lost about 45 pounds back in 2019-2020, from ~180lb at 5'7" to ~135lb. I've kept most of it off, but gained ~15 pounds back. A lot of it is muscle. I…

You might find it helpful to increase your strength in other ways first.. through weight lifting or other resistance training. I couldn't do a push up, but then after I started weight lifting, it naturally became easy.

I'm vegan for many reasons that have already been mentioned here. One reason that has NOT been mentioned: by eating a vegan diet, you eliminate cholesterol completely from my diet. Only animal products contain cholesterol (including dairy and eggs). Within 6 months of becoming vegan, my LDL dropped to 0.

I agree with the strategies already mentioned (I do a version of all of them), but would like to add one more. Since I have more free time during the weekend, I make a point to move more. Either Saturday or Sunday (or both), we'll do a big hike (8+ miles) or a long run (for us, 6-7 miles). I'll also spend a couple hours…

Well, better to realize is now than never! Assuming 1200 calories is the right amount for you (make sure you shouldn't be eating more).. you're going to want to strip down that breakfast! When I want oatmeal, I make 2 packets of instant oatmeal (100 calories each), add some cinnamon (0 calories), and a handful of…

UGH yes! I hate how they don't offer unsweetened dairy milk substitutes. No one wants the sweetened kind!!

Almost never. I grew up on mac and cheese, frozen pizza, hot pockets, and ramen noodles. For breakfast, a pop-tart with a flinstone vitamin on the side. Luckily, I went polar opposite and am a huge veggie lover as an adult. Oddly enough my mother came from a traditional Italian family with home-cooking. I ate well when we…

I'm vegan and I avoid gluten as much as possible. I don't buy any special "gluten-free" products - I just try to eat mostly plants. Produce, legumes, nuts, intact grains, etc. Avoid the processed stuff. This is a good way to keep costs down, as "gluten free" labeled items tend to be expensive. This way of eating does…

Another vote for Beachbody On Demand! There is a 2-week free trial, and then it's $99/year for unlimited access after that. I just finished 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme (couple days of the latter left).. both are 30 minutes/day programs.. and are great for beginners/intermediates. Check it out!!

Everyone has provided you with solid advice! It's all about CICO, no matter what types of foods you're eating (or not eating). When I switched to a vegan diet, it took me some time to figure out. A lot of people who go vegan have issues in the beginning with not getting enough protein, or eating excessive amounts of…

Thank you!! I think I'm going to try Hammer & Chisel! I really love Autumn and would like to continue with her. Thank you for your recommendations.

Thank you everyone!!! I pre-screened a few over the weekend. I'm still undecided! There are so many great options. I was kind of hoping to try P90X, but didn't realize I would need extra equipment. I have a few more days of 21 Day Fix Extreme to finish before I have to make a decision. Ahhhhh! Thanks again to everyone who…

Thank you both! I have heard good things about ShaunT. And of course the famous P90X3. I'll check out your recommendations next week when I'm done with 21 Day Fix Extreme. I guess my overall fitness goal right now is to build more muscle definition. (Also, I don't necessarily prefer shorter workouts, it just happens to be…

Childfree, here! (I hate the term "childless") I do have a fur-baby who is the light of my life. She is a beautiful Aussie.

I'm a a happy and full vegan. You want to make sure you're getting enough protein, first of all. Beyond that, I find volume eating to keep me full. I eat GIANT bowls of steamed vegetables with dinner every night (w/ a cup of beans or lentils for the protein). Lunch is a gigantic salad with nothing but raw veggies and a…

Thank you so much!!! I use Fabletics for my workout clothes.. love them! (Another fun side effect - I have about a million work-out outfits now LOL).. Anyway, I wanted to say that is awesome that you learned how to swim! That is a goal of mine. I've always loved the water and swimming but never really learned the correct…

Thank you!!! And yes.. so far! I'm definitely still working hard.

Thank you so much! :smiley:

Not really.. it's chewier and not as soft. The taste is pretty plain but I guess it also has a bit of a black bean taste. The same brand makes an edamame version that has even less taste though, with very similar nutrition profile. I don't eat much traditional pasta anymore so it's hard for to compare.

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate it. Feeling amazing.

Sorry, I am just seeing this now! Thank you for your kind words. Thinking of myself as an experiment made it more fun. "What happens if I add a 100-calorie protein snack today?" "What if I focus more on fiber and veggies today?" "Now what happens if I had an extra 30 minute walk at lunch" It's fun to play around with…

I've been using it for a few months and find the value to be fantastic. I love the yoga programs. I've been doing yoga for years, but through their instruction, have been able to correct my alignment and breathing. I found their instruction to be better than many in-person classes that I've done! I'm currently on the last…

Didn't read all the back and forth.. came here to say.. I AM OBSESSED with this pasta too! I've been eating it ~3x a week for a few months now. I enjoy it served like traditional pasta with marinara sauce, or in a variety of other/more creative ways. Right now I'm eating it plain on top of a giant salad as my protein…

Don't feel bad!! I also started feasting last Friday, through the end of Christmas day. Tons. Of. Food. (Especially sweets). I agree that it's hard to jump right back on the wagon, but just do it! I know you can. The scale was up 5 pounds yesterday morning (the day after Christmas). I ate within my allowance yesterday and…

Ah, I see.. I did not expect any jealousy.. it's weird because I'm still working on my self confidence and accepting the fact that I look good now! You're right that I should have posted it under Success Stories. (Again, hard for me to accept that I'm a Success! So I didn't even think of it!) I truly didn't mean to offend…

Thank you so much everyone!!!!!

Look for recipes that include beans or lentils if you're trying to avoid mock meats. We also try to cook without added oils (we steam all our veggies), which keeps the calories much lower. Vegetable / bean stews are also a good option. Best of luck, and welcome to the vegan life! I've been vegan for 8 months and feel…

An easy way to transition into meal prepping would be to make a giant pot of vegetable stew! If you have a crock pot or an Instant Pot (I highly recommend getting an Instant Pot!), you can make a nice big batch on Sunday and eat it all week. Good luck! Your ingredient list for the week looks great. Maybe add some tofu or…

Why?!!

Thank you so much, everyone!!! It has been a lot of hard work, but I think they key was making sure I enjoyed the process. I really have been having fun with it.