junebug523

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp This is a recipe calculator that breaks down the nutritional info for you. It takes a little bit of legwork initially, but if you use it with recipes that you know you'll use frequently, you can just copy the nutritional info into your "My Foods" area so that you can…

Yyyyeaaahhh....sodium. That's the one nutritional area I'm having the most trouble with; I'm still working on keeping my levels low on a regular basis. I just try to plan ahead and stock the house with plenty of whole foods--fruits, veggies, etc. so that I can round out my snacks that way. Low or no-salt nuts are a good…

Regular 1% milk. I love it. It's my go-to drink when I need to fill up on a few more calories, or when I'm hungry but I'm not sure yet what to eat. I don't mind that there's a little fat in it, because I need it--I'm pretty consistently under my fat goals as it is.

Craisins are also really yummy in oatmeal! Other snacks I like: Laughing Cow cheese with whole wheat crackers or veggies; cottage cheese & fruit; apple or banana with peanut butter; trail mix with dried fruit, peanuts, almonds, cereal, & semisweet chocolate chips. I usually try to combine fruit/veggies/carbs with some kind…

That's fantastic! Those mental barriers can really do a number on us, can't they? I've had a similar experience with you regarding running--tiring quickly, knees bothering me, etc.--but I've been working hard lately to push my body through it. My goal each time I work out is to "do more than I think I can"--and this holds…

Great job! I haven't seen a change in weight since I started here 6 weeks ago, but I haven't weighed myself at all in two weeks. I've decided to keep focusing on my measurements, eating well, and increasing the intensity of my workouts. I'm not going to weigh myself for another week or so! (I had been doing it every day,…

If you haven't done much running yet, I'd say one of the most important things to do is find a good pair of running shoes. Don't skimp on $--you want some shoes that will provide good support and cushioning from all the high impact of running. Also, as you begin, don't push yourself too hard. What I've been doing is going…

Also, drink lots and lots of water, and watch the amount of sodium you eat. Lots of sodium can cause water retention/bloating.

Yup! I just finished day 18. The idea is to do a workout every day, but I have taken a day off here and there. After 12 workouts (and also going on a few long walks and watching my food intake), I had lost 5.75 inches (1.5 from my waist, and .5-.75 from my hips, upper arms, and thighs). Haven't weighed myself yet, but this…

Yeah, I figure I must be regressing when I need to use a spoon! I'm sure there's some way to psychoanalyze it.:happy:

Thighs are definitely where I carry most of my weight. Last week, as of 12 days on the 30 Day Shred, I measured my waist at 28" and my thighs at 24.5". I always slim down more quickly through the boobs and waist. And actually, the fact that I've lost .75" from my hips and .5" from each thigh so far is pretty impressive! I…

I believe he took his own life as well.

I completely understand how you feel. You don't want to step on their toes and make them feel like they ought to change their habits--but at the same time, the presence of all of those goodies are distracting you from your goals. You can only control you, so what about making a practice of looking at the situation from a…

Thanks, all! I measured myself again this morning (one week after my last set of measurements), and I've lost another 2.75 inches around my waist, hips, thighs, and arms. My personal definition of "plateau" was based entirely on # of lbs showing up on the scale--it's nice to know I'm actually not in one at all! My waist is…

I have this problem too sometimes, despite the fact that I exercise regularly, eat plenty of fiber, and drink 12+ cups of water per day. Honestly, some days all it takes is a brisk walk or jog for a few minutes to get things going, within 30 minutes of eating. Just to be on the safe side, I always stick close to home…

The 30 day shred has some pretty intense cardio in it. I also walk 3.5-4 mph about 15 miles per week, and am slowly adding jogging into my routine. So, cardio is there, and I am working on intensifying it.

I'm in! I don't know if I can double my water intake, since I usually drink 12+ cups of it daily, but I'm definitely going to push it on the exercise! I'm going to speed up to 4 mph during my lunch break walk, do the 30 Day Shred tonight, and after I recover a little bit, do another round of push ups & squats. That'll keep…

Thanks, it's nice to hear this from other people who have struggled with plateaus too, but aren't giving up! And Arielle, I definitely plan to measure again tomorrow morning--I will have finished day 12 of the Shred, plus methinks my pants are a tad bit looser.:happy:

Oh, and I'm sure you already know this--but drink water, water, water. Tons of it. More than you think you'll need. When my husband and I last went backpacking, he forgot to drink enough water on our last day (a 10 mile day), and he was sick for about 24 hours (headache, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.).

Cabelas is another great place to look for the gear you need. With boots, I would suggest you get them .5 size bigger than your normal shoe size...it's miserable to get blisters when you're in the middle of nowhere and still have miles to go. When I got my boots, I also took several walks/mini hikes to break them in. I…

Thanks for all these ideas! I'm going to the store tonight, so I'll probably keep my eyes out for some string cheese and other things that have more protein in them.

My first five-pound reward is a new pair of running shoes. My ten-pound reward is my favorite hike with my husband. My fifteen-pound reward is a cute new pair of shoes or a top. Things to look forward to! We've always celebrated with food too, so it was a little challenging at first to not think of Ben & Jerry's as a…

I have this little vintage skirt that I found at a garage sale in high school. It's a black and white houndstooth pattern, and it's pencil-style (eesh! with my hips the way they are, I can't believe I could ever pull that off!). I wore it all the time then, and I still have it. One of my rewards will be to strut my stuff…