NorthernCally

Congratulations! You really look great! Thanks for inspiring me!

Welcome! I have been on MFP for about a month, and have found a lot of support and encouragement! Whatever your background, wherever you are in your "journey", you are bound to find someone on here who is right where you are! I wish you luck and determination (because I don't think luck has anything to do with this!!). You…

Some of the things you've said have jumped out at me: One of your weak spots is ice cream. You can control how much you have of it. If you like the fancier flavours, with all the toppings, have a kid-sized cone. You CAN just order a small one. Eat it slower. Really enjoy it. Go online and find a new healthy (or healthier)…

Welcome to MFP! As a few people have said, the key is to find little things that you can do (once in a while to start with; you can develop them as habits gradually). If you work or live in a building, try taking the stairs. (It doesn't have to be 8 flights up and down for it to count. Start with a flight or two.) Use a…

This test is PASSED! A+!! Every time you finish a workout that you didn't think you could do, you make yourself stronger! And, you teach yourself that you can do it. Instead of giving in, you made the decision to stand up to all the tough stuff you're going through right now and say, "You will not defeat me." (That may…

Bump! :happy:

Welcome to MFP! You will find this site very motivational, with a large group of encouraging people! You can add me if you like. :smile:

So true! I am constantly looking for healthier choices for snacks, and try to keep different types of nuts in the house (or in a baggie in the truck).

Don't be disappointed because you're doing this again...disappointing yourself would be if you said you can't do this again, and never tried to get back to healthier! Be proud of yourself for acknowledging that this needs to be done, and be determined to do it again!

Before I moved out to the sticks, I did a lot of walking. I lived in a fair-sized city, and my office was about 1.7 miles away. For about the last 5 years, I walked home from work 5 or 6 days a week, year-round. When it was light out early enough, I would walk in, too. I would go for 2 hr walks, just because. Or walk a few…

So great to see your success! Congratulations!

Great job, Country Boy! Thanks for sharing your success, and motivating me (and so many others, obviously!) Keep up the great work!

Welcome to MFP! I joined about 2 weeks ago and still cannot get over how supportive and encouraging everyone is! You can add me if you want. I wish you good determination on this journey!

I'm bumping for new recipes!

P.S. I can tell you there is the same gap in clothes sized 20-22 and 22-24. It's like there is one perfect dimension for each size, and if you aren't it, you are not going to be satisfied with the fit. Irritating, but I'm working on getting to a more 'standard' size. Good luck to us all!!

Yay to recommitting to healthier! Yay to all of us!!

I haven't tried Stevia myself, but from what I understand, just like with some other sweeteners, the proportion you use in a recipe may not be the same as sugar. I would only suggest you looking into that if you are thinking of using it in baking or whatever.

As long as you know that you aren't (entirely) on your own. You need support, motivation, inspiration, recipes, whatever, it's a pretty safe bet that someone here will have what you need. We are so lucky to have this site!

I often have a cup or two of herbal tea (black, green or white tea) during the day, and have started using agave nectar. Here are the numbers for it: In 1 tbsp serving size: 60 cals, 0 fat, 0 sodium, 16 g of carbs, 16 g of sugar, 0 protein. And, in my 12-oz tea mug, I usually use 2 tsp (2/3 of a serving). I've found it has…

Not supporting or refuting either side of the debate, but Bjohs, thanks for the visual.

Welcome to MFP!! :flowerforyou: Instead of wishing you luck, I will wish you determination, commitment and healthy eating habits! You've already taken the best step toward reaching your goal; now it's just a matter of sticking to it! And, there are lots of motivating people on this site, just waiting to encourage you (or…

Alright, I'm in! I had already set a personal (modest) mini-goal to drop 16 lbs from Sept. 1 to just before Christmas. Then, on the 6th, I found MFP. I haven't had quite the success (yet!!!) that I'd hoped for, but I know that every little bit counts, I didn't do it overnight and I won't undo it any faster, and I will be…

Great job! And, thanks for sharing the motivation! It helps!

I've been here for about a week and a half, and have found the same things are true: I check in a few times a day, not just to update my food diary, but also to see what my friends are up to, and what people are talking about. I've already gotten a few insights into my habits. What's even better, is sometimes commenting on…

The reason someone came up with the phrase "non-scale victory", and so many of us use it, is that it does show progress, and we need things like that to keep us motivated. You deserve to acknowledge those little victories. And, honestly, as someone else who gets discouraged when it seems I've been working and eating…

I have just started to develop better self-control, and it's been many years in the making. I am a junk food junkie, an obsessive eater, a binge eater, an emotional eater....and, so what? I also like healthy food, like fruits and vegetables, lean meat, and whole grains. Even more than a chocolate bar, I like wearing nice…

I had a desk job for 15 years, and sometimes found it a struggle to have a "decent" lunch. When I was really trying to watch what I ate, I would bring a sandwich (sorry!) and soup. Even if you only had soup once a week, you can find different varieties. Salads are also a good pick, since you can put so many different…