manders_b Member

I’m just returning too. Feel free to add me! I will be on every day and am happy to offer support and accountability.

I tried it but didn't continue beyond the 6 month plan in the book. It definitely helped me build muscle but it's a TON of protein. I have continued with many of the exercises. I'd never really lifted and it was great for learning how to really use the weight room effectively. Good luck!

^^ This but with alcohol. A six pack lasts me weeks now because I only have room in my calories for a beer or cider maybe once a week. It used to last a few days. Also the shoe size thing - I had no idea my shoe size would go down with my weight!

I'm having a similar issue - I just entered maintenance and am scared I'll gain weight. I know I need to keep my calories the same for a few weeks to see if I need to adjust up or down, but it's making me super anxious! I'm more worried about maintaining than I think I was about losing. I have a small frame so even five…

Thanks! Still concerned about gaining back weight, but I guess I can add on/experiment to find a balance.

OP, I'm a 5'3 sedentary female, and I eat at least 1200 calories per day. I had a 27 lb loss as my goal, and I average around 1lb per week. Is it possible to do what you're suggesting? Maybe, but the loss will be a mix of water, muscle and fat and you'll feel awful doing it. I have eaten 1000 on some days and I feel…

Yes, I gain about 5 pounds for that week and then go back down. I still weigh daily, but I don't record the weights during that time because I know it's way off.

Are you using a food scale? I see mixed entries for cups, ounces and grams so I can't tell, but moving to a food scale will really help you tighten up your entries. I weigh whatever I can - all solids and then stuff like peanut butter, yogurt, protein powder, etc. The calorie-dense items can really add up. I bought mine on…

I love to run outside, as well, but keep a cheap (Plane Fitness is $10/mo) gym membership for weight training, resistance and rainy/cold days. It's also nice for working out after dark or at lunch during the workday. The key to long-term fitness is finding an activity you love, so if you really like running outside, do it!…

The strength training part of the MFP database allows you to enter reps, weight per rep and # of sets but doesn't give any calorie info. If you want to, you can add the calories using the strength training entry in the cardio database, but it doesn't add much and I find it difficult to keep track of the minutes spent…

Tonight we are making grilled pork skewers with pineapple and bell peppers. I just cut a pork tenderloin into cubes and skewer them with similarly sized pieces of fresh pineapple, onions and peppers; lightly salt/pepper and grill for about 15 minutes total. Sometimes I sprinkle a little cayenne on them before grilling for…

I took a peek at your diary and I agree with others on the generic entries and measurements. You really need to weigh your food. I used to use the "1 potato, medium, baked in skin" entry. Then I weighed what I thought was a "medium" potato. It was not a medium potato. Also avoid entries with an asterisk that you can't…

I'm a 5'3" female, currently netting 1200, and have been doing well with it. My key is to try and fit in some form of exercise daily. Then I can eat back around 50% of my exercise calories, which most days puts me around 1350 - 1400 gross calories. I've been averaging 1 - 1.5lb/week losses and I feel good. I am also a fan…

I run alone a lot, and I totally understand your fear. I grew up in a not-so-good area and am still really cautious. I run without music, and always have my phone on me and fully charged. I only run outdoors when it's light out, and only when it's going to stay light for longer than my run would take just in case I end up…

The weight vs. measuring cups/spoons thing was huge for me. I bought a scale and was so surprised by my first weighed meal that I started just weighing foods I had around to see what the real serving looked like vs. the package estimate. Totally worth the $15! Also that "a steak" is not a serving size, and that my beloved…

This^^ It's useful for baking if you need a very specific amount of water, otherwise not so useful :/

In general I count everything. I won't count something used very sparingly with few calories - like a bit of horseradish or vinegar - but stuff like barbecue sauce, salad dressings and ketchup can really add up for me.

5'3, goal weight is 125 lbs.

As with most things, the best medicine for water weight is to avoid the foods that make you retain more water. Keep in mind it's not just sodium - other things like alcohol can play into it. As far as getting rid of it, anything with caffeine (coffee, tea) is a natural diuretic, or there are over the counter tablets as…

This^^ I put orange marmalade on toasted egg and cheese sandwiches. Also, I occasionally make pb&j pizzas - store bought or homemade pizza dough rolled out, smear on peanut butter, then completely cover the peanut butter with jelly (if you don't, the pb burns) and bake at 450F for about 10 minutes or until the crust is…

The non-creamy soups at Tim Horton's are also good. The chicken noodle is 100 cals/bowl and delicious! I usually do that or whatever vegetable soup they have and a chicken wrap with an iced coffee. Total is around 300 cals and fits in my macros pretty well. Have to watch the sodium though - it adds up pretty quickly.

As others have said, hummus and veggies. I also love Kashi chewy bars. The sea salt chocolate & almond ones are my favorite - 140 calories per bar and super satisfying!

I've had them since I was 12, and they're still there despite years of trying creams and potions. I find they're less visible in the summer when I'm tan, but I don't know of a way to remove them beyond laser treatments. :/

Don't do it! My doctor recommended it for alertness as an alternative to a prescription stimulant - not weight loss. I tried it, but it gave me terrible headaches and made me INSANELY thirsty. I stopped after about a week.

This ^^ I pre-pack my breakfast and lunch almost every morning and weigh/log as I make it the night before. Then I can better plan what I'll make for dinner, or if I have room in my macros/calories to go out. On the weekends I tend to track as I go, but I usually have a good number of exercise calories on those days so if…

I would try to work in natural protein sources vs. adding a supplement. Protein bars would work, but if you're logging accurately you have room to add in a couple of eggs, some chicken, yogurt - those all taste better than a protein bar, and I think are more sustainable choices long-term. Also, as others have said, invest…

This^^ I drink a glass of water (or iced tea) when I have a hankering for something that doesn't fit my goals and distract myself for 10-15 minutes after (reading, cleaning, playing with dog, etc.) You'd be surprised. Half the time I get a glass of water, end up doing my 10-15 minute distraction for an hour, and completely…

Feel free to add me too!

I weigh daily (same time of day, same clothes) and record it separately on my calendar at home. When I see a sustained loss or maintenance pattern, I update my MFP weight. If I know my weight is going to be up specifically due to water (high sodium the night before, lady issues, etc.), sometimes I'll skip a day just so it…

Me too! Always looking for new friends!