RadioactivePirate

I don't take any vitamins. It seems like every time they do a new study of multivitamins the evidence just keeps piling up that they don't really do anything in the absence of a specific deficiency, and that taking a vitamin supplement is really not the same as getting your vitamins from food. I have one exception, I take…

It is probably cheaper, money wise, to cook from scratch than it is to buy takeout all the time. But time is a valuable resource as well, and cooking from scratch takes up a whole lot of that. Being able to plan out meals, grocery shop, prep, cook, store, etc all of your food can be very time consuming, especially if you…

You need to try nail stamping! Look up a brand called Konad. It's basically a metal plate engraved with a design, you put nail polish on and scrape off the excess, then you pick up the design with a stamp and stamp it on your nail. It's pretty easy. You can go elaborate with all-over designs or just put a little flower or…

Early on I rewarded myself for days logged (I feel it's more mentally healthy, at least for me, to focus on sticking with it rather than obsess about the weight). I tended to pick things that I wanted but really could not justify purchasing for myself. Like a $250 handmade wooden yarn ball winder (if you're a knitter, you…

It's a great feeling! The other day one of the gym employees told me she was proud of me. :) She's been watching me learn to run and gradually get better and better. Now I'm signed up for one of the same races she's doing!

I've got another 5 pounds to go or so before I hit "overweight" and maybe 35 to be at a really healthy weight for me. About 90 pounds down already. I average maybe around a pound a week or a little less. Not super fast. But it sure is working. As far as difficulty level? Maybe a 1.5 - 2. I only do exercise that I enjoy,…

No it wouldn't be helpful. It's not a meal. It's just juiced vegetables. Could help you get your vitamins in, but that's really about it. It's not even as good as actually eating vegetables, partly because of the vegetables they use for it, and partly because whole foods have things like fiber that are good for you. And…

Podcasts! Especially long ones. I always look forward to the gym when the new Oh No! Ross and Carrie podcast comes out.

Not exactly.... you can measure in grams or ounces on your scale. You are measuring weight. You cannot measure FLUID ounces on your scale, that is a volume measurement. So if you're having a 3 ounce serving of cooked chicken, you can use the scale to measure that ounce. But a 6oz serving of juice you would NOT use the…

Regarding MSM donating blood... The Red Cross's hands are tied in this situation. I believe they have come out in favor of lifting the lifetime ban, but the requirement is from the federal government. Boycotting the red cross does nothing to change this, and is only in fact hurting people who need blood. It would make a…

I think that coming at weight loss from a position of "I love myself and my body and I want to treat it well" rather than "I hate my body and wish it would change" makes a huge difference in terms of motivation. If you're taking care of yourself because you love yourself, an occasional indulgence is just that, a treat. You…

If there's too much snow for the gym, I shovel for exercise.

Same here. I will congratulate you on your progress toward a goal of yours if I know that's what you're doing, but I don't just automatically assume "you've lost weight!" is a compliment, or that it's even appropriate to comment on someone's weight.

I just posted two of my favorite easy crockpot recipes on my blog. Chipotle Chicken Chili and Buffalo Chicken Chili. A little chopping is all it takes, and then you just drop stuff into the crockpot and turn it on. 8 hours later, a big pot of healthy food!…

Make a parfait. Mix the pumpkin with some sugar/maple syrup/splenda/whatever and pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice) and layer it with crushed up graham crackers and plain greek yogurt. Let it sit overnight before eating. Delicious! You could use sweet yogurt if you like but I find the plain actually makes a…

Baked fish with steamed vegetables would be very satisfying and well under that. I usually bake in parchment paper with lemon juice and spices. I also have been making chili recently. Here's the recipe I'm eating for dinner tonight: Buffalo Chicken Chili 2 1/2 lbs chicken breast 1 can each of black beans, small red beans,…

Running is my primary source of exercise! I started walking when I was about 220lbs (after 40 pounds lost from diet alone) and when I got a little better and a little bored I started adding a bit of running. When I started I couldn't run 100 feet, now I run 3 miles several times a week, and have gone up to 4 miles at a…

Another soup person here. I'll make a big pot of soup, split it up immediately into individual containers, and have something to grab on my way to work. Lately I've also been freezing a few of the containers and keeping the freezer stocked so I don't have to have the same thing every day.

Keep in mind that if you're looking for the health benefits that are supposed to be found with tea, you will want to stick with actual tea. Herbal infusions (chamomile, peppermint, anything marked "herbal tea") and red tea are NOT made of actual tea. Only white, green, black, and oolong tea are tea. Check the ingredients…

When I work the night shift nothing happens until I've had my tea. Yorkshire tea is my current choice, it's nice and strong. The teabags are pretty generous, good for a 16oz mug. It's good to stay hydrated. And there's something just so comforting about tea, it's energizing when I'm feeling sluggish, helps me feel better…

I have stuck with the recommended number, and I eat back most of my exercise calories. I'd rather lose weight slowly than make myself miserable by not eating enough, and I also want to make sure that I am getting enough nutrition to support my exercise regimen. It seems to be working very well as something like 80-90% of…

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130103/FLAVORS/301040031/oatmeal-recipe I like this one a lot. I usually make it for 2 people by doing 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups oats, 1 cup milk, and 2 tbsp maple syrup. It still cooks about the same length of time though, I suspect if you make the recipe as written you'll need to…

This happens to me too! It's easier to see the change when you have more cues like how clothes are fitting. But yeah, still waiting for my brain to catch up to my new body. I look in the mirror a LOT now, I think it's helping me readjust and remind myself that this is what my body is now. I'm starting to get better at…

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/ These brownies are under 200 calories if you split it into 12 (which makes decent sized brownies) and use splenda or an alternative for 1/3 cup of the sugar. And holy crap are they amazing. Definitely will satisfy any chocolate craving!

Working out and eating more is healthier for you than eating less and not working out. As long as you're not making yourself crazy with it, like working out for hours and hours and then having a wild fast food binge, or using exercise as punishment for eating "bad' things I don't see what the problem is. I do it all the…

I have used it as a fat replacement in quick bread (this can be a bit tricky to manage though, I recommend the first time you try it to not sub ALL the oil out with yogurt, just cut it down and see how it comes out), I have added spices to it to make ranch dip, I use it in place of sour cream on tacos/chili/whatever, I…

If you're so hungry you're in pain, you should probably eat more.

I think it's a good gym as long as your needs are minimal. You need a place away from home to work out with plenty of cardio equipment, basic weight equipment, and nice people? It's perfect. You need classes or super serious weights or a pool or child care? Not so good. As far as the pizza and bagels go, I actually think…

I was a very mild snorer before losing weight, but I have been informed that I don't do it at all now.

It works. Make sure you're calculating your TDEE correctly, and actually log everything and weigh/measure everything honestly, and it will work for you. As for exercise calories, the way MFP is designed to work is that you put your activity level in without counting exercise and then add exercise on top of that and eat…