larsonp Member

The latest research would indicate that birth control pills are unlikely to have a significant effect on weight gain/loss on normal weighted animals. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/ohs-dbc011911.php I know you're asking a question specific to discontinue use of birth control pills, but you might assume that…

When I started, I wanted to lose 10 pounds. And then another 10... and another 20, and another 10... That was over a year ago. I'm down 50 pounds total right now. I want to lose another 10 or 15, but I know it'll take another 2-3 months at least. (I didn't do very well over the holidays. I didn't gain, but didn't lose…

Power to you, man. Whatever you do, stick to it. You're in it for the long haul, not to lose 50 pounds in a month. I've been at this over a year, and I've lost 50 pounds in all.

Pretty sure that 1,200 is just the absolute minimum so that your digestive system doesn't start sending out the malnutrition signals. You can be under 1,200 NET and still be fine.

For what it's worth, I think vitamins are a big money waste.

Take solace in the fact that one day over really overeating doesn't affect you as much as consistently overeating. I tend to go "way over" my calorie count about once a month. It may slow down progress, but it's also a nice break from the monotony.

I like to pop popcorn, provided it's not "movie popcorn" or "buttery". Air popped with a little melted butter and salt is delicious, and not a ton of calories. The popcorn itself is good for you, too. (Salt and butter, not as much...)

You don't need help. You just need a little patience. You can easily go up and down 2 pounds on any given day based on what you eat and what you expel. (How's that for putting it nicely?) I've also noticed that if I eat certain foods, my weight will go up even more (another pound or two) just based on what people like to…

Losing more than a pound or two a week is darn near starvation. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to alter your perception of "what is working" and what is not. I do not want to diminish your goals, but I also don't want you to yo-yo right back up after saying nothing works for you. Track your calories…

On nights like that, I say damn it all and forget about the calories. I am a huge fan of allowing one day a month where you just stop worrying about it and eat and drink as much as you want. It's the only way to stay sane on a long-term diet plan. I've been at this over a year, and lost over 50 pounds. (30 since starting…

I never thought of Fruit as low-calorie or filling. I tend to find it to be the opposite. Anyway, I'm a big fan of: unblanched almonds cheddar cheese carrots I find that the almonds or cheese, despite the low volume and higher calories, are more satisfying than fruit. I have to set portions carefully, though. I could eat…

Yes, you should probably count that, since it is a significant enough source of calories to affect your calorie budget. You'll notice as you use myfitnesspal more that it doesn't distinguish between types of sugars. I get go over on sugar all the time, but it's because of the fruit I eat. Yes, the fruit has its own kind of…

Stick with it! Many people find that the first week (or even two), weight comes off very quickly... After that, you will be on a slow journey towards a new body. It's taken me a year, but I've lost 50 pounds, and I'm approaching a healthy weight. You can probably aim to lose 2 pounds a week and still be healthy. The best…

Agreed. That was the point I was trying to make.

Chacaruso, that's a bold claim and should be backed up by scientific evidence before you go spouting such things. I agree that massive amounts of nutrasweet will kill rats or cause cancer in them. But, that actually happens to rats fairly often when that's ALL that they are fed. Decent studies showing adverse effects of…

This is a weakness I've noticed on MyFitnessPal. The nutritional info tracking lumps all kinds of sugars into one category. There's no way to distinguish between the healthier sugars of Fruits and the unhealthy corn syrups, white sugar, etc. I often find myself at or near a sugar limit for the day (on MFP) by eating 1/8…

It will make the actual weight loss faster. Not by a lot, though. As for Harder? Depends on your point of view. If you struggle to keep your calorie count under 1800 already, then it's fairly obvious that 1600 will make you struggle more. If you get used to eating 1600 per day, then you should be fine. It is possible. I do…

It turns out that people that people who get too few hours of sleep have a tendency to overeat, so don't skimp on sleep too much. What's worse is that we also have a limited amount of willpower. So, if you "use up" your willpower getting out of bed early in the morning, you'll have less willpower to politely refuse that…

Keep in mind that you really won't be losing more than a pound or two a week (at most!). Anything more is unsustainable. If you're really wanting to lose weight, you're in it for the long haul. I've been tracking calories for about 20 weeks, and lost about 20 pounds. The first week weigh loss is always what I would call…

Weight training does add muscle mass. (That's kinda the point.) So what you're doing is you're adding lean muscle mass to your body. This can result in a net weight gain, although you're still burning fat. Also, if you're gaining less than 2 pounds from your previous average, it's probably nothing. Keep it up, and see what…

It really doesn't matter when you stop eating. The whole point is to consume the right number of calories. The whole "don't eat within 3 hours of going to bed" thing is a myth. It's all about calories. That said, if it helps you to have a cutoff so you don't have unplanned/unbudgeted snacks before bed, go for it. and THAT…

You can try anything that says "Miracle" on it. If your energy level is down, your body could be fighting to stay healthy since you ran it so hard last week... Otherwise, It's mostly a mental thing, so go find yourself a placebo pill. :-)

There are many things that can help you with stress. Here are a few: Some people find that regular exercise helps. I'm not athletic, but my wife assures me that it helps her stress level when she runs. Part of it is the hormones created when you are physically active, but I think part of it is also the fact that it gives…