mjbrenner Member

Yogurt is generally fairly lower in lactose than milk, Greek yougurt doubly so. Your problem may not be with lactose intolerance. A doctor and perform tests to identify lactose intolerance and other issues.

I don't really get the need that some people have to make snide remarks in a thread about discussing a religious/spiritual/self-betterment practice. It's totally okay that you do not share this particular belief structure with some others on MFP, but why go out of your way to rain on someone else's parade? I try to both…

Planet Fitness can be good, so long as you know what the chain is about and go in understanding its strengths and weaknesses. First and foremost, know that Planet Fitness operates using a franchise model. This means that the experience between locations is not identical. Make sure that you specifically check out the…

Your daughter is very lucky to have a mother who cares so much not only for her, but also for her husband-to-be. Your constant, loving support will get them through this difficult time. Bless you for being such a wonderful mother and mother-in-law.

There are so many great suggestions in this thread! My wife was a notoriously picky eater when we first met, and though she is still much pickier than I would like, she has learned to enjoy a much wider range of foods than she used to. The best advice I have is for you to take the time to identify the specific flavors you…

I seem to max out right around 4500 calories. My max since joining MFP has been maybe 4700, and that was a real stretch. I do one "cheat" day every week right in that range, however, so I get to eat huge piles of delicious food on a regular basis. I account for the extra calories during the rest of the week, however, so it…

Are we sure that the exercise cited by MFP and other web sites is not above-and-beyond your normal energy expenditure for that time frame? I am unconvinced that such an easy thing to factor in is not already accounted for.

You can do it without the expensive additions! Your diary entry for today has lots of carbs in it. For many people, eating more fat and protein and fewer, more complex carbs is the key to curbing hunger. Also, make sure you eat your full calorie recommendation. You do not need to eat less than what MFP recommends to lose…

No food is going to replace a lack of sleep. When I need to run for a while on four to five hours a night, I try to get in two or three twenty minute naps in spread throughout the day. A longer nap can leave you feeling groggy as sleep inertia sets in, but setting an alarm for a quick "power nap" can make life more…

If your friends are the type that are supportive of your positive life change, use them when you are ready. My friends love to eat crap, but they also support my eating strategy. They don't pressure me to have a drink or a snack when I say I can't, and my own need to feel accountable in front of them prevents little…

I am totally okay with someone not sharing a love of the same foods I do, but I will argue that if you view bacon as greasy and 80% fat, you only know bacon cooked one way. Depending upon how it is cooked, bacon can be surprisingly lean while still packing a real punch of flavor. Also, pork fat is generally easier to…

This poor woman clearly has some worrisome medical condition! Every single sweat gland that is not on an exposed limb has shut down. Bad stock photography FTW. ;)

Amen for Free Days as a better term! It's not cheating if you plan for it in your calorie goals.

I love them. They are firmer and chewier than regular noodles, but they go wonderfully in Asian style soups, stir fries, and curries. I made them in more of an alfredo dish once, and I was underwhelmed. They do a great job of absorbing the flavors you cook them in. Be sure to rinse the noodles for a few minutes under…

@Razique Thanks for taking the time to respond. I do know what it is like to be involved in a community and to be bothered by the problems that are very common that community. I also dislike the word "cheat" for the same reasons. I wish I had a better phrase. I also have the same fear of watching people fail in their…

@Razique I don't know that you meant it this way, but I do not appreciate the implication that those who use "cheat" days as part of their eating strategy have eating disorders. Your blog post gives an example of how using "cheat" days can lead to deviating from your diet plan, but that is in no way a guarantee. Many of us…

I could not agree more. There is an Entenmann's Cheese Danish Twist on my kitchen counter. Every time I walk past it, I threateningly tell it, "Sunday," so it knows the day it will meet its doom. It's very silly, but it helps when surrounded by the foods of which I cannot eat a reasonable portion.

I have a "cheat day" once a week where I allow myself anything and everything in any quantity I want, but I still log every bite of food. I have found that these days almost always equal up to right around 4500 calories, so I plan an extra 2500 calorie deficit over the previous six days (my daily calorie goal is 1990).…

Generally, I assume that people looking to lose weight and asking for diet advice are not yet in a place where they need a specialized diet to meet high-performance athletic goals, but it is a fair point that a high carb load is important for specific activities.

Redheads and beer are proof that there is a God and he does love us very, very much. The good news is that redheads are not going anywhere any time soon! http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/genetic/redhead-extinction.htm (linked because experience has taught me that many people think recessive + rare = will…

Regardless of the weight loss benefits, which some people will understandably question, this looks like a delicious, low calorie replacement for the many flavored drinks in our lives. Having an explicit goal of drinking the entire pitcher every day is also a benefit for people who struggle getting enough fluid. Thanks for…

The people who are stating that you absolutely need lots of carbs for energy are, frankly, incorrect. Carbs can be your primary source of energy, and that is the common diet that is taught in American education. It is not, however, the only option. Once you get over the initial "carb flu" which several people have…

I will make one meal for my wife and I, but I will make small changes to meet our needs. On steak night, I make a baked potato for her and stir fried collard greens for me. I make shepherd's pie in individual casseroles so she can have mashed potato on hers and I can have mashed cauliflower on mine. Having a variety of…

Using a mixture of exercise and calorie restriction, I try to average 500 calories below my MFP goal six days per week. This give me one day where I can "spike" with up to an extra 3000 calories. I log everything I eat on my cheat days, and I remain under my calorie goal for the week. You can look at my diary for last week…

Besides the benefits others have mentioned, budgeting your weekly calories means that you can plan "cheat" days to not be a cheat at all. Many people on these forums, myself included, plan to have one day per week where we grossly exceed our daily calorie limit. This works out fine, since our weekly total in still spot-on.

When cooking for company, the "traditional" amount of meat to cook per person is 1/2 lb. for boneless meats (e.g. sirloin roast), 3/4 lb. for semi-bony meats (rib roasts, turkeyss, and 8 lb. chickens) and 1 lb. for bony meats (smaller chickens). 4 lb. is pretty small for a roasting bird. It has a greater proportion of bone…

Traditionally, alcohol was sold in bars by the ounce, though they never labeled it as such. A traditional screwdriver would be one ounce of vodka, fill orange juice. This is where people get their numbers from, and that is why hard liquors will have calories given per ounce. Like many aspects of recent culture, however,…

Two of my favorite things in this world are the foods that I should avoid and eating way too much of them. I eat at an extra calorie deficit six days a week so that on one day I can go crazy and eat the awful foods I love. I still track my cheat days, because I want my average week to hit my calorie goals. It's like saving…

Thanks for taking the time to illustrate your point, Acg67. It's a fair distinction to make that both "bad" and "good" carbs have an equal impact on feeling full in the short term. I would still recommend that people eat more "good" carbs based on the assumption that they are looking for more than two hours of satiety, but…

It is needlessly hurtful to others to refer to their attempts at being helpful as spewing nonsense. There are better ways to explain disagreement, and I am sure you are aware of them. I have read over the various PubMed article summaries you have linked and I understand your point, but simply posting links to abstracts…