imaginaryplaces Member

I wish you the best with whatever you decide. I know first hand how prolonged, heavy bleeding affects so many aspects of life. Hopefully you won't have to wait too long for whichever procedure you choose.

^This. Totally. My periods were very, very heavy and lasted well over a week with major PMS. The uterine ablation was a life-changer. ETA: After the ablation, I continued to have periods, but very light flow and only for 2-3 days a month. It alleviated almost all of my PMS symptoms also, although my doctor had told me that…

I'm still a work in progress as far as mountain hiking goes, but here are some things that I've found helpful: At the gym, I alternate workouts on the stair-stepper with workouts on the treadmill set at as high of an incline as I can handle. High intensity interval training on both of these pieces of equipment has…

Another vote here for Tevas and Keens. I have a pair of Tevas that I've had for years - they are starting to look like hell, but the soles are still in great shape and they are still comfy.

Spanaval: Maybe this will help with your search for scientific literature: The June 2012 issue of Nutrition Health Newsletter published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest has a two-page article evaluating coconut oil health claims. Based on a review of scientific literature, they conclude (among other things)…

I have a pair of REI trekking poles with the anti-shock feature. I love the poles, although I don't feel that the anti-shock feature is that big a deal. What I do like is that they are very light weight and very strong and that the grips are very comfortable. On REI's web site there is an article about choosing poles that…

Beans! I especially like garbanzos and black beans. Also, look for peanut butter that is 100% peanuts with no sugar or other stuff added. You have to stir it up and refrigerate it, but I think it tastes better. Also, if you are not already eating Greek yogurt, you may want to check it out - it's higher protein than other…

It's harder, for sure. I'm 56 and have lost 62lbs over the past 2 years; 26 lbs since joining MFP four months ago. Here are some things that have helped me. Your mileage may vary. :-) I log *everything*. It helps that my husband and I prepare most of our meals from scratch, so I have control over ingredients and quantities…

I am curious about this too. I haven't seen any science that supports that idea that a person can stop losing weight if they are in a true calorie deficit. I also have seen nothing that convinces me that eating under one's BMR is unhealthy for all people across the board. Purely anecdotal, but I have been eating under my…

I have large hips and thighs and a relatively small waist - Lots of jeans do not fit me well. I've had good luck with Jag jeans and Not Your Daughter's Jeans.

This^^

Thanks for posting this. I honestly wonder just how many of the "I'm eating 1200 calories but not losing weight" posts on these forums are due to just this. Not everyone has the time or inclination to go through all of the calculations that you did, but I think that when we are not losing weight and/or inches, we should 1)…

Awesome. Although I've always wanted to visit Morocco ;-)

Me too! I've lost 20 lbs since Jan. 1, but it has been in spurts. I have gone as long as 10 days with no loss and/or a slight gain. Then, suddenly 1.5 lbs drops off the scale. The speadsheet (and especially the graph) reminds me to not panic and stay the course.

Very well said. Especially the last line.

For those who haven't read the article, the discussion is more nuanced; it is not an article (or book) about weight loss. It gets at the relationship between food and health in modern society. I'm quoting some of it here because I think it makes some really interesting points: "Here’s what is true, she said: “The studies…

Thanks for posting this. I just picked up the book that this column is referring to: Marion Nestle's "Why Calories Count", and have finished the first couple of chapters. So far, it does a nice job of explaining the current science (and the history of the science) of calories and the basics of metabolism. Looks like a good…

From the Harvard School of Public Health, some good info about protein: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/ Quote: "Animal protein and vegetable protein probably have the same effects on health. It's the protein package that's likely to make a difference. A 6-ounce broiled porterhouse…

Well said!

Before joining MFP, I lost 50 lbs by eating less and becoming more active - no calorie counting. So, yes, portion control can work. Since joining MFP and starting to count calories, I have lost another 17 lbs. To me, the benefit of counting calories is that I'm learning appropriate portion sizes (for example, 2 oz. of…

LOL. I've lost about 50 lbs and have probably another 30 to go - I still have jowls, but they are definitely smaller. My double chin is less, um, double. So I'm hopeful. But if they don't completely go away, I'm old enough that I could be considered "distinguished", or so I tell myself.

500mg is a *minimum* requirement - We all need some sodium, just not as much as in most processed foods.

According to the Mayo Clinic: "The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day — or 1,500 mg if you're age 51 or older, or if you are black, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease." More here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284 I…

A spinach and mushroom frittata. Last night we made curried butternut squash with brown rice.

Looking at the JAMA abstract, I find it interesting that the study defined a "high" protein diet as 25% of calories from protein. The "low" protein participants were on a *very* low protein diet - "...participants were randomized to diets containing 5% of energy from protein (low protein), 15% (normal protein), or 25%…