jillianlovesyarn Member

I'm reading Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers, The Difference Engine by William Gibson and The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco (still . . . library has a great Kindle section but it really sucks when all the books you've put on hold become available at once and they can only be checked out for 14 days . . .). In the…

Leg extensions are as much about strength as they are about flexibility. I've been dancing for a few years now and I'm really just now starting to get that. That said, this is a list of a lot of great yoga moves for opening the hips: http://yoga.about.com/od/anatomicalfocus/a/hips.htm How tight your hamstrings are can also…

I don't know if I agree with this. Everything can come in stages. I'm not sure if I ever would have quit had I not started to make the basic investment in my health long before quitting actually stuck. I ate mostly whole foods and worked out and was definitely healthier than when I smoked, ate too much processed stuff and…

While it's possible to overindulge in anything the average legume has about 200 calories per cup and tons of fiber so it's much harder to overdo it. Since you're going to largely avoid processed food -- the biggest calorie trap in any diet -- the only other thing you really need to be mindful of are avocados, nuts, seeds,…

Who cares whether heme iron is better absorbed? It's not an option for vegetarians. Quinoa is another good source. So is blackstrap molasses. I'm not sure what your cooking situation is but cooking in a cast iron pan also boosts the iron content of food. Just as Vitamin C boosts absorption, calcium can hinder absorption so…

Smoothies can be good for this since you can bump up caloric intake a bit more easily in liquid form and a lot of kids like smoothies. I also like the avocado suggestion. Nuts, seeds and nut butters are also dense but a good source of nutrients.

I use a blend of pea protein, Hemp Pro 70, Nutribiotic rice protein and Omega Nutrition Pumpkin seed protein powder. I've heard/read complaints about some of the powders independently (pea protein and hemp protein especially). But mixed together they have a nice, mellow flavor. My husband is even more finicky when it comes…

As far as brand name foods, like a few others here I've decided to cut waaaay back on processed foods. Before my husband moved in whole foods were a staple for me and it was easy to maintain my weight and budget but he really likes the processed stuff. I do, too, because a lot of it's tasty. But it's expensive, not as…

Willow bark is a good example of something that crossed over into mainstream medicine after careful study. There are a number of long-standing natural remedies that have yet to be tested and it may be fair to assert that we just don't know for sure whether or not they do good or harm. However, I will always be skeptical…

How much do you know about tofu? Generally, the tofu that most savory recipes call for is the kind you'll see in the refrigerated section. I personally tend to prefer extra firm or firm varieties for most recipes. You used to always have to press the water from tofu to get good results in recipes and some people probably…

Also, I'm not going to edit my post again, but it seems from your initial statement that these facts are all sourced from the same woman. Is that correct? I've not read any of her books. Does she actually cite studies?

This is the only "fact" I can knowingly quibble with. Since you don't actually directly cite any of your facts I'm not sure where you got this information and I know you're only trying to help, but in the interest of some serious stuff I'm going to have to break down what you've chosen to mention about vegans. The…

Back when I first did the NYC ballet DVD I had no real dance experience to speak of but found it relatively easy to follow along. I did watch the DVD a few times through before starting with it which I think helped me keep up.

The brand you mention is the one I see most frequently locally. I've also used bought unchicken bouillon cubes at local health food stores before but unfortunately I don't remember the brand. I thought it was Rapunzel but I'm not finding a listing for it now so I'm not sure. If don't mind making your own to keep on hand,…

Just an aside, but corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup aren't the same thing. Because of how marshmallows are made corn syrup is probably unavoidable, at least in vegan ones. I think Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallows are a thousand times better than Dandies because they taste so much fresher so if I wanted to make some…

This isn't exactly what you asked, but your posture seems to have improved a lot over your earlier shots. It makes you seem more open and approachable.

I have noticed that in a lot of pictures posted on here but I don't know that it's universally true. How one chooses to present oneself definitely factors into perception and a lot of people who have gone on to lose weight obviously didn't feel particularly good about themselves before the loss. People post pictures of…

Bright from the Start by Jill Stamm, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood and The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. I just finished Iq84 by Murakami, Summertime by J.M. Coetzee and The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. I loved the first two but didn't care for The Marriage Plot much despite liking Middlesex and The Virgin…

I have a hard time falling asleep but I don't have any other choice with a baby in the house. I'm glad to read at least there's some benefit to it.

I make my own protein blend out of hemp powder (Hemp Pro70), pea protein powder, brown rice protein powder and pumpkin seed protein powder. Hemp protein has the most fat of them all if you compare fat to protein ratio, but only 4 grams of fat gets you 21 grams of protein in the Pro70 brand which should still fit your…

I just started on Monday. It's amazing the difference a good bra makes if you're busty. I forgot to put my compression bra on before I started the DVD, attempted to do the jumping jacks and thought "Dang! I'm not ready yet!" I tried Then I remembered that I was going to try doubling up on sports bras and oh, wow. I'm not…

I am. My son's 4 1/2 months old. I didn't really start losing until he was around 3 months old. That's about when I got my period back (boo!). I was already exercising and counting calories although I was not yet on MFP. I do think that's when my hormones regulated somewhat which may be what finally allowed me to lose more…

I have to admit. I love green tea but I've been trying to stay away from it while breastfeeding since some babies are sensitive to even small amounts of caffeine and I've never found a decaf version that I care much for. I'm a big fan of rooibos. There are lots of flavors out there now that it's become more popular. I have…

Seriously? In general, it is not a good idea to deplete your stores of a vitamin or mineral. For people who aren't anemic or haven't been eating an iron-poor diet for a period of time, a well-rounded diet can take the place of supplementation. There are some supplements that many consider far more gentle (e.g.,…

I informed my husband that I would no longer be cooking to his tastes and he is fine with it since he knows we'll both be better off in the long run. (I should mention he doesn't have bad taste, thus why we *both* need to lose weight). Getting him to exercise is another matter as he really hates exercise. He has been very…

The only thing that really seems to impact my supply is getting too little sleep (less than four hours) and getting my period back. Even the period appears to be a temporary monthly drop and I've started taking calcium magnesium supplements because some reading suggests that cal-mag supplements might make for less of a…

I prepare our grocery list but I do solicit his feedback. My husband really will eat anything but some things he enjoys eating and some things he, well, just eats. He does all the grocery shopping, though, which is great.

Unseamed jersey tends to hold up pretty well in the wash. It's what I used to make the cloth wipes for my son and we wash them tons. The edges tend to curl a little but it won't unravel.

My brother sought out his birth mother and they had a brief relationship before he died. Ultimately, I believe he was disappointed in who he discovered but he did it more for a feeling of completeness than for medical records. I personally would love to have my medical records but have never been able to get a lead on my…

My son's four months old now. My nausea actually didn't kick in until the second trimester (although I had really bad food aversions in the first trimester and exhaustion that made exercise more challenging) and continued until I delivered my son at 36 weeks. The one thing I found with exercise is that I really didn't need…