amandammmq Member

Hi, read through the thread and looked at your diary... a couple of people noted that you should try and add in some healthy fats, as fats are really important to your overall nutrition. I agree with that; it looks like you're a bit low on fats. I like avocado and nut butters (almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter),…

I make smoothies almost every morning. My base is always: almond or hemp milk - 1 cup coconut water - 1/2 cup scoop of ground flax meal scoop of maca powder 1 frozen banana a few ice cubes I add in: cacao powder for a chocolatey treat or a cup of frozen fruit (sometimes cherries, mango, strawberry, pineapple, depends on…

The change is quite stunning! I especially notice the sparkle in your eyes now, and it's not just because you're not wearing the glasses. I would be willing to bet that people who haven't seen you in a while would do a serious double take - you really don't look like the same person. Great work!

You might want to consider making action goals rather than result goals, at least for a little while. For instance: I will go to the gym 4x/week for one month. I will avoid processed food and sugar for one week. I will go to bed by 10 pm every week night for one month. I will drink 8 glasses of water every day for two…

It looks like you just joined this month. Do not quit so quickly! Who knows, maybe you ate something salty and are retaining water... certainly do not give up on your goals in less than a month! One of my friends' friends just logged in for her 800th day in a row... you had better believe she didn't quit within a month!…

I frequently feel sorry for myself while pants shopping with my 35 inch inseam, but those of you with 38 inch inseams? It must be a nightmare. Talk about schmexy legs, though! :love:

OMG this is GENIUS. :heart: Edited to add: I also find that once the sugar is out of my system, I start craving fruit instead of candy and desserts. Hang in there, and try the "naked in the mirror reality check" - I can't help but think that it would work every dang time.

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your story! Sure, a picture speaks a thousand words, but the words you wrote were especially poignant. Learning to care for, love, and accept ourselves as we are, flaws and all, is probably the most important part of this journey we're all on. Many congratulations for all of your hard work and…

Your work schedule sounds brutal! I have been brainstorming while reading this thread. I think if you could put aside ONE HOUR ONLY on one of your days off, you could get pretty far. Put some eggs on to boil, grill/sautee/bake some chicken breasts, and chop up a TON of veggies to toss into salads or eat as snacks. Look…

Wow, I would never in a million billion years guess that you weigh 190! The lifting is obviously causing huge changes in your body, and you look fantastic. I bet you feel awesome, too!

Zero minute prep, too, and cleanup is a breeze! I'm making these tomorrow morning for sure.

Margaret Cho lost maybe 30 pounds in 3 weeks for a TV show.... and ended up in the hospital with kidney failure. Ironically, she was losing weight to play a role based on.... herself. :huh:

Two broken feet? Ugh! I hope your recovery goes quickly and smoothly. I bet if you go on youtube, you'll find some workouts that can be done seated. Additionally, this might be a good time to really focus on cleaning up your diet and eating better.... when I'm not working, I find it much easier to make life changes, since…

New York & Company is currently having a buy one get one free event on their pants. I just went there the other day and scooped up a few pairs of pants, because I refuse to be squeezing into things that don't fit right and make me feel miserable all day! It is terrible for my morale. And for the first time, I bought a pair…

I was very, very thin in high school and college. I ate lots of healthy foods, but I just couldn't keep up with my metabolism and my growing... I'm 5'11". The comments NEVER STOPPED. People LOVED to tell me to my face: -you're so skinny, you're disgusting (can't tell you how many times I got called "disgusting" to my face)…

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I really liked that you mentioned your insecurities about exercise... I think so many people fail at this part because they go straight from being on the couch to working out for an hour, doing exercises that their bodies are not used to. If walking to the end of the driveway and back…

I hear you re: the kilogram issue. Every so often, performbetter.com will have a free shipping event, or a sale on their kettlebells, and they are available in 2 KG increments, from 2kg to 48kg. If you keep your eyes peeled for the free shipping, you will save yourself a bundle! You could sign up for their email alerts if…

A few months ago, I followed along with a 21 day meditation program by Deepak Chopra. One of those days, he talked about this very thing. He pointed out: when you have a friend who is feeling bad, or who is sick or injured or unwell, do you say, "go away, I do not like you"? No. You say supportive things, you nurture and…

Whoa, what a huge difference! Your hard work really shows.

Best: Not having to bundle up when leaving the house, and flip flops! Worst: SWEATY UNDERWEAR. Ick, ick, ick!!!

I've been looking forward to this post... thank you for sharing your story in more detail! :flowerforyou:

Good for you! Now, let's hope they traipse back through the house in a few months when you're jumping up and down like the Energizer Bunny!

That was me! I'm glad that you are able to make use of it. I am sticking to the beginner level... it is definitely my speed at this point! I just completed day 15 today. :flowerforyou:

INteresting! For sh!ts and giggles, I just tried day 1. I agree: situps are NOT what I remembered from my childhood. The abs could perhaps use some work. :frown:

Just completed day 11 of my 21 day challenge. I was dreading it a little, because most of the days have been 5 minutes, but today was 20 minutes! I must say that my lower back feels TIRED, but that appears to be the only negative side effect. I was a bit scared, but I survived. Not sure why I doubted myself! Oh, right,…

My YAY is that today, I got on my BEAUTIFUL bike for the first time in two years! Considering that my butt feels fine, might I suggest that you look into getting a Brooks leather saddle? I think that is the only part that WASN'T uncomfortable during the ride!!!

Thanks for the feedback! I agree about aiming for a decent amount of weight. I am definitely NOT using my arms to lift the weight! One thing I like about the 21 day challenge is it gives form suggestions to focus on each day... squeezing glutes, allowing arms to float up, driving weight through heels, etc. Anyway, I…

I get bored, so I find I constantly need to be mixing it up. Walking from home, driving somewhere more outdoorsy and going for a walk or hike, yoga, zumba, kettlebells, xbox kinect games, bicycling, swimming... for me, the key is not to get stuck in a boring rut.

I am kind of hoping for an update on this thread.

Completed day 4 of my 21 day challenge today, then went out for a 1 hour walk. BTW, I'm starting out with a 25 pound kettlebell. Apparently, that is heavy for a beginner lady, but I am 5'11" and 200+ pounds, so I figure I am more man sized than lady sized. :tongue: At the very least, I am significantly larger than the…