iampanda Member

Ok, I guess that would be me. My husband's friend refers to me as a "bark eater" (I'm vegetarian and I like very clean, healthy foods). And my sister has often called me a "granola" because of my lifestyle. Never been called crunchy though!

So true. I am NOT in my right mind when giving birth, so I have to be very straight-forward with what I want this time around. This is why a birth plan is a must. Make sure your OB office has a copy, you have a copy, and the hospital or birth center has a copy. If you don't want meds, put in there not to even offer them.…

Hi! A pal of mine directed me here, and I had to chuckle. I have never heard the term "Crunchy Mama", but I guess I would kinda qualify? I have two children- the first was a hospital birth with drugs, and my second was hospital natural birth. I am pregnant again (24 weeks), and I will be having a natural birth, and though…

Well, if it makes you feel better, it is common for women to drop a couple lbs a bit before labor starts. I lost 3 lbs just before having my 1st. And congrats on making it full term- that means your little bundle of joy will be here any time! yay!!!

24 weeks, up 10-11 lbs. It seemed like my weight plateaued for a couple weeks. Anyone else experience that from time to time?

I'm 24 weeks, 5th pregnancy (2 living children, 2 past miscarriages). My profile pic is my bump pic. :smile:

Considering the healthy rate of weight loss is 1-2 lbs a week, you've met that recommendation, so I really wouldn't be disappointed. Its not all going to fall off overnight. Just keep working at it, and you will get results. Hang in there.

The thing is, BMI isn't accurate- if you weigh more than what is considered "normal" for your height, you are going to have a higher BMI. But not all people who weigh more are unhealthy. A lot of muscular people have a higher weight, but are in fact, much healthier despite having a higher BMI. It doesn't factor in things…

If you already have bad knees, running may not be for you. Running does put stress on your joints- and it sounds like yours don't need the extra stress, so the risk of making your knees worse may outweigh the pros of running... you should ask your doc before starting. With that said, I dabbled in running a little after…

It probably depends a lot on how your body does with dairy. I can't have a lot of dairy, because I am lactose intolerant and it makes me bloat. So that definitely affects my waistline.

I'm 5'3, and started at 160 lbs. I got down to 123, and went up to 126 where I maintained for quite sometime before getting pregnant. I did it by taking it one day at a time, making gradual changes that I could stick with, eating healthy, and becoming more and more active. Just before getting pregnant I reached my goal of…

Thanks, I was just wondering if it was enough since my recommended gain is 25-35 lbs for the entire pregnancy. I am over halfway and haven't even gained half that amount.

Not too concerned, because my intake is made up of mostly whole, natural, unprocessed foods. But it does seem low compared to a lot of people's, so I was just wondering if it seemed ok. I track my food here and there, but mostly I eat when I am hungry and just make good choices. Not gaining a ton is really new to me- with…

There is nothing to say but WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What an amazing transformation!

23 weeks, and I've gained 10 lbs. Doesn't seem like a lot... is there anyone else who is short, started at a healthy weight, and has gained a similar amount in that amount of time?

Question- I don't really track that much because I eat a pretty clean diet. But I got around to fiddling with the settings on MFP and looking around at how many calories I should be consuming, and I came up with around 1900. That seems like a lot! But its about 300 more than I need for maintaining my pre-pregnancy weight,…

:laugh: I couldn't have said it better myself.

Yep, you may need to tweak what you eat. But start slowly. Just switch out one snack at a time, then start cleaning up your meals. Living on what you lived on when you gained weight is going to be a lot harder at 1200 calories a day. So I would say start cleaning up your diet, start slowly cutting out the processed stuff,…

That was only one example. There are many, many more. But see my other post- I am NOT saying it's for everyone. I am simply saying that not everyone has to eat meat to be healthy. Just like not everyone has to be vegan to be healthy. Both can be healthy- its a matter of what works for one's own body.

Again, it depends on who you ask. Many doctors, such as Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., M.D would disagree with you. He helped patients with serious heart problems regain their health with a strictly vegan diet. His book and research is fascinating. And again, I am not saying its for everyone. But neither is eating meat.…

Treating a living thing that does have feelings and sense of pain with dignity is not "humanizing" it. Its simply showing respect for living creatures that share our world with us.

That really depends on who you ask. There is a lot of research that suggests that a diet comprised of mostly plant foods can lower your risk of all kinds of diseases- from cancer to diabetes. I have never seen a study that suggests a meat-eating diet does that? With that said, I don't think veganism is for everyone. But…

I follow a vegetarian diet, but I have followed a vegan diet as well. I love it. I like the challenge of coming up with new dishes to make. Vegan doesn't mean healthy though- there are vegan processed foods out there that aren't good for you. I prefer a "clean" vegetarian/vegan diet- I tend to drop weight faster and keep…

Hey, less bloating is good, too- that's where it starts. That will make you look slimmer right there, and its a good motivator to keep going- because once you start dropping fat, it gets even more exciting. Keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:

What a transformation!! Good job!

It sounds simple- but if you don't buy it, you won't drink it. Just avoid that aisle in the grocery store, and avoid the coolers at the gas station. It can be done. Through high school, I drank probably 5 cans of soda a day- if not more. Your body will go through withdrawals from the lack of sugar and caffeine, but it will…

I agree with this ^^^ It doesn't matter what program you chose- its not going to work and stay off if you aren't willing to stick with it long-term. People tend to forget that what you do to take the weight off, you need to continue to keep it off. Good luck!

:laugh: Right!?!?!?

Wow, that's some great advice and a lot of info packed in there. Nice!

I agree with this, as well as the too much sugar thing. I know the cereal bar types are quick and easy, but you might consider setting aside a day to make your own- there are tons of recipes on the internet, and many can be made using honey (yes, its still a sweetener but used in moderation it has good qualities that…