jessicawrites Member

Stand mixer!

I haven't met anyone too creepy, thank goodness. I get the occasional comment on flexibility (I was a dancer for a long time growing up, and my stretching routine still reflects that), but for the most part people have been cool. It may help that my husband is my workout buddy :).

I like to snack, so my lunch is typically a box full of a lot of easy-to-nibble things: today is 1.5 oz ham on a slice of bread, cherry tomatoes, a blood orange, applesauce, and an ounce of peanuts. Every hour or two I take something out of the box. Other favorite inclusions are Greek yogurt, a banana with a tablespoon of…

What 1400-1500 looks like for me: Breakfast: 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (130) with fresh or frozen berries (60), or a scrambled egg (100) plus a sausage link (170) Lunch: 1 slice whole wheat bread (100) with 1 tbsp each peanut butter (90) and jam (60), or maybe a salad of 1/2 cup cannellini beans (100), 4 oz. shrimp…

Dinner out at a lovely tapas place. Planning on logging, but not caring when I go over.

I have that too. I'm in the middle of a frustrating period right now where I haven't lost anything (weight, inches) for weeks, even though I know I am getting fitter (can run faster, stamina is better, etc.). I saw a picture on some sight that said "not seeing results is no reason to quit" and I'm trying to keep that in…

From a cooking (specifically baking) standpoint it also makes sense because different techniques for measuring can affect how much of something is used. If you scoop the measuring cup into the flour container, you may end up with a different amount of flour than if you spoon flour from the container into the cup, or sift…

Looks like you're typically anywhere from 100-600 calories under your goal for the day. What would you think about eating a bit more? If you already have MFP set to give you a deficit, increasing it by not eating your goal might make you feel tired. I drag when I don't eat enough. As for what to eat, previous posters have…

Put spinach in pasta sauce. It loses a lot of volume when it wilts, so you can use a whole bag, and all you taste is sauce. If texture is a problem, slice it thinly. I also put spinach in meatloaf.

We like hiking, we LOVE parks (walks around the water, bike trails, Frisbee). We took swing dance classes for a while--something I would like to resume when life gets less hectic. Bowling is fun, ice skating is fun, wine tastings are about food/drink, but also about savoring, so that can work too. See a movie or a play. On…

If I have 20 minutes, I like to do intervals (not intense the whole 20 minutes, but that's kind of the point). Here's what I'm working on to increase my running pace 3 min 5.0 warmup (1 min each) 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 (repeat 1-min sprint session 2 more times, 3X in total) 5-minute cooldown (right now I just walk at 3.0, ideally…

If you have trouble stopping at a reasonable portion of a favorite snack, would it make sense to only buy individual portion sizes? Ice cream makers sell mini-cartons for one, chips come in single sizes, etc. Don't stock up on them and tempt yourself to plow through a pile of small bags of chips, but what I sometimes do on…

I had a crappy selection at my college, which is part of why I put on some weight (along with studying/hanging with friends trumping gym time and a predilection for giant m&m cookies when I was stressed...) I lost 15 pounds my senior year by eating a healthy breakfast, salad for lunch at least 4 days a week, and eating…

I work out at PF. I've been on and off with my gym attendance, so it didn't make sense to spend more than the minimum. I've been picking it up, and depending on budget and fitness progress, I might consider shopping around closer to the summer to see what options are out there. A typical workout for me is a treadmill run…

If you want to make cream cheese frosting and you don't want it too sweet...put less sugar in the frosting. I am guessing you want to make your own frosting? Use your stand or hand mixer to beat cream cheese with some sugar. An easy idea is to Google "cream cheese frosting recipe" or similar. If the sugar seems high to…

The oil is completely safe and natural. In natural peanut butter, the solid and liquid parts of the peanut butter separate during storage in the jar. Stir it in (if you don't, the peanut butter will get too stiff). It will be really goopy the first one or two times you use it--this is normal. It will still taste fine.…

It may come down to what you're eating. Depending on how hard you work out, your body may need different things. I'm not a nutritionist, and I don't presume to be an expert by any means, but take a peek at your fiber, protein, whole grains/produce vs. processed foods, etc. I stay fuller on eggs, low-fat dairy, and fruit…

When I cook, I almost exclusively use olive oil. When I bake, though, it's butter all the way. I don't think I have ever bought margarine. Just seems weird...

I am in the same boat! I've been steadily upping calories bit by bit, and am now planning on eating a minimum of 1400, and preferably 1500-1700, per day. I've heard it can take a while for the body to adjust, so don't give up if there's no change or some gain in the first few weeks! What exercise do you do? I'm training…

I swear by meal planning. I cook at home most nights (we only go out to eat a few times per month), and it helps me tremendously to know what I'm making in advance so I can make sure I have what I need. Meal planning typically takes me 10-15 minutes on a weekend. I have 3-4 cookbooks I use most often, so I'll pick one or…

I'm having success with intervals (running hard for 1-3 minutes followed by a 1-3 minute walking period). It helps build my lung stamina up but also gives me the chance to catch my breath when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Lentil soup with kale, plus a side of natural applesauce

Agreed. Cook something healthy and tasty, keep an eye on your portion size, and let the family eat however much they need to. (I realize I am fortunate enough to have a partner who is continuously enthusiastic about whatever I make!)

Please take this with a grain of salt (anyone who knows about body composition, please feel free to correct me). I'm not a nutritionist or any kind of health professional, but: 285 x 0.58 (aka, 285 - 42% body fat) = 165.3 lb that are not fat 234 x 0.625 (aka 234 - 37.5% body fat) = 146.25 lb that are not fat Therefore, it…

I've been going sporadically, but hoping to revive a regular workout routine starting on the first!

Vinegar does not help you lose weight, unless it tastes gross enough that it inhibits your appetite. I'm not sure I understand the point of eating or drinking something unpleasant on a daily basis. On the other hand, if you pressure-cook potatoes and a bunch of kale and mash them together, a little drizzle of apple cider…

You can also cut a slit in them and stuff with some sundried tomato, onion, and a little feta

A lot of potential factors, but I've had issues before with overheating, which may be the case for you as well since you got dizzy in the shower (which I assume was hot). Sip water after your workout (don't gulp, it can make you feel sick), incorporate at least 5 minutes of cooldown and some stretching, and don't crank up…

Another thing to consider is trying different spices to liven up the veggies. Cumin or curry on cauliflower, nutmeg on string beans, and freshly cracked black pepper on bell peppers or artichokes are all yummy. I've also recently done a green bean salad with a few lightly fried almonds and red onion pickled for half an…

It helps to plan your meals for the week in advance. A typical week of meals for me and my husband: M: ham steak, "smiley" potatoes, peas T: pasta puttanesca with chicken sausage W: lentil and winter veggie soup T: ground beef patties, couscous salad, broccoli F: frozen pizza S: Spanish tortilla (potato omelette) S:…