jessicawrites Member

I'd recommend Real Simple and Cooking Light magazines, and www.smittenkitchen.com for more indulgent treats (there's some healthy stuff there, too, but light cooking is not her primary focus). All three feature whole ingredients.

My husband is 6'0 and 140ish. He is naturally very slim and tends toward having lean muscle, rather than bulk. That said, he is currently interested in building some muscle and putting on something like 5 lb. I won't tell you what weight you should be, but my general inclination is to agree that 140 might be a low target.

I'm mostly looking to maintain at this point, but my husband is very slim with a quick metabolism and needs substantially more food than I do to avoid gaining weight. Fortunately we like the same foods, so when it comes to dinner I make what I think is healthy and tasty and make sure he gets a bigger portion (it seems to…

It might be a good idea to brainstorm non-food treats. It sounds like a lot of the temptation to say yes is because you "deserve" it after a hard day. Maybe a bubble bath, new nail polish color, yoga class, or buying the latest iTunes song you can't get out of your head instead?

I shop once a week and buy as few processed foods as possible. I plan weekly menus, putting the meals with the most perishable items at the beginning of the week and saving the longer-lasting produce for end-of-week meals.

I had a candy binge last night, too! I'm ignoring it and moving on.

You need to give it some time. Change happens gradually, especially if you don't have a whole lot to lose.

I have Greek yogurt most mornings. Sometimes, if I can get up early for it, I'll have a scrambled egg and tea. This week I made banana bread with oats and walnuts that came out to about 170 calories a slice, and that's been delicious.

Maybe pick up some cute workout clothes? If self-consciousness is interfering with your workout, a well-fitting, bright-colored workout top might boost your confidence.

I love sour gummy worms. Mostly I don't buy them, but every few months I'll be really jonesing, and I usually end up buying a small bag and polishing them off in a day or two (or sometimes a sitting...). As long as I'm not keeping them around all the time, I'm okay with the occasional splurge.

I am getting married in 19 days!!! Surreal. The PP's have great advice, and I would add: find an exercise that can be a break. Stress builds, even if you're generally laid-back, and it's discouraging when working out feels like another to-do. I like hot yoga because it works my whole body, I get sufficiently sweaty and…

Jumping rope and running are some good ones

Some of my favorites are peas gently smashed with mint and lemon, spinach sauteed with garlic and red pepper flakes, and stuffed red peppers (you want to eat the pepper because it's such a cute cup for the rest of the meal!).

It's a hard one to reply to--do you know if she's eating too much for her body to sustain or if she's in a growth spurt? What kind of food are you feeding her? What does she do for activity? What does her pediatrician say about her eating and exercise habits? Please don't spend too much time talking body concerns with…

Talk to your doctor.

No real need to whizz it up (if by that you mean blend it). If you cook it reeeaalllyy long (like, 2.5 hours or so), the peas will disintegrate into that velvety texture naturally.

It might still work out! Sometimes things smell or even taste weirder while they're cooking than they do at the end. Finish the recipe and see how it is.

Something with lentils is probably going to be better than naan. More protein typically means you'll feel fuller longer than eating a big chunk of white bread (also, I find it difficult to tear off an appropriate portion size of naan). Try some dal, and Indian places I've been to have usually had some kind of spicy spinach…

It's delicious! It's concentrated, though (as in calorically dense). I definitely wouldn't drink more than a bottle a day and would try to limit it to half a bottle. Some fruits are delicious with savory meals, if you want to try something different. You can find recipes with apples, pears, plums, and even grapes that…

I am sure this thread will explode with ideas, but for long-term, I'd suggest checking out magazines. Cooking Light and Real Simple publish tasty, easy recipes and provide complete nutritional information. I learned to cook a solid repertoire by working my way through a Real Simple cookbook.

I had my bridal shower this weekend! Meatballs, Greek wedding cookies, sangria, cake... It was delicious and I don't regret a bite, but now I'm ready to get back on track with my healthier ways.

I eat for pleasure (I didn't NEED that cookie...), but I've learned/am learning to avoid eating for comfort or stress relief. I don't even really enjoy the taste of the food when my nerves are fritzed. But eating well (and tastily) throughout the week, followed by baking scones/cookies/muffins on a lazy Sunday? All about…

If they're thin (which usually means more tender and sweeter), they're great sauteed or diced into spaghetti sauce. If they're thick, they might taste a little woody. A good way to eat them is to slice them lengthwise, hollow the seeds out (so you have something like a boat), fill with diced tomatoes, onion, and your…

Looking at your diary, I'm seeing quite a few empty or at least only partially filled out days. It's got to at least be possible that on those days that you're only logging part of what you eat, you may be forgetting some of your intake. Give it a try not only weighing (which is good) but actually logging, religiously,…

I am trying out a modified version of Self magazine's Drop 10 plan, but I feel like I should include a caveat: I am not following the strict meal plan, just using some of the tips and guidelines for how to include the 30 "superfoods" into my diet more often. Also, what drew me to the plan wasn't the idea of "superfoods"…

I'm in the same boat as most people here--"never again" would feel extreme and disheartening to me, too! I'm going with smaller portions and savoring. Ice cream, for example, only really tastes like the flavor for a certain number of bites; after a point, all you really register, if you're paying attention, is "sweet and…

This is really a better question to ask a doctor, rather than a group on the Internet. A professional who knows your complete health history can go a lot further to help you plan a diet/exercise regime, and may be able to advise you on how much you can expect to lose per week. Keep in mind that not all weeks will be the…

olive oil with vinegar, lemon, or lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper is the easiest

Meats: tilapia will bake in 8-10 minutes in the oven at about 325 degrees. All it needs is salt, a slice or two of lemon, and a dot or two of butter (about 1/4 tbs) skirt steak cooked in the broiler will reach medium-ish if you cook it 3 minutes per side precooked sausage is tasty and technically takes no time to cook,…

I smiled when I saw your headline because I misread the word "committed." Being in a committed relationship has been a big help to me in getting back on the gym wagon. He likes exercising with me and basically won't go to the gym unless I initiate it. The best trick for me is to call him at lunchtime when I still have…