lichensandseeds Member

I eat pretty healthily on a tight student budget. Here are my favorite tricks: - make popcorn on the stovetop. it's much cheaper than microwave popcorn and tastier and healthier too. - sunflower seeds are cheaper than almonds (peanuts are probably cheaper too...but I have an allergy) - fruit can be expensive, but it's…

I totally agree with the posts that recommend going for a walk! I load up my ipod with podcasts and when I feel like I want to graze or if I'm sitting at my desk and tempted to reach for snacks, I put on a half-hour podcast and go for a walk.

One of my good friends is severely lactose intolerant and so is her father. They do most of their grocery shopping at a Jewish grocery and deli. Since it isn't kosher to eat milk with meat, there are a lot of dairy free options there.

You can just order off of the section of the menu where you get to pick a meat and two or three vegetables. Choose a meat that isn't friend and vegetables that are green. I usually get the baked pork chop and greens or green beans.

Most store-bought granola cereals have a lot of sugar and fat in them, and a serving size is usually only a quarter of a cup! If you really like granola, I'd say use it in small amounts as a topping for something healthier and lower calorie such as oatmeal or plain, non-fat greek yogurt. You can also try making your own--…

Definitely agree with the fact that a lot of being able to run is in your head! I also started as a non-athletic person, and 4 years after I first ran a mile I finished a marathon. I like running because you don't need a lot of fancy gear, but it is really important to find some good shoes. Good shoes help to prevent…

I agree that a half is better for a first big race than a full. Training for a long run is a lot of fun and very rewarding, but it also brings challenges. In addition to fitting in all the training runs, it takes practice figure out what food to eat so you don't inadvertently lose or gain too much weight. You will also be…

I've heard that older eggs peel better. So don't use the ones that you've just purchased-- try the ones you've had in your fridge for a few days. I live alone and go through food slowly, so the eggs I boil have always been sitting around for a few days and I rarely have trouble peeling them, though I've never directly…

I've also been on a quest to use up rhubarb! I chopped some up, put it in a skillet with some water, and added some sugar. I covered and cooked it until it was soft and then uncovered it and cooked a lot of the liquid out until it was kind of syrupy. I then spooned this over a pork chop that I'd baked. It was delicious!…

Endangered species individually wrapped dark chocolate squares-- about 50 calories each, but something about the individually wrapped-ness makes it easier to have just one. Also, they're a bit more expensive than buying a bag of 30 dove squares, so that makes it even easier to avoid reaching in the bag and unwrapping one…

This is difficult-- I guess it kind of depends what type of cafeteria you are in and how much variety there is. Foods that would be easiest to track would be those that are cooked simply like hard boiled eggs or things like fruits and raw veggies. When you fill your plate, take a serving of whatever protein is available…

feel free to add me! I'm getting married in July and my dress fits fine as well, but I've been using MFP because I also tend to slack off on healthy eating and regular exercise when I'm busy. I've found that the food diary here is great for keeping things on track, and I've recently discovered how much I love going for…

stress relief! long runs= lots of time to zone out and be quiet and enjoy scenery. also endorphins are awesome.

Trader joe's sells it as does whole foods-- the whole foods 365 store brand isn't too expensive. I've been able to find it for about $7.00 a jar which isn't much more than olive oil, and if you use it sparingly in cooking it lasts awhile. You also mention coconut butter in your subject line. This is super easy to make--…

-frozen edamame -reduced sugar strawberry preserves -cranberry apple butter -their greek yogurt is pretty good and cheaper than other brands. -almond/ mango/ cashew trek mix-- have to be careful with the portions but even a small portion is pretty satisfying -also, I love their yogurt star cookies even though they are not…

I understand this. I enjoy baking, and recently it's been hard to think about my favorite recipes without going to the recipe counter and cringing at the amount of calories in all that butter.....I've baked things recently, and I end up eating one serving and putting the rest in the freezer. My freezer is starting to fill…

I keep my bibs because they don't take up lots of space-- they fold nicely into a box with letters and other special papers. I've donated medals to medals 4 mettle-- it's an organization that re-awards marathon, half-marathon, and triathlon medals from athletes to kids battling debilitating diseases.

Totally agree with the poster who mentioned cheerios! They rock as a movie snack.

I'm 5'2" and 115. Hoping to maintain but stay in the range of 110-115 because (like others have said), if I just waver up to 120 my jeans don't fit! It's nice to hear that other small-framed people have the same problem.

I feel a little silly replying as I haven't tried these yet, but I have also been searching for at-home exercise that I can do with minimal equipment and I was just reading another thread on the success stories page where the poster recommended this link:…

101cookbooks.com Gorgeous vegetarian fare that you don't notice is vegetarian. Sometimes I make small adjustments like cooking with less butter than she recommends. The butter is totally worth it in the green-lentil soup with curried brown butter though....sooo delicious.

I ran in the morning for the first time in months! I love running in the morning....not sure why I fell out of the habit. I also baked quick bread, set aside 2 servings, and put the rest in the freezer for another week.

Slice carrot sticks, celery sticks, and radish halves and bring them with hummus or laughing cow cheese.

I used to be a morning exercise person, but I've fallen out of the habit. This month I'm going back! Just started this morning! I feel so much better when I work out first thing.

so delicious! I'm peanut allergic, so I have to buy the more expensive other nut butters. Trader Joe's has them for fairly cheap though-- right now I'm liking their salted almond and flax seed butter. My favorite brand when I can afford it is Once Again nut butters-- pricey, but I wait until they're on sale and buy extra.

fage plain yogurt. buy the larger tub to save money and pack it in ziploc or glad screw-top containers (the leak proof ones) if you're bringing it to work or something. add your own fruit, a drizzle of honey, or some sunflower seeds if you want to make it a little more exciting.

You can add me too! I'm 5'2'' and wavering around 115-120-- looking to maintain this and stay on top of eating back my exercise calories in a healthy way.

halved radishes and laughing cow cheese. it's only ~45 calories, so if you've got more to spare have goat cheese instead. no-sugar applesauce (apples are so sweet by themselves! always buy the no-sugar kind :-) 1/2 serving of cereal with soymilk

I am a student as well- also living on a budget, busy, and with a mostly vegetarian lifestyle. I spend extra time on Sunday afternoons preparing food for the week. Yes it takes time, but it is worth it so I can have healthy meals during the week. Sometimes I will cook a whole meal (soup or curry or something) and package…

A good breakfast choice is oatmeal-- it's very filling and easy to control the portion (if you only cook one serving, you aren't tempted to have more whereas it's really easy to pour a second bowl of cereal). I don't put any sweetener on mine, but I do add fruit, sunflower seeds, or raisins.