thistimewillbedifferent Member

almonds avocados baby spinach cilantro/coriander (if herbs don't count, then substitute chicken breast) dark chocolate eggs flour tortillas (not the healthiest choice, I know, but I just don't want to go without my wrap sandwiches!) raspberries salmon skim milk dang, that was much harder than I thought it would be...

Happy anniversary and huge congratulations -- you look unbelievable! I started at 257, so am particularly inspired by your transformation. Thanks for sharing, and best wishes for continued success!

Back in December during that slow time between Christmas and New Year's, I did a lot of reflection on my life. I realized that my actions didn't always match my stated values and goals, and that there were lots of elements I wanted to add to my life but couldn't because too much space was being taken up by things that were…

That's wonderful! Might actually make me look forward to a meeting!

I love the one from Deceptively Delicious, the cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry's wife). It involves pureed carrots and cauliflower mixed into the cheese sauce -- ups your fiber like crazy and fills you up with a smaller portion, yet tastes fantastic.

Happy Anniversary and HUGE congratulations! Very inspirational!

Welcome and good luck! You sound like you have your head in exactly the right place. MFP is a great place to turn to for support when you're struggling and to brag when you're doing well. Best of luck and bravo for attacking this now -- just think, your son can grow up never remembering anything other than a fit and…

I'm 45! Anyone on here can feel free to add me.

(1) Diet Coke (used to have 6-8 a day) (2) Random TV surfing (used to come home tired from work, plop on sofa, and turn on TV to see what was on...next thing you know I had been watching crap programs that I didn't even care about for three hours) (3) Online spider solitaire (used to play one game to clear my head, lose,…

Can you open your diary so we can see what you're eating? For me personally, having enough protein at each meal is KEY to keeping me from getting hungry. Fiber also helps keep me full longer.

You SHOULD be excited, you have accomplished so much! You look fantastic! Congrats!

Would love an invite if it isn't too late. Thank you!

Avocados are another great way to add calories, healthy fat, and fiber all at once. Plus they are YUM.

I can't believe it's been six months already! Yay us! Just this week the people who work at my gym (which I joined on 5 January) asked me if I wanted to see a picture of how I looked on the day I joined. If I could figure out how to post that picture, I would -- the difference is striking! (42 lbs gone so far) Can't wait…

Wow, your transformation is absolutely mind-blowing! Thanks so much for taking the time to write it up and share with us. Best wishes for continued success!

Still laughing at the comment about having them around the mouth/lips...

I echo the suggestion about having soup before (or at the beginning of) the meal. Just one cup of a broth-based soup like a consomme or miso soup can make a HUGE difference in how much you can eat afterwards. I used to eat very large portions of certain foods before I started making this lifestyle change a priority. Steak…

Shadowboxing class! It involves loud, violent music, the possibility to stare at hot guys, lots of cardio, and the ability to think about everything that is upsetting you as you do one punch after another after another. I actually caught myself thinking "I want to punch something" the other day instead of "I want a…

Amazing! Good for you! You look terrific!

wow, that is a HUGE difference! congratulations! you look fantastic!!!

Anyone on here is welcome to add me as well! I log everything I eat but just mention the exercise in the notes section. I aim for 1808-2000 cals a day, I try to avoid as much heavily processed food as possible, and have lost 39 lbs since the beginning of 2013...lots more to go, but I definitely view myself as a positive…

You look seriously phenomenal, like someone who has never even been overweight before. So inspirational! Good luck in your race!

the fact that the database contains so many specific brands from other countries. I live in a non-English-speaking country, but almost every item I buy in the grocery store is already listed in the database. that's not the case with other websites I tried in the past -- I had to enter almost everything manually.

I agree with the need to initiate. I move often for my job, and I've learned that the person moving into the new town needs to be proactive about initiating invitations. The people who already live there have their own lives and their own friends -- they're not usually out there looking to widen their circles. Once the…

It would also depend on your personal health indicators. Someone with high blood pressure might want to focus more on sodium, whereas someone with pre-diabetes might prefer to focus more on sugar. What I did was focus exclusively on calories in the beginning, tracking everything I ate to begin getting an idea of what the…

I try to eat as clean as reasonably possible and to avoid heavily processed foods. I try to eat primarily lean protein sources, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, not items that come in mixes or have a lot of chemical additives. Wine and dark chocolate still figure regularly in my diary, as do dairy products. I'm not…

Add me to the list of people saying "thanks, I had been wondering about this very question!"

I second the above poster who suggested making your own. It takes so much less time than you would think and results in a pizza where you know exactly what's on it and how many calories it has. My favorite one uses a light coating of bbq sauce instead of tomato sauce, then is topped with tons of chopped peppers and onions,…

Not only do you look like a younger different person, you look like someone who was never overweight. Wow. Very inspirational, thanks for sharing! And congrats!!!

I'm so sorry that happened to you! I agree with the above poster who suggested pouring your energy into self-improvement, as well as the poster who said not to be too hard on yourself if you do slip up. When you're feeling sad or angry, try to do something positive like exercise or get a massage instead of making poor food…