macybean Member

See your doctor for a checkup to be sure (I have seen a few women who test negative on urine pregnancy tests) and there are some medical problems that can cause an increase in abdominal mass, especially if others are noticing. But otherwise, what others said...you lose some areas first, making other areas pronounced.

Easter is a spring holiday (despite it being very unspring like where I live), since eggs are certainly out how about a spring soup...with peas or leeks or something springy? I don't have any recipes to offer, but I'm sure google does:)

Some of us were not wired to make hard boiled eggs right! I gave up and bought an egg cooker. Oh, yes, people laugh at me, but I love it! As far as peeling, the fresher the egg, the tougher it will be to peel. I do find that really fresh eggs (mine come from the back yard) will peel if you start with the bottom (where the…

Wash hands often....that's your first defense of course! Gyms are germ-laden (as others have posted) and you're exposed no matter how careful you are. Eventually you build better immunity. When I first started working in the ER I was sick all the time. Now, it's much better (although a direct cough to the face by a…

Nothing, and I mean nothing, else works for me but to ask my husband to hide it or keep it in his car. No will power, no thoughts of my health, no substitutions, no length of time, etc works. He can have his chips, he's an adult too. And he can eat a few and walk away. I will never understand how.

I found most power cages/racks were $400-500, usually with some other equipment included. I didn't look at squat racks as I wanted to only set up once. If you can fit it, go for the power rack. I got mine dirt cheap as someone had been paying storage fees for 3 years only to store their weight lifting equipment. Be ready…

I've got a NordicTrack treadmill that's seen heavy use for 12 years. It's been a great machine, but it's meant for hikers as it's got a huge incline, but only goes up to 5 MPH (it would be the equivalent of the x9 incline trainer). They make others that have less incline and go faster. They also have a decline, which is…

I just made my first batch of swedish meatballs since going gluten free. I used homemade gluten free bread (but store bought would work the same). They turned out the same as they have before. I use a panade, so I added an extra egg (but my eggs are a little on the small side). The texture is just as soft and no flavor…

First off, I'm sorry for your health problems...being diagnosed with a major medical problem in your teens is rough. I don't know what you're looking for in a "diet", but you should be eating the same things we all should be eating. Lots of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole foods. If you're on warfarin your…

It's probably not impossible, I lost weight even when I was hypothyroid, but you really should see an actual doctor. Look in you area for clinics that provide sliding scale fees or even free clinics. If you have a Planned Parenthood near you, they provide medical care based on income and can certainly check your thyroid.…

Yeah, I'm not sure 5:2 would work for me, but I am surprised at the 16:8 (yes, Lean Gains style). I think consistency is key for me.

LJ...don't know which is more shocking, 170 pounds lost or that retirement actually happens! Amazing job!

21 years of nursing here...the last 13 in the ED. Not sure how that can be as I'm only 25:) Those weekend potlucks can be damaging!

I do 16:8 IF (which I realize is a lot different than 5:2) and lift fasted some days, after eating other days. Just depends on the work schedule. I haven't noticed a difference in my lifting. I'm no where near as hungry as when I eat several small meals a day. I don't know why, but for me it works. You just have to find…

Like the others said, stalk Craig's List...eventually you'll find everything you need and it shouldn't cost you much. If you can carve out the space, a home gym is the way to go! Sometimes there's a couple of dogs hogging the space in the power rack, but they're easily moved (they do give me some funny looks though)!

I've posted this website so many times I think she may start to think I'm a stalker, but the blog www.artofglutenfreebaking.com has been a big part of my being successful at eating gluten free. She has great recipes and a great gluten free all purpose flour mix that has worked really well for me (even my picky and…

There is a connection between celiac and diabetes, but it sounds like you're doing everything possible to prevent diabetes. I also wouldn't be too concerned about one elevated blood sugar...what was your day like? Have you been sick? Stressed? On any medications? Keep up what you're doing and follow up with your MD. If…

http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/ This is my go-to website for all my GF needs as I don't like most store-bought items. Her most recent post is about finding the various flours needed and where to get them. Looks like, as others have said, for online purchases amazon or Bob's Red Mill website. Amazon Prime may be a…

I made homemade pizzas with a recipe from the art of gluten free baking. Not only was it awesome, my husband loved it (he is not gluten free, but tried it anyway) and it was super easy to make. Here's the link, so far I have loved every recipe I have tried from this website,…

I don't have a recommendation for a budget, but there's a great website on what's the best food for tight budgets, broken down by fruits, vegetables, protein, etc. There are basic recipes too. Here's the link, http://www.ewg.org/goodfood/index.php. Hope it helps!

I'm no expert, but I'd say if you made it on all sets, go up the recommended 5 pounds and see what happens. You can always deload if needed. I personally wouldn't go back to the bar alone as long as you know your form is good.

I'm a beer snob that had to go gluten-free. I'll live vicariously through all of you (sobs and heads over to the wine group)...

Bragg's Liquid Aminos...tastes just like soy sauce and is low sodium (well lower sodium than soy sauce). I think Trader Joe's makes a similar item too, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

There is a gluten-free group on here (it's just called gluten free) and everyone is great about answering questions. I've been gluten-free for just over a week and am finding it's not as hard as I thought (although I still get a little weepy when I think about pizza and beer!!)! Feel free to add me...I'm planning on trying…

I make a smoothie with a whole avocado, a banana, a cup of frozen blueberries, a cup of chopped carrots (steamed for a couple minutes first to make them break down smoothly), 2 cups of spinach, 2 tablespoons chia seeds and water to desired thickness. You can add some lime juice and honey if you need a little more…

I got all my weight lifting stuff on Craig's List. I missed a few listings and some were overpriced, but I kept watching and finally found everything I needed. I now have a nicer set up than the gym I used to belong to!

It was the cake you posted the link to. That's where I found the lemon chicken recipe. It's fantastic!

I second the beans and chia seeds. I add the chia seeds to my smoothies, but you could add them to a lot of things. They don't have much taste on their own, making them very versatile.

I made the chocolate cake...it's very good. Not as sweet as most cakes, but just right! Just in time too...I needed something to make for my gluten-free lunch tomorrow. I'm not as fond of the frosting I tried, but it's passable (I had to make it dairy free for this lunch). I also tried the lemon chicken on…

My local grocery store (Cub) carried the rice wraps in their "ethnic foods" aisle. They were near the rice noodles...but I still had to ask to find them! They worked great, but I found you only need to soak them until they're just pliable, otherwise they tear really easy. Once I figured that out it was easy.