bilberryjam Member

I prefer this calculator http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ to the MFP one because when it calculates your daily calorie needs it includes your activity level, rather than you adding exercise calories afterwards. With MFP, my daily calorie goal is 1500, which I find too low. At 1500, I end up over-estimating my…

You could measure it in ml instead of grams?

Yep, I read it. I was trying to put it in a different context. If someone who doesn't smoke and/or drink feels obliged to smoke and/or drink then chances are they're not going to enjoy smoking and/or drinking. Sorry, OP, if I've got this wrong but I didn't hear "OMG I REALLY WANTED THE CUPCAKE, IT LOOKED FRICKING…

It sounds to me as if you didn't want the cupcake in the first place so you weren't going to enjoy it. It's OK not to want cupcakes! If your boss had handed out cigars would you have smoked one? Or if they had taken you to a bar would you have had a beer?

I'm 5'6 and started at 175lb, with a BMI of 28 - overweight to be sure, but a very avergage kind of overweight where friends would say, "You like fine. Have another biscuit." Here's me before at 175lbs; entering a healthy weight range (January); and reaching my goal of 139lb (March.) Yeah, I wore a sexy, figure-hugging…

I'm just going to echo what everybody else said - they're used to seeing you bigger and haven't adjusted to this you yet. You were chubby cheeked before and now your face is very thin. Some people will look you and think 'wow! great cheekbones!' But it wouldn't surprise me if the people who've known you a long time now…

All of this. If someone takes "this is a mental health problem" as an insult it says an awful lot about their own attitude to mental health. If this woman was anorexic and purposely starving herself in order to reach a dangerously low body weight, it wouldn't be "thin-shaming" to suggest she is ill. It would be concern and…

Well done! 15lb is a lot ... like a couple of bags of groceries. Next time you go food shopping, weigh your bags when you get home - it's scary how much extra weight you can carry without noticing! (But great that you've lost it!)

I agree. I see a mental health problem and an abusive relationship.

It's something I've struggled with since I was a kid. I was put on antidepressants at 18, every variant, every dosage, but came off them a couple of years ago because they weren't helping; if anything, they were making things worse. After that, I got very depressed and pretty much gave up on life. People always seem to…

It's interesting so many people have mentioned moving the goalposts as they come closer to their goal. I'm tempted to do that, too. My head says, 'No, concentrate on fitness goals and lowering your bodyfat.' But there's something very addictive about seeing the number on the scale go down.

Similarly, I switched from the MFP model to deducting 20% of my TDEE, which essentially means I'm eating 300-400 more calories a day than I previously was, and I've lost 7lb since the new year, which might not seem much, but I was seriously not expecting to lose at that pace once I'd reached a healthy weight. To think I…

Definitely. I find a lot of flavours too cloyingly sweet and artificial. I've gone from drinking lattes with sugar and syrup to lattes with just milk and then black coffee. These days, I think I appreciate the actual taste of the coffee; it's not just an excuse to consume sugar and caffeine any more. Since I've started…

Lots. A cheaper option is Aldi's own brand 85% bar.

I like the 90%, though would agree it doesn't have that 'melt in your mouth' quality that other chocolates have. The comparison to black coffee is an apt one. One thing you could try is melting it, mixing it with coconut oil and nut butter and popping it in the freezer for 20 minutes to make a creamy bark. I keep chocolate…

Try one from Salter. They're easy to use, accurate, lightweight and pretty reasonably priced. There are lots on Amazon and you can read the different customer reviews.

Thanks. Either I'm looking on the wrong shelf or it hasn't made it to Scotland yet. I'll have a look online.

Rewarding good behaviour is for dogs :) As you say, your improved health, fitness, appearance etc. is its own reward. Eat well and exercise because you enjoy eating well and exercising as you do it, not for the promise of something at the other end because in order to get what you want there actually has to be an end and…

Have seen it in a few recipes, but have never seen it in the shops. Where does one buy it?

This just goes to show what a difference build makes. I'm 5'6 and 156lb (sw 175lb) and size 16 is too big, but 14 is still a little too tight. I would love to be able to wear a 12. Bloody hips. My goal weight is 140lb, but if I feel happy at 145 I won't push myself to get down to 140. I was 140lb in my early twenties and…

I like berries, too. I blend 1/4 cup (about 30g) of frozen blueberries or frozen strawberries in my protein shake - they have about 3g of sugar. (And using frozen berries gives it the texture of a smoothie.) Otherwise, why not nix the apple and grapes in the afternoon and snack on almonds instead?

I have a similar experience. (Disclaimer: my personal experience; may not apply to others.) I took antidepressants for 12 years and tried various therapies, but what's made the most difference has been diet, exercise, getting a good night's sleep, trying to keep to a routine (so difficult) and trying, not to just feel…

Imagine your best friend or your sister or your niece came to you and said, "I'm fat and ugly and stupid and useless." Would you agree? Would you punish her? Of course you wouldn't. You'd tell her she's wonderful and how much she means to you; you'd make her a nice cup of tea and you'd listen to her problems. So why are we…

Lovely way to put it :)

Yeah, some of us ladies just carry our junk in our trunks. Since I've been here, I've lost 4 inches from my waist; one inch from my hips. I've got a feeling the fat on my bum and thighs is going to put up a fight. Even though you can't target one area to lose weight from, you could try some toning exercises, like these…

Cut your refined carbs in half - so if you're used to having 100g of pasta at dinner, have 50g. If you're still hungry, have double the sauce. Eat lots of pulses and lentils. They're very filling and very good for you and, if you don't cook them in ghee and coconut milk, you can eat a big meal for under 300 calories. Try…

Is it cold where you live? I was eating very lightly in the summer (soups, salads) but as soon as the cold, dark night hit my body start making like the House of Stark and preparing for winter. It's as if it doesn't know there's plenty of insulation/fat already, thank you very much. I just want to stay home and eat…

This and this for me. It's a journey to a better place, better me, better life and also a journey of self-discovery. I'm not the same person I was starting out. That said, it's been over-used and it can sound quite trite, but sometimes clichés are built upon the truth.

I go over every single day, sometimes it's the double the amount MFP says I should have. But like you it's from things like peanut butter, almonds, coconut oil, olive oil, Greek yoghurt etc. And, OK, cheese and butter and the occasional rasher of bacon. I think it's quite difficult not to go over if you like to cook. (I…

Well done on making such positive changes! I know it's not easy to do. Be careful of sabotaging yourself though with artificial sugars. It's a bit like giving methadone to heroin addicts - it doesn't address the underlying addiction; it's just cheaper to give people a glass of green goo than send them to rehab. Good luck!