metacognition Member

Definitely try things that are higher in protein. Legumes, hummus and whole grain crackers, etc.

I'm an apple shape so my stomach is the last to go. It's about the body fat. I'm at 16% and it's still a small pooch, but gets leaner up near the ribs. But having an hourglass is not likely. My body stays around a .80 waist - to - hip ratio no matter what my weight. To get lean abs you have to drop fat through a caloric…

vital, ready for life!

One more question: I read a book on eating clean by Tosca Reno, and she says that you can't make up the calories in an extra slice of chocolate cake by working out harder the next day. She says certain foods will make you fat because the human body cannot process junk food as well as something like fruit / vegetables /…

How many grams of protein should I eat on days that I lift weights? Stats: 4'11" 105 lb 35 - 27.5 - 31.5 16% body fat (according to scale, looks higher) fitness level: 5 hours per week, advanced weight workouts: 3-4 days per week, upper or lower body, takes about an hour each, 5 sets and 5 repetitions of 8 - 10 exercises…

Rectangle. 35 - 27.5 - 32. I started at my weight loss journey at around a .8 waist / hip ratio. I lose weight from my hips so fast that I'm still around .8 ratio 50 lbs down; genetics won this one I think. :) Fortunately the view in the mirror has improved!

Not sure if this is 100% natural or not, but I pare some low fat cottage cheese or greek yogurt (sweetened with a couple packets of truvia) with a piece of fruit for a 200 calorie high protein mini meal. I think sprouted grain breads are considered fairly natural - you could grill a piece of chicken and top the sandwich…

Find a lower calorie alternative that doesn't trigger you as much. For instance, I have 120 calorie cereal with skim milk, for the chocolate I put on a couple table spoons of cocoa powder and some truvia to sweeten. Tastes like pure heaven, but doesn't trigger me or break the calorie bank.

plain greek yogurt + 1.5 tbsp hershey's special dark cocoa per cup + 2 packets truvia = chocolate pudding!

Don't blame yourself for what happened. Drinking and smoking won't help. I can't read her mind, but what she said reeks of emotionally immaturity / control issues or low self-esteem. The fact that she jumped right into dating other guys tells me that she didn't really care enough to make things work, or to put in an…

Losing weight is 90% about the deficit, unfortunately. I lost the first 40 pounds by doing mostly cardio 4 to 5 days a week. I had little shape or definition, so I looked like a smaller version of myself. Dieting was definitely what caused most of the weight loss. I was losing about 1.5 pounds / week consistently for…

I do eat mostly clean, but I also follow the advice of Dean Ornish, who recommends a lot of whole grain products and even high processed vegan meat substitutes, so I'm not 100% adherence. I LOVE my whole wheat bread and low carb ketchup, which I don't believe is considered clean. Since eating cleaner and getting in more…

I'm not at that point yet, but Dr. Oz (yeah, the Oprah guy) recommends lower impact cardio to preserve your joints, and never walking around with 3 lb weights on the arm. Cathe Friedrich also has a killer low impact exercise series that kicks my butt as much as the hard stuff. I would also consider 30 minutes of interval…

I use mostly Truvia (plant based, combined with a non-absorbing sugar alcohol to curb bitterness) with no ill effects. I do have to use up a spare bag of Splenda baking blend that I still put in healthy baked goods. I hate the fact that Splenda has calories in it (about four per packet). It's not the calories that bother…

Over the past two weeks, since eating more "clean" (with up to three cups of fruits per day), I have noticed increased weight loss and a general tightening of my body, despite eating roughly the same number of calories that I did before. I think it's because healthy food keeps me full longer, so I unknowingly eat less. An…

It freaked me out but yeah, my feet shrank! I have no idea why because I have almost no body fat there, but I lost about a half size especially in stilettos and small heels with wrap around buckles! It was a sad day when I donated my silver wraparound stilettos, but that gives me an excuse to get a new pair! I also went…

I hated feeling so uncomfortable with myself, never being able to look a guy in the eye and not being able to just put on a set of clothing and leave the house. Something always fit horribly - the top of jeans would cut into my belly, and my back fat would show through in shirts, my neck fat (yes, neck fat) would show…

Well, I've had 30 + days of going 300 calories over my plan, 20 + days of going 500 calories over my plan 10 + days of going 1000 calories over my plan, And definitely a few topping 3,000 calories. This is very normal for a dieter. Consistency over time is key. I've still lost almost 50 pounds and have not gained it back!…

I do spend a crap load on food each month but a lot of healthy foods are cheap. Brown rice is under $1.00 / lb where I live, and dry beans are less than $2 a pound. 3 lb bunches of bananas are less than $1.40 at Costco (supplying a serving of fruit a day for a week). Apples can get pricey, as can clementines and salad…

Big breakfast 1 hr before, protein shake 20 minutes after weights. Decent meal 2 hrs after (I am ravenous at this pt, only after weight training though). I eat less when I'm not active in the evenings. IF jogging, meal an hour and a half before, light snack after.

Cascadian farm chocolate granola cereal topped with blueberries, cocoa powder, skim milk, and truvia. :) Tastes like chocolate heaven...

I think truvia is delicious. I load it up on my cereal and I don't notice any bitter taste. It's actually amazing, better than splenda and non-caloric.

You are training your body to excel at staying the same weight with fewer calories. You need to slowly increase the amount you are eating, and consider lifting weights to counteract lean muscle loss that occurs with hard deficits. Also consider changing your exercise every 12 weeks or so - high intensity interval training…

I feel the same way! Although I am getting some nice muscle along my arms and thighs, I'm still quite fat around the middle and I look average, despite being very fit which is obvious if anyone sees me at the gym sprinting or lifting heavy weights. I don't eat a lot of junk or processed food, either. It's weird to have a…

I don't think it's a win or fail as long as you can work that snack into your daily calories. I usually go for something that is plain and natural, like a piece of fruit. I do get a bit worried when looking at the nutrition labels of prepackaged foods - preservatives, sweeteners, nutrients added to replace the stuff that…

It was at least six months in when I noticed a difference. As my weight dipped it got a little easier to jog, and now it hardly bothers me to jog for 60 minutes at a low speed. Over time my body adapted to the shock of exercise. That doesn't mean I'm no longer challenging myself. I am always sore after 2 - 3 days of…

Maybe go for a walk with your son while spending time with him? Walking is something pleasant and simple that even young children can participate in. Not to sound harsh, but people will make time for things if they really want to. Even if it's parking further away from the door, or taking the stairs rather than the…

About a week before my cycle I tend to be easily stressed, mood swings from high to low and I generally feel very negatively about myself. Interestingly I had been pretty numb to PMS for the past few months at a deficit, when I started to eat 1600 calories + daily I began to get some of the symptoms of my cycle back. Oh…

A failure? You didn't gain weight, that's a success! The hardest part of losing weight is not gaining it back. You can always come back tomorrow and cut a deficit.

Several things can mess up your hunger. Working 24 hour shifts can wreck havoc on your body's hormones, especially if you find yourself craving carbs and sweets near the end of the shift or when you are tired. I also notice that lack of sleep will make it easier to overeat. I used to binge and it followed a pattern. It…