Sunsh1ne Member

Hi! I'm 29, living in southern New Hampshire, just got engaged four days ago, looking at dates in summer 2019. I've been on-again off-again with MFP since like 2009 - time to commit!

If you like having a print guide, You Are Your Own Gym is pretty awesome. The whole principle is that your own body weight is adequate for resistance training, give or take a few common household items. I can't speak to long-term effectiveness, though, since it turns out I can't be trusted to work out at home. ^_^

I hadn't even thought my meds might be interfering. I've been on Sertraline for about 18 months. Thanks, Kira, you've given me some good questions to ask at my next appointment. (Just got a call back - my liver ultrasound came back normal but I'm going in for another round of "how many times do we have to puncture you to…

In Caribbean countries, te jamaica (hibiscus tea) is huuuuge. It's like grown-up kool aid, and it's packed with vitamin C. I like to add hibiscus concentrate to citrus-based smoothies, or drink it diluted with water, a little lemon, and a touch of sweet. I hear fresh hibiscus flowers are great on salads.

Your date sounds like a great guy. For some people, physicality gets in the way, but for most people, we look for personal connections as a basis for relationships. Example: when I was a kid, I was asked to share a seat with a girl I didn't know during a group activity. She had severe scarring on one side of her face,…

Roasting veggies like that is actually chemically different than say, steaming them. A lot of the time that salt draws out moisture so that they stay firm while still cooking, and if you're using a direct heat source you will sometimes get a little bit of caramelisation as the heat converts some starch into sugar and then…

There are a variety of possibilities, from dehydration, low blood sugar as many have mentioned, blood pressure issues,and many more. I'd say check in with your doctor to rule out any of the more serious ones. If it's dehydration, remember that you should be drinking nearly a liter per hour during sweaty cardio. And if it's…

Any favorite pairs from literature/pop culture? My boyfriend and I are doing Batman and Catwoman.

It sounds like you already know that this is a bad idea, but you are looking for help to get off this plateau. In my own experience, plateaus are about 80% mental. The hard part is digging deep to find a reason to recommit, often to a plan that seems harder at first. You may have stopped losing weight for any one of many…

Yes, but the caveat is that you need to make sure you're getting the most accurate numbers possible on the burn. I'd suggest investing in a heart rate monitor and a pedometer. Use the pedometer to calculate your general activity level, and use the heart rate monitor to count the calories you burn during exercise. MFP's…

Your best bet is to invest in a heart rate monitor and enter your burn manually.

Please, DO NOT do this! It is a highly suspect weight-loss method, and you should question the ethics and credentials of any doctor who would sell you this treatment. If you want to bust through a plateau, try adding one or two workouts a week of strength training mixed with high-intensity cardio intervals. (More info on…

I am addicted to tumblr. down-sizing.tumblr.com

The Post Punk Kitchen (www.theppk.com) has a lot of really good vegan/vegetarian recipes available. I swear by their tempeh chili and tofu scramble recipes. (The tofu scramble is kind of a breakfast thing, but you could eat it any time as a protein source. The meatless chili is so good even my avowedly carnivorous father…

This week I got in ALL my strength and cardio workouts - didn't miss one!

That is great progress, go you! I got fitted for a bra for the first time this weekend - before, I was so ashamed of my body that I'd rather measure myself than let someone else do it. My size is bigger than I thought it was, but at least now the girls are comfy. :laugh:

I feel you - been there, done that, and it SUCKED. All you can do is keep track of how you react to each form of BC and keep working with your doc to search for one that works for you. I keep my stuff in a spreadsheet: the name of the med, when I was on it, and a brief description of my reaction. When I go see my doc I…

I know, right?

I'm really not looking to deprive myself... I know I can be really full on just raw produce, I guess I'm just looking for interesting recipes, because I need something to get enthusiastic about to go through all this for a week.

Nothing?

Hahaha thanks. :flowerforyou:

I was worried about that point, too - so it really surprised me when I sailed right through those eight minutes. My advice to you is to find your rhythm and set your mind to doing it. Praise yourself for milestones, but don't bargain with yourself to stop early. You HAVE come a long way. You have proven you are capable.…

I'm jealous, but my best friend is underweight so I know how hard it can be to gain weight (or even maintain a healthy weight) if you have a fast metabolism and a less-than-huge appetite. Good luck!

You deserve big hugs for being so open about your eating disorder. I know it's very hard to talk about. Especially for people with eating disorders, the most important step to healthy weight loss is having your doctor involved in the process, to approve your goal and monitor your progress. Beyond that, it's important to…

I've tried out a bunch. The best for me have been Seasonique and microgestin. The worst were Yaz and NuvaRing - Yaz was like full-time PMS and on NuvaRing it turned me into an anxious, paranoid mess. I stopped using it very abruptly after a normal circumstance turned into a crying, hyperventilating, shaking panic attack.…

If you really want to wear your band, get a simple chain in a similar metal and wear your ring on a necklace. If anyone asks, you can brag a little about how far you've come! :happy:

When your yoga shorts feel funny, and you realize it's because they're LOOSE.

It's the water. Your muscles store energy in your muscles in the form of glycogen, which is basically carbohydrates and water. When you work out a lot, your body restores the old glycogen stores and then tops it off with a little extra, so that you have more available energy for next time. If you don't work out for a few…

They have changed. Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 when she was alive, but she would have been a 6 if she was alive today. They add about a half an inch every two years or so, I think. On the bright side, you're the same size as Marilyn Monroe!

I'm already in college, graduating in December. Lucky me, those tuition aid measures don't go into full effect until the 2011-2012 academic year. :grumble: As it is, the vegetable garden is only feeding the deer and rabbits. They wait until the veggies are about three days short of ripe enough for human consumption, eat…