sailawaykate

Start exercising? Running is fun (well I think so, though my husband disagrees). Weightlifting will give you muscles, and is also enjoyed by many people. Find something that you love to do, and start doing it! If you find out that you don't like it after a while, try something different! I love Pavel Tsatsouline's The…

Perhaps this um...insightful...comic from the Oatmeal can shed some light on this scenario. http://theoatmeal.com/comics/gym Really though, the only thing to be afraid of at the gym is whether or not some really sweaty person forgot to wipe off their machines when they were done. And that can be solved by pre-cleaning the…

Tried any of the Newman's Own stuff? They are usually pretty good about leaving out strange preservatives & colorings, and still tastes good to me!

Two words: Mammoth bacon.

I would live at the beach if I could! Gotta remember the sunscreen & aloe (for after the inevitable sunburn), water, volleyball, and the dog!

Burrito bowl, lettuce on the bottom, brown rice, black beans, double veggies, hot hot salsa, corn salsa, sour cream! Oh lawdy now I'm hungry.

I am a breakfast fiend! If I don't get breakfast I get so cranky... Some of my favorite breakfasts: *Steel-cut oats with peanut butter mixed in (so yummy and I've eaten it for the past week, lol) *Scrambled eggs with spinach & turkey bacon *Coco-wheats (not the most nutritious but oh so filling - I can only eat half the…

Does it count if I just eat it with my face...

Peanut butter + morning oatmeal = deliciousness. Concerned about oils/sugars? Go to the bulk aisle and grind your own. It's literally just peanuts and tastes amaze-balls.

Depends on your body composition, but most women I know (I know like 3 new moms right now, whew baby fever!) get the shape of the skin back after about a year or so - after losing the baby weight. It took at least 9 months to stretch out, longer if you gained weight before that or kept it after. It will take time, but your…

Sounds like it's time to un-friend...what a snarkypuss.

Sometimes, you just gotta get that chocolate. Ditto on Pearsquared's advice - just eat a healthy dinner and get back on track tomorrow. PMS is the worst. For me it's chocolate AND beer/wine cravings, double trouble lol! You might allot a few extra calories at the end of your day tomorrow if the cravings hit you hard again!…

Max 900 calories? Did the nutritionist talk to you about portion sizes? Greek yogurt, 1 3/4 cup serving = ~100-120 cals Muesli at 1/2 cup serving = ~150 cals Fruit (depending on the type) = 50-100 cals Breakfast total = 300-400 cals Giant heap of salad greens = ~10 cals Drizzle of olive oil/vinegar/lemon homemade dressing…

I would pay to see someone try to eat 2000 cals worth of broccoli...

Well if you stick a bunch of little needles into a certain area, your body releases endorphins to cover the pain, relaxing that area. My med school friend was required to go get acupuncture (he did it in his legs after a race when they were really tight) and said that even though he knew there was no "real"…

Haha, nice ticker. :) Congrats on the 8lb loss so far!

This. ^ I love popcorn, but the crunch and rustle when I eat it makes me crazy. I can only have it if I'm at an action movie with lots of explosions to cover the noise!

Depends on the type of fruit you're eating. Lots of fruit salad with syrup or juice (juice is nice, but sugar loaded without the benefit of fiber) is not getting you anywhere. While fruit is nutrient dense and has lots of good qualities, it does tend to have quite a bit of sugar, and some fruits (like bananas) are more…

Can I come on vacation with you? :) Sounds like you had a fun time and congrats on the NSV!

What jenzenzen said! Seriously, all the time with the cravings at night for me! But I've also noticed if I have lots of protein earlier in the day it's less intense. Usually I'll chug my water bottle (dehydration is a major snack attack trigger for me) and sit for a bit while I think about that scene from Dinotopia (I…

Sounds like you've got the DOMS! (Delayed-onset muscle soreness). If you're not used to using your muscles in a certain way, they can get pretty cranky. Make sure to drink LOTS of water! And as long as it's not a tendon or bone injury, the best way to get the soreness to go away is to keep exercising. I usually find that…

Get a mason jar: fill it 1/3 with balsamic vinegar, then fill-er-up with some room for shaking with olive oil. Scoop in some organic dijon mustard, sprinkle salt & pepper to taste, seal the lid & shake! Not "low fat" per se, but about 100x better than anything store-bought, and you know exactly what goes into it!

Definitely pick duration as a first goal. No matter how slow, try to build up to a longer running time. Lots of people love Couch to 5k (I hated it, I just had to run a bit further every day then walk till I built up to running 2-3 miles at a time) for endurance training!

It's an addiction. There are going to be withdrawals. If you really want to get rid of it, expect it to not be easy for a while. You wouldn't say "oh I'm addicted to morphine I'll just cut back a little every day." Unfortunately, there's no rehab for coke-drinkers, so you've gotta do it yourself. Maybe coerce a family…

Sub out the pasta in a dish for a veggie - they'll do it no problem, and it usually tastes better & is more satisfying anyway! The garlic chicken (I think that's what it's called) is pretty good with broccoli, but probably ask for less sauce than normal or it will drown the plate without pasta there to soak it up, lol.

Go get fitted for some legit running shoes at a real store where they train the employees to analyze your gait and foot. (Tell them your shin splints problem, any localized soreness after running, etc.) Let them know your goals, and try on like a million pairs until you find what makes you feel like you're running on air…

I'm guessing you don't mean your kneecap, but the fat just above? Less cardio, more strength training. Cardio is by no means bad (I love to distance-ish run), but you're not building any muscle in those areas with just cardio. Even with a little extra fat, stronger thigh muscles will make your legs appear much more…

I got something similar in high school (although it was never super bad in the thigh area since I always wore pants), and it was a staph infection. Get a second opinion and a blood test, potentially followed by antibiotics! I had to take them for about a month, then again for a few weeks at the 6-month mark, and it's been…

Don't worry! Even people who have been running forever have bad days where every step is a struggle. You have accomplished so much! More than most other people, and more than your past self!

Loved doing paleo (now I am too poor to continue for a while, lol)! I, too, suffer from thighs-holding-all-my-fat syndrome. :) So here are some suggestions: 1. Eat more. (aim for full-fat everything, high-quality meats, etc., just don't eat all the processed stuff) 2. Lift heavy. You're not going to bulk up, but you'll…