Stripeness Member

+1 on all counts! (& I'm a big fan of YMMV - if you have water retention issues, by all means see if this helps. My diary's open, so you can see I take in quite a bit of sodium, yet don't seem to have the "sodium bloat" people talk about. Not saying it's not real, just that we really are all different. Good luck!)

I had an L3/4 microlaminectomy, and the discs below look dodgy as well. I've felt your pain! Obviously, pay attention to what your back is telling you and any medical advice. I had excellent success with (thanks to multiple PTs pushing them consistently): 1. *crunches*, both center and side - keeping them low (only raising…

QFT Best practice is whatever works best for you, and that you'll do consistently for the long haul. Some people get sick if they eat beforehand. Others bonk if they don't have at least a preliminary snack. YMMV

*bump* for any morning peeps

In addition to changing your loss/wk goal (to 1 or 1.5), you can also bump up your activity level. "Sedentary" comes back with 1200 far too often for many people's experience, and "lightly active" seems to be a good fit, even if you are well, sedentary. Nothing wrong with trying the Scooby's workshop number, either - it's…

This. One good brand is GNC's calcium+D chews, and there are lots of other brands with the same kind of formulation.

You can get that, as well as a second, well-respected calculation of your caloric needs (MFP's "sedentary" category is a bit low for many people, even those who are fairly sedentary!) http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/#projectedweightloss You'll see suggested meals, snacks, etc.

Huge YMMV there - when I did a ketogenic (25-30 carb/day) diet, I wasn't tired at all. Likewise, I bumped from 1200 cals/day where I was exhausted and cold all the time, to 1310, and now feel great - and am continuing to drop. So it's pretty individual.

Your profile mentions having trouble getting out of bed - is that an energy issue too? (Not trying to pry, just looking for clarification re: how things have changed) Your diary is closed, so I can't see how much you're eating - are you sure you're getting enough calories?

Useful - thank you! And how amusing APA was founded in Royalton VT - we nearly moved there. Do you happen to know why your husband & son chose APA rather than USAPL - or why anyone would choose one vs the other?

Welcome! If you haven't already read this, it's an MFP classic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants And are you sure about waiting for the snow to melt? It crunches so delightfully underfoot!

You've got it! There has NEVER been an actual scientific study showing the usefulness of the omnipresent "8 Glasses of Water". In fact, here's a link to one of the descriptive articles about that myth. It includes a link to the referenced peer-reviewed journal, as well.…

I'm 5'6", CW 211, HW 236 (early 2013) GW 145 Am currently on 75mcg Synthroid. Which seems to be okay - moreso now that I'm taking a thyroid-focused supplement (copper, etc.) So...I've lost the 12 lbs on my ticker since 12/14 - yes, in about a month of just paying attention. I'm also 44 years old. I will probably stall for…

Snow, the whole time I was out walking today. Perfect!

As Project_Jodie mentioned - get clear on what your goals are. Because you've said some slightly worrying things here. You're not *really* that overweight, yet not happy with your body. I've seen quite a few posts from people who reached their goal weight or size and still weren't happy. Figure out what you really are…

+10 --and if you ever have children, you can bet the pregnancy will present prime opportunity for umpteen more scenes like this - so DO prepare!

Love this & agree! Also, MFP's "sedentary" setting (which is how most of us end up at 1200 cals) is incredibly low. When I bumped up the the next setting, I continued losing and have been much happier/healthier feeling. Despite being what I would call "sedentary"! Lastly, do try to be patient. If you were losing weight…

Another beautiful, snowy day! Wore crampons for reliable footing so that I could take normal strides instead of the "ice rink tiptoeing turtle" walk. And excited about setting a bigger goal for next time!

At my highest weight (236 lbs), I was able to do Zumba very comfortably. As others said, it's super-easy to modify and a lot of fun! I do share your concern re: knees & feet - I can't run above 200 lbs b/c my knees object. But Zumba - no problem!

First, I'm sorry you didn't get the support you'd hoped for. It's especially disappointing when it's family or a close friend. Second, the other commenter's right - you've got to keep focusing on you and your goals and why you're doing this. Any time you've got your happiness in other people's hands, it's a setup for…

You can! And speaking of "out" - a great starting point is walking outside. Don't think "workout" just go out there and breathe. Look at what's growing (or will be growing again in spring). Bundle up however you need to and go on out to watch the snow/rain/sunshine. Another commenter mentioned mindfulness books. You might…

Everything the other commenters recommended. And I like to read, so I keep going back and reading this MFP classic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Designer Whey's French Vanilla is very tasty. I usually have it in a smoothie (OJ, strawberries, 1/2 banana), or dip slices of green apple into it.

Wash only 2-3 times/week. Very curly & long. If I do a seriously sweaty workout, it's probably already in a ponytail - if not, I do that. Then in the shower just rinse my scalp and leave the length alone. --on the "non-wash" days. Wash days: 2-in-1 followed by 2nd conditioner, then microfiber towel to keep curls together,…

First, GOOD JOB, recognizing you need to think about your food intake while pain is reducing your activity level. I mean that. Some years ago, I had back surgery, yet put on a ton of weight in the year preceding it, because it just didn't occur to me to reduce my food intake. I kept thinking it would get better and I'd be…

You're so much more eloquent than I was about this. Waiting for the Whoosh (is that a movie? Anyway, others have mentioned it, so it is apparently A Thing)

This. It IS hard to deal with losing (in some ways) a child. However, if she is almost 13, you are getting close to her being an adult and can choose to have you in her life or not. And to what degree. I don't know what the situation was (not asking, not judging), yet you have a lifetime relationship to think of, not just…

Morbidly obese here, with knees that won't support jogging 'til I'm under 200 lbs...I've been walking 5K+ multiple times/week. And 5K races have *plenty* of walkers. I'm in New England, and see people outside w/their kids in strollers - properly bundled. You can do this.

Recent thread on awkward comments re: weight, and here's what I said: Complimented an old HS buddy on looking terrific. He'd lost a lot of weight & was looking (even in retrospect) healthy and happy. We missed catching up (non-romantically), and three months later, he was dead. The weight loss was due to brain cancer…

Interesting. Mine ramped up quite a bit when I started taking Synthroid. In fact, for the first couple of weeks, ALL my energy levels were through the roof. That said, I once conducted a 3-month trial of upping my dosage, and felt *less* energetic overall (not just libido). It felt like I'd reduced my dosage, which I…