ande2994

I don't know why it took me so long to realize this, but..... if you use soft taco tortillas instead of the tortillas that are branded as "wraps," you can save yourself a lot of calories. The soft taco tortillas are often fewer calories than two slices of bread, almost always fewer calories than the "wraps", and since…

Good lord the lady in the video has amazing arms!

Unless you're eating a cactus, nearly everything has some water in it. It doesn't mean it counts as water. Caffeine dehydrates you, so even though it's made with water, it's having the opposite effect. MyFitnessPal is only as good as the data you put in. If you want to cheat yourself, go ahead and call all of your…

Most of your coworkers don't get off their butts even for lunch! Good for you for finding a workout schedule that works for you! It's not easy to make exercise a priority in your life, but you have. It's not easy to make exercise a sustainable part of a new lifestyle, but you have. Be proud of yourself and focus on making…

Even WITH the extra nine pounds, look how much you've lost over your total journey! That's what keeps me motivated -- knowing that even when I slip up, I'm still closer to my goal than I was when I started. It makes it all seem worth it.

I have about the same amount to lose. I'm about halfway to my goal and it's amazing how much better I feel. It's not just about looks, but I feel like I have more energy when I'm eating better and not lugging around an extra dozen pounds. People on MFP with a lot of weight to lose seem to drop weight more quickly -- don't…

I've been there, too. I think that shifting my mindset to one of moderation and long-term success has helped. This isn't something I can accomplish in a month or two, and I'll experience setbacks now and then, and it's okay to "be bad" once in a while.... it helps me pick up and keep going after I lose motivation. Also,…

They do make legs look fantastic, but they're terrible for your body. So they're hot now, but not so hot when your body gives out after years of high heel abuse and you're shuffling to the chiropractor in sweatpants.

So glad there's already a post on this -- that's exactly what I'm experiencing! I ate pretty well last week, was active and ate well all weekend, and gained almost two pounds. This week I've been eating out almost every meal and I hit a new low weight since starting on MFP. Eating poorly CAN'T be the reason for my weight…

Honestly, I'd be more worried about the consuming less than 1200 a day -- search the message boards for "starvation mode" and you'll find why eating too FEW calories can mean that any indulgence goes straight to fat reserves. Aside from that, if it's a glass or two, and not a bottle or two, I think a little wine is just…

I completely agree! :)

Congratulations! I felt like the first five were the hardest because that's when I was changing my worst habits, and any slip up felt like I'd just erased all of my progress. Now, even when I have bad days (or weeks), I know that I've had success and know that my new habits will help me continue to be successful. :)

Does your high school have a gym and a track? You could probably talk to the athletic director, or even a gym teacher, and ask when those facilities are available to the general student population. While you're talking to them, maybe see if they know of any intramural teams you could join. Calisthenics -- crunches,…

My activity level is set as sedentary, so I absolutely count shopping. You don't have to break a sweat to do things that are good for your body. I don't break a sweat stretching, but that's listed as an exercise and I count it. And all of those programs that get you to walk more, take 10K steps a day, park at the edge of…

There are some good low-calorie breads out there. I'm currently eating Sara Lee 45 Calories and Delightful wheat bread, toasted with a little Smart Balance light buttery spread and some raspberry preserves. Look at the nutrition labels on all of those things, though -- some breads, some butters and some jams are…

I have mine set pretty high. I started at 1500 because anything less seemed impossible! I knew I'd get frustrated and give up if it was too low. But once I changed enough habits where 1500 seemed pretty easy, I moved it down a little to 1450. Progress is slow, but I'm still here and still making progress, so I consider…

My activity level is set at "sedentary" so I count my cleaning minutes for sure! If it exerts more energy than just getting myself through a day at my desk, I count it. That said, I rarely count anything I do as "vigorous." I count all of my cleaning as light/moderate, although maybe that's just a reflection on my poor…

True, running does burn more per minute than walking. But for me, I can only run for a few minutes while I can walk for hours. If you only have ten minutes to spend on cardio, running might be the way to go. But when I think about what I'll actually be motivated to do long-term, it's still walking.

Oh, and one of the most popular foods booth at the Minnesota State Fair is always the unlimited milk booth. Sure, it's calories, but it's milk. Just have to avoid the temptation to beeline from there to Sweet Martha's chocolate chip cookie stand. :P

@ninerbuff: Actually, the Midwest tends to be among the healthier regions of the country. According to America's Health Rankings (http://www.americashealthrankings.org/2010/AHR2010Edition-compact.pdf), Minnesota is #6, Nebraska is #11, Iowa is #14, North Dakota is #16, Wisconsin is #18 and South Dakota is #20. Your home…

I used to crave greasy foods when I was hungover, but now that I'm avoiding greasy foods more in my day-to-day life, they actually kind of make me sick. Feeling SICKER is certainly not what I want when I'm hungover! I feel like water, juice and any sort of bread (toast, bagels, etc.) help get the alcohol out of my system…

I've started keeping some healthy bread or english muffins in my office drawer, and some buttery spread and jam in the office pantry fridge. For lunch, I pack the bread separately from the rest of my sandwich so it doesn't get soggy and stale -- I hated bringing sandwiches before I realized that! Plus a few big tupperwares…

Good points about the glycemic index -- that's something I should really get more familiar with. And I agree with all of the comments about the nutrients in fruit. I've just heard of some diets where fruit is "free" and thought people might like to know that all fruit is not equal. If you like grapes and strawberries…

Good luck! Keep in mind that real, healthy weight loss is a slow process. Don't expect to see those surprise 24 pounds all come off at once! But hopefully you'll get the positive reinforcement you need to make your new healthy practices into long-term habits.

I really wanted to skip the healthy lunch I packed and go to the cafeteria instead. Then I thought about all the oil and other fats they probably use, pictured the grease slick it usually leaves on my plate, and it made me feel a little ill. The turkey sandwich and veggies suddenly sounded a lot better! In general, I…

A non-scale victory is any victory in your weight loss journey that doesn't involve a number on a scale. It might be a compliment from a friend, fitting into skinny jeans, jogging longer than you've been able to before, etc. -- anything EXCEPT the scale that makes you feel fantastic about your accomplishments and…

First off, I'm so sorry to hear about your situation! As for motivation, I think you have three great sources of motivation: 1. When so many choices are beyond your control, how you treat yourself IS within your control. Working out isn't just about feeling sexy (although that's a bonus!), it's about being healthy, which…

I think the more important goal is what your weight will be when you come back!

I suspect the pill was also a major contributor to my weight gain. I'd been very pear-shaped all my life (slim upper body -- chest, natural waist, etc.) and heavier on the bottom. Within a few months of starting the pill, I had a chest and the beginnings of a gut. So it wasn't just weight gain -- it was a change to the…

Congratulations on your progress -- looks like your little guy is about the age when he needs a fit mom to keep up with him on his toddler adventures! :)