sdirks Member

Try eating foods that help you feel full without a ton of calories. Veggies are great for this: 2 cups of steamed broccoli is less than 100 calories, and 2 cups of baked squash with olive oil is about 150 calories. A cup of raw baby carrots is less than 50 calories... so you can add 2 TBSP of hummus and still be under 100…

Curry made out of leftovers in my fridge! (coconut milk, spices, tofu, onion, carrots, mushrooms, basmati rice, red lentils) Plus banana bread and green tea for dessert

Don't beat yourself up. Stress is just as bad for your body as processed sugar if not worse. A piece of cake now and then isn't so bad. Forgive yourself and move on, life's too short.

Confession: I always dated guys who were in worse shape than me or had terrible habits (junk food, smoking, no exercise, no self-control, or no self esteem) that way I could feel like the "healthy" one in the relationship... even though I wasn't taking care of myself like I should have. It took me years to unlearn this bad…

Lesson #1: you can't choose where the weight comes off from. You're going to lose weight where your body says, not where you want. You may loose a cup size or a pant size and see no change in your waist measurement. Be prepared for that. I lost 40lbs, dropped 3 cup sizes, went from a 14 dress to a 6, and only lost 4.5"…

Work on not comparing your body to other people's bodies--models in magazines, women you see on the street. They're not YOU. While it's good to appreciate fitness and take note of attributes you'd like to promote within your own body (good posture, for example, or toned arms, or smiling more often), it's not fair to…

My go-to is half a baked chicken breast (2-3.5oz), cut into cubes with some herb and garlic goat cheese spread on top. A side of broccoli sauteed in coconut oil. The whole thing comes to about 290-310 calories depending on the type of cheese you use and how much oil you need in your pan to cook the broccoli. Of all veggies…

Checked your diary, noticed you're eating some higher-process foods (pizza, biscuits, yogurt). Switching out these processed foods for single-ingredient foods (veggies, fruit, protein) or low-process foods (tofu, roasted nuts, oats) would make a big difference. You'll be eating a larger quantity of food without increasing…

Having worked in marketing, I can shead some light on a dirty secret about food stamps and especially WIC. Grocery stores have stickers they can place on shelves to designate that a product qualifies for a particular state-funded program. Managers are encouraged NOT to put these stickers on all applicable items, but to…

If you eat 1,500 calories, and then burn 400 calories through exercise, your body will have 1,100 calories remaining--which sends your metabolism into what is called "starvation mode" where your body will burn muscle for energy and store fat cells to try to keep you alive. This is bad for your body long-term, as well as…

My boyfriend is working in Australia right now, so I've been waking up at 2am to talk with him. I'd forgotten how important a regular sleep cycle can be! Time to cut back on Skype and start emailing--I need my beauty rest if I'm going to make my goal.

Thanks for posting this! Good to keep in mind that anything seen in print media is an UNREALISTIC expectation for our own bodies! My ideal body shape comes from a photo of my Mom on her wedding day. She had curves but was healthy, pretty, and very photogenic at that size. She died of cancer when I was young, so I try to…

If finances are an issue, try contacting your parents' health insurance or the employee benefits department of the companies your family members work for. Oftentimes insurance companies and employers will offer anonymous counseling services at little or no cost. Talking to someone with professional knowledge and…

Surround yourself with people who are motivated and have similar goals. I notice a difference when I go out to eat with different groups of friends. My friends who are overweight and unhealthy go to restaurants where everything is fried and the portions are oversized, while my health-conscious friends pick restaurants with…

The trick is not to cut calories, but to replace your existing meals with higher quality foods (like substituting bison for beef, almond butter instead of peanut butter, and raw nuts or rice cakes instead of popcorn). On top of that, you can add some more challenging exercise routines the closer you get to your goal…

I actually DO have a compromised immune system. I have Lupus. My body can't fight off a common cold.

We live in an apartment complex so no grill--instead we use a panini maker to grill veggies. Peppers and onions are great over chicken or on a bed of lettuce with salsa instead of dressing. I also love to grill zucchini and yellow squash with a dash of white pepper (we melt a little sharp or white cheddar on top for extra…

Yes, you're fine. The 25-ish grams of sugar MFP recommends is for processed sugars: pastry, candy bars, anything that comes in a box. If you're eating fruit and yogurt, you're just fine. I eat fruit with almost every meal, so I ignore the sugar-counting option all together. About 30% of my diet is raw fruits and veggies,…

When I work a 9-5, I prefer some butt-kicking pilates in the am. You can shower it off and head into work feeling great about yourself because you've already been productive and started your day off right. I'll do a more pleasant work-out after work, maybe a dance class (I do ballet and Argentine tango) or a nice long walk…

LOVE IT!

I find that this happens firstly with salty foods--for me, it was pizza. As your body adjusts to a healthier diet, you'll crave processed foods less and less, too. My office had a store-bought cake a few weeks ago and I didn't touch it! I just waited for my afternoon snack I'd packed from home; half an organic apple with…

I grew up in MN, so I'm accustomed to the weather, lol. Also, as a ballet dancer, I toured in Russia and the Ukraine. The cold doesn't bother me: getting scammed does. :sick: I've already lined up the townhouse and my new job. I flew out there 3 weeks ago to take care of business. My fiance, who lives in MN, moved into the…

Firstly, Congrats! I'm getting married next year and started on the health-kick very early, lol You might want to switch up your exercise. Change your cardio. If you do strength training, change the weights you use and the number of reps. If you do yoga, switch to pilates, and vice versa. Get a new fitness or aerobics…

The tip about sodium and processed foods is so true! People will say, "I'm eating healthy!" when at least one of their daily meals comes out of a box in the pantry or freezer. My motto is: if I didn't make it myself, it's probably not healthy.

I know spot reduction is a myth: I'm looking to full-body reduce, lol! The area I'm most concerned with is my waist, but a little off the hips, thighs or even bust wouldn't kill me (I'm a 30DD! It would be nice to buy bras at regular stores). Also, my 28.5" measurement was from last week. I measured again after yoga and…

I was at 34" waist when I started MFP at the end of November. You'd be surprised how much water, fruits and veggies can do! I only started yoga & pilates in February.

I have a great pilates video from CRUNCH Gym: 50 minutes of freakishly hard ab exercises and an instructor who's so lean, I swear she's descended from aliens and giraffes. I get the added cardio of cursing her out under my breath while my abs are burning and my entire body is shaking, lol. I've dropped 20lbs so far, but…

Hi Kelly! Welcome! I sent you a message about calories--let me know if I can help.

I have a fruit smoothie for breakfast, a banana for a snack, and half an apple with almond butter for desert (on an average day). That's 50g+ of "sugar" right there; but it's all just plain, healthy, organic fruit. I usually ignore the "sugar" logging option all together. When your nutrition plan is 30% raw fruits and…