sdirks Member

And it's different for men and women; we ladies pack on about 10 pounds from sleep deprivation, and even more from stress. For men, it's between 3 and 5 pounds. Increasing sleep won't produce as much weight loss for men--almost makes up for the way they can eat everything in sight and not gain a single pound. Almost.…

I feel your pain! I wouldn't let myself order take out for a long time--then I found a sushi place that would make me a side of steamed veggies, no salt and no sauce, for $3. God bless them, right?!? The sushi rice is still made with salt--it has to be or it wouldn't hold together--but at least I can control the amount of…

1200 calories is NOT ENOUGH FOOD. (Unless you are 100% bedridden or under 4' tall) You need to fuel your body. You will not see healthy, long-lasting results if you continue to starve your body. My minimum calorie intake is 1400 calories on days when I don't work out. I'm female, in my 20's, and 5'9". I also have an…

I keep strawberries, pineapple and mango in my freezer. I'll add a bit of each in the blender with Orange Tangerine juice and a splash of water with lemon juice. It's also really good with the fruit, cranberry juice and a bit of lime. The other one I do is almond milk and strawberries with chocolate protein powder.

There are lots of things you can do quickly that are healthy and inexpensive. I think the trick would be to take generic things you already make and jazz them up, make them "new" for the kids, but also healthier. If you make tacos or fajitas, skip the white tortillas, which are loaded with salt and preservatives. Serve…

The whole "don't eat after 6pm" thing is, scientifically, hogwash. Sorry. It was promoted by Oprah a few years ago and a lot of people still think of it as fact. There's no science there: restricting all food after 6pm will not cause you to lose weight any faster. Like the other posters have said, the best thing to do for…

Amen. The friend who "swoops in" usually isn't a very good friend. I had a similar situation between myself, my fiance and a mutual friend of ours (a guy): he "swooped" in on me, inconsiderate of my now-fiance's feelings for me. I got my heart broken so badly that I decided to move across the country for a work-study…

I'm also a grill-er. I have a tiny apt in Brooklyn and no room for an actual grill, so I use a panini maker, instead. One of my favorite sandwiches is: sourdough bread fresh spinach leaves grilled nectarines gouda cheese All you do is grill the nectarines with a little white pepper, put the sandwich together, and then toss…

cdavis is right on the money! Another thing to watch are your inches. I've been ignoring the scale since Feb, and I've lost almost 2" off my hips--my target area. Pounds aren't necessarily the best gauge of health. Try measuring bust, waist and hips once a week and maybe you'll see more of that "ta dah!" you're looking…

Its especially hard when you don't have control over what food is around you. I'm in my 20's but live on my own and eat very healthy. I went to visit my fiance and stayed 2 days with his family--I quickly realized how he got to be 40+lbs overweight. If there are junky, unhealthy, sugary or salty foods lying around, it's…

BUMP! I needed something to make this weekend....

Oh, you will fall in love with tango! There are so many different variations and methods, you'll never be bored. I'm lucky--I live in New York, so there are two or three different Milongas every night of the week! My advice is to find an instructor you really "click" with, someone whose style feels very natural, who…

Double check how your target calories are split: "My Home" --|> "Goals" --|> "Change Goals" --|> "Custom" According to SHBoss (the MFP Guru), you can go up to about 40% protein. Personally, I keep my goals at 40% protein, 35% Carbs, 25% Fat. This is my "goal:" I don't always reach it, but that's why they're called goals!…

I really didn't like water for many years. My soda-drinking habit came from that. The soda made me crave more sugar, more salt, more soda, etc. I had to start drinking iced tea, then work my way down to ice water with lemon. I even made a custom food, "HomeMade - Lemon Water," so that I could be mindful of the extra 10-15…

Yoga or Pilates: 30-60 minutes, 4x/week Tango Practice: 60 minutes, 2x/week Milonga (Tango Social): 2-3 hours, 1x/week No restaurants or take-away Protein Shake after yoga or pilates Grilled chicken, lean pork & salmon: no shrimp, no steak Reducing sodium intake to 2,250mg/day or below Getting 7 or more hours of…

I second that. People can and should wear what they like, keeping in mind what is appropriate and flattering to their figure.

I want to like this article... but it was printed in the "Opinion" section. And the medical citations are too brief and lack correlation, such as an interview with a researcher or citations from conflicting studies. I'll take it with a grain of skepticism. Yes, extreme, protein-only diets are bad for your system and…

Trying to drop my last 13lbs or so before my engagement photos at the end of May. I have this amazing, vintage Vivienne Westwood coat to wear for the photos... the problem is that, in the time I've owned it, I've never been able to button it past my natural waist. It's an Italian 46 (American size 8-10) and really well…

This is absolutely right! "Good sugars" are fruits, nuts, soy and dairy. "Bad sugars" are anything that comes out of a box or wrapped in plastic or cellophane. If you're eating fruits, etc., you probably shouldn't be too worried about your sugar. Side note: I always used to eat my apples with peanut butter until I realized…

Frankyosage, I'm SOOOO sorry for you! I'm getting married next year, but my 2 bridesmaids are getting custom, tasteful cocktail dresses that match their personal style: so they can actually wear the darn things again!!! I don't understand making your friends look like extras from a Molly Ringwald flick. :noway:

EApps, you know I'll kick your butt if you need me to! I'm in. Now put down the french fries before I take the train up to Boston and take them from you, lol

And yes--with your height, weight, and tendency to "fall off the bandwagon"--I think 8-10lbs is a more reasonable goal.

I've got about 15lbs I want to lose before May. It's completely possible, but you have to be dedicated to it and not give up easily, which seems to be a problem for you, hun. If you stick with it, you can do it. But keep in mind that it will take some type of exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY and a healthy, high-protein diet. No…

Depends on the type of wine. Some reds can be very high in sodium, while some whites are shockingly high in sugar. A white wine might have 5 or 10 fewer calories per serving. Red wines have been linked to heart and cardiovascular health. Really, though, it's not much difference. Go with what compliments your food.

Renn makes this point at about 18:13. You can't judge a person's health by looking at them. There are "skinny" people who eat fast food all day and "chubby" people who eat healthy foods, eat moderately, and exercise. Renn is a size 12/14. She also works out 4 times a week and eats a healthy, protein-rich diet. I've read…

Healthy foods don't do you any good in the fridge--you have to eat them. Pre-make your lunches and bring them to work every day. Keep veggies and dip at work. Go online and research the menus of restaurants before you eat there. You've got the tools, so to speak, but you're letting them collect dust in the garage. Find the…

There are 2 cleaning exercises, "mild" and "intense" lol Remember that, because of height, weight, gender, fitness level, etc, the MFP generated number might not be 100% accurate. Best way to know how much you really burn is a heart rate monitor. I'm not quite to the point where I want to know every last calorie burned...…

Mr. Cook, what you need is a protein shake and a nap! 1500cal? Wowzers! This is... okay. It's not great, and you certainly shouldn't do this 2 days in a row... but if there's no way to comfortably eat back your calories, then so be it. Eat healthy foods until you're full, drink some water and call it a night. Have some…

That's awesome! I often marinate my chicken in apple cider vinegar... maybe that's why I feel so full after dinner and don't snack!

Thanks, everybody! I think the key was finding out WHY I liked the junk to begin with. I used to drink soda because I like smooth, sweet foods with lingering flavors, like nut butters, fruits, and smoothies. I used to over do it with chips, mashed potatoes, and buttery sides because they're flavored with my favorite…