elid Member

Welcome, and congratulations on taking the first step! The decision to change your life can be much harder than people think... You can do it!

Welcome, and good luck! Sounds like you're off to a great start! I did the same as you--first started counting calories (and felt disgusted with how much I was eating before), then started eating healthier gradually. One step at a time is the right way to do it, I think!

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During the summertime, I walk a few blocks to the ice cream shop and eat ice cream (my weakness) every Friday! Hmm, let's see... otherwise, I let myself have little treats now and again (a fun size candy bar or 25 M&Ms) almost every day. The way I see it, 100-150 calories of chocolate 6 days a week is better than 3000 once…

Instead of Sunday, I'd suggest making either Friday or Saturday (but not both...) your 'cheat day', since you like to go out then. :)

I don't know if you're at the level I was, but when I started, I was completely sedentary and could barely climb two flights of stairs without getting winded. At my heaviest, I'd ride a stationary bike for 10 minutes per day, every day. (Believe me, I was so unhealthy that even 10 minutes was a workout!) On Saturdays I…

The best workout plan for you is a plan you enjoy and can stick with! Plus, your body eventually gets accustomed to an exercise if you do the exact same thing every day. Variety is good! :smile: I don't have a 'plan' myself. I don't actually set aside specific time to work out. I ride my bike to work, which pretty much…

Awesome! That is also one of my favorite snacks. :)

You've done very well so far in tracking! Even if you haven't lost any weight tomorrow, please don't get discouraged. There are weeks I want to tear my hair out because I did perfect and lost nothing; then, there are weeks I slipped up and the scale still went down! It can be unpredictable. Sometimes it takes your body a…

You shouldn't force yourself to waste calories on something you don't like! You can get nutrients elsewhere...

You're very right--people often work really hard for their bodies, and I see nothing wrong with celebrating that. But all too often, what we see in the media is literally impossible, not achievable by the human body. I really like this video, it shows kind of what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U edit: I…

Yep... I think a gigantic part of it is advertising. If there is an unattainable standard of beauty, people will ALWAYS be dissatisfied with themselves... and then want to buy more products to try to achieve that impossible perfection.

Cute! Just a minor grammar suggestion... I hate to be picky, but it's important when you're getting a tattoo! It should read: "A mother's greatest gift is her children." (note the apostrophe... also note that "is" is right, not "are", because the verb goes with the word "gift" and not "children")

I was always pretty big too, growing up. I have lost 110, and I definitely feel like a different person. I'm way more active; for example, I don't get winded going up two flights of stairs any more. My face doesn't get all red like it used to from a little walking (I am fair skinned), and I no longer have the "chubby…

Yeah! Sounds fun... I have a hybrid I use around town (even in the snow... I have no car!). If you have an iPhone or Android phone, RunKeeper (http://runkeeper.com/) is free for January, for keeping track of mileage (and maps)! I've been using it... it's nice :)

A lot of people advise not eating late at night, but I loves me my late night snacks. I eat slightly smaller meals during the day and save calories for a snack at night. I've found that I'm going to snack whether I have the calories or not, so it just makes sense to budget for them... plus if I know I'm allowed a snack, I…

I love spicy ma po tofu... I think it's just as good without the pork, but that's just me. http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/ma-po-tofu/Detail.aspx

I slice mine in half and eat the half without the pit first. Then I store the half with the pit in a plastic baggie (the pit keeps it from browning so fast) and eat the next half the next day.

Personally I've always just focused on calories. That said, I still try to have a balanced diet... eating 1500 calories of ice cream isn't going to make me feel very healthy, and might end up putting on some water weight or something. But for me, I have been ok with little sugary treats now and again, still staying within…

Yes! I love the cinnamon raisin! It's really, really good in oatmeal with some frozen blueberries thrown in.

I enjoy evening snacks, so I don't want to cut them. :) I just eat less earlier in the day, and plan my calorie intake around a little evening snack.