CharlesLadd

Congratulations. You are on the trail to a longer, healthier life. And a justifiably happier self.

You might lose more if you ate nothing but lettuce and celery and stopped drinking any water, while running a marathon. And had an enema. But why even consider such things? The question really isn't worth an answer.

A belly ring was a stupid idea at 18 and it's even more stupid at 28 (when your brain should have finally matured enough to make that clear). Just my opinion.

In my experience, "friends" remember how you looked at the heavier weight and now see you at the lesser weight, so they say "you look skinny." Never mind that they remember you at an unhealthy weight. Doesn't matter (what anyone else thinks about how you look). What matters is are you at an appropriate, healthy weight for…

10 pounds in 30 days, that's 35,000 calories of fat burning, about 1,170 calories a day. You should consume a net of about 1,200 calories a day (female), I am told, From your picture I would say you don't have that much to lose, so that's a lot, an awful lot of exercise to make up that difference. I would suggest that you…

At 238 pounds, I would be about 50 pounds above my proper weight - at almost 6 feet tall. If you are female, you have a naturally higher fat level than I do, but not that much. I bet you are carrying about 100 pounds of excess weight, and it is taking its toll, regardless of the comments you have made (feel good, don't…

Great job! Now the hard parts begins: transitioning to a maintenance diet, switching from a project mindset to a life style mindset at the proper level. I have found that the more difficult task. Good luck!

I have the same sentiment. As long as I have Internet access, I SHOULD keep the MFP food journal. It is just way too easy to not pay attention and start grazing in the frig or add that second helping. I lost 50 pounds in seven months and put on five in one month. As anyone who had lost a lot of weight sensibly knows, it…

You have enough remaining calories to eat a few pieces of pizza, if you want to. But if you really don't want to, because pizza is generally seen as not a part of your new life-style diet, then don't. In the meantime, tell your husband that if he wants to order and eat pizza, he can eat it in the garage. Sounds to me like…

With that weight loss in one year, you did do something very special! You had the discipline to stick to the regimen, and that is a lot harder than most people think. You are a role model, fersure. Congratulations on your great success!

The "eat only grapefruit (or grapefruit juice) and bacon diet" has to win a prize.

BINGO! It's "portion control and regular exercise." Give that person a cigar!

I am not sure what you really expected. Oils and fats contain twice the calories of carbohydrates and proteins. As far as I know, only pure water (and maybe sodium chloride) is calorie free. Diet coke is basically carbonated (aerated with carbon dioxide) dirty water, with the dirt being mostly artificial chemicals. Yuck. I…

When I was running week-end 5K, 5 mile and 10K races, I found it very difficult to drink while running. I just chose to walk for a few yards. After all, I wasn't running for time.

Congratulations! Keep up the healthy living.

She asks, "Anyone around 5'4 1/2?" Do they make a belt that long? :laugh: Just trying to lighten the moment, don't take offense.

50 pounds in 4 months? Doubtful, at least healthfully. I just lost 40 pounds in 20 weeks. That' s 4 2/3 months. I am a male. Females have a harder time losing weight (something to do with hormones, higher body fat percentages, being smaller in the first place so the calorie deficit can't be as large, etc.). Anything more…

In the past seven months, aside from shoveling snow (more times this winter than I care to think about), the only exercise I have gotten is from walking, either on the track above the gym at the local Y or on a treadmill. I wish it had been walking the dog on the county road, but not here in Wisconsin November-March. On…

Everyone has an opinion. Here's mine. Ignore the scale for a month, then start weighing -- but only once a week, In the meantime, eat healthy foods in moderate amounts and exercise periodically, including strength exercises. If you focus on the scale you will more likely see this as a "project" (i.e. a "diet") and not as a…

Whoa! I think there is a typo here. 244 - 163 = 81 pounds. You must mean 344 - 163 or 244 - 63. I was 240 last November, am on my way to losing about 60, so far down 32. So if you mean 244 - 63 I can relate.

You have literally taken my breath away with your accomplishment. Yowser! You are the very definition of role model. ... and yet, you are right, there is NO SECRET. Eat well moderately and stay active. Not because you want to look good, or avoid criticism, be what someone else wants, but because you will be healthier, feel…

Sounds to me like you are trying to justify bad behavior. If you are trying to teach yourself how to eat more healthfully, why would you purposefully throw caution to the wind and jump into the trough with a big spoon? Does that mean there are some foods you can never have again? Of course not, but it should be within the…

I am not sure this is good advice. She needs to lose more than half her weight and wind up in good physical condition - able to run for a distance in a specified time, like a mile in 10 minutes (an example only, I don't know what the requirements might be for her). This is going to take Work (with a capital W) and Time.…

The real size change has been the size of the plate! Today's dinner plate is notably larger. Our concept of a serving has been adversely affected as a result. When I was in college, back when MacDonalds was bragging they had sold a few million sandwiches (early 60s), we used to buy two regular hamburgers, an order of fries…

It's not just the weight loss, which is certainly commendable, it's the improved fitness. You not only feel better, and feel better about yourself, you probably have added years of quality time to your life. Keep at it!

A large Yellow Delicious apple.

What I don't understand is why so many people get upset when someone else, especially someone they don't know, have never met, tells them something that they (the listener) know to be untrue, incorrect, inappropriate, unsupported, or just plain dead wrong. Why get upset? If you are following the advice of a medical…

Your last sentence says it all. Just smaller portions. Fantastic job. Almost 2 pounds per week is commendable. I recall someone about a month ago who started on MFP and exercised for three days with no weight loss, then was ready to give up. Three days! Long journeys are accomplished one step at a time. You are a role…

"If you're into the Jillian Michaels method then why not just follow her regime rather than criticise this one? You don't see me logging into WeightWatchers to post crap on their forums just because I believe converting foods into points is silly..." Well said. Incidentally, great job on the 67 pound loss in 40 weeks or…

There was a similar question asked recently, to which I also responded. I exercise, not to lose weight but to strengthen my muscles, especially my heart, and to keep my metabolism high. If you exercise and don't eat those calories back, especially if you are on an aggressive weight loss program, you are at risk of your…