mandster Member

Hi I've just started on 5:2 with my first fast day yesterday. I've lost 8lbs in 8 days so I'm happy with that :-) I went on a low calorie diet for the first week as I knew I could drop a few pounds quickly but I have difficulty in sticking with a diet long term and this is where I think the 5:2 way of eating will work…

Hi all I've been a very healthy vegetarian for 23 years. I don't think you need meat but you do need to become knowledgable about nutrition and make sure that you eat a healthy diet. Of course everyone should do this but if you are going to remove any group of foods from your diet it's even more important. I used to get a…

I don't weigh for months until I go on a diet - then I weigh daily :-) I find it interesting too to see how my body reacts to what I've eaten and I think it helps motivate me. If I've put on a bit it helps me keep it down the next day. Sometimes it can be disheartening but I've usually found that if I've been good and my…

Hi After 1 day saw a difference on the scales but I could only see a difference after half a stone which took one week :-) I ate healthy home made vegetarian food and (almost) stopped snacking. Swapped toast for rice cakes (you can eat more that way!) I LOVE bread so this was hard but rice cakes and cream cheese or rice…

Wow! Amazing pics. Well done on your tranformation!

Hi, I'm vegetarian. Just started logging in here again as have fell off the wagon lately. Back on now though and have started couch 2 5k. I found a few low fat veggie recipies at sparkpeople.com - they have a good veggie section with calories on there. Mandy

Get yourself out on the town. Any men you see not with a girl is sure to b single :-) love the giving blood idea. I can't giv as I've had blood transfusions so they don't want mine (Uk rules becase they can't test for Cjd!) very annoying as I wud like to Giv back as I benefitted from some kind person giving theirs!

I don't eat all my exercise calories - usually eat about half of them. Mainly in case I have underestimated food calories (I don't have the time or inclination to weigh all my food). Usually I'm 2-300 calories after exercise and I'm losing weight like this. I think it depends what kind of food you are eating too. If you…

Can I have half a pizza and half a glass of red wine :-)

Hi Some good recipes on this site: http://www.puredairyfree.co.uk I've made various recipes including bread, scones and biscuits without dairy, using pure and they all tasted great. I love cheese and butter but my sister and nephew couldn't eat dairy for a while so I made stuff for them.

I had a burst of excessive exercise 3 months after my C section and was scared I did some damage with it so it put me off and I didn't do anything for a while (another great excuse!) I found out a couple of wks ago that I had put on 10lbs since then! (I didn't weight myself but it was logged on the wii.) Can't really call…

I stopped a couple of months ago. I couldn't have dieted before my little ones were were on solids as bf did make me ravenous! I bf tll about 20 months with both of mine and I could have started cutting down when the feeds were down to 1 or 2 a day but if I'm honest I used it as a great excuse not to! I trained as a bf…

well done! What a great start :-)

Hi I just search the database here for the meal or something similar and add some quick calories on top.. Went to La Tasca at the weekend and had berenjas aubergine - couldnt find that so I logged aubergine gratin. Did find patatas bravas and spanish omletter etc so I think it will be fairly accurate. I added on another…

Brilliant! That's a great start :-)

I would say do something every day. Even if it's only for 10 minutes. If I don't feel like it and force myself to do 10 mins I will usually stick at it much longer. Getting started is the hard bit! I was also low in energy as my kids have been waking me up in the night a lot for weeks and I've been working late at night. I…

Me too Emma! Ive ordered Zumba and got the Just Dance one yesterday because of what people have said on this site! Biggest lose is down from 19.99 to 8.99 on Amazon uk at the moment!

Quadrun you are really selling that soup :-)

I make a really easy broad bean soup: I saute an onion and a couple of garlic cloves (teaspoon of oil and tablespoon of water.) Add a tablespoon of cumin seeds and cook till for about a minute, then a whole packet of frozen broad beans (no need to defrost) and some stock and simmer for 15-20 mins. I whizz it in the food…

Hi I felt like I noticed a difference after a 5lbs loss. My clothes felt a little looser and I thought I saw a difference in my waist (I lost an inch on my waist at this point.) I've now lost 8 lbs but no one else is noticing yet. I'm intentionally not wearing very flattering clothes though as I want to feel my clothes…

Hi I'll join you. I use the wii when the kids have gone to bed and I'm sure it's helping me lose weight. Also using the elliptical, trying to run (run/walk intervals) and doing the Matt Roberts DVD that was free in the Telegraph a couple of weeks ago! I have wii fit, EA Sports and got Just Dance 2 yesterday.

I don't add housework unless I have did A LOT more than usual (and that is unusual - haha.) I also try to have little 5 min exercise bursts where I do some squats or lunges but I don't add them either. I'm generally trying to be more active when I'm doing the dishes and making dinner. (kick ups and calf raises etc) It…

I like EA Sports Active and just got Just Dance 2 yesterday. Only had a go on that for half an hour last night but definately burned calories and had great fun. (Despite being a rubbish dancer!) With EA you can make up your own routines and save them. It is a bit annoying swapping the leg strap etc around on some of their…

Hi I have two kids and am also a vegetarian. I'll add you now... The rest of my family eat meat so I have slipped into bad habits and not been cooking much healthy veggie food lately. Or exercising. But that is all changing :-) I'll add you now...

OMG! How busy are you? My two keep me so busy - can't even imagine 4 under 5yrs plus an 8 year old. I'm impressed already :-) I have a 4 year old girl and a little boy who is almost 2 and thought it was about time I shaped up and got fit and healthy again...

Hi I'm with Black_Swan on this one. I don't think it matters as long as you measure in the same place. Places I measure: chest - at nips, hips - top of butt (where the line stops haha - just so I know I'm in the same place each time,) smallest part of waist, 1 inch below belly button (as it's an area I really want to tone)…

Wow! Brilliant. You should be very proud of yourself for sticking with it and working so hard. You look great!

Hee hee, good question! Maybe don't put it all back on again:-)

I love balsamic vinegar!

Hi it's under the tools tab. Recipe nutrition calculator