MindyC7609 Member

Spray chicken breasts with Pam, then sprinkle with Mrs. Dash seasoning of choice, then grill. I prefer the Tomato-Basil-Garlic Mrs. Dash on my chicken.

Most of distance running IS mental, ONCE you get your body to the point it can handle the mileage. When I'm having a bad run day and am tempted to quit early, I just tell myself that I've made it that far, so what's one (or 2 or whatever) more mile to reach the goal I set for myself? Maybe start to tell yourself that --…

I'm not a fan, but hey, if they work for some runners, great. It's just like any other piece of gear - you find what you like and stick with it. That said -- I HATE them on people just casually wearing them around town. I think, in particular, of the couple I recently saw wearing the Fila version in a casual setting…

Two of my tattoos were rewards when I lost my first 50 pounds, then 75. If it's something you want, do it...but be VERY particular about the artist, think very long and very hard about where you want the art, and go with something deeply meaningful to you (not some design you pick off the tattoo shop walls). I have 5…

You need to fuel yourself properly BEFORE your workouts and all day, every day. If you do that, you'll find you need post-workout refueling only on really hard days. I never worry about post-workout refueling except when I run 10 miles or more, and then I simply drink chocolate milk. Just ask any distance runner -- most of…

c25K.com - best beginning running program out there. It will GRADUALLY work you up to being able to run 3 miles. But before you do that, PLEASE go to your local running specialty shop (NOT a big-box place) and get properly fitted for shoes. They will analyze your gait, etc., and put you in the proper shoes for your size,…

Protein, protein, protein. You need to have a lean protein source each time you eat. I don't think their calculations here are correct for necessary protein intake (too low), but that's just my opinion. Also, you can eat a lot more fresh/frozen veggies than you realize and still not take in all that many calories, thus…

+1 Totally would have been my recommendation to you too. Good luck! I used to hate running, and I just did my 3rd half marathon, so you NEVER know what you can accomplish! :o)

I have a dinner-only meal plan that I do every 2 weeks. Each meal is almost always some lean meat plus fresh or frozen veggies, and that's pretty much it. Then I worry about the calorie count, making sure I measure things to get portions right. For breakfast, I either do a lower-calorie cereal (i.e. Cheerios, Grain Berry…

Kay - the Marware Convertible Sportsband (look for it on Amazon) is what I had for my Nano, which is probably the same generation as yours since I got it in 2009 too. It converts between a clip and an armband. I loved that armband, but I went through 2 in one year and said enough. HOWEVER, I have kept the case and the clip…

I found this one. It's water-resistant but doesn't give much access to the iPod. http://www.armpocket.com/products/AERO-10-FP.html I'll keep searching. Trying the Runners World forums too, but everything there seems to be focused on iPhones...

You should really go to a local running shop (NOT one of those big-box places!) and have them evaluate your gait, stance, etc. for the proper pair of shoes. If you haven't done that before, that needs to be your first step. You might find some of your discomfort goes away immediately. However, it also might not. A few…

You WILL do fine, and you might find that you really like doing 5Ks. That's what happened to me! ;o) When I started running 2 1/2 years ago, I was about 30 pounds heavier than I am now and was really self-conscious about it. I did my first 5K and realized that people of all shapes and sizes do these things. I wasn't the…

lowfat cottage cheese lowfat/light yogurt Clif bars string cheese hardboiled eggs, already peeled grilled chicken breast, cut into strips He wouldn't necessarily have to handle anything you put in a ziploc bag. He could use the bag as kind of a glove around his hand and eat directly out of the bag.

Being a Duranie, I have LOTS of Duran Duran on mine! LOL! Their new album, All You Need Is Now, was just released last week. Good stuff! I also have lots of Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, some techno stuff I picked up from a friend. I went through all my CDs and just gleaned songs that were upbeat...

I'll do at least one cup of coffee, sometimes two, before a race, a long run or a regular morning workout (i.e. elliptical). I do 8 oz of pure juice before a very early morning (4:30 a.m.) training run. Many energy gels have caffeine in them. I think it's a matter of personal preference and how your body responds to…

Are you eating protein with your late-evening snack? That will stay with you longer than anything else. Also, are you eating right up to your calorie minimum? Remember that MFP already accounts for the "cutting back" you need to do to lose weight, so you need to eat to your minimum, ESPECIALLY if you do hard workouts...

I've come to the conclusion that they exist on every forum on the internet. The key is DON'T FEED THE TROLLS. ;o)

I agree with the others -- that's what I do too, and one day won't mess you up that much...

One word for you -- RunnersWorld.com. That site has all the running resources you could ever ask for, plus GOOD training plans that aren't just a shot in the dark. Whenever I'm getting ready for a half, I ramp my mileage up to 20-25 miles a week for at least 2 months prior, but I only run 3-4 days a week because of my work…

Your BMR is what you need to consume to stay at your current weight. MFP creates the necessary deficit to LOSE weight, but I agree that you don't want to go below 1200 or your body will start thinking it's in starvation mode. Just think -- you can eat every calorie you exercise! ;o)

My biggest recommendation would be NOT to consider this a diet or even something temporary. You need to make all the small changes that you can stick with (for the most part) for the rest of your life. 1-2 pounds per week is a safe, healthy weight loss that you SHOULD be able to keep off. Six years ago, I weighed 250…

You didn't say how long you've been running, but frankly, time will help a lot too. I've been running for 2 years and haven't focused on getting faster, but my average training mile has gone from 13 minutes to 11 minutes. I ran a 2:34 half marathon in 2009, then a 2:23 half in 2010. And as I said, I haven't been TRYING to…

I live near Kettering. :o) Welcome to Ohio. Where did you move from?

It's a tie between carrots and sugar snap peas. I love `em both RAW!

Are you trying for vegetarian options? I noticed you didn't mention the obvious things like chicken, turkey or fish, so if you're going vegetarian, certainly tofu, beans and low-fat dairy are good protein sources. Quinoa has a lot of protein for a grain. Try googling lean protein foods... I do better with higher protein…

Go to a local running store (NOT ****'s or some big box store like that!) and have them fit you PROPERLY for the right pair of shoes for your level of activity, weight and gait. You DON'T have to buy their shoes -- find out exactly what you need, then go online and buy them cheaper. SierraTradingPost.com has lots of…

My advice for your first 5K: RELAX! Just go out and enjoy the run. You won't win, but that's not what you're there for. Start at a COMFORTABLE pace, don't get caught up in the excitement and make the mistake of trying to stick with the pack out front. Save something for the kick at the end. Don't worry about what your time…

I've not done that race before, but I'm assuming it's a 5K? If so, here's my advice for your first 5K: RELAX! Just go out and enjoy the run. You won't win, but that's not what you're there for. Start at a COMFORTABLE pace, don't get caught up in the excitement and make the mistake of trying to stick with the pack out…

I recently bought the TurboJam DVDs and really like them so far. High-energy and makes me SWEAT. :o) Once the weather warms up, you can take your little one out for walks too. Also, do you have a gym near you that has free childcare? I love that my gym has that.