chrish1981

One of the worst places to eat is a Mexican place called On The Border. Almost every meal is 1000 cals. It's a shame because I LOVE it there, but it's really bad for you. Seriously: you'd have to eat like crazy at home to get all those calories!

They ARE adorable right now, but I know it's coming.... Something happens to them around Feb/March and it's like they go BANANAS! The hormones kick in, they get snippy, they're all dating each other...yay. Can't wait. :-)

Hey, I'm in my 6th year, too! :-) Wouldn't change it for the world....nothing better! I teach 6th grade language arts. (And the bathroom thing is a REAL problem! I really wish there was a way to just "auto-pilot" the class when you had to pee. LOL!

I don't know about other places, but in Philly, there's a law now that food establishments have to post caloric information. My husband and I actually walked out of a Pizza Hut. Like, legit, got up and left, because the menu was so horrendous. We then went to Wendy's, which isn't great, but they have some better options.…

That's reassuring, because I was trying to do the conversions the other night (TOTALLY not a math girl!) and I kept reading that 2 oz was equivalent to .25 cup. So I was like, "What's the point?" and made some beans instead. So if I make 2 oz dry, that's a cup cooked??

Good luck to you, too!! I've been at it for two weeks. It's not so bad.

You have to allow yourself a "cheat" here and there. The key is not making every day a cheat. I GORGED on pizza the other night and still woke up a pound in the negative...don't beat yourself up or deny yourself all the time! You're fine!

I do not have a quality heart rate monitor, nor does it have a chest strap, which is probably why it's off. Can't afford a great one right now, so I gotta work with what I've got unfortunately. Got great reviews, but is essentially a pos. Hey, maybe I AM burning 1000 cals in Zumba; who knows? Everything I've read…

Find something you enjoy doing and just make yourself do it. It sucks, but if you find something you enjoy, it won't be that bad. For instance, I just found Zumba classes in my area, and so I look forward to those. They're later at night, so I have time to make dinner, etc. and even get a nap in usually. Also I have the…

Just turned 30, and I hit 150 and that was IT! I want to lose 20 lbs by....whenever. Just wanna do it the healthy way. Five down,15 more to go! Good luck with your goals! :-)

It's a good time! Go for it.

Tall vanilla skinny latte=90 cals and delicious, BTW. :-) I remember the day I learned that drinks had calories in them (and lots, too!) Saddest. Day. EVER.

Truvia is AWESOME! I just discovered it and love it. I'm always over on sodium, too, so I guess I'm doubly-screwed. :-)

I agree. I bought it (with hubby's money! LOL) and I found it WAY too intense and quite boring, frankly. Zumba, dancing, and exercise TV 20-minute strength training vids is working just fine for me. I still sub Plyometrics, Ab Ripper X, and some of the others from time to time, I just don't do it regularly.

I know!! I always heard "Fruit is so healthy for you." But now suddenly, it's "Don't have too much fruit or you'll eat too much sugar." I don't get it!

Thank God, because I was just going to make a post about sugar. I don't understand: Today, for example: I have eaten 1.5 cups of Cheerios with 1/2 a banana and 3/8 cup of almond milk, and a small fruit salad of peach, banana, and a little whipped cream. I'm already over my sugar for the day. Seriously?? What am I supposed…

I think (maybe) people's HRM are off. I bought one and after a Zumba class it said I burned almost 1000 calories, to which my husband said was insane. Actually, his words were, "Do you know what you have to DO to burn 1000 calories? Look it up!" And I did. And I definitely DIDN'T burn 1000 calories. BUT: based on what it…

1.5 cups of Cheerios with 1/2 a banana and 3/8 cup of vanilla almond milk. Yum!

Everyday because I'm impatient. :-) It's probably not good, but I like, need to see the number to keep me sane. Once a week is probably a good rule of thumb. Also, I was told never to weigh in after exercise. I usually weigh in (naked) in the morning.

Good luck! I have been at it faithfully for a week now, and I've already seen small results, most importantly the fact that I have more energy. I have to say: eating healthy and controlling what goes in my mouth is REALLY not as hard or bad as I thought it would be. I make a game out of it....it's actually kind of fun!

We do this AWESOME belly dancing routine that I love. Not sure what the song's called (it's not the same one that's on the Wii game, though). We even wear the little skirts, too. So fun!

Mom told me 13 minutes, and that works perfectly for me!

Totally! I've been eating less and exercising more. I lost 3 pounds in the past week, but this morning, 1 has come back! (I don't drink enough water....that could be it).

You can always allow yourself a "cheat meal"; just don't go crazy (appetizers, huge entree, dessert, 3 margaritas, etc.) I like to cheat every once in awhile. It's like a little reward!

I lost the "freshman 15" that I gained in college simply by switching TO diet soda from regular, so I don't think that it interferes with weight loss. It's not good for you in the sense that it has absolutely NO nutritional value, but as far as I know it won't make you gain weight.

Just bought a Schwinn that does heart rate and counts calories. Cheap and got great reviews. Will let you know how it works when I get it.

Hey, I had it very bad about 5 years ago (from a herniated disc), to the point where I had to get a steroid shot into my spine for it. There's no "cure", but the shot worked for me. Occasionally it will act up, but I'm back to dancing and running and other exercise. Take it SLOW and make sure you stretch a lot. You can…

I just discovered Progresso black bean soup with bacon last night....it will now be a staple in my household. A little fat free sour cream and reduced fat cheese on top: YUM! Special K fruit crisps are yummy. And I LOVE baked Tostitos and salsa. If you're looking for an alternative to diet soda (I'm addicted to it and…

I actually JUST got done with it! I got it for my birthday on Sunday and it's so much fun! I also go to regular Zumba classes as well. I'm not sure exactly how many calories are burned, but man, it's got to be a lot because I sweat my butt off. I just ordered a heart monitor, though, so soon I'll know for sure!

Best workout ever!! Did it last night for the first time and had to have burned at least 500 calories. It works your butt off: literally!