mssierra2u Member

Thank you for sharing your story. It's wonderful that your spouse was supportive through those times when your resolve wanted to flounder. You are a lovely family and it looks like your daughter will have wonderful role models to emulate. So many blessings! Congratulations on achieving your goals. I'm about 1/3 of the way…

It's difficult to have unforeseen "side effects" to becoming more healthy. It might not be perfect, but it can get better. There are also new laser treatments that are supposed to help tighten skin, which I'm going to be looking into when I get close to my goals. Go see a plastic surgeon and find out all of your options.…

Go to the doctor. But also, maybe your calories are set too low, or not enough protein? I hope you feel better soon!

Congratulations! What a difference focus and time can make! You look amazing.

Holy Cow, Batman! You look wonderful! I needed to see that today. Thank you for posting. Congratulations on achieving a difficult milestone. You look wonderful, and so happy! That was sooo inspirational.

Cleanliness is key, ventilation, a locker room that has clean showers ('cause you never know), plenty of cardio equipment, friendly staff, well-attended classes (more treadmills open :happy: ), and variety. I know I may want to try some classes later on, but right now I am a treadmill warrior. I like the Y because it has a…

I find Fiber Choice tablets really helpful.

I'm 5'6" and my goal is 170. Right now, that is a long way off, but I would imagine my goals will likely be adjusted once I'm closer. WebMD says top of range should be about 154, but that seems WAAAY too low for me. We'll see next year.

I'm getting a little creative. I'm down about 20 lbs, so I'm starting to not be able to wear my old pants. I'm finding skirts are more forgiving of the lost volume (what a problem!) I also found some clip-on gatherers at Jo-Ann's fabrics, which I've been using for some knit tops that are starting to look ridiculous. :-)…

A standard bag of microwave popcorn is about 300 calories. A half cup of hummus with a few bagel chips and half a glass of wine.:tongue:

Why not do both? You will probably get a better all-over workout from the video, but the elliptical is also good. Everything I've read recently leans towards incorporating strength training as quickly as possible. I'm trying to do body weight exercises as a new addition to my treadmill. If you DO decide to start with the…

I freeze individual servings of freshly cooked rice or quinoa. If you take it from the freezer to the microwave for 2 minutes, it'll taste like you just cooked it. I also make ground turkey "stew" with garbanzo beans. That will take you through several meals during the week. It also helps to pre-chop veggies for side…

Please don't feel discouraged. (I just walked myself back from a vacuum of motivation). It's hard when you put the same clothes on and you don't think it's coming off as fast as you want. But part of what is probably happening is that some of the space vacated by fat is being filled in a little with new muscle. For myself,…

I like salsa, either the traditional red or mexican green.

When something like that happens, try dabbing some body spray or perfume on the tip of your nose. That will help block the scents coming off all that deep fried goodness...

I was more sore after two days of being sedentary than I have felt after a tough workout. I actually pulled out the heating pad!

It sounds like you have quite the workout buddy! :happy:

I don't know if this will help... but there was a time when I was so uncomfortable being in the gym that I would wear my eyeglasses and then take them off. I could then not really see anyone the entire time I was on the treadmill. When I would wear my contacts, I would hold on to the machine lightly, to keep my place, and…

I also use it when making savory soups, as it gives off a smokey kind of flavor! I recently baked the turkey bacon while also baking egg cups. They turned out really well, and the whole house didn't smell like it does when I nuke it in the microwave.

I experience the same thing. I tend to be irregular, but that's one of the ways I know the month is going to be eventful. I eat like crazy. I try to make sure I stock up on foods that address some of my cravings (like freezing low sugar/fat yogurt, instead of going for what I really want: Haagen Dazs), and drink lots of…

I am planning to buy the bar again. Sometimes you luck out on craigslist, so that may be another good source. I used to own one and found the workout to be challenging in a pilates-y kind of way. I would recommend it, for sure.

I know this may seem a little retro, but Leslie Sansone has walking videos that are varied. When I was just starting out, I found these to be helpful. If you go to collage video, you get to sample short clips of most of the workouts, before you buy anything. You can start whereever you are and go from there. I agree with…

I absolutely do overeat at that time. I try to make sure I am not completely going off the charts by making sure I put in the time at the gym. But sometimes you have to give in a little.

I'm struggling a little bit too, with similar issues. When I see some success I fall back into my "What's the point? I'm so far from what I want to be? What's with the loose skin?" I am actively working on focusing on one thing at a time. I also know that I have to plan ahead for food, because once I am in the drive-thru…

Something you may want to look into is ballet conditioning. It incorporates a lot of leg work and for a lot of it, you can use a chair for balance. Not much equipment needed. Aside from youtube, collage video allows you to see clips of the videos to see if its what you want. You can also check amazon for used DVD's.…

"The only thing the scale can tell you is your personal relationship with gravity." That sentence is going in front of my mirror. The scale is important, but I loose sight of the fact that other measurements also count, not the least of which is how much better I feel physically when I'm active. The other thing to consider…