dawnmcneil10 Member

My holidays go like this, because I WANT to I go for a run in the morning, I get up and go for a run. It's so peaceful and makes me happy but before I could run I started walking with the dog so he could get some one on one time before the festivities. As for food I don't bother with things that I can have any time like…

My own mom is gone but my friend's mom loves to feed us. What I tend to do is bring a large salad to share, make that my main course and then grab say a piece of the fried chicken and pick that apart to put in my salad. Pasta dishes I just scoop a small amount and flatten it out on my plate, have a big pile of salad and…

I would assume there is a grocery store local to where you're staying so you shouldn't need to travel with all your food for the week. I tend to plan a salad a day when on vacation because then I know I have a good amount of veggies each day. You can either buy the premade salads or buy the stuff to whip them up, it…

Wow, I'm starved after a good run. When I used to hit the gym for cardio I'd swing by the coffee shop afterwards and get a hot latte, perhaps if eating isn't an option you could drink back some calories?

Don't use drive ups, park your vehicle and walk into all these places that have them. Hand deliver items instead of using interoffice mail if possible. Get up every couple of hours, walk to the opposite side of building and back just to stretch your legs. If you're stuck on your phone for example work in a call center,…

I like to make up what I call a picnic lunch on occasion for a change of pace and it might work for you too. A hard boiled egg, grapes, cheese, veggies and dip (usually plain greek yogurt and spices), ham and/or turkey roll ups and almonds.

You can make up a breakfast casserole or quiche with or without crust on a day off, divide into travel containers and grab and go each morning. I will do fruit and yogurt made up in mason jars too for the same reason, just grab and go.

I found ways to work things in for example I skip salad dressings because things like salsa, plain greek yogurt and guacamole taste so much better in taco salad and I smash up doritos for extra crunch in the salad. I was never a big donut person but I have noticed that in general baked goods don't tempt me I would honestly…

I'm in awe and a bit jealous of your speed as I am a turtle. I run laps in my own community, there are days I pass the same people 5 or 6 times and they tend to comment as if I might be slightly crazy but it keeps me safe and avoids excess traffic. On other days I need to break loose and just comletely wander so my…

HAHAHA yes I know of these things too. My hands are that way too, they have always been on the bony side so to notice that was odd. My spine and shoulders were probably the biggest shock, I thought it was my bra poking me while driving in the car and sitting in the office, nope it's that I have no padding there anymore.…

I love to make quiche or mac and cheese with frozen broccoli, add some fresh chopped onion, bacon and your favorite seasonings and enjoy. Also frozen green beans make a great "stuffing" for chicken breast again just add a bit of seasoning maybe a little cheese or butter and bake. For an even tastier dish make some parmesan…

You have a great plan already and I really like that you're focused on fitness goals, that will really help. I only have one thought/suggestion on you maintenance calories. Instead of upping them 50 calories every week allow a bit more time for your body to adjust. I did 3 week intervals, added 100 calories to each day so…

Try drinking some of your calories throughout the day. If you're a coffee drinker add a latte. Mix up a smoothie for example, I make a peanut butter, banana and chocolate smoothie that packs on about 500 calories, 1 cup of milk, 1 banana, 2 tbsp of chocolate syrup and 2 tbsp of PB, add ice and blend.

That's fabulous, congratulations!

The biggest issue I have with mexican food is all the extra sodium. I ditch the packaged seasonings and make my own, it's mostly chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper. You can just mix up your own creation, use brown rice or quinoa blend, corn, chopped jalapenos,onions, tomatoes, black beans and…

Get a crockpot and make yourself up a nice batch of chili. It's great by itself, on baked potatoes, mixed with mac and cheese or quinoa and veggies, over scrambled eggs and even salad. Won't break the bank to make and a batch can go a long way.

Chicken thighs (probably baked), spaghetti squash and peas with parmesan and a side of cranberry sauce. Last night was pork tenderloin, baked potatoes and roasted veggies from the grill.

Cold weather running is fabulous once you figure out your layering needs. I personally need to cover my face with a balm for skin protection and always wear eye protection. I use trail running shoes most of the winter season and like another said above the smart wool socks. Probably my craziest moments have been running in…

You're on the right track to increase slowly. Also you want to give yourself a "range" not pick a specific weight to maintain. If you're comfortable where you are then pick say 130 as your goal weight and allow yourself 3lbs up or down. I'm not sure if you were eating back exercise calories or not but that will make a…

I really do hope the rant helped because sometimes that's the best thing we can do for ourselves, get out the negative crap in our brains. If there is a soccer league close enough to you go sign up. My hairdresser and her mom play on a league and it's full of people of all ages and fitness levels and both she and her mom…

What works for me tends to be ice cold water not caffeine. I also tend to avoid the higher carb foods because it sets me into snack mode and naps were just a nightmare for me during this phase of life so I didn't bother. What I learned to do was use some of the time that I couldn't sleep to do things like food prep,…

What I used to do was find the quieter walking paths or paths shared with cycles. I found the cycles made my feel less alone and they were usually going at such a faster speed I could nod and move on without giving it another thought. After a while you'll realize no one is watching you until someone is because you're…

Congratulations!

I keep some canned black beans around for making black bean brownies or when I want to add them to a quick salad. Most times I make my own black beans from dried beans. I love making black bean soup with big chunks of diced ham, red peppers, onions, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and lots of cumin to add a nice smoked…

Now this is how you measure success! :smiley: Congratulations on your just because moment.

I'm not sure what the default settings are but you can run it through the automatic settings. I used custom settings of 40% carb 30% fat 30% protein which worked great for me while losing and I maintain on that same principle. When I started out I was 5'4 and 225lbs so it's completely possible to lose weight, not follow…

Don't let going alone scare you there are always friendly people and you're sure to be adopted. If you're slower hang toward the back of the pack and work your way through the course and people you'll make friends in no time and might just find another loner who was brave enough to go on their own. My biggest advice is to…

My absolute favorite and what I find to be most filling for breakfast is... 1/2 an english muffin topped with 1 oz sliced turkey meat, sauteed onion and spinach, slice of extra thin swiss cheese, spicy brown mustard and an over easy egg.

Protein will help fill you up, meats, dairy, nuts, eggs, beans, quinoa and so on. To save money buy dry beans and cook them yourself. I love to cook white beans and then puree them as a soup base, my favorite is to add spicy pork, carrots, corn, celery and onion. Balsamic vinegar and orange juice make a great sauce for…

Years ago a WW leader told our group to factor in life moments that have big impact on your life. She suggested that when these big moments happen you take a walk in the maintenance lane and give yourself the emotional break. Perhaps that would help you right now. It's a slightly different focus, you should still log your…