stephe1987 Member

I think some people simply prefer bigger women. Maybe because it's what they're used to seeing or being around. But you need to choose a goal that is good for you that will keep you healthy in the years to come. The problems associated with being overweight get worse as one gets older, so even though some people prefer a…

Put it in a bun, of course! That's what I did when my hair was super long and I still do it now even though it's a bit shorter (but still super thick).

I lost 21 lbs last year without tracking. I cut out soda in January and did Zumba between February and April. I weighed as much as I do now at this time last year. But I didn't track or exercise so I ended up gaining part of it back and when I started logging last month I was up 7 pounds from where I was! I am going to try…

You can have success by just doing cardio (some people only do cardio), but I would suggest using weights 2-3 days/week. Weights will help you burn fat more effectively, lose as little muscle as possible, and you will look better when you reach your goal weight if you have some muscle tone. ETA: As for diet, do 80%…

Eat back about half your exercise calories to allow for overestimation of burn/underestimation of calories eaten. After four weeks, take a week off and eat at maintenance mode. Your body might think it's starving and/or have gotten used to your current routine so if you switch it up a little there is a good chance you'll…

Eat slowly. Use a smaller plate. Wait 20-30 minutes after you've finished your plate before getting seconds. Eat until you're 80% full and then stop. Figure out why you keep eating and learn to cope with the temptation. Are you eating because you're bored? Find some better distractions. Are you an emotional eater? You…

MFP does it automatically when you weigh in. But you can change your goals manually whenever you want to.

I think you might need to "trick" your body into not plateauing. -Do four weeks of intense exercise and stay on track with your diet (allow yourself to eat back half your exercise calories if you get hungry). Have 3-4 days a week be cardio and 2-3 days be weight lifting/toning. One day a week (probably Saturday or Sunday)…

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I think MFP is fine. I would not eat back more than half of my exercise calories, just to be safe, but some people have said that MFP is pretty close. It's just not perfect like a heart rate monitor is close to perfect.

130 lbs is fine. The medical recommendation for 5' 7" is 121 - 159 lbs. It's good to be on the lower end because then you can still gain a little weight (holiday season) and not worry about going over what's healthy. Also, the lower end has a lower body fat percentage which is better for your health in general.

Log everything! MFP has calorie goals as well as macro goals that are important to log to ensure proper nutrition. Although you can adjust the macros to meet your individual goals. It's also good to have a daily log of what you're eating. If you eat fruits and vegetables, those should be in your diary. That way if you ever…

If it's juice or a smoothie, I'd say no. (Just do it in moderation.) If it's alcohol or soda (takes up calories and has no nutritional value and/or full of chemicals), I'd say yes. And make sure you log everything you drink because you don't want to accidentally go over you goal.

I look gross in pictures, too. My stomach is the worst area. My waist measurement is actually really unhealthy so I need to lose a bit more weight, even without considering my weight loss goals. I think a problem with pictures is that the camera adds 10%. So it looks like you're 10% heavier than you really are. In pictures…

Don't worry about the scale. Look in the mirror and see if your body looks fit. If it looks good then you're fine. If not, then lose a few more inches (a lot of people have problem in their stomach area). My cousin has always been heavier than she looks. When she was a baby she looked like a normal baby but you'd pick her…

I think it's great that you've come such a long way! Try to figure out what your trigger is and what you can do to avoid getting into those situations where you feel the urge to use. This can go for a lot of bad habits, not just drug use. You've come so far but you still have a little way to go before you're drug-free. How…

Continue to exercise and lift weights. The main thing right now is going to be to continue to reduce your overall body fat percentage. The tummy is often the last thing to go, so you just need to keep with what you're doing. Try to lose 0.5 to 1 lb per week to get rid of the fat. The weights will help turn some of it into…

There are also some fitness channels on YouTube that you can check out if you run out of ideas or get bored with your current exercises.

A lot of times MFP overestimates calories burned. It can also underestimate how much you ate. That is why most people on here recommend eating back no more than half of your exercise calories to avoid accidentally going over your goal. Plus, you don't want to force yourself to eat (a lot of people will feel bloated/sick if…

Yes, you need to count calories and exercise. Those are important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which will get more and more important as you age. Do it for your future self knowing you'll kick yourself down the road if you give up now. Think of how much more energy you have and how much less soreness (back, knees,…

People need to remember that the show is a contest and that these people move to a ranch where they exercise all day every day. Regular people are not competing nor do they have the time to spend their entire day exercising. No, it's not healthy to lose that much weight so quickly. And of course it's not surprising if some…

A ONEderful accomplishment!

Right now it's my stupid head cold. Lots of pressure in my sinuses, if I do my regular routine I have trouble breathing right away. I also feel tired constantly. I can still go for walks but that doesn't burn anywhere near enough calories for me to reach my goals. Plus I've been drinking juice when I normally try to drink…

Create habits you can maintain for the rest of your life. Don't "diet" by eating only "healthy" foods and never allowing yourself to eat the things you enjoy. Follow the 80/20 rule. Get regular exercise. Maybe the weight won't come off as quickly as some of those crazy diets where they eat next to nothing and exercise six…

Make it about a lifestyle change rather than following a strict diet. This is something you're going to have to be able to maintain for more than just a year because you cannot return to your old habits once you reach your goals or you'll just gain it all back in less time than it took you to lose the weight. Make your…

1. Use a small plate. 2. Wait 20-30 minutes before getting seconds to make sure you're actually hungry and aren't just eating more because it tastes good or because of habit. 3. Only eat until you are 80% full or until you've hit your calorie limit (whichever comes first). A lot of us tend to eat until we feel (100%) full…

Make sure you log what you ate over the weekend so you can learn from your mistake. Fell off your diet? Then get back on today! You have your diary so you can learn from the past and keep moving forward.

You are not disgusting. Un-tag yourself from that photo on Facebook. If you don't want it on your wall it doesn't have to stay there. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. It's Mother's Day! Get on track tomorrow. Start logging calories and make sure you exercise most days of the week. Get up extra early to exercise if you need…

Name: Stephanie Age: 26 Height: 5' 4" Starting Weight/Date: 143 - May 4, 2014 Current Weight/Date: 141.5 - May 11, 2014 Goal Weight/Date: 123 - September 15, 2014

Very low energy and in lots of pain (I know someone who went through chemo in summer/fall 2013). The day of treatment you might feel a little tired. The day after you'll be mostly okay because you'll be on meds. And then about 24-30 hours after each treatment it'll kick your butt and you'll want to rest for a few days.…