Pebble321 Member

Congratulations, then you'll be old enough to sign up for an MFP account! Don't stress about how you can change your body in a month - just get started with doing a bit of exercise and eating well and look out for an outfit that makes you feel great as you are now.

I've lost weight without a gym - I run, walk, cycle and do some (lightweight) strength training and stretching at home. I guess it depends why you really go to the gym - if its just about burning calories you could do that walking or running around your neihbourhood (if you have someone to watch the kids), but if it's your…

I'm bacon and I know it....

Nope. Even it's own advertising blurb doesn't promise that. But... it will make your wallet lighter and your home more cluttered! Very handy clothes rack too.

Carrots aren't good or bad, they are just carrots. I think it's smart to try to eat a variety of all kinds of food. I don't think eating carrots as your ONLY veg would be a great idea, but as long as they are eaten along side other foods, I don't see the problem.

That is just wrong on so many levels!!!!

For me the answer is usually toast. And thinly sliced apple usually seems to go down and stay down OK. Better still, homemade chicken soup - I'm sure I've read a study that said it's as good as antibiotics.

Regular sugar but less of it is the solution for me. Two reasons for this - one is that I don't like the taste of any of the substitutes - especially stevia, it's disgusting. The other point is that in the long term I want to get out of the habit of eating things that aren't naturally sweet. So, for me, using sugar…

Have a look at the ingredients label and decide if you like the look of what they have in them. Basically they are mostly just variations on milk and sugar (in lots of different forms). There is nothing magic about shakes, they are one way of having a low cal breakfast or snack - but you could get exactly the same results…

I'm not convinced that those recommended heart rate ranges are really that useful, they are based on standard formulas which don't take into account individual variations. Are you confident that your maximum heart rate is within the range they set? The reason I ask is that my maximum heart rate "should" be 165-175ish…

Plan ahead - I find that if I take about 15 mins on the weekend (choose whatever day works best for you) and make a plan of the meals I want to cook and then make a shopping list, I am much better equipped to make it through the week without running out of ideas or energy to cook. I usually cook at least one thing on the…

I think you just have to experiment with what makes YOU feel good. I find that having just protein and veges (chicken and salad for example) doesn't keep me full, but if I add some carbs I stay full for longer. Just keep an eye on your macros (fat, carbs, protein) in your diary and arrange the foods throughout your day in…

MFP already accounts for your regular daily activity, so unless the walking is on top of the normal things you do every day (based on your choice of sedentary, lightly active, active etc lifestyle), you don't need to add it into MFP. In other words if you are set for a lightly active lifestyle to account for being at home…

I think food and activity are the major component, but we can't rule out the influence of genetics and personality. My friend has three sons who all get to eat the same food, all have the same access to sports, activities, outside play etc. Two of the boys are quite lean - they are very active and aren't so interested in…

New shoes have helped a bit - they are longer so my toes don't hit the front of the shoe as much. Even with those I have one dodgy looking toe after my half marathon, I'm not sure if it is going to hang in there for much longer!

My favourites for week days: - omelette with cheese and tomato - I can make this in about 5 minutes for less than 300 cals. - oatmeal with skim milk, peanut butter and sometimes apple or banana Weekends are usually some kinds of eggs: - scrambled eggs with feta and spinach - baked eggs in spicy tomato/veggie sauce -…

Agreed, I think weekly is more important. Our bodies don't work on a 24 hour clock, they just know if there is enough fuel to keep them going, or so much excess that they will save it for another day. I think looking at the weekly numbers makes for a more practical system which lets you deal with occasions where you eat…

Candy bard: "Thou art sweeter than a bee's honey on a summer's day...." OP, to answer your question, I suspect it is because many of us grew up eating candy and sweets, chippies and chocolate and still enjoy them. They are part of our society, our reward system, part of the way we show our love or concern. Food is not just…

Aussie guidelines suggest 1500mg per day, which is lower than MFP's 2500. I've changed mine to 2000, so somewhere in the middle. To be honest I don't worry about it too much - I don't have any health issues which require me to keep it low and I drink lots of water so I'm not really concerned.

I wonder if you are running too fast? Even if it seems slow, if you can't keep going, then perhaps it is too fast for you at this point in your training. For me, the key to running further is to slow down and to build in walk breaks. I also do some interval training, which is the only time I really try to put on a burst of…

Shakes don't "work" unless YOU work - ie. you have to be disciplined and stick to eating a moderate amout and it's certainly helpful if you do some exercise too. They are one way of reducing your calorie intake, so if you want the structure and a plan to follow, then it's one option. Personally I think it is a better idea…

Ask your gym if they offer a free session with a personal trainer. If not, it would probably be worth paying for a few sessions to get set up with a program that is right for you, and to learn to do it safely.

www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com (Hint: the answer is yes - if you are using MFP to calculate calories. If you are using another system, they usually already include exercise calories so you don't have to add them back in).

I'm going to keep eating whole eggs regularly until someone tells me (specifically me, not a general recommendation for someone else) that it's not good for me.

Unless you live in a metric part of the world (ie. most of it!) - then it's 250 ml which is not 8oz. It's really just a rough guide, like the 1200 cal minimum - it doesn't mean its a hard and fast rule that everyone must have exactly "8 x 8oz" or "8 x 250ml" every day.

I'm really not surprised that you are hungry.... you have eaten very little and exercised a lot and have 1300 calories remaining that you can eat. Even if you have overestimated your calorie burn, you should be eating at least some of that. The fact that you are hungry is your body telling you: " eat more!"

I think oranges are very bad. That stuff in the skin is oil and that is fat and that will probably make me fat. I think I'll go eat a cookie instead.

Dear runner who patted me on the shoulder and told me to keep going when you were slowed to a walk, Thank you, that helped me get a bit more speed for the last km of my half marathon. I hope you finished OK too and I really hope you weren't the man in my finish line photo with bleeding nipples. Bella Dear man with bleeding…

Hi Maggy, it sounds as though eating a bit more will help you get healthier especially if you are adding in more exercise. Try adding in some more calorie dense foods - things like avocados, olive oil, nuts, tahini, seeds, bananas, sweet potatos all give you good nutrition and a fair few calories without filling you up so…

That's great! I had a similar experience in my first half marathon last weekend. I was coming up to the top of the last hill (just about 20km) and was really struggling to keep going to the end, when a guy who was running the marathon gave me a firm pat on the shoulder and told me "keep going love, you're nearly at the…