sarahenagy Member

Hello everyone - Sorry for the delay. Super busy fall and holiday season. Not sure if anyone is still reading this thread or will get a notification, but to answer some questions... I am aware of the rebound headache and rarely take painkillers. Only when I absolutely need to (example - I'm a teacher and I advise the…

You may have already made your banana recipe, but for the future - http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/banana-oat-muffins-daphne-oz They freeze really well and thaw out in about 30 seconds in the microwave if you don't eat all dozen of them within a few days.

I will start by saying that 5 lbs in 3 weeks is a pretty decent rate in my opinion. I eat 1300 calories a day and exercise pretty much everyday and loose 1/2 pound a week. I will also second the above comment that perhaps you should talk to someone about your feelings. I can tell you from experience that if you aren't in a…

BTW I am female, 29, 5'5", 130 lbs. I know it seems counterintuitive, but in my experience I have had to up my calories to keep losing the fitter I got. I'm no dietician or nutritionist, but it is widely accepted scientifically that muscle burns calories at a faster rate than fat. So I suppose the more muscular I get, the…

Skiing is good exercise, but if there's a nice gym and you're more comfortable there...use it! When I vacation I try to eat breakfast and lunch in my room (if I'm lucky enough to have a mini-fridge) or at least choose healthier options. Then I have what I want for dinner. I don't usually loose weight on vacation, but I…

I am a teacher and tend to binge after school too. As others have said, almonds and apples are my saviors. I have 15 almonds about an hour and a half after lunch and then an apple immediately after school. If I'm going to workout on my way home I will add a string cheese stick or peanut butter with my apple.

http://weelicious.com/2010/04/19/tex-mex-rice-cakes/ I LOVE these. Eat them at least once a week, even crave them. I cut the corn to half a cup and add half a cup of black beans. They are a little labor intensive, but I usually make 5X the recipe and freeze them, then they are super quick to defrost and grill up. I serve…

I wish I could not a make a meal plan. But if I didn't I'd be in big trouble. When I first started cooking I'd just grab whatever looked good at the store and then never have anything for a complete meal. So I'd end up going out to eat pretty frequently. I plan out what we're having for dinner each night so I know what to…

It really is personal. I had never done anything fitness-wise or athletic when I started working out. At first I did work out almost everyday. I had momentum for the first time and was enjoying it and I wasn't overly sore or fatigued. And I was dropping weight like crazy! Now that I have been at this for a few years and…

I use blended avocado to thicken up some of my soup recipes. This one is my favorite (if you like asparagus you'll like this - you can't taste the avocado)... http://cookeatpaleo.com/asparagus-soup-recipe/

What about sneaking them into recipes? When we were first married, my husband was adamantly opposed to many veggies for seemingly no good reason and I had to sneak them in. He honestly never knew until several years later. Some things I do to sneak them in... I make this mac and cheese:…

I was new to all this when I started a few years ago too! What I've learned: Measure/weigh EVERYTHING and actually look at and figure portion sizes (I was eating WAY more than I thought I was) Log EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth (it's easy for little nibbles that you don't think matter to add up) Eat your fruits and…

My stats are similar to yours (5'5", starting weight 152, current weight 135, goal 130 - don't know about your age, but I'm 29). Personally (and of course I know everybody is different), I have found that if I do not eat enough and give my body recovery time from my workouts I do not loose. I have been there, done that…

My husband and I both love this one... http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/slow-cooker-vegetarian-chili-with-sweet-potatoes-00000000049528/

I love Old Navy's compression sport bra. I have Ds as well and it keeps them tucked in tight. It doesn't hurt to run or bounce around in my aerobics class anymore. And they're pretty darn affordable.

I agree with others - indulge once in a while and perhaps the craving will go away. I too love fried foods and the smell drives me nuts. If I cannot fit a fried treat into my week (or I've already had one), I make these...http://weelicious.com/2010/04/19/tex-mex-rice-cakes/ (the only thing I change is reducing the amount…

I keep my calories low (as if I was still loosing .5 lb a week) during the week and then do not count on the weekends. Now, I do not go crazy just for the sake of going crazy on the weekends, but I do loosen the belt and give myself some freedom. This helps me stay on track during the week.

Ellie Krieger Macaroni and Four Cheeses (Google it). Really yummy, secret helpings of veggies, hits the comfort food spot.

I am a teacher and go several hours between breakfast and lunch also. And I go even longer between lunch and dinner. I have 15 almonds, 100 calories and shockingly filling, between breakfast and lunch. I usually do an apple sliced up with a little peanut butter smeared on each slice after school (about 150 calories). It's…

I have to put in "loose 2.5 lbs per week" to get a 1200 calorie daily goal. I did stick to this (while eating back all exercise calories - using a heart-rate monitor so I knew exactly what I'd burnt) for a while, but eventually found it did not give me enough energy and I was not loosing 2.5 lbs a week. So I upped by half…

My dad had a stroke that killed him. He was overweight, had high blood pressure, and high blood sugar, had had a heart attack and stroke before and did not change his lifestyle. I do not want this to happen to me and took control of my health to try to prevent it. I know I can't help certain genetic predispositions, but it…

You have to start somewhere. I agree with others, start with the food. Once you loose a little and are in less pain, start some working out. Perhaps start in the water? Swimming or even just walking laps in a pool. You might also consider classes at a gym (like water aerobics). I have found myself much more motivated and…

2 of my faves... http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/slow-cooker-vegetarian-chili-with-sweet-potatoes-00000000049528/ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/macaroni-and-4-cheeses-recipe/index.html Both of these also freeze really well. I triple the chilli when I make it, section it off into…

Do you know about how many calories a day you were eating before? If 2000 is less then your body is probably reacting to the change. I lost very quickly when I first started, then it tapered and slowed down. MFP is a GREAT tool, but you have to do what works for your body. And that takes some experimentation.

I too love food and had a hard time limiting myself. I would eat a 250 calorie breakfast and be starving by lunch and even more starving by the end of my work day and would binge when I got home. I added protein to breakfast to help keep me full (I really like Start Healthy's breakfast sandwiches, only 200 calories and…

Have you possibly been too strict with yourself? I find that when I go days on end where I do a "perfect job" of eating no junk then I have cravings. I build in (accounted for in my diary) treats throughout the week so that I do not feel deprived. I also usually allow myself one meal about every other week (usually a meal…

I don't use an app or website for meal planning. I sit down on Sunday with the good ole pencil and paper and write down what meals I will have on each day. I started a new job last year and my schedule got super hectic and I ended up eating out 4-5 nights a week because I had not planned accordingly. So, this year (I'm a…

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I gained 40 pounds in the first year I was married. A workout buddy was my motivator. While my husband and I are active together, we are also very comfortable with each other and when he bugs me to go to the gym and I'm not in the mood, I have no problem telling him to buzz off. But, when I have plans to meet a friend at…

An apple is the best thing for me when I feel like I'm starving. I'm a teacher and eat lunch at 10:45 and don't have a break the rest of the day, so by 3:30 when the kids leave I'm SOOOOO hungry. I have an apple at that time almost everyday. It fills me up until dinner and quiets my sweet tooth.