jtangcs Member

This website is great! I agree with everyone - look for sales. Although I'm not on as addict of a budget, I still prefer to buy sale products (and sometimes in bulk like Costco). Then I'll pre-marinate and freeze the food.

Here's a few recipes that I've used that you can try. For all the chicken recipes, I replace whatever is listed with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I've just found the meat to be juicier than breast meat. I've also submitted the recipes to MFP and the calories per serving are fine. Based on how much I eat, it tends to…

Do they like pork? And what's your definition of low cal? How many calories per serving?

What type of foods do you like? I've found making homemade versions of my favorite foods work. I can also share some recipes if you're interested...

If no one has suggested this yet, try prune juice/prune nectar on an empty stomach. It works wonders.

I commend you for making this change in your diet (only because I know it can't be easy giving up meat). In regards to upping your protein, and trying some new recipes/products, I have some suggestions that might be helpful. 1. Soy products (http://www.sunrise-soya.com/). Although the protein-per-serving may not be as high…

I'd suggest portion control. But... I'd stay away from anything that's lo mein/noodles because Chinese noodles are typically deep fried. It's worse than having rice. Spareribs with rice, or even Chicken stir-fry with rice would be a better option. Good luck!

Soy products typically are higher in protein. So you could consider soy milk, tofu or soy beans. I know you mentioned you're eating fish sometimes; maybe try eating it more often as that's higher in protein as well, in particular Tuna. Regular beans are also a good source of protein. For snacking, maybe get some nuts -…

I'm also on a 1200 calories/day as well. Feel free to add me too!

The thing is, if you consume too little calories, your metabolism will slow down and you actually WON'T lose weight. I've looked at your diary before, and unfortunately, your diet isn't balanced enough, and you're eating too little. When I decided to drop the poundage, I actually went back to eating dairy products and a…

I come from a family with high cholesterol, blood pressure and high risk of heart attack and stroke. We've all made a conscious effort to change our diet. Many of my extended family have had bypass surgery. Here two things that may help. 1. All the "adults" in the family have been on this…

Make your own flavored water with fruit. All natural and none of the chemical sweetners.

I really don't think you should go less than 1200 calories per day. But you can set your MFP calculator to say you want to lose the weight in 4 months and see what it says. I'm the same height and sitting at about 120lbs right now. I was higher before, when I first started MFP about a month ago. I find that by eating 1200…

I don't think that's very normal or healthy. However, did you recently change your diet, like drastically? And have you been eating enough fiber? Your diary's closed so it's hard to see what you're eating... but to help your digestive tract, you should eat food high in fiber, and also drink lots of water. Good luck!

Halibut's probably a good fish to start off with, although it can be a bit tough if overcooked. If you don't want any serious fishy smell at home when you cook fish (regardless of fish), make sure it's fresh. I'd suggest buying it somewhere reputable, or a fish market if you could. Fresh fish should smell clean and like…

Cheese and other dairy products can help kick-start your metabolism, so some cheese or dairy each day is not bad. It's just overdoing it is bad... then again, overdoing anything is bad too. So have your cheese and enjoy it!

Water should help you feel more full, which means you'll likely eat less. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't be eating the correct amount of calories, because too few calories will slow your metabolism resulting in slower weight loss. Losing weight when you're hungry (as you stated) is a short term fix, because once…

I don't know about everyone else, but my problem was binge eating, and not eating regularly when I was in my early 20's. It's totally mucked up my metabolism, hence the weight gain.

The whole urine color thing isn't always correct. Mine was a little darker back when I was drinking less water, but never crazy. You don't have to drink more than 8 cups of water, but more water (instead of soda) would be better for you. Right now, I'm around 4-6 cups a day, and I literally just got back into it.

I have to be honest, I was like you before, where drinking water was the biggest pain. There were years that I would drink more than enough water, and other years nothing. I couldn't really figure out why. What I do know is that when I do drink enough water, my overall health is better. I can eat more regularly, I tend to…

I don't know what you're eating now, as your diary is locked to private; but I would suggest increasing your protein intake since you're quite active. Meat, fish, soy products, eggs, avocado, cheese, yogurt, and nuts. It's probably easy to keep trail mix or mixed nuts with you when walking your dogs. You can also consider…

I just took a quick peek into your food diary and noticed that you're eating really small meals... like just a single banana for lunch. I guess my first question is - do you feel hungry? If you do, then you should eat. If you don't, then I would suggest building up your calories slowly... add meat, fish and other proteins…

I want to say that I completely kicked the coffee habit, but I haven't... I do find that if I sleep a little more, it's easier to get through the day with coffee (and coffee creamer). I also start the day with a yogurt cup. That said, if you really can't kick the habit (and there are days where I just crave it), then just…

If you're not allergic to nuts, I would probably add some in as snacks to help boost your calorie intake. On days that you exercise, you may want to up your protein with a bit more meat and/or fish. Not only will you eat back your calories, but you're probably going to feel better and gain a little muscle as well.

Try going for dishes that are typically steamed instead of stir-fry... and I would stay away from any of the noodles, as Chinese noodles typically are fried first. Steamed dumplings, Wonton soup, chicken with snow peas are usually my go-to's when I'm really needing to cut the calories.

Have you considered growing your own herbs? We have them growing in our backyard... mint, rosemary and what not... makes for a more financially viable option/solution.

I try to stay away from any of the flavored water that comes in a packet (Crystal Light, etc). Making my own seemed the easiest and healthiest way to go. I recently did one, which is similar to MommaChocoLat's recipes... 8-10 cups of water 1 lime, sliced 1 cucumber, sliced 1/3 cup mint leaves (or however much to taste)…

I've been using International Delight as I find that the flavored creamer is good enough that I don't need much sugar. And the calories per serving is not horrible. I typically try to buy the fat free and/or sugar free ones. Clearly there are more calories than going black... but I'm with you, can't do it.

I honestly have to say that I grew up on tofu and I love it... especially since I'm not a huge milk-drinker, so this really helps with supplementing my calcium intake. My mom's just steamed soft tofu and splashed a little soy sauce and oil on it, but I do admit, Mom's simple recipe is a bit of an acquired taste. For…

I'd also suggest swapping out the fruit snacks with Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, and other dairy-based snacks to increase your calcium intake and up your calories. Like the other posters, I'd really recommend increasing your meat/fish intake, in particular fish such as salmon, tuna and halibut because they're higher in…