Tree72 Member

Thanks for sharing your recipe. These sound fantastic.

Depends on what you mean by a break. I think it's definitely a good idea to go up to maintenance calories once in a while. Try it for a week. If that's not long enough, try it for a month. This is a lifestyle change, not a race. :happy: I've had plenty of times over the last two years where I needed to focus more energy on…

Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are great ways to add more protein. Eggs and egg whites can also be quite useful. You can make a very tasty egg white omlette with all kinds of veggies. With 5g of protein and only 25 calories per egg white, you can get 10 or 15g quite easily. (If you like mushrooms those will add another…

Great challenge for the week! Will definitely help me flush out the excesses of this past weekend. :happy:

It's going to be a great week! Looking forward to seeing the challenges.

I'm right at 80 pounds lost total and have definitely noticed some differences. Though I honestly attribute a fair amount of it to how I carry myself now rather than just how I look now. I'm much more open and more likely to smile, therefore people find me more approachable.

Just bumping for later, can't see the site at work. Looking forward to seeing what others at my height and weight look like. It's always so hard to see yourself as other see you; maybe this will help put it in a better perspective.

Practice is definitely part of it. I think of it as mainly learning hand positions; if you know where to put your hands, the braiding is pretty easy. My most common styles are all variations on a standard English (three-strand overhand) braid. I start by combing my hair out and back as if I'm going to gather it into a…

Depends on the exercise and number of reps... I use anything from 5 lbs for some things like back flys for the shoulder, and as much as 30 or so for lunges, squats, and back extensions. If you're asking about biceps curls, I think around 15 to 20 depending on reps and sets.

Personally I think charisma and how one carries oneself is more important in such situations than just basic physical appearance. Like it or not, persuading others to support you and share your views (or at least make reasonable compromises) is part of politics and definitely something someone like the President or a…

Those smoothies sound awesome. I'll definitely have to give cottage cheese a try. Here's my standard: 1/2 c. skim milk 1/2 c. low fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt 1/2 to 1 whole frozen banana 1/2 to 1 c. frozen berries 1 scoop whey protein isolate a few drops of vanilla or almond extract If I want different flavors I'll do the…

Nothing to add, just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their great links and ideas. I've been wanting to add more non-meat protein into my diet, but was running out of ideas other than dairy and eggs.

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your very inspirational story and pictures. You have done an amazing job on being healthier. I can really see why your kids are so proud of you. You look positively radiant now.

I've decided to evaluate whether or not I need/want any excess skin removed after I've been at my goal for a year or more. I'm hoping that things will tighten up enough that what's left will be fairly minor. Though in all honesty, even if I had the money I'd probably get my eyes done instead. I'd love to be able to see…

The basic MFP setting is quite low if you are doing any strength training. I've adjusted mine up to 25%, which is pretty conservative by many standards. The only time to worry about getting too much protein is if you have kidney problems. If you're basically healthy, don't worry about eating too much protein. Just be sure…

A peanut butter sandwich with a glass of milk makes a tasty snack and will take up 300 to 500 of those calories (depending on your bread and how much PB you use). A cup of regular (not non-fat) yogurt A tasty fruit smoothie (with protein powder added if you want or need more protein for the day) A couple of handfuls of…

I haven't tried the low carb thing myself, but my office mate has recently gone Paleo, so I've done some reading. Do a search for "carb flu". Apparently there's a transition time where your body has to get used to burning other fuel sources more efficiently. Also, as the above poster mentioned, most people who choose these…

Just one is difficult, fall is my favorite season. I guess I'd have to say I love that it's finally cool enough to leave the house and be outside doing things. (Our highs are only in the low 90s this week.)

Hmm, it gives me 135. That's 10 pounds lighter than my current goal and 5 lbs lighter than the goal my trainer would like to see me reach. It was fun to try. I really don't think you can get a very accurate picture of someone's build by just a wrist measurement though. I have relatively dainty wrists and ankles, but broad…

The Stuck-in-the-80s-guy: You know that older guy who obviously used to be buff but now has a beer gut on top of all those slightly sagging muscles. Likes to wear very small shiny shorts; don't look too close or you'll see more than you ever wanted to see...

Wow, only since May? That's amazing! Your hard work is really paying off. :drinker:

How fast did you lose the weight? It can definitely take your brain some time to catch up with your body. Sometimes when I'm doing laundry I'll pull my jeans out of the dryer and think that there's no way those will fit on my body... but they actually fit great. So, I definitely think it's normal and that in time you'll…

My standard is to add 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 tsp turbinado sugar, and a few drops of almond or vanilla extract. Sometimes I'll add a bit of ground cinnamon or nutmeg. On the weekends I'll use 2 Tbsp of half and half instead of the skim milk. Either way it's right around 50 calories for my 16 oz coffee. If you live near an…

Go for a nice sushi dinner (around $150 to $200) then to a concert or play. Good tickets could easily take the rest.

Definitely try some different brands. They all have slightly different flavors and textures. They are all much thicker than regular yogurt, but some are less thick than others. You might like the Chobani better. I find it a bit too thin for my tastes and much prefer the Fage. And if you end up just not liking it plain, it…

If I'm at a restaurant and my order is wrong, I will usually ask to have it fixed (unless it's something really minor). There's no reason to be unpleasant or rude about it; it's usually not even the server's fault. I'm lucky to live in a very "foodie" town. If the service is bad or the food is not good quality, word gets…

I'm 5'5" and would have to say that my ideal is somewhere in the 10 to 12 range. I have a rather sturdy build with broad shoulders and will only look gaunt if I get too slim.

I have an allergy to black pepper, so I avoid it. Never heard much about it for dieting one way or the other. I have heard that capsaicin (found in red pepper) can help with dieting.

You look amazing. It's very inspirational to see that a relatively small number of pounds can make such a difference. I have about 15 more to go and hope to look even half as good. Thanks for sharing. :happy:

That's an amazing difference. You've really come a long way in the last year. Congratulations! :flowerforyou: