enchantedgardener Member

Your story is so inspirational! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

You don't need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. You can easily do it on 1500, especially if that means you can actually stick with your healthy eating goals. Just to clarify, are you working out 5x/week and burning 600 calories over the course of a week (120 cal per workout)? If so, don't worry about eating back…

Ricotta cheese is versatile, yummy, and very healthy! Mixed with herbs and lemon juice to use as a dip With fresh berries as a yummy snack or dessert Blended with a little sugar and cocoa powder = chocolate mousse I use it in a lot of dishes with grilled or roasted vegetables (especially peppers, tomatoes, zucchini): on a…

THIS! My preference is for curvy ladies blessed with ample cleavage and generous hips. If they've got dark hair, glasses, and tattoos... *swoon*.

I find soaking in the bathtub before a shave leads to better results. Smoother, fewer missed spots, less irritation. I also find baths relaxing, so I'm more likely to take my time and not rush through the process. If you have bumps, irritation, or redness, I've found that witch hazel is the best thing ever. I use Thayers…

So, if you like crunchy... how about branching out to new crunchy veggies besides carrots? Raw fennel, celery, sugar snap peas, and sweet peppers are favourites of mine. As other folks have suggested, you could try adding more veggies to foods like soups, chili, and pasta sauce. You can puree the soups and pasta sauce if…

Oh yeah! The taste of certain foods has definitely changed since I started eating better. Sweetened food is way too sweet for me now, particularly yogurt and soda. I can't imagine enjoying sweetened breakfast cereal anymore, either. Processed food was never something I loved (with minor exceptions), but now it's even more…

Get rid of your big clothes! Either give them away to friends or donate them to a charity clothing shop. If you're committed to keeping the weight off you will never need them. And you will be motivated to stay at your new, smaller size because, in part, you don't want to have to buy bigger clothes again. Say goodbye to…

I prefer a 'moderate' carb diet. I'm currently doing 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat, and this works really well for me. I can eat lots of fruit, veggies, low fat dairy, and a moderate amount of whole grains without going over my daily limit of 170 grams of carbs. I will have a piece of white bread, a small serving of…

Increasing your fruit and veggie intake (aka fiber) does cause gas. This is completely normal. Your body isn't used to having to process so much fiber, so there isn't enough beneficial bacteria in your intestines yet to deal with it. It might take some time, but your body will adjust on its own.

I do something similar! I mix 1/2 an avocado with a small can of tuna and 1/4 cup of salsa. It's delicious on its own or as a spread on bread or rye crispbread.

I buy wedding magazines all the time and fantasize about the perfect wedding dress.

I usually don't have time to eat while at work, so I've started bringing in a drink as well. Usually frozen berries, parsley, spinach, low fat milk, protein powder, and Greens+. It keeps me full, it's full of nutrients, and it's easy to have even when busy. I think having a fruit/veggie smoothie like this is great,…

I agree with this. The preservatives, sodium, and fat in turkey bacon make it pretty much equivalent to regular bacon. Better to have a slice of ham or back bacon. Or better yet, some sauteed spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and/or peppers.

If you're donating blood, the following advice would not apply. My sister is a phlebotomist (she works at a blood donation clinic), and I often donate, so I know the protocol. Don't exercise on a day you've donated blood. Going about your usual daily routine is fine, but no moderate to heavy workouts. It's a significant…

You will find articles both pro and con dairy as well as soy, and folks arguing that either one or both are miraculous/just okay/evil. We've all got different bodies and different goals, so I say if it works for you, do it! I assume you're talking about protein powders, but your post isn't really clear about that. I like…

I love butter. In moderation, of course. But YUM!

You can do this, Molly! Glad to hear you've decided to get back on track with your weight loss journey and wishing you much success in achieving your goals. Sorry to hear you've been through a rough time. Be sure to be take good care of yourself throughout this process, both physically and emotionally. I believe weight…

I think soy in moderation is fine. How many servings a week would you be consuming and in what forms? (soy protein powder, soymilk, tofu, etc) If you are concerned, try getting your protein from a variety of other sources. Almond milk has very little protein and, as such, makes a poor substitute for dairy milk or soymilk,…

I first started gaining weight back in 2006 when I started taking Celexa and birth control pills. There were other things going on in my life at the time, including huge stress, an unfaithful boyfriend, my dad being diagnosed with melanoma, and quitting smoking. I don't know which of these caused my weight gain, but I…

Today I feel proud of myself for steering myself away from very tempting chocolates and grabbing my bag of healthy snacks instead. I figured if the chocolate was calling my name, it probably was because I actually needed to eat something. But my veggies, apple, and cheese was a much better choice!

Agreed with canadjineh! Any fruit-flavoured herbal tea, chilled and served over ice, is great. Especially if you like 'sweet' tasting fruity drinks... but they are sugar-free and calorie-free. I love the berry and peach flavours best. Black tea, green tea, white tea. Rooibos tea, sometimes called 'red' tea. It's caffeine…

Awesome progress! You look great!

If it's a workout day, I make SURE I drag myself to the gym despite my mood. (I bribe myself with a post workout Starbucks nonfat latte if need be.) I know I'll feel awesome after I work out. And I make sure my playlist includes ALL my favourite songs! At-home spa/pampering is the best! Especially when you're not so…

Honey and maple syrup are less processed than brown sugar or white sugar. So I'd stick with those.

There are still so many unknowns. It's impossible to say how your relationship may change over time, even if his gender were not an issue. ALL relationships change over time and they require regular 'tending to'. Open, honest communication. It seems you've got that already, and it is the most important part of maintaining…

At 2-5 cups a day, I don't suspect you're causing any problems to your health whatsoever. Unless you're sensitive to caffeine. But I assume you wouldn't be consuming coffee every day if it caused you headaches, jitteriness, sleep issues, etc.

I would assume the nutritional information/serving size is for the dry mix unless stated otherwise on the label.