scaryfairy81

They are both pretty important, I guess it depends on who you ask. Some "experts" say it's mostly diet, some say it's exercise. I think it's a combination, at least for me, but I am no expert. All I know is that I can keep my weight down with diet, but I feel more healthy when I also exercise. And you can exercise til you…

I gain anywhere from 2 or 3 lbs all the way up to 8 or 9, usually suddenly(like I wake up one day several lbs heavier!) a couple of days before it starts, and then right toward the end, it is just as suddenly gone. Drinking more water doesn't help, and neither does limiting sodium, but sometimes a Diurex helps a little.…

I'm going to be 30 in 2 weeks but I get told all the time I don't even look close to that...which is awesome. My husband was 19 when we got married(I was 23, yup, I robbed the cradle) and it wasn't because we had kids or were about to have one...we actually didn't until last year, when we adopted our son. Anyway, just…

Dairy was my trigger food with my gallbladder, and not spicy or greasy food. My sister was the opposite, she could eat dairy but anything greasy or spicy caused an attack. I did have one attack after something fried though, so you just never know. But after my surgery, I periodically have symptoms similar to a gallbladder…

Thanks for this! It makes so much sense and not as alarmist as some of the posts I've read on starvation mode. I've been told sooo many times on here NEVER eat less than 1200 calories or I'll go into starvation mode, etc etc, but I am just over 5'0" and on a non-workout day, I know I don't need that many. My maintenance…

Thanks everyone! I am ridiculous when it comes to illness and injuries and doctors, I always question whether it's really "bad" enough to waste a doctor's time! Plus I am a stay at home mom to a 15 month old and have no family around aside from my husband who is in the military...which means a military clinic, where it can…

They recommend really low tread shoes for Zumba so you can slide and pivot easier without twisting your ankles and knees. I guess Nike actually makes Zumba-specific shoes now! Plus you can order them through the official Zumba website too I think. But I didn't want to buy separate shoes when I first started going to…

I do Zumba a few times a week and love it. But I can't stress enough to wear proper shoes!! The gym where I go has low carpet(!!) in the room where they have classes until they finish remodeling and I made the mistake of wearing higher tread brand new Nike walking/running shoes, and last Tuesday I slid and pivoted wrong…

If I went by this, I would have to eat 720 calories a day to lose, 1220 to maintain.

Maybe my body is weird, I actually have much less bloating and gas pains, etc, when I eat healthy and when I'm at a lower weight. I agree though, Beano or Gas-X would be what I'd recommend!

That happened to me with the other med, phendimetrazine. It's similar but not quite as strong. I stopped using it because it wasn't working very well.

For me it wasn't sudden/quick weight loss. I still work out and monitor calories, but it helps curb my cravings. The way I put it, instead of living to eat, I eat to live lol. Meaning I still do get hungry but it's not overwhelming and I don't have the urge to eat as much junk. Also, I am not much of a water drinker, but…

I've used it a few times in the past and it always works great for me. The first time was about 7 years ago, I lost about 20 lbs and kept it off for a year, then I moved to Germany and stopped watching what I ate, and developed a taste for good beer lol. And then when I got back to the US I found a doctor where I live that…

Ok, so according to MFP and a few other calculators, my BMR is right around 1200(1212 on MFP to be exact). That is MUCH lower than most people I am seeing on here, because I am quite a bit shorter than the average person. I've tried to stay around that on the days I don't work out and eating some of my exercise calories…

This is what I've tried to tell people on here who keep pushing me to keep eating more than 1200! I am pretty short and don't really need that many. But I tried it for a week to appease them and I gained. Going back down now haha. I struggled to eat more than 1200 and on the days I was closer to 1500 I felt sluggish and my…

I think the 1200 minimum is a rough guideline, it would depend on height and current weight, right? I am getting all sorts of conflicting information. I get told 1200 minimum, by people on here and by MFP guidelines, but when I checked my BMR on here it says for my weight and height it's 1212! So if I eat more than 1200…

According to MFP, my BMR is 1212...so how could I possibly lose weight if it's telling me to eat at least 1200 a day? This part is what keeps tripping me up. People on here tell me I won't lose weight if I eat less than 1200 a day but my BMR is just barely over that!

I'm just under 5'1" and would like to be about 115. I got there and maintained for well over 2 years and then suddenly I've steadily gained 10lbs the last 5 or so months...7 of those since I started MFP. I think they set my calorie goals too high so I am going to cut them back a bit because that is how I lost it before and…

I go to Zumba classes 2-3 times a week, and very skinny women are actually the minority in every single class I've been to. I am one of the smallest usually(I'm less than 5'1" and 120lbs) and I'm definitely NOT skinny haha. My gym is $19 a month with free child care and free classes, but the Zumba instructors do classes at…

If you look more toned, most likely those 5lbs gained is mostly muscle, and possibly some water. Are your clothes fitting better? Muscle is heavier than fat, but it's more compact, so you can weigh more and still be smaller overall. You have probably lost a few inches already! And that is definitely good progress.

I ADORE Zumba! I take it every Friday and Saturday morning, and now that my Sat morning instructor is also teaching on Tuesday morning I take that one too! I could do it every day, it's so fun!

I love Zumba! I'm not sure of my exact burn, but one of the instructors at my gym wears a HRM with a calorie counter and she is shown to burn anywhere between 1000-1300 per class, she puts a TON of effort in and is in constant movement the whole class. I am a bit shorter and smaller framed that her, and not but follow the…

I use the Body Fortress Whey Protein too, in the vanilla flavor! After I read this post I was craving a protein shake lol, so I made one with some frozen mango, frozen blueberries, a little mango juice, a little vanilla light soy milk, and a scoop of protein. Yum!

I hadn't weighed myself all week, and I did this morning, after eating over 1200 on the days I exercise. I gained 2 more pounds! I am 125.5 now, 10 lbs above where I'd like to be. Yesterday I took a 45 minute long intense cardio kickboxing class, and ate 1600 calories, and drank about 80-90oz of water. I feel so…

I would get this every time my husband and I would visit his family. The women in his family have a naturally larger frame than me, and are pretty top heavy(they gain and hold weight in their chests and stomachs) and would constantly say things like "Jess, you need to eat" or "You are too tiny, here, have some ice…

I got the $27 one from Walmart, had it for a few days, used it once, and took it back. It was very inaccurate, after 35 minutes on an elliptical with a 6 resistance, it said I burned 60 calories. I showed it to a trainer and she laughed and said take it back. Next time I will spring for a Polar I think.

That's just an awesome album all around : )

I have this issue too. One problem is that I don't have the appetite to eat that much, and another is I have this mental block saying the less the better, even when I know that's simply not true. Still trying to overcome this problem!

I like rock and metal when I'm on the elliptical or lifting weights! But I love hip hop and Latin music when I do Zumba.

I must admit, I am almost ashamed to open my diary, because even though I am under 1200, my choices probably aren't the best. A typical day for me is coffee and cereal(usually Honey Bunches Of Oats with Almonds) with nonfat milk, snack is Goldfish crackers(I have a 14 month old and usually snack with him lol), lunch is…