absolament Member

It's easy to feel discouraged. I've been victim of it as well. Women have so many hormones at play that it does affect our metabolism. I lost pregnancy weight easily when I started MFP in my early 30's. I stopped logging since it is a lot of work. Then, as I approached 40, weight started packing on again. I logged again…

You can do it! Just make a list of all the things you enjoy eating that aren't full of sugar or processed. Even better if you figure out some portable snacks that meet your needs for when you are out and about.

I had the same problem, too. I'm guessing a lot has to do with us lucky women having so many hormones that can affect weight loss. I gave up logging when I wasn't showing progress last year, but now I'm back since I hit 173 pounds. Started logging again on 8/21. My goal this time isn't necessarily to lose weight. I'm going…

Sacramento, CA

Hi Emily, based on your post, it sounds like you are on the right track. I think the most important aspect of using MFP is to try your best to stay within the calorie range suggested, especially when it accounts for exercise. You'll hear people say not to eat back your calories. Hogwash. You need calories to burn stubborn…

I turned 40 this year and starting from when I was 38, it seems that what used to work no longer does. The weight has slowly crept up on me. What I've noticed is that I'm naturally less hungry (drop in metabolism I suspect), and when I do calculate my caloric intake I find that it's typically less than my daily…

The best measure of health is not a number or a size. Stop trying to achieve what your body is resisting. It's resisting to keep you safe. Listen to it.

I used to focus on weight loss and the posts I've read in the thread just reinforces what I learned... that eating right and exercising regularly is far healthier than achieving a low weight.

Just for today: I will take good care of my body. (and I will repeat this again tomorrow....forever)

I've never been really big, but I have seen larger women at the gym. While they may feel self conscious, I see something different. I see strength and commitment within them. They are there to make a change. It is beautiful to me. Don't feel discouraged. You are an inspiration to many. By being there you are showing people…

In my experience, it's easy to plateau when you are close to your target (ideal) weight. It's as if the body doesn't want to lose those "last 10 pounds". When I worked to increase exercise and decrease calories close to my "ideal" weight, I got irritable, tired, and overall seemed unhealthy. It actually seemed like I was…

I've had 3 children and I have the mommy pooch, but you wouldn't see it if I was wearing my bikini underwear. So my experience is that it can get close to non-existent with regular exercise and proper diet. I'm 38 and had my last child when I was 30. If I am in table top position, my belly skin will sag, but not too…

Sounds like that lady you spoke of is burning a lot of calories. I don't work out that hard so I'm not reducing my existing fat very much. I held my weight steady for a year, the first 10 pounds came on during my first 3 or so months of jiujitsu as I learned to lift my own body weight to account for many of the moves. I'm…

The secret to stress reduction: Yoga and Jiujitsu. Yoga is quiet and mindful, lots of stretching which releases tense muscles. Jiujitsu is an all out brawl. Think of wrestling on the grass with your friends. It's fun and burns a lot of energy. I laugh a lot in my classes. Lastly, 2 of my 3 kids are grown and out of the…

It's a mixed levels Pilates class. We mostly do mat work, lunges, planks, resistance bands/ring. The routines used to be challenging before I started jiujitsu. Now they are easy, but I enjoy the slow control so I make a point of going once a week. I don't do Pilates to grow huge muscles, but rather to focus on posture and…

Changing habits is challenging. But you'll get there and each time you do you will be more knowledgeable about your body than before. Fitness is a journey, not a destination. Just keep your health your priority... it's as important as brushing your teeth. Eat right daily and exercise regularly. Try not to worry about the…

Thanks. I didn't put on 20 pounds. Just 10. I went from 135-145 doing jiujitsu. The extra pounds that brought me to 152 ended up being water weight and was gone within a week. Either I had too much sodium or I over worked some muscles. Maybe both. I freaked out because that's a big jump in numbers, that's why I posted.…

Thanks. Turns out I had some water gain and it freaked me out. I am going through the same thing again now. I should be back to normal in a few days once I've purged the sodium. I've been holding steady at 146.

The secret to stress reduction: Yoga and Jiujitsu. Yoga is quiet and mindful, lots of stretching which releases tense muscles. Jiujitsu is an all out brawl. Think of wrestling on the grass with your friends. It's fun and burns a lot of energy. I laugh a lot in my classes. Lastly, 2 of my 3 kids are grown and out of the…

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I appreciate hearing both sides. Some of you wonder what is required of jiujitsu as it is not heavy lifting. Class starts with 10-15 minutes of HIIT style warmups. Then we maneuver our bodies in various ways for drills. Finally we go one-on-one for a 6 minute roll. We usually have 5…

I don't want to shrink either... well not anymore. Tried that, didn't like it. Now I'm pushing for eating right (maintenance calories) and exercising regularly and seeing where that takes me. I am "larger" but I look leaner.

Thanks. That info helps a lot.

You can get results by doing less. My trainers have always stressed that 30 minutes of moderate cardio 5 days a week and 2 to 3 days of strength training (pilates included) is adequate. Just make sure you are keeping the number close for calories in/out. And also, everyone is built differently. You can't expect to look…

Muscle weighs more and it takes more calories to build it. Make sure you aren't depriving your body of the nutrients and energy it needs to burn fat and build muscle, otherwise it will choose not to produce muscle in order to protect itself. And don't dismiss the need for 2 days of rest. Your body needs time to repair.…

I used to not like water. It tasted funny because I was used to drinking soda, juice and kool aid. But I knew that water is the best liquid for me and I pushed myself to drink it. It only takes a week of drinking water only to get used to it. Then you'll crave it over all else.

Logging. It's something I haven't done before and it has the most impact to my level of exercise and the amount of food I eat. I don't work out too hard and I eat normal healthy food. Prior to logging I wouldn't exercise as regularly and I'd always eat just a bit more.

All I eat is the real deal, but I do use skim milk rather than whole. Other than that, no fads, no unusual diets, just all natural good for me food. I'm a good size and only gain weight after pregnancy and/or if I enjoy too much food. I do try to limit my sodium and sugar, and I avoid processed food for the most part. And…

I agree. Last year when I first started MFP for counting calories, I lost weight but I felt weak (not ill, just had little strength with a lighter body weight). This year my goal is to gain back my strength and I started by hiring a personal trainer to teach me safe skills while using free weights.

I am fuller in my hips, thighs, butt, too. I found that Pilates and Yoga have been helpful, probably because these exercises focus on lengthening muscles. But if you are like me, your fat stores work best down low which is the healthiest place to store fat. When you get close to your ideal weight, that area will become…

You most certainly can count that as exercise. Just don't make a habit of it unless you feel it required extra effort.