YouHadMyCuriosity Member

I wouldn't count on it to raise your metabolism too much, if those are the studies you are referring to. At most, the numbers are about 4%.... and that is a very small amount. For me, however, it is a HUGE aid in my weightloss since I really, really dislike drinking straight water. I make a big pot of flavored green tea…

You look amazing!!! What an accomplishment :)

What a bunch of great responses, thanks guys! I really enjoy seeing the different perspectives, I guess it really is pretty subjective to what each person wants to accomplish, but it really helps a newbie like me to hear what others are doing/have had success with.

- Don't start smoking - Don't worry about what other people think- the good people in your life are those that love you for who you are - Spend more time with family, they may not be around forever - Don't date the guy you met at your first job out of highschool. Just don't. He will waste a lot of your money, time, energy,…

I love cruising! I went on a couple before, while being pretty intense about my weight maintenance, and I actually found it almost easier than normal, since I could load up on fresh fruits and veggies, and my activity level was through the roof because of excursions. Of course, the temptations were there, but I found the…

Since starting my strength program (while on a slight deficit), I have definitely noticed that my body composition is changing much differently than when I used to just cut calories- I can feel my abs getting harder, I have shoulder muscles for the first time in my life, it's awesome! But I would really like to get to a…

Thanks for the ideas! My husband has a career that depends on him lifting heavy (and he has done almost every crossfit workout, with supervision and an understanding of tecnique), so I actually do have access to him, and others, that can teach me proper form. I don't intend to start off winging it, I don't want an injury…

Thanks so much guys. I'm excited to get lifting heavier. :)

The pool is a great idea. Start slow- maybe get a pedometer and try adding 500 daily steps a week. Congratulations on starting your journey!

I love being naked. If I see that most people have a towel on, though, I put one on so I don't make anyone uncomfortable. If other people are naked I just assume they don't mind :)

Exactly. I am sure I rambled, and did not make my opinion come across, but what I was trying to say is that it is absurd when someone tells you what you should look like. "Body policing" is what I was talking about in my last paragraph- the fact that no matter what you are doing, there will always be someone criticizing.…

--+Polish Pickle Soup (I'm 100% Polish so this is a huge thing in my heart- it's delicious, and so few calories) - Turkey chili with the fixings you like - Turkey/chicken noodle soup - French Onion Soup with Gruyere - Chicken Tortilla Soup -Beef and barley broth soup -PHO!!! one of my favorites The reason I haven't posted…

Yesssssss.

While I AM trying to gain a bit of muscle, and DO like fitspo, I want to chime in- I completely understand your frustration. Opinions are like........ everybody has one. If you do not want to be muscular or toned, that is no one's business, and what you want to look like is 100 percent your choice. You should never "hate…

PPs have it covered! DVDs will be your best friend for this :) I really like 30 day shred, and have recently been doing Kettleworx- my best advice is to find something that challenges you without being so difficult that you sacrifice form- when you are doing workouts at home without a spotter or trainer, you need to make…

Oh, I'm so sorry for misunderstanding!!! It's been a long day, my mind is apparently crapping out. Good luck on that goal, you can do! I apologize for misreading that >.<

Good luck! Stay excited, remember the motivation, and also remember that this is a LIFE! Enjoy your journey :) Good luck!!!! I am excited too, because for the first time in my life, I am approaching "weightloss" in a healthy manner- I am eating well (and plenty!) while exercising for fitness, strength, and self confidence.…

I was going to respond to OP, but this raised a flag for me- 26 year old male wanting to get down to 103lbs? I am a 25yr old female with a goal weight of 124 (at 5'4)- the lowest I've been as an adult was 112lbs, and I was THIN. Not sure about your height, but if it is anything over 5 ft, please talk to a doctor to make…

Absolutely! I love avocados, olive oil, nuts, fatty fish- I find that I feel much better when I incorporate fats in my diet. I don't really limit anything (in regards to fat, protein, carbs) as long as it fits in my calories. If anything, I focus on getting plenty of protein and good fats. I limit carbs in the sense that…

Thanks! :)

I understand- I was close (within 4lbs) to my goal weight, then my husband and I found out we were moving back to Hawaii- in the interim, we spent 3 months visiting family, traveling, etc while we got everything in order. I gained 14lbs- I was eating all the good homecooked Polish food I hadn't had access to in ages. When…

Give it time to get used to a new routine. You may be retaining water from the new exercise, or a million other factors. One thing I would like to say- the fact that you are "suffering" by restricting eating out at restaurants and ONLY eating the "healthy" stuff could spell disaster down the road. If you always feel…

Keep up with my calorie goals and exercise all the days around it, plus adding in a couple extra workouts to give myself some wiggle room. Usually, at Thanksgiving dinner, I let myself enjoy! It is one day, and if I tell myself I CANNOT have certain things, I just get resentful. I do, however, usually load up my heaping…

All of the above advice pretty much covers what I would have said. For protein, have you tried quinoa? I recently started experimenting with it, you can make some delicious dishes with it!

Absolutely fine! As long as it fits into your macros/calories for the day, it will not do any harm in your progress, and if you enjoy them, it may actually help by letting you feel less deprived. Personally, I would rather have the same amount of calories from protein bar vs. Weight Watchers ice cream, because I sometimes…

Good luck! Sounds like you are taking positive steps to improve your health, and I LOVE that you have a positive outlook on your body- too many times, we focus on what we would like to change and forget to recognize what we love about it! I have started lifting, and love what it is doing for my body. I also walk 12,000…

Oh! Also on the topic of not being able to jog or run- one low impact exercise that I absolutely LOVE is rollerblading! When I can fit it in, it is a great way to get some exercise in without it *feeling* like exercise. If you have any interest in trying it though, I would ask your doctor if that is low impact enough for…

My stats are roughly similar to yours- same height, only a little older, and a starting weight of 142, goal of 125 (up to 130 when I eventually gain some lean muscle). As PP said, make sure you are eating your calories plus exercise. For having similar stats as you, I set my TDEE at "lightly active" as I walk 12,000 steps…

On a side note, I also really enjoy having a chocolate Muscle Milk smoothie with almond or regular milk, ice, and either banana or strawberry mixed in. I usually just use one scoop so that I have a delicious snack while not going over on calories, but you could put two scoops in!

If you are satisfied with the AMOUNT of food you are eating, but want to consume more calories, what about adding in some healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, avocados, etc? Calorie dense foods such as cheese can also be good :)