Docbanana2002 Member

Wow, that very controlling. But since your are tolerating this control, I agree with the suggestion that you work out an arrangement by which your prison warden... I mean husband... allows you access to the scale at intervals that he deems suitable, if you've been good. Like a weekly weigh-in time.

If you are just 200 above your BMR (plus eating back exercise calories) then you are still in a deficit mode, aren't you? How are you accounting for the calories burned while driving around, working, conducting your daily life outside of the gym? If you are doing something other than sleeping on the couch outside the gym,…

The prong increases the weight in larger increments....20 per prong on the ones at my gym. The dial is for smaller increments...5, 10, 15. So if you put the prong on 50 and the dial on 10, then you are lifting 60. This isn't a stupid question but it is a very basic one, which makes me think you must be very new to weight…

You didn't really say your goals. If your goals are to be a bodybuilder, then no it won't work. :) If your goals are to improve cardio fitness, then yes! Especially on hills and pushing yourself to do harder paces. There are racewalkers who do 6 minute miles, you can't tell me they aren't fit!! Walking is also good for…

If you eat animals, you aren't a vegetarian. If you consume animal products of any kind, you are not vegan. I don't understand why people want to claim a label that you have no intention of living up to. It actually does affect the rest of us, when the general public is confused about what basic terms mean and we have to…

Sometimes when I need a break from calorie tracking, I simply track meal calories or count portions. Meal tracking for a 1500 calorie diet might involve allowing yourself 400 calories for breakfast, 400 for lunch, 400 for dinner, plus 3 100 calorie snacks. Or whatever pattern you wish to use. Instead of logging or tallying…

Like some of the others, I weigh daily and record weekly. It isn't a problem as long as you understand that fluctuations from day to day and week to week are normal and it is the long term trend that you should really take seriously. To your specific point... yes, it is impossible to gain 1.5 pounds of fat in a day while…

That's like burning down your kitchen because you want the fire company to come out and rinse off your dirty dishes with their hose.

Nope! College professor here. I have students of all ages. The older folks sometimes lack recent experience with studying and being in school and taking some of the classes that the younger ones had recently. This is scary for them at first. BUT they usually end up putting the young ones to shame because they make up for…

THIS. I'm 42 and 20 year olds are kids to me, in a completely different stage of life. Young enough to be my child. Someone who sees them as dating material is probably not someone you want to be dating, and it might be harder for you to see because you aren't his age. It's like a 20 year old who wants to date a 12 year…

Yeah, sounds like good advice. Why the worry about 1200 calories? MFP gave you that number bc you probably said you wanted to lose the weight fast. If you want to eat more, then up your calories and exercise (yes, lifting is excellent) and do the loss more gradually. And relax...why scared? You aren't diffusing an atom…

No, walking is good for you at any pace. But it can be VERY intense if you choose to walk quickly. People sometimes make fun of racewalkers because of the funny gait and because they think it strange to walk fast when you could run faster.... but I stopped caring about the coolness factor long ago. I love it and it can be…

Here's my theory about that : I think we all have certain "default" settings when it comes to diet and exercise. By that I mean, the behaviors we naturally engage in when we do what we want to do. These are rooted in our biology and probably also learned over time from parents, friends, spouse, coworkers, etc.. For…

I have banished the word "cheat" from my vocabulary, because it represents a mindset that I am trying to change. "Cheat" implies that there is some set of rules being imposed on you and you are sneaking around and breaking them. Or like you are being impulsive and doing something naughty. Or like there is this un-fun…

Don't make this more complicated than it has to be. There is no right answer here, you don't have to be perfect. Just get moving and learn as you go. For a simple way to start, try going for a walk at a pace comfortable for you, wherever you want to walk, until you start getting tired. Unless you have a disability you…

I'm trying to get way from the idea that food is a reward, so instead I buy myself things that can help me with my health goals. Nice new pair of walking shoes, a cute yoga outfit, etc.

Yeah, after losing about 20 pounds I had someone ask me about whether my makeup was different or something.... stares carefully at my face... No, makeup is the same old routine. :)

I had someone tell me to stop losing weight because she liked me better looking "Large and in charge" (I am in an administrative position in my school) and she didn't want me to become weak and tiny looking. I weighed around 200 pounds and am 5'6' so I was nowhere near tiny.

FWIW, I wasn't assuming we were all Americans, which is why I specified American culture as being this way which is my own culture. If I assumed we were all Americans I would've said "our culture" as if we all share a common culture. Which we don't...though I almost did type that and changed it. So....okay, good point. I…

Well, let's face it: "normal" in American culture means eating a lot of junk and not caring about how many calories are there, what's in the food, etc. I think this is especially the case in the social circles and families of formerly overweight or trying to become normal weight people like me. I had overweight family and…

I am a psych professor! I teach both regular and online courses.

Some people lack such basic concern for others and/or basic social skills that they feel entitled to say whatever they think or feel in ways that hurt others and justify it as "Oh, we'll I'm just saying the truth!" There are multiple ways to say the truth... those that help educate a person about something they need to…

You are less hydrated in the morning because you haven't drunk for hours but are still losing water through the usual ways (not just peeing but also losing moisture from sweating and breathing out moisture)

I went on a crash starvation diet, lost all the weight in a short time, and was healthy and happy without a weight problem for the rest of my life....Said NO ONE, EVER. Listen, The habits that got you this heavy can harm your health and should be changed, but not changed out for a foolish, self destructive, quick fix…

My intuition is broken! :)

You are acting like the site is somehow the boss of you, such that you'd lie to it and even make a less healthy choices to have it not "disapprove" of you with that red number? :) Doesn't make sense. This is why the word "cheat" is never in my diet vocabulary either. There is no cheat because I'm the one setting my goals…

Okay. Do YOU actually do that? Cut out those companies, cotton, diamonds, and gold... and the meat? Or do you just do neither and point fingers at those who are doing more than you because they aren't doing everything? For what it's worth, I actually do try to make more ethical choices in my purchase of products. Buying…

From the standpoint of calorie burn, I don't think it matters much. Eat your meals when you want. From the standpoint of helping you stick with the diet and gain some measure of control over your eating, experiment a little with plans that fit you best. When I started out I was really struggling with binge eating and…

Awesome! Congrats!

No, veg*n is a term that is shorthand for "vegans and vegetarians". Like an abbreviation (the star takes the place of the letters in vegan and vegetarian that differ). I loved animals for 41 years while eating them, so I get it and believe you are sincere of your love for them. I just changed my viewpoint over time, as…