JoanaMHill Member

There's nothing magical about crash diets. They aren't going to prepare to eat healthier, they're going to starve you and make you want to binge instead of eating correct portions of whatever foods you plan on eating once you're done. THAT is what's wrong with it. It's the exact opposite of preparing you.

They aren't good for your mind, either. Humans don't do well when they're starving, which is what will happen when you're on a very low calorie diet. Just eat better. You'll feel better about yourself.

We aren't being negative, we're being honest. You use the word "detox" and talk about "juice cleanses." The first once is a fallacy and the second is just asking for trouble. Most diets like that just get rid of water weight, which comes right back on once you're eating regularly, which just provides reason to be…

Your liver and kidneys detox you on their own, and if they aren't doing their job, then drinking over-priced juice or whatever else they're peddling isn't going to help. Seriously. Just get back into the habit of eating better (whatever you consider that to be, as long as it's at a calorie deficit) and the weight will come…

I'm not from the UK, but even I know not to take The Daily Mail seriously, especially when it comes to "science." As others have said, those are just excuses. I would describe myself as all three as well, and I've still managed to lose weight when I focus and cut the pity party. Barring medical conditions (which should be…

Yogurt and fruit is as easy as taking it out of the fridge and eating. Bacon and sausage can be thrown in the microwave while you do other prep in the morning. Maybe sandwiches, like egg/cheese/meat on an English muffin, prepare however many you need and then nuke them in the morning.

Depending on the type, 25 chips would only be about a serving or two, no more than three hundred calories. That's not going to hurt you in long run, or the short term. Punishing yourself for eating something like chips or candy just makes it harder for you to enjoy your lifestyle changes, though.

It's not necessarily what someone is eating that people are concerned about so much as how much of it, how they're logging it etc. For instance, something like "1 banana" would tip them off because there's no indication of size or weight.

Really, unless you have some kind of allergy or sensitivity, the only ingredient you "should" stay away from is trans-fats. I haven't tried light versions of breads because they tend to be more expensive than their regular counterparts, though.

Agreed on the sandwich thins, though your mileage may vary. Bread is often the big calorie expense in a sandwich, so finding something to replace it can help. Wraps, tortillas and flatbread work too.

Click "settings" once you're in your diary and you can change headings, what you track etc.

Depends on what they replace it with if at all. From my understanding, low carb depletes glycogen stores which can make it look like you're losing weight, and you are, I guess, but going back to eating carbs at any normal amount will restore levels and the weight will come back.

I'm just going to laugh right through my lunch with a tall glass of water.

Not sure about vodka or celery but water generally has no calories unless you add to it, so I guess the logic is that crunching the ice would expend calories. Can't imagine it's all that pleasant for your teeth, though.

One five-pound bag of sugar-free gummy bears, coming up!

If you go by some of the reviews on sugar-free gummie bears, I'm pretty sure they're essentially laxatives.

Not advice given to me, but I heard a woman telling her friend once that she doesn't eat any melons because they, especially watermelon, 'have the opposite effect on weight loss." Apparently melons are magic.

Unless you have a proven sensitivity to it (not one that's just in your head, as a lot of people who hear about how EVIIIIL they are seem to get) there's nothing wrong with it. Most artificial sweeteners would require a ridiculously high dose to come even close to harmful.

With so little to lose you really should be eating more. That aside, I can fluctuate several pounds between even just the morning and evening depending on factors like sodium intake and hormones.

But doesn't that defeat the point of avoiding "processed" food? I imagine those almonds are incredibly "processed" to get them into milk. You don't just squeeze them and get it, after all.

Exactly. If you're really worried about how animals are treated, then fine! No one has a problem with you doing vegetarian. But research it yourself in actual accounts of the industry that aren't trying to make money. But ethics has nothing to do with being healthy, and barring a medical condition, meat and dairy are…

It depends on what you want to do first. Staying at maintenance with exercise will put you in a calorie deficit unless you eat back the calories you burn (which most people recommend). Eating at a surplus with exercise and eating back calories will build muscle and help define your body- it's what a lot of people call body…

Just remember that you can't spot reduce. A calorie surplus and weight training (plus cardio) is what helps you tone and build muscle, but you can't really choose where you lose. It comes off when it comes off, so don't be discouraged if you follow the advice and don't see the results you want right away.

Cleanses are useless and no one seems to have a straight answer for what you're cleansing. If you're already eating well, you're receiving the benefits.

Eat a little. Restricting something completely makes a lot of people end up binging. It isn't about cutting things out, barring medical conditions. It's learning when enough is enough.

Muscle is denser than fat. A cup of muscle would weigh more than a cup of fat.

I'd just put your profile as lightly active. The activity level accounts for lifestyle. And eating back calories depends on the person. Some say no, some say only a portion, often half. If you're hungry, I'd say eat (reasonably). Sending request :)

That's what I was thinking of. But if you were going that way, there's absolutely no reason to pay what BB charges for a few containers, exercise DVDs you could easily replace with free workouts on cable or online and info you can find for free on the internet. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, OP!

A meal plan might help, then. Pick what you're going to eat the next day, get it down either written or in a place like MFP's food diary, and stick to it. It can be hard since life likes to throw things at you, but seeing those entries there could be helpful in not just randomly grabbing something.

Get various sized Tupperware? I've seen basically that sold as a "fix" for people with portion control problems. Designate a size for a type of food and only eat what you can fit in the container.