BlueLikeJazz Member

Hi audjrey, thanks for your reply. It's wonderful to hear you had such a life-changing experience at the Vipassana retreat. I've actually looked into them before after an acquaintance at my non-12-step recovery group (S.M.A.R.T.) attended one. It makes sense that once one is separated from external distractions for ten…

Hi crazymama2two, Logically, I agree with you. I know that no one but myself controls what I eat. And reading your reply actually scared me a little...have I really become this "brainwashed" this quickly? When I quit drinking I used a non-12-step recovery program that was all about self-empowerment. I almost feel ashamed…

I don't think a 9 lb. loss your first week is a cause for concern. What I do find concerning is that you say you feel hungry all the time and your stomach is constantly growling. That is your body's way of telling you you need to eat! If you're getting physical hunger cues, you should probably be eating a little something.…

I actually do my best not to even think in terms of "cheating" or "not cheating", "perfect" or "not perfect", "good me" or "bad me" anymore. It seemed like when I consistently thought in those ways, I'd end up self-sabotaging because I'd feel guilty over being bad or not perfect or cheating, so I'd end up "cheating" even…

I did the EA Active 30 Day Challenge back in January. The first day that I did the challenge workout, I was so out of breath and tired and sweaty and frustrated and...it was no fun for me lol. But by the time I finished the challenge, they were too easy for me, I was usually tacking on an extra 15 minutes of activities to…

Thanks Stephanie, great advice. I am definitely planning on cutting out/further limiting my intake of sweets and watching my carbs more closely. I think suggesting to eat like a diabetic until I can see a Dr. is great. The bottom line is, not only would we be hard-pressed to come up with the money for a Dr. appointment…

hey sunshine, I quit drinking about four months ago after being a daily heavy drinker for a little over 2 years. I gained just over 100 lbs. in the 2 years that I drank. I went from being fit and active to...well, obviously, a lazy drunk! lol But I've gotten back on track. I do love my life without alcohol, but still feel…

Sorry, one thing to add! The main reason I want to "wait it out" is that my husband and I don't have insurance and are already paying off a $12,000 medical bill that I obtained while uninsured for a necessary surgery. We were given 18 months to pay off this bill, so it's a large chunk of our income and makes it nearly…

I would be so interested to hear more about raising your wee one as a vegan. The more I read and learn about all the problems associated with meat and dairy, the more convinced I am that our future kids will be vegans as well (we don't have any yet, finishing up school first!) I am concerned about the logistics of it,…

Maybe when he said he ate no pasta/sugar but did eat lots of chicken and veggies, he was giving the condensed version of what he eats. When people ask me what I eat (which is fairly often once they find out I eat a vegan diet), I don't sit there and list everything, I usually say "beans or tofu for my protein, and tons of…

I think it's funny that you think it's a bad thing because I was happy when I discovered marshmallows were ONLY 25 cals a piece lol. I always eat my nightly treat (whatever I want that's under 200 cals) really slowly, so nibbling on 4 marshmallows was a perfect amount. I suppose it's scary if you ate them in huge…

I agree, I don't think it's fair to say that a person who you know nothing about is lying about a choice they've made. While I have no intention of getting rid of my microwave, I lived as an adult without one for a number of years and did just fine.

My mom has a book by Dr. Barnard and he has "guest roles" in many of the books/vlogs/websites I read. I truly believe, after reading what he and T. Colin Campbell have to say on the matter, that a vegan diet can be the key to preventing and reversing a number of illnesses/conditions. I went vegan mostly for ethical reasons…

Hey, cool idea on starting the night-shift thread. I just started work at 10 PM, am here 'til 7 AM. I work at a residential facility for developmentally disabled men, and I'm basically here to make sure no one comes or leaves and to take care of the guys in an emergency. There's not much I actually have to DO at night, so…

The Billy Idol dancing and comments on Lifetime were enough to get a big smile on my face but when I noticed (after reading your profile) that your pic is your face on Jillian Michaels' body, I honestly laughed out loud. You're a hoot! Way to go on your creative exercising!

I'm with you---the sooner we get calorie counts in menus, the better! It's almost shocking to me that the FDA hasn't required them yet, considering our obesity "epidemic." The thing is, I think most people who eat these dishes either like to fool themselves or just don't care about the calories because to me, most of those…

Thank you both for the suggestions. I think the reason I get a little hung up on the protein thing is because I do not cook grains for myself. I eat 2-3 servings of vegetables and 1-2 servings of tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, lentils, etc. at my main meals. I kind of forget that since I'll be cooking grains for him, he'll…

My current favorite (and a healthy vegan option!) is: Black beans, corn, bell peppers, red onions, pimientos/sliced green olives, and fresh basil with a little bit of either low-fat Italian dressing, low-sodium soy sauce, or lime juice and red wine vinegar. It seems like whatever "dressing" I throw on it, it's delicious.…

The issue here is that those little bites can really add up, and by not logging one little bite, you start a slippery slope of not logging other little bites, which can affect your long-term success. I personally log everything and purposefully don't take little bites anymore because it's a pain logging them. I would at…

I'd say as long as you just stick to a 24 hour time span, you're fine. I work 10 P-7 A (luckily, though, I get to sleep for about 5 hours of my shift--work at a group home) so my eating habits and times are often a bit odd. I just always start my log from the time I wake up in the morning til the time I actually go to bed…

I definitely have my one part, besides my belly, too: I want to see the space between my thighs again! It used to be that if I stood with my feet together, I had a big ol' gap between my thighs. I imagine I have quite a bit to go before that happens again, so for now I'm just happy with having to put new holes in my belts…

Between my mom and I we could open a diet book library! Though I've pretty much shoved all mine away and haven't given any thought to them in a long time, nor do I buy diet books anymore, the one "diet" book I definitely will keep on hand is YOU on a Diet by Dr. Oz. That book is realistic, gives lots of science and fun…

First of all, I would always weigh the chicken raw and use that amount to calculate your recipe. Also, go by the weight not the "0.5 breast" entries you posted, because every breast is a different size. Whenever I make things like this, in order to avoid getting overly complicated, I add everything together to calculate…

yummy! no watermelons here yet, but today I got: bok choy tomatoes zucchini super-sweet corn cabbage fingerling potatoes and a bottle of patchouli lotion! I absolutely love the farmers market

Hey Mike, welcome to MFP! First of all, I don't know why you got ragged on so hard about the pop and "empty calories" since you're drinking diet (which has no calories). I realize diet pop is no where near being a healthy substance but it's a treat for me and seeing as I don't eat much candy or junk food, I feel completely…

Lots of good points again. I am currently at a 1000 calorie deficit most days, though I think I'll probably switch to closer to a 750 deficit soon, probably after the next 10 pounds (which is when I'll be close to crossing the line from obese to overweight). I probably should just give it a go with no increased days,…

I am so incredibly jealous of those of you who have Whole Foods or Trader Joe's nearby. I sent TJ's a long email recently begging them to consider opening a location near me, including compelling reasons why they should (it's a college town with lots of health freaks, tree huggers, and animal lovers, perfect place for a…

Thanks for the input, Banks. I agree with the idea that it becomes a slippery slope. I've found it hard to kick my butt back in gear after a weekend of goodies, whether the calories are "saved up" for them or not. This makes total sense to me, to have a maintenance day once a week. I've gotten so use to eating 1200…

Great post, this helped me to "get it" regarding exercise calories. Is there a post where you (Banks) give your thoughts and some science behind whether or not eating, say, half your exercise calories each day then "saving" the rest for weekends works? Or does it all kind of fall under this category of only being able to…

LOL I work with all women and I can guarantee that at least one of them would make a comment if someone else was eating something like that. Clearly men aren't the only ones with their heads in the gutter :laugh: