ophelian Member

At just a little bit past my halfway mark I've hit one of those awful slumps - I'm sure you know the type, can't manage to lose more than a couple of pounds within a month. It happens to most of us. I happened to be feeling particularly frustrated by the smell of pizza and burritos wafting through my study area inside my…

Gala apples are my preferred less than 100 calorie snack - they're really satisfying and usually around 80 cal.

That's a great suggestion! Thanks! I've checked out a handful of them in my town but a lot of the stuff is pretty bland and grody. Maybe I'll have more luck in a bigger city...

I'm a singer. I sing folk. Alternative folk, rather - in the vein of Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, you know the type. I'd say that I play guitar as well but really its the bare minimum accompaniment. I'm not that good. Pretty much anything to do with music - playing, listening, writing - makes me happy. I also love walks in the…

Seventeen pounds gone since May 28! Unfortunately I'm coming to the realization that shopping for new clothes will soon be necessary and I have...absolutely no money. :sad: Time to start hawking stuff on eBay! I've been finding satisfaction with MFP and my weight loss solely in following the discipline and seeing the…

This week I've discovered the joy of Japanese cuisine - healthy and light but packed with flavor and health benefits. At first I thought it would become some big production but after checking out my local Asian market realized that most of the supplies and ingredients are actually quite affordable - especially convenience…

Thank you all so much! The best of luck to everyone! :flowerforyou:

I've read that an iron deficiency can lead to hair loss (as well as anemia) so be sure to take iron supplements if you need them. If you're also feeling a little bit tired or run down this might be the case. I had this same problem last October - I have long hair and lots of and suddenly it seemed to be thinning out (it…

Thank you both! :)

This Saturday will mark my first full month using MFP and I'm already down ten pounds! A much more accelerated weight loss than I was seeing with excercise and an improved but vague diet plan. I really can't believe that a free site (with a great support system) could work so well! The first week was a bit rough but its…

Update: I thought I would just let everyone know that the advice shared here proved quite valuable. I did a little research on carbs and made sure to get some into my diet today and have felt a lot better as a result. I think I'm also settling into a routine with MFP and that's helped me to feel less defeated overall.…

A lot of people have recommended "tall/skinny" drinks and I second that rec. I absolutely couldn't live without my mocha fix so I went from my regular grande cafe mocha (200+ calories) to a tall skinny mocha (90.) Its every bit as scrumptious as the original. A tip when ordering: specify that you'd like your coffee without…

I second Lorna Doone calorie pack love. They're not so sugary that they make me feel sluggish or just plain nasty but still have that "Yay I'm eating cookies!" satisfaction factor. I love mine with hot tea - they go perfectly together. :) The pair really got me through the "weaning myself from sugar in my tea" process…

magdalune: Ahhh, the gift and the curse of MFP! I have to say that it does freak me out to see "You've earned 900 calories from working out" with a new goal of 3,000+! In my mind I'm thinking "Nooo how can I lose weight if I eat 3,000 calories?! But I'll try and learn to trust the system. Maybe its just that I'm not eating…

I can totally sympathize, maicari1! I remember when my wardrobe choices were limited by my weight and what I felt comfortable in too. I never really knew any different and was able to function but I did notice an incredible spike in my confidence level when I started dropping sizes. There was a time when I wouldn't DREAM…

Thanks songbyrdsweet! I realize now that the way I presented it did seem much more serious than it was and I really do appreciate your concerned and thoughtful response. Thank you very much. :)

gabi_ele: I did cut out red meat and a lot of sugary/carby things; things I used to really enjoy. I did treat myself to that skinny mocha and it did wonders - so you might be onto something with regards to cutting out the "fun stuff." I am working out a lot and yes, it does provide me with a bank of extra calories but I'm…

ChubbyBunny: LMAO!! Exactly!! We're talking outdoor barbecue at 10AM and already 85 degrees with his 6th - 12th grade (VERY ANNOYING) students, tables full of junk food I didn't want to/couldn't eat, and someone playing one of those rinky dink Casio keyboards. Come to think of it, I probably shouldn't attribute leaving to…

Thanks for the tip! I should add that there were additional circumstances contributing to my leaving the date early - not just feeling bummed. But rest assured I work in the mental health field and have resources available should I need them, thank you.

I guess I should clarify and note that my depression isn't clinical, its just basic everyday feeling down. As crummy as I feel I can still function and stick with the MFP plan and all that sort of stuff. But thank you very much for the support, I appreciate it. :)

tparkin: It very well might be sugar withdrawal, I think there's some 11 grams even in skim milk. That would make sense too! Thank you!

ChubbyBunny: That makes perfect sense! I see your point about the benefit/drawbacks of logging. Its an added responsibility as well as a reality check - both of which can be stressful. There's this idea that, like you said, things need to be structured and accomplished now which is akin to a work deadline or exam date you…

After my first week with MFP I've noticed that I'm feeling worse than ever and wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar? I've mentioned before that I began working out almost a year ago and with excercise alone managed to drop 4 dress sizes. I remember it taking a few months to teach my body to want the…

Best of luck on the road ahead! :smile:

What a warm welcome! Thanks to all! thalli1: Thank you for the tip! I'll give it a go!

Hello, hello! I've just begun working with MFP (Day 3) and already its been an eye-opening experience. The mental tally of calories consumed vs. burned in my head was proving to be so off-base its scary! I'm glad to have found this well-rounded, user-friendly, and dare I say fun site to begin a more accurate fitness plan.…