chalk_and_chaturangas Member

It goes back to when drinking water was a scarce commodity. Basically if your body senses the onset of dehyration, either from not drinking enough or increased metabolic need for water, it will hold on to whatever its got to prevent dehydration. Drinking more signals that you're not at risk for dehydration so your body can…

Eat at LEAST 3000-4000 calories (especially for a male) with a macro breakdown on 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% fat. Get your fat from animal sources and good fats, like coconut oil, eggs, and avocados.

Working out will help with the depression : ) Personally, I think 1200 is too low. How do you feel if you eat 1200 calories? Tired, lightheaded, energized, etc? That's the biggest gauge of whether or not your getting enough. If you don't eat enough, as TeaBea said, your body will be burning off whatever muscle you have or…

Hi! Broken down, to get from 167 to 140 in 4 months (16 weeks), you'd need to lose about 1.7 lbs a week, which is a healthy and reasonable goal. Good job for being realistic! So many people do themselves a disservice by not breaking the end goal up into smaller, more achievable goals. For holidays and gatherings, as long…

I doubt it. It's kinda cool to see, but I also know that I'm building muscle at the same time as losing fat, so this calculation won't be accurate.

Hi! The legs in that drawing look good to me (in a non-weird way). You look pretty healthy from this drawing. What is it that you would change to consider them "great looking"?

I agree. I always tell people when they start working out to give it a full 3 months. If its still not working after that, change something. That being said, I recommend weight lifting with HIIT cardio sessions. You need the HIIT to burn off the fat you already have and the weight lifting to build muscle underneath.…

Glad I found this message board! Saved me from buying something that wouldn't work they way I want it to. Thanks, everyone!

Hi there, Have you ever heard of Diane Sanfillipo? Her site is http://balancedbites.com/. She is a Paleo cookbook writer and I know some of her recent work includes FODMAP alterations. Obviously, not all Paleo foods would work for you (meat & honey), but some of her recipes may open up some doors for you. Best of luck with…

Hi Anne! How do you figure you have 15-20 lbs to lose? Are you simply unhappy with your appearance (as it sounds) or are you medically overweight? If you're not medically overweight and just looking to change your aesthetics, might I suggest not focusing on losing lbs, per se, but rather building muscle and toning? Muscle…

Check out Pinterest. It's where I find about 90% of my recipes. You can search by any ingredient, dietary restriction, ethnic flavor, etc. Just type in "Healthy ______________ Recipe". You can use MFP's recipe calculator and just copy and paste the link to add and log the recipe.

I love my workout! I CrossFit, do yoga, and run occasionally. I'm motivated to eat healthy by my love of these things. I'd rather eat so that I can perform better in my workouts that eat to be as thin as possible. I'm so glad you've found exercises that you love! You're absolutely on the right track and have a great…

Also, try researching the Paleo diet (http://thepaleodiet.com/). Its basically what you're describing. minus the Ben & Jerry's and all other dairy. Receipes are easy to find by Googling any recipe name, but adding "Paleo" before it.

Have you checked out Ezekiel Bread? It's still bread, but it's minimally processed and 100% whole grain. They make English Muffins and Pita Pockets, too. I use the pita pockets for sandwiches at lunch. They're only 100 calories.

Feel free to add me, I'd love some new friends : )

It doesn't necessarily imply it, but it is a symptom. The general quantity gauge for alcoholism for women is more than one drink per night (7/week) and more than two drinks per night for men. Granted, there are other factors to be considered before someone can be diagnosed as an alcoholic, such as the feeling of needing to…

Hi! I'm in the same boat. My boyfriend is naturally slim and tries very hard to gain weight. We both eat about 85% clean and CrossFit 6-7 times a week. He is 5'9" and about 155 and his recommended caloric intake for weight gain for his activity level was closer to 3500-4000 calories. Your BF needs to make sure he's eating…

Congratulations! You look great!

Check out iifym.com. I generally steer towards a macro breakdown of 40% Carbs, 30% Protein, 30% Fat. I also aim to eat my my body weight in grams of protein. For example, I'm currently 148 lbs, so I'd aim for 148 grams of protein per day. This is a good starting point for anyone, I believe, although you may feel like you…