hedwardsb Member

I'm 5'5", so I'm familiar with healthy weights for you height, and if you're dipping below 105, you're underweight. The reason you feel fat when you gain a couple of pounds is because you're accustomed to being underweight. You're not going to gain muscle underweight.

I'm no expert, but my guess the small difference between the TDEE & the BMR is because you set it to sedentary. My BMR at 5'5" is 1269, but my TDDE because I walk a lot is 1967. If I were you, I'd just go with the calories recommended by MFP. There are many people on here who have lost a lot of weight without exercise.…

Tried to insert a comment in response to part of a quote, and it didn't work out for me. ;)

I have found the calories for frozen foods to be mostly accurate. When I'm eating something that I'm uncertain about--like ny style pizza-- I go with the mid to higher estimate. I can't imagine being without a kitchen. What a pain! My crockpot & rice cooker are my best friends during the work week.

Unless you're entering from a specific restaurant, you have to choose the selection with what you estimate to be comparable calories. There are New York slice entries ranging from 250 to 750. Pizza can be killer for calories & fat even when I make my own with 2% cheese.

Almond milk is a great way to hit your calcium goal, if that's a problem. I like it in coffee, cereal, oatmeal.

You're welcome! I eat a clementine & drink a small cup of coffee before then gym, and then I go home & eat my real breakfast with more coffee. Ground flax seed is another nice add-in for protein, omegas, and fiber. I've read several articles touted the benefits of chia seeds, so I want to try those.

I eat plain yogurt with fruit (fresh or frozen) & sliced natural almonds. Unsweetened coconut flakes make it extra tasty, too. I don't drink black coffee. I add unsweetened original almond milk which has a huge calcium bonus. It took me a number of months to wean myself off sweetened coffee by decreasing the sweetener…

I've always had this problem, too, and My doctor said I don't have low blood sugar. It happens even after a high protein meal unless it was also a very high calorie meal. I just require frequent sustenance. I personally eat fewer calories over the course of the day, if I eat frequently. That said, I looked at your diary,…

At least one study has been conducted that suggests increased calcium & magnesium decreases premenstual and menstrual symptoms. Seeing my macros when tracking on MFP, I find that to be true for me. Although I still have some cravings, it's nothing like usual and small treats satisfy rather than a full-on pig-out.

I had three children and breastfed them each for 10 months to a year. I NEVER lost the last ten pounds until I'd weaned. Once i cut feeding to once or twice a day, the pounds magically vanished. And once the child was a year old, my midsection magically shrank--not to pre-baby shape--bit to reveal a waist. I did not…

Find a gym buddy. If a friend is expecting me at a certain time, I just go no matter how tired.

I wake up hungry, and I immediately eat my "mini breakfast"--small fruit & cup of coffee with almond milk. Once I'm ready for work I have the rest of breakfast & as a previous poster mentioned, it needs to be a quality meal with protein, not nonsense like a doughnut. Otherwise a cycle of sweet, carb snacking will ensue.…

Definitely! :)

I'm in my 40s, if you want to add me. I'm a maintainer who comes & goes when my weight moves out of my 8-pound window. The year I turned 40, I'd hit my highest weight ever not pregnant. I lost over 10 pounds just trying to eat healthier, but when my weight loss stalled, I joined MFP to take off the last 10 pounds. MFP is…

I've been wearing the fitbit one since January 2013. The only problem I've had with it is the clip broke, so I had to carry it in my pocket until the new clip arrived. Because the clip fell apart before I'd had it for year, fitbit replaced it for free, but it kept forgetting to carry it and almost lost it when it was…

I cook my oatmeal in Original unsweetened Almond milk instead of water. My latest favorite add-ins are: fresh sliced strawberries, a banana, 1 T whole flax seed, & 1T unsweetened coconut flakes. My other favorites: 1 T peanut butter & 1/8 C semi sweet morsels Chopped apple, walnuts, & cinnamon Frozen blueberries & sliced…

I'm a working mom of three, also. The crockpot is my friend, and if I plan meals for the week, everything goes better!

I use original unsweetened in my coffee, cereal, oatmeal, baking/cooking. I like the flavor, and it's a big calorie savings. There's added sugar in the varieties that aren't designated as "unsweetened."

Yay! So awesome!

Red Robin

A pedometer is a good way to motivate yourself to move more and to ease into greater daily activity. I got myself a fitbit last January, and knowing a short walk can push me closer to my daily goal is enough to get me moving. A nice side benefit is seeing how many extra steps & flights of stairs I get when I do laundry…

I keep a can of almonds in my cabinet at work. They are a perfect protein boost for crazy days or just days when you need a pick me up. The key for me is to count them out rather than just eating from the can. Today I was hungry & in a rush 2 hours from lunch, so I counted out seven & ate them on the run. Surprisingly…

I come & go with counting calories because for the most part I'm a maintainer with a 5-8 pound window that brings me back. The year I took of pounds, I found the days I was most consistent I'd planned my meals and done some pre-logging the night before. For example, last night we had chicken soup for dinner, and when I…

Vegetarian Chile Relleños--super tasty & filling! http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/63296537/vegetarian-chile-rellenos/detail.aspx

I'm www.fitbit.com/user/24LN73 although I haven't been making my steps at all lately.

The pounds do come on amazingly easy considering the effort it takes to banish them!

Your calorie intake is not that high on most days, so as others have said, that could be causing the splurge. You have 2 options IMO: 1. up your daily calories & avoid the pancakes or 2. Leave your calories the same and eat, log, and enjoy the pancakes. If you're still at your calorie goal for the week and maintaining or…

I used to use cream & sugar in my coffee. I weaned myself away from sugar by using decreasing amounts of honey & almond milk, then just almond milk, and finally unsweetened almond milk. At one point it was so heavy on the almond milk, I had to heat it a little, so it was still hot enough. I prefer to brew Dunkin Donuts or…