lauradupree

Thank you for sharing. There are some good ideas in the mix.

Weigh your food. Be scrupulously honest about how much you are eating. When you plateau, you might try incorporating a cheat day into your diet plan. Once every couple of weeks, have a day with an extra 800 or so calories. This tricks your body and increases your metabolism. This has worked for me and others. Be careful…

I loved this Oh, We are kindred spirits. I have been married nearly twenty-two years. I give my friends and family nicknames which are generally shortened versions of their given names because I love them. I am a sixth generation Californian on my father's side, and his mom was Canadian. Perhaps, it is not only the Welsh…

I agree! I track my calcium instead.

Thanks for sharing. It sounds lovely. I'll have to try it soon.

Freeze the fudge, and use it as a reward at the end of each week until it is gone. Then you can tell your sister that you enjoyed the fudge, and you will not have ruined your figure in the meantime. It will take some willpower, but you will be proud of your success in the end. Wishing you success, Laura

Where does one buy cinnamon chips? Your recipe sounds amazing and so yummy!

Hi, I've lost 24 pounds so far. I have about 15 more pounds to lose. The best advice I can give is: 1) Be diligent about recording every bit of food. 2) Forgive yourself when you go over calorie or make poor choices. 3) Exercise when you can, but go slow. If you can, make exercise a habit, even if it is only walking a few…

Weight loss is good if you need to lose weight, but with the muscle that you are building, it sounds like you are, and should be, in maintenance. It seem like your body is telling you that. I know it is not your goal, but everything you said about yourself is amazing... everything from your clothes size, to your exercise…

It sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing the recipe. :smile:

Hi, I just use the protein, carb, and fat categories as a guide. I feel better if I eat more protein than they recommend. I did reset mine so that roughly half my daily allotment is carbs, and the other half is split between fats and proteins. You might explore this further and choose to track your calcium and iron as well…

Hi, One of my favorite lunches is homemade sandwich wraps. You can use a flour tortilla or a flat bread made for wraps. I spread a Tablespoon of whipped cream cheese and spread it very thinly, so that you can hardly tell its there. Then I put my favorite veggies in... spinach leaves, onion, bell pepper, tomato, and/or…

I like the Skippy Natural Creamy peanut butter. It does not have transfats, so it's a bit better than most, and it spreads easily. My palate didn't like the truly natural/organic peanut butter.

I eat protein to stave off hunger pains. Connie's trainer is correct for eating healthy, but the extra protein is what keeps my hunger at bay. I am on a 1200 per day caloric allotment, and I work out 5 days per week, and sometimes, I eat the extra calories, too. I eat baked chicken breast (boneless and skinless) pretty…

It sounds like water weight which can come and go rather quickly unlike fat. Cheer up. Watch the salt, and drink lots of water. I have gained water weight like that just from spending extra time out in the sun and not drinking enough water. Hang in there. In a day or two you may lose the weight if it's water. :-)

I have heard that a waist size above 32 inches is a health risk as well, but you have to remember it is a general guideline. Most women are somewhat shorter than you are, so taking into account the law of averages, I would think that it wouldn't hurt you to lose a bit more, but your risk is probably relatively low. If…

Cool! Count me in! I've been trying to change things up so that my body doesn't get used to the same exercises. I read that doing the same workout routine becomes ineffective after about three weeks because our bodies become efficient at that routine and burns fewer calories. Thanks!

I think you should give yourself the freedom to have something like that once in a while (not more than once a month). It is good for you to see that something that is sinfully delicious (occasionally and in reasonable serving sizes) won't sabotage your diet. Enjoy the moment, and then go back into diet mode. It will be…

Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to try it.

I exercise a lot, and I suffer from insomnia as well. For some blessed few, exercise works. I allow a small snack for my bouts of insomnia. When I am awake at night, I drink one cup of nonfat milk and eat a small piece of whole wheat toast with about a teaspoon of butter on it. I avoid caffeine after noon. I hope that…

Four pounds lost in four days seems extreme. It could be water weight... or possible the reduction in caloric intake causing your problem. Still 80 ounces sounds like plenty of water, especially if it is plain water. When I get cluster headaches, it is caused from my neck being out of alignment. That's when I visit my…

When your body is efficient at a routine, it burns fewer calories. Try eating slowly after drinking the water. I have found protein to be more effective at keeping real hunger at bay; more fiber helps too.

I read that one should not do the same routine for more than 3 weeks in a row. The routine ceases to be effective because your body has become efficient in that routine. We need to switch things around, use different methods or routines. Belly fat does not go away easily. The best thing to do is concentrate on losing…

I have not seen that abbreviation. Where did you find it? I fairly new too. :-)

Sometimes, we use a brownie mix but substitute applesauce for the oil. It's fantastic and less calories and fat combined with more fiber is even better.

Hi Caz, I'm from California... not Hollywood, Los Angeles, or the San Francisco Bay area. I live out in the country, so I walk my dogs. This is a great motivator because they are always ready to get out for a walk. We usually walk 3 miles a day. They get so excited when they see their leashes. I usually walk at a moderate…

I go with the packaging information for each product. There are disparities on many products. I have updated several products to include more calories, carbs, etc. than were listed on the MFP database because the packaging nutritional guide disagreed with MFP.

It sounds like you might be starving yourself. If you are, your body will go into starvation mode--metabolism slows down, and you quit losing weight. If you are exercising, changing your routine can be helpful. Do different exercises so that you work different muscle groups. Sometimes this is all it takes to break the…

I'm fairly new at this, too. I have found this site invaluable for tracking food, nutrients, etc. as well as for the daily encouragement. This is the first time that I have not felt starved on a diet. I feel in control, and tracking my exercise has boosted my confidence which so far has translated into inches lost in…

In the past when I have been stuck and seem not to be losing weight, I have found that a change in routine will trigger weight loss. You might try doing a new exercise activity, something fun. Another thing you might do is check your measurements, you may be losing inches instead of pounds. I think you might not be eating…