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Could the problem be cortisol?
I'm wondering whether anyone else has a problem with cortisol, and how it's affecting your ability to lose weight. My hormones are all out of whack - that's been confirmed by my doctor - and one of the problems is that my cortisol is sky-high. I know it's a steroid hormone related to stress, but I'm not sure what exactly…
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You know you're a horse person when...
We were having a discussion in the barn recently - all of us have certain oddities that we think are caused by exposure to horses. You know you're a horse person when... * you keep your heels down when you're riding a bike - and only mount it from the left. * "Sorry, that poo is mine, I'll pick it up in a moment." is a…
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Dealing with business trips
I'm back here because I put 10 lbs back on since changing jobs, and I don't want it to be more than that. I've changed to a desk job and the people here go out for lunch every day. It's a problem, but one I can deal with. The thing that's really getting me, though, is the travel involved. I've just returned from a weeklong…
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Action Cancer MOT
I just did the (free!) Action Cancer MOT health check today and found it very useful - especially the body composition bit, because they figure out your BMR for you. Just thought I'd mention it here in case it helps anyone else...
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It's breaking my heart...
This is going to be a lengthy post, so here's the TL;DR version first: There's some kind of abuse going on with the horse I loan; his owner (who has ridden only a handful of times in the last few years) had him out this weekend and I've basically had to start over with the training. He was completely panicked about…
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Weight lifting without using shoulders?
I've been hearing everyone go on and on about how weight lifting is the one true way to happiness. It sounds really boring, but I'm willing to give it a try. The problem is that I have a minor disability: the accessory nerve that controls the muscles in my right shoulder has been damaged and is not coming back. Ever. That…
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Dehydration?
I've noticed that while I drink a lo of water - definitely the recommended 8 glasses a day - I'm also constantly thirsty, and tend to get cracked lips. It's not diabetes - I've been tested for that - and it doesn't seem to matter how much I drink. I end up just having to go to the loo more. I think it might be to do with…
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Just how poisonous is laundry detergent?
My housemate has her own, very particular brand of "hygiene", which consists of being wasteful and then complaining about having to pay for electricity, replacement cleaning supplies, etc. She'll only eat off her own plate and bowl - carefully washed with a tablespoon of dish soap each, under running water and dried with…
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Stubborn stopping
I always get good advice from the MFP horse crowd, so here's another one for you: Jackson has recently started doing a really annoying thing - in the arena, being led around the yard, and especially out hacking. He stops and refuses to budge any further, and would spin around and go back if I let them. Sometimes, it's…
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Make your own Thin Mints - better than the Girl Scouts
Ok, not a low-calorie recipe, but 'tis the season to do baking. These really taste like "proper" thin mints and consist entirely of real ingredients! For the wafers: 225g butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix, real cocoa) pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups flour Knead the above into a smooth dough, roll out…
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Restricting salt for horses?
Hi all, since I'm a first-time horse owner and it's a steep learning curve, I thought I'd ask some people with more experience... Since I've moved Jack to a new stable, and have been the only person taking care of him, I've noticed that he pees a *lot*. Like a racehorse, in fact. The moment he stands on something soft…
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Best Wii games?
I'm planning to get my parents a Wii for Christmas, so I thought I'd ask about everyone's favourite games here (this being one of my few identities on the internet they don't know about!) They're both avid gamers anyway, usually of the rpg or puzzle variety. I'm trying to a) get them a little more active and b) get them…
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Asda pasta
I buy fresh pasta a lot. It's tastier, quicker to boil, and has more protein than the dry stuff. And Asda fresh tagliatelle, at 179 cals for 1/2 a pack (a very decent 125 g before cooking) have become a staple of my diet. However, I was shopping at Tesco the other day and their fresh pasta - same ingredients, same amount…
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Sorry, boobs, I love my legs!
Ok, I'll never have the "thigh gap" look. My thighs are only 2" smaller than my waist at this point. But that's ok, I don't want the thigh gap look. I've recently come to the astonishing conclusion that my legs are now the most shapely part of me. I used to think of my figure in terms of "at least I have cleavage and a…
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My horse thinks he's a motorbike...
I've been having real trouble cantering in the arena, because Jackson totally stiffens up and leans into the turns until I feel that my inside toe is scraping in the sand - and he's impossible to keep on the fence, he keeps spiralling into tinier circles. Naturally, I assumed it was me, but I've been riding a few other…
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How's this for an NSV?
I'm packing for a holiday, and realised I lent my luggage scale to a friend who never gave it back. But that's ok,... ...because I'm no longer afraid of my scale, so I can simply step on it with/without the suitcase to see how much it weighs!
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Okapi on a plateau
Hi guys, A friend recommended I post here rather than in the general forums, since the advice I was getting there was spotty at best... Long story short, I've been plateauing for several months now, though initially I was losing well, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated. Over the last three months, I lost a grand total…
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Another "help, I've hit a plateau" thread...
When I started here, I was losing weight steadily, but it's slowed now, and I've not lost anything for a good six weeks. Nothing at all - my last registered loss was a temporary fluke. I've been reading similar things here and it seems the usual advice is "eat more", but I'm not sure that would help here... I tried going…
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Tell me your horsey NSVs!
I know a lot of us are trying to get in shape for our horses - so you must have some little victories to share? Today, Jackson took off in a mad gallop when I asked for canter, and my first thought was "hey, my bum no longer hits that seam on the cantle when he does that!". Also, I tried him in his new Western pad today -…
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Really sore quads after hiking
Hi all, I'm hoping some of you might have a good tip for me. Long story short, we got lost hiking on Saturday (or rather, we were going the right way, but the path no longer existed!) and ended up doing a three-hour scramble over talus hidden in bracken down a steep slope to get to the road before dark. Two days later, my…
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Watch where you're walking!
Jackson's hooves were quite overgrown (his owner always leaves it too long to get the farrier) but now they're neatly trimmed and re-shod, and he *still* trips on everything. During today's hack, he must have stumbled a dozen times. I think it's because he daydreams and literally forgets to look where he puts his feet.…
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Hiking in tights
...has anyone tried it? I have a friend who swears by spandex running tights for hiking. Apparently, the compression keeps your muscles from getting tired so fast. I'd feel a little self-conscious, but I wear tights for biking so I'm sure I could get over it. But is there any actual advantage? It seems that the lack of…
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Lifting with a damaged shoulder
Sooo, everyone's saying weights are the way to happiness, but I'm just not sure they're for me. I have nerve damage in my right shoulder - my accessory nerve was damaged during surgery a few years ago, and while I've got about 85% range of motion back for that arm, it is rather weak. I especially have trouble with my…
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An unexpected NSV...
My housemate is usually reclusive to antisocial, so it was a bit of a surprise when she asked me to sit out in the sun with her today. Nice to socialise with her a bit, and we got to chatting. She told me she'd noticed I'd lost a lot of weight and said I was looking very sexy, and that her friend had noticed too and was…
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Very tender breasts...
...no, I don't mean chicken breasts. Not sure this is the right place, but here goes: every few months, my breasts develop big lumps - sometimes the size of golf balls - that are very sore. I've been to see a specialist about it and she says it's benign, it's just glandular tissue and it's probably swelling because my…
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The best figure in Hollywood - 1931 edition!
I found this article on Slate very interesting: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2013/04/17/best_figure_1931_photoplay_magazine_article_judges_starlet_measurements.html?wpisrc=obnetwork It's a discussion from 1931 on which celeb of the day has the best figure, backed up by an analysis of their measurements, and…
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Restarting c25k
We had an emergency at work today, and I had to run (or try to sprint) about 1km, and couldn't quite do it in one piece - though that may have been due to heavy work boots. Still, it has me determined to get back into c25k. I'd started it last year and was already in week 7, the 20-minute run, when I had a riding accident,…
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Rock bottom confidence
Over the last month or so, I've been getting the feeling that I can't do anything right, especially on a horse! We've had a few bolts and other surprises, but Jackson is easy to bring back when he does run and never bucks or rears. I've never fallen off him. But lately, I've been clinging on like a beginner and almost…
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Rotator cuff woes
Hoping someone might have some useful advice/exercises for me! Since I had surgery a few years ago, I've had trouble with my right shoulder, especially the rotator cuff, and have a reduced range of motion/strength in that arm. My accessory nerve was nicked during an operation on my neck, and fortunately recovered, but only…
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The hands of a ranger...
Not sure this is the right place to post this, but what do you active people do to keep your hands intact? I love my ranger job, it's very active and outdoors. But between that, the horse, and my reenactment stuff, my hands are starting to suffer. I don't mean they're no longer perfectly manicured - they were never that in…
