Posts by novileigh

Look at it this way - since your metabolism isn't so high, you'll learn moderation early and integrate it into your lifestyle now. So when those girls are 25-30, and their fast metabolism goes away, they'll either have to learn quick how to moderate, or gain all the weight that they didn't when they were young. And you will be slender and happy.

Or who knows? Maybe she's very active, goes to the gym and does lots of physical things that afford her such treats?

Short answer - Yes, you can lose weight on nutrasystem or NuLean or any program you do, so long as there's a healthy calorie defecit.

Nulean doesn't look like a Nutrisystem-style meal replacement to me anyway? Because I went on the website you linked to and it looks like a colon cleanser to me, that you replace one meal a day with. Please look up the negative effects of colon cleansing before making a decision like that. (For example, for the first few weeks after a cleanse, you have to eat only specific foods to replenish the good bacteria in your colon. NO cheating, as the cleanse has stripped your system of its ability to deal with treats.)

This Nulean stuff looks like just another diet pill (even in shake form). You won't sustain long-term weight loss with a pill/shake with diet pill ingredients unless you plan to keep taking it forever. Try a healthy, natural diet with a 500-calorie defecit and your results may be slower, but they'll work. Without any possible side effects!

Vegetarian is only healthier if you make smart vegetarian food choices. And I think it helps that vegetarians can't eat a whole lot of fast food (Going to your local Goodburger will pretty much only get you a choice of a Goodburger, Goodchickenburger, or fries fried in Goodburger drippings - none of which a vegetarian would eat).

I don't see a whole lot of men on the boards, but I can assure you that you're most definitely not the only man calorie counting. Don't feel alone! I know it can be nice to have support from your own gender, but us chicks aren't so bad either. Congratulations on your loss!

I can't really be annoyed by it, because it really is one of those things where if you're not ready to do it, then nothing could convince you. When I see those people, its kind of sad. But its more than rewarding when you find people who ask, listen, do something about it, and actually lose weight! Some people need to be told that it IS that easy if you go about it the right way. And its incredibly awesome to see their results and know you had a part in it.

Its important not to beat yourself up over that - guilt doesn't do you any good! At best, you enjoyed a holiday weekend, which, as long as its not a super-regular thing, is good for you. If you can't enjoy a cheat day every once in a great while, you're not living! And at worst, you had a few overly caloric days and you're going to get back on track now. And its important that you don't try to undereat to "make up" for any day you've messed up. Just get back into your regular calorie range, and move forward.

I like canned soups as a once in a while thing, but I prefer to make my own - less sodium, you get more soup for the price, the flavor's more developed than store-bought, and there are less preservatives since the veggies are fresh.

Junk food is getting just as expensive, some of it! At my grocery store, doritos are $3.99/bag and pepsi is $4.99/12 pack.

I'm a vegetarian, so I may not have the answers to the meat problems you have. But...

1. Dried spices last longer than fresh. Unless you've got a PHENOMINAL fresh herb selection with great prices, just get a jar of the dried ones and you'll have it on hand for many meals to come. And that way, next time a meal calls for sage, you can just grab it from your pantry instead of having to buy it fresh every time.

2. Embrace meat as an accompaniment. Maybe you were doing this before, maybe not. But a meal that relies on meat to be the primary focus will cost more, since meat costs more than the alternatives (grains, pastas, legumes...) Try to divide the meal between meat, a pasta or something, and a vegetable. Healthier and more economical.

3. Lunchmeats are expensive. Especially "healthy" ones, or fresh-cut from the deli counter. Turkey meat at my deli counter is $6.99/lb! You can get a whole turkey for a WAY better deal than $6.99/lb. Yes, you'll have to cook it and cut it up yourself. But you're paying for convenience. Though, really thinking of it, how convenient is it to drastically overpay for something?

4. Some people don't like TVP, but mixing TVP (textured vegetable protein) in with ground beef will stretch it further. I personally love tvp, and its cheap.

5. Stock up on pantry staples when they're on sale! They don't go on sale often. But every once in a while, you'll see a sale on whole wheat pasta/brown rice/quinoa/whatever grain you like. Check the expiry dates and, if they're good, stock up! You'll spend more that week, but less in the long run. That's also a good time to try new grains that you may not have before. (Pantry staples isn't specifically limited to grains/legumes - if you use canned pasta sauce, stock up. Or canned vegetables, dried spices, food-additive sauces like soy or worcestire...

Having a HEALTHY defecit, as many of the above posters said, is the way to go. But don't get discouraged if you don't lose 3lbs every single week - you didn't gain 3 every week when putting it on, did you? So to expect 3 every week when taking it off might be a disappointment. Don't look for an exact number per week, just look for it to be going predominantly down, and  your body to start looking/feeling better.

I'd suggest adding healthy fats like avocados or nuts (a few spoonfuls of peanut butter can add 200 quick cals to your day, and a bit of sliced avocado on your turkey wrap could be really easy to fit in and still not make it seem like you're eating more food). And don't rule out adding a healthy snack bar either (larabars are all natural fruit and nuts, most are raw, and can add 200 cals to your diet easily while making you feel like you've had a treat).

Are you burning, in total, between 2700-3200 cals a day? I haven't started p90x (though I plan to soon) but from my current weight/activity level I'm supposed to eat about 1900 cals a day (2100 when I really push myself). You should be burning between 500-1000 more than you consume.

wyogirl - when you're sick, your body needs all the nutrients you can get! Don't feel bad about not counting during that!

My workout program has been slowly getting back to normal. And I've been considering getting a tattoo. Nothing else new!

Well, it seems like you're eating a lot of "diet foods" - they're all good for you, and it seems like the kind of diet you'd be full off of, but adding a few high-cal-for-low-volume foods in there couldn't hurt!

Oh, and some peanut (or almond or cashew) butter on your rice cake might help. Plus be delicious.

Are you eating enough fat other than that in your diet? If you're severely limiting your fat intake, your body could be crying out for the peanut butter just for the fat content!

Congratulations! It seems like a little hurdle, but that's actually a big step - not taking something from a big tray of "mystery calorie" foods is a good indicator that its not just your body changing - your willpower is growing too, and food doesn't have the power over you that it once did. So, good for you!