Posts by rysi

I lost 7 lbs in January but I bought a digital scale at the start of January, and discovered my old scale was weighing 7lb too low -- I feel as though I haven't lost any weight even though I have. I'm a slave to the numbers!!

blueberry muffins. I have to freeze them individually so that I can only get at one

Fresh fruit and vegetables are overpriced in the UK so I know where you're coming from. One way to lower the costs is to buy basics such as frozen or canned fruit (in juice rather than syrup) and vegetables from budget supermarkets, and try to eliminate waste on all kinds of food by buying in bulk when something is on offer (most supermarkets have offers on something each week so stock up when something is on 3 for 2 or buy one get one free) and freezing what you're not going to use immediately. If you split everything into portions for you or your family before you freeze it, you're also not tempted to take out too much and then eat the leftovers (I do this with meat, fish, bread, etc). Also shop around rather than buy everything at just one store ... I go to six or seven different supermarkets and buy different things at each.

Designer clothes! London, Paris and Milan, here I come!

Some people don't notice straight away because your weight isn't what defines you as being you in their eyes. If you're not very overweight to start with, they might not have even noticed that you were carrying a few extra pounds.

It also depends how frequently you see people. Someone you last saw before losing the 10lb might notice where someone you've seen every day might not because you're not that different to the last time they looked.

I've made the decision to lose weight twice in my life. The first aged around 13 when a classmate told me I was really pretty and could be a model if I lost weight (the positive image of myself that throwaway comment gave me worked where criticism hadn't!), the second after I gained weight during treatment for a thyroid disorder and I made a decision to use my metabolism to lose the weight but decided to wait two years from being discharged from the hospital before doing anything that might throw my body off balance again and stuck to that decision to the day.

The first time I lost weight it was a pretty miserable affair. I was a fat kid and I starved myself until I was a thin kid. This time it was much better, using exercise and adjusting my eating habits to make my metabolism as effective as possible and I'm now about 10-15 lbs lighter than before my thyroid screwed up (and still losing weight) and feel so much healthier :)

I've lost 70 lb since July 2008. I am 10 lb from my next milestone (a BMI of 25) and 43 lb from my target weight.

If you're on a budget, I would look at ebay, charity shops, freecycle, cheap chainstores, ask friends and relatives, etc, and avoid buying good new clothes until you reach your target size. You don't need to worry about clothes lasting a long time if you're not going to be that size for long, so consider cheaper brands than usual if you're buying new.

A lot will depend on your proportions too. I have broad shoulders so I can usually get away with tops two or three sizes too big, but I don't have much in the way of hips so my jeans start falling down even before the next size down fits comfortably. The only thing I can do to avoid replacing my jeans every three or four weeks is wear a belt. I'd agree with noxie that you can wear up to two sizes bigger with a belt.

I've been compared to Drew Barrymore so many times since childhood. I really don't look like her though!

I think it's the best breakfast. I eat oatmeal every morning and it keeps me full and gives me energy like nothing else does.

I measure out one third of a cup of oatmeal [wholegrain oat flakes (90%), wheat bran (10%)] and add about half a cup of skimmed milk. I microwave this for 2 minutes then stir in 1 teaspoon of unrefined raw sugar and sprinkle another one on the top, then add a scoop of freeze-dried acai berry. That's usually it, but today I threw in a handful of leftover blueberries.

I used to suffer with this in my teens and could virtually guarantee I'd wake up at exactly midnight thinking there was some kind of malevolent presence in my room. I stopped it in my teens by having my dog sleep in my room and never allowing myself to fall asleep before midnight, and I'm sure it was partly some kind of self-fulfilling fear that triggered it.

I didn't find out it was so common until it returned in my late 20s and I googled it; once I knew what it was I didn't have the feelings of a presence any more, only floating above myself or weird hallucinations where I could see and feel my arms move, only for them to snap back to where they were because they hadn't actually moved at all ... more frustrating and sorta like groundhog day, but I could usually force out of it once I realised what it was. It seems to happen when I'm overtired, jetlagged, or after taking certain asthma medications in the evening (I switched to a different type of inhaler after realising that was a trigger).

1. what's your favorite source of meat? (chicken, pork, etc): chicken

2. what about your least favorite kind of meat?: lamb

3. what meats are traditionally served at thanksgiving in your family?: we don't have a thanksgiving here

4. what's your favorite way to cook meat?: grill or ovenbake

5. do you think meat is worth the calories?: yes, but not for the taste (I could live without it)

6. in your opinion, what's the most exotic meat you've ever eaten?: nothing exotic, and I intend to keep it that way.

7. is there a kind of meat you'd like to try that you've never tried?: no.

8. what's your favorite thing to do with chicken?: oven bake

9. how do you like your steak?: I don't, but if I did it would be extremely well done.

10. what's your favorite thing to do with fish/sea food?: canned tuna mixed with raw onions as a filling for a baked potato.

11. honestly, since becoming calorie-conscious/health-conscious.. do you miss bacon?: there's nothing wrong with bacon if you choose the right cut. I'd eat it if I wanted it.

12. what is your favorite non-animal source of meat? (eggs, beans, nut butters, etc): eggs

13. what was the last meat product you ate?: chicken

14. do you weigh out an 85g portion (1 "serving") of meat, or do you just eat however much you want as long as you log the calories?: just eat what I can; 85g is a large portion.

15. what is the next meat product you'll most likely eat?: chicken

I have the same problem. A couple of bites and my stomach's happy!! It's supposed to help if you eat really slowly, but it doesn't help me. I suspect part of the reason for me is that I never really am hungry before I start eating. I eat frequent small meals to keep my metabolism working, so it's rarely more than three hours since I last ate.

What I do to compensate is start with a meal containing the amount of food I want/need to eat. If someone else has plated the meal, I sort out the amount I want to eat before I start and just go with that. One day, my body might get the message and work with me on this :)

I actually don't think about the deficit; I just aim for around 1450 calories a day. I'm fairly active so I'd guess I have a 1000+ calorie deficit most days (weight loss is around 2-3lb a week). I try not to drop below 1200 calories in any one day, and I have 2000-2200 calories in a day once every week or so to stop my metabolism getting too comfortable.

Your breasts should reduce as you lose body fat but your cup size might not change as you lose weight (everyone's different), so it might look as though your breasts aren't getting smaller. I am still an F cup after losing 60 lbs and dropping a couple of band sizes (40F down to 36F), but my breasts are smaller because my body is still in roughly the same proportions as it was before.