Posts by marilb

Yeah, I hate how weight fluctuates so much because of water retention!

I would advise against hiding the situation from your parents.  If they find out about it, they will probably give you worse grief and at the same time, lose trust.  You are 19 years old, speak to them like the adult you are, and state you are spending time with this person and ask them to respect your decision as you prefer their approval, but do not need it.

Also, something to consider.  Be wary about hanging out with a guy from work.  In many past situations, I've found it is best to avoid dating someone you work with.  I've known women who had men talk about their "dates" to other coworkers, and mention embarrassing personal details.  This made the women very uncomfortable in their work environment.  Also, if you have a messy break up with that person, you still have to see them every day at work and can't avoid him!  It may be best to begin a relationship with him once one of you have started working somewhere else.

Additionally, considering that this man had his license suspended, this probably means he isn't exactly the most responsible person in the world.  So do be a bit cautious (especially considering that you are "a virgin at life").

Hopefully what I said wasn't too abrasive :)

Every time I got a quote from Geico, it was way too pricey.  I had progressive for a few years, then got a great quote from allstate (reduced my insurance by over $800 per year)!!  So I would try to get a quote from them.  I have a great agent, too, if you want the info.

I ate normally yesterday, but this morning about an hour before I was going to leave for work, out of nowhere my stomach started aching so bad and I felt hot and dizzy.  I felt okay lying down, but the stomach cramps would kill me standing up (it's not my TOTM).  I thought it was maybe gas, but burping/passing gas didn't help, nor did having a bowel movement.  I felt really nauseated, but only gagged a few times (nothing came out).  So I'm thinking it's either a virus or food poisoning.  But with food poisoning, I'm assuming I would have thrown up actual food before my stomach was empty.

Original Post by cellophane_star:

That's me. I typed out my entire story in my profile... feel free to take a look.

The key to my weight loss was healthy diet PLUS exercise. I don't know how people can lose weight and keep it off by just cutting calories alone.

I can lose weight with no exercise, but I prefer including exercise as it is good for my overall health.  For me, it is just a matter of eating less calories than I burn so I have a deficit.

During most of my childhood, I was either close to being overweight or overweight until I moved away from my parents.  I went from 140 lbs to 115 just from not eating my mom's food and making my own (I think she added a stick of butter to everything)!!

I do find that I can gain weight easily though if I eat more calories than I burn in a day, which only makes sense.  Also, if I don't eat enough, my metabolism will drop like a rock and I will also gain weight easily. 

Just a fun fact, by eating 100 calories extra a day, you can gain 10 lbs in a year!

Sante Fe brand Whole Grain Tortillas taste wonderful; I get them at Sam's Club.

8g protein, 7g fiber/13 total carbs (no sugar), 3.5g fat, 100 calories.  Only downside is the sodium:  It's about 20% of your daily value.

If you've found a great guy and relationship, cherish it while you have it.  You can "experience" college just fine while being in a steady relationship.  Also, you can always date other people when you're older if it doesn't work out.

Some ideas:

Egg salad sandwich

Scrambled eggs, salsa, nonfat plain yogurt (tastes like sour cream), cheese, and lettuce wrapped inside a whole grain tortilla

Deviled eggs

I don't know if this will help you, but try to avoid sleeping on your back! I've found that I sometimes snore when I sleep on my back, but never when I'm on my side or stomach.

I also notice you crave sugary stuff! Try keeping a bowl of apples out on the table and the cookies out of the way (like in a high cupboard you can only reach with a stool!). You're more likely to go for the apples since they're within reach.

Additionally, you seem somewhat frustrated/unhappy in your life. Please remember that your experiences are mostly what you perceive/expect them to be. I find that counting all my blessings rather than dwelling on the negative things really improve my quality of life, and by usually being in a good mood and smiling increases the chance that others around me will, too. I also find that it is a lot easier to be motivated when I feel well. If I feel poopy and am starting to take it out on myself or other people, I stop myself and reevaluate what I am doing and how I am feeling. For example, ask yourself, why am I feeling this way? Then, is it a big deal and is it worth it to spoil my mood for this? Is it worth it to have this incident have control over my happiness? You'll find that most things are NOT worth that.

We can't expect things or people around us to change, if you feel dissatisfied, you should look to yourself to improve it. You can always control yourself and your perspective on life, and don't dare try to convince yourself that you can not. You have the power to change, and only you can stop yourself from doing it. So, don't give up! If you can find something that makes you extra motivated (like a 5 pound block of fake fat hanging like an ornament from your ceiling, some good music, wanting to live a long and healthy life with your child, fitting into a cute dress, etc) all the better!

You should ask your husband to go easier on you, though. Tell him that it would mean a lot to you if he would be more supportive with positive reinforcement when you're doing something right (like eating the apple instead of the half pack of cookies). People are a lot more likely to repeat behaviors when they are rewarded. Definitely do not resort to yelling or using a mean tone to get your point through though, that rarely solves anything and just escalates a situation, usually leaving all involved parties to feel like crap. If you are feeling upset and can't express it calmly, just relax in the bathroom or take a walk outside.

My boyfriend made me 1 cup of Nature's Path granola and 1/2 cup of 2% milk and a medium banana (that's about as complicated as his breakfast repertoire gets lol).

Usually I like to have 1 large whole egg, 1/2 cup oatmeal with 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup nonfat milk

or an omelette (2 large whole eggs, 2 tbs nonfat milk, 1 tbs parmigiano) with 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms and onion

or a whole grain tortilla (100 calories) with one scrambled egg, baby spinach, 2 tbs salsa and plain nonfat yogurt.

I see some people are avoiding egg yolks! For only fifty-something calories, each egg yolk is packed with nutrients :) 'tis a shame to leave them out of your diet.

http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php has a ton of neat articles about foods including eggs.

The reason you are gaining weight is because your body is in starvation mode, thus your body is hanging onto food and your metabolism is slowed. It probably isn't from the natural growth that comes with age, as you definitely don't eat enough to allow your body to grow normally. Your current calorie intake isn't healthy for your body. If you think 110 lbs is right for your height, at least wait until you're 18 or older so your body can finish flourishing, and then consult a professional.

You probably won't regain your period until you get a regular amount of fat/calories back into your diet while simultaneously easing up on working out.

If you are doing absolutely no activity, eat at the minimum 1500 calories per day, and you WILL lose weight. You will likely remain in starvation mode if you eat less than that. You will likely gain some weight while your body adjusts out of starvation mode, but the weight will come off.

If you burn 300 calories by some form of exercise, you have to eat MINIMUM 1800 calories for that day so you don't go into starvation mode.

KEY POINT: Stay OUT of starvation mode.

Secondly, you should reconsider the sound advice given to you by the above posters.

My opinion, if you feel flabby at your minimum healthy weight, weight train and eat more protein right after workouts so your body can put on muscle...don't try to just lose weight. With more muscle, you will look smaller at a healthier weight. You will also have to take in more calories if you are working out.

DJ Fresh - Submarines was my favorite workout song for years.  Whenever I hear it I can't help but want to move.

Pendulum - Sounds of Life is my current favorite for exercising.

Both are on youtube, too (I won't guarantee that you'll like them though)!

I also text using proper grammar; nothing odd about it.

For enjoying vegetables, I suggest you start with something that hides the vegetables a bit. Sautee onions, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, set aside, then heat a tortilla in the pan (I suggest Sante Fe brand Whole Grain Tortillas from Sam's Club: 100 calories, 8g protein, 7g fiber). Add wild rice, black beans, cooked chicken, raw baby spinach, sauteed vegetables, salsa, avacado, and non-fat plain yogurt to the tortilla for a super delicious burrito. Omit any of the ingredients and it will still taste great! Plus, you can make a ton of the burritos and keep in the freezer for a quick meal...I recommend not putting in baby spinach until after you reheat the burritos, though.

Another way to enjoy vegetables is to drown raw vegetables with a nonfat plain yogurt and dried dill weed dip. I usually add a ton of dill weed and a little onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce...Experiment with spices until you find something you like. Or, you could add caramelized onions to plain yogurt for another yummy dip. If the yogurt is too sour for your taste, add a little miracle whip to mellow it out.

A third thing you could try is cutting up lots of different vegetables into small pieces, and tossing them in a large bowl with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Let this marinate at least overnight for a wonderful antipasto.

For fruit, I suggest adding it to cereal or oatmeal. Oatmeal, berries, yogurt, and a little bit of honey is insanely good! You could also make fruit popsicles or smoothies from frozen fruit. Banana, frozen strawberry, yogurt, and a splash of orange juice is my personal favorite.

Have fun experimenting with flavors! I hope you like fruits and vegetables more in the future; I know I used to hate tomatoes when I was younger, but now I can't live without them (supposedly your sense of taste changes every seven years).

Different people lose weight from different areas first, before other parts of the body can lose weight.  For example, I lose weight first from my waist, and last from my chest (lucky me).  Perhaps your arms are getting smaller now, in that circumstance you wouldn't notice your pants size decreasing.

Ask your dad to buy some boxes of granola or protein bars; you can keep some in your bag.  On days when you don't have time to make breakfast or lunch, eat those in order to help prevent future binging as you won't be so ravenous when you get home.