Posts by esthershort

I second the wrap or cross over style - empires didn't work for me when I was a large apple, they just made me look very pregnant althouth I wasnt.  The do however work better now I am a smaller apple depending on the style

Thanks guys I think I will have to be practical and go for the 4's as the dress is too long to go with no shoes for dancing!

Homemade soup - the possibilities are endless - a different flavour each batch you make

Breakfast - mushrooms, tomatoes, 1 egg 2 tbsp baked beans (reduced salt & sugar) 1/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar - made into a sort of omlette - cup tea with milk

Snack 1 - banana, tea with milk

Lunch - homemade soup with either a boiled egg cottage cheese or small portion of cooked meat & piece of fruit, tea with milk

Snack 2 - fat free greek yougurt with Peanut butter and a little jam/jelly, tea with milk

Dinner - some sort of meat/fish and veggie combo including - casserole, summer squash lasagne (replace the pasta sheets with strips of squash), bolagnaise, or veggie/cheese bake - Or the occasional pasta dish with lots of veggies and a small serving of the pasta

Rough Calorie amounts based on a target of 1500 -1600 a day
B - 300
L - 300 - 400
D - 500 - 600
S - 350
Drinks - 100   (milk in tea)

I think your body is trying to tell you that 1400 isn't enough for you right now - I ran your stats through ther burn meter (guessing your age at 25) and it gave me a daily burn of 2400 at lightly active so you are running a daily defict of 1000 cal.  Maybe try eating 1600 to 1800 depending and see if that helps - it still gives you a good deficit each day but may allow you not to feel so hungry.

I started at a weight than you (188) and have sucessfully lost over 50lbs eating 1600 to 1800 a day with similar activity to you

Good Luck

On the activity level question I have been advised before to read them as or statements not and statements - so basically pick the 1 description that suits you best and whatever category that is in that's your activity level. It has worked for me

I think that lack of excersise could be the problem, I was going to the gym and doing both cardio and weights in early 2011, but then I got a new job and am struggling to find the time to properly work out whilst holding down a full time job and being a single mum to a 10 & 12 year old.  Diet is the easy fix as it requires less time and effort as everyone has to eat right!

Not in my case,  I have lost over 50lbs since Jan 2011.  I have done this slowly with maintenance breaks through out.  I counted every single day for the first 6 months took my first maintenance break and did not count and I maintaned a stable weight for 2 -3 months (within 4lb from my last weight counting).  Each time I take a maintenance (counting) break my weight does the same.  I am now at the point where I am loosing vanity lbs and I am very rarely counting. I found that by really taking notice of my daily logs I am able to roughly estimate how many calories I am eating. I do log the occasional day just to check that I am not over/under estimating my calories.

The one thing that I do not take a break from is measuring my portion sizes and making healthier choices 80 - 90% of the time.   

Good luck

I hear you - I'm a full time working mum to a boy and a girl aged 10 & 12.  My advice is don't sweat the exersize (pun intended!)  The only exercize I get it the walk to school/work and weekend activities and I am loosing weight, it is a case of getting the food intake correct.  I am now down nearly 50lbs in 18 months.  I have taken time out during this period and maintained my weight, and at the begining I was not working and did go the the gym for an hour twice a week but that was only for a few months. 

To be honest working full time, walking to/from work and being active at the weekends is exersize - I have myself set to light activity and the calories that this site works out for me at that setting work just fine - good luck