SparkPeople Diet and Nutrition Messageboard

Turkey day

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:14:48 EST

I bought a turkey at Easter but didn't cook it because my best forever friend was away for a few months. Today is the day I cook a turkey but instead of stuffing, I am going to use pineapple, celery, onions and oranges.

Raw vegan detox

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:54:26 EST

Just done a two day juice fast ( a raw vegan one) but am going back to food today, thinking of trying to do it one day a week, anyone got any advice or tips on juice fasts?

Healthy choice without coke

Sat, 18 May 2013 20:53:14 EST

I am a coke-a-holic. 4 to 5 cokes (20oz) a day. When I started my lifechange, I quit drinking cokes. I have been 5 months now without one coke. The one thing that saved me was lemon jiuce in the bottle. I now drink 4\5 32 oz. Containers of lemon water a day. I am afraid to have a coke now because it is an addiction and I know that I will undo everything that I have done so far. So, it is easier to just stay away from it. Not to say that Idont miss it. I do every day.

How to track when dinning out or at a family funct

Sat, 18 May 2013 20:49:33 EST

Now that I am tracking what I eat and I am more aware of what I am putting into my body, I still want to go out and enjoy someone else cooking and cleaning and the great family time that can be had by having a dinner out. I don't eat out often maybe twice a month if that. I do go to family gatherings. I don't want to always be worried about everything. Any tips and advise welcome.

Jenny Craig anybody?

Sat, 18 May 2013 18:11:20 EST

just finished week one of Jenny. so far so good. amazing what happens when you actual pay attention and do what you should be doing. Whether its Jenny, WW, Sparks etc.

Count CARBS or CALORIES?

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:33:31 EST

Hi, everyone!

I have recently decided that it was time to get healthy! Over the last few years I have become health conscience, and I know obesity causes many health problems. When I first started dieting, about 3 weeks ago, I was counting calories only. I would consume about 1,690 a day; however, a friend of mine swears by the low carb diet! Yes, I know protein and veggies are important, but if you limit yourself to 60 carbs a day (that's where I was planning to start), you ...

losing 120 pounds

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:56:28 EST

Hello everyone I am in the need of some help I wants to lose 120lbs I do not know where to start and what type of meal plan I should have what do you all suggest I am currently at 338lbs please help me out Thanks alot Matt

Dining out

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:48:10 EST

Wondering where other people dine for low cal and low fat meals. Which restaurants do you like the best and which is your best menu items.

Switching from Weight Watchers to Calorie Counting

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:32:21 EST

In the past three weeks- after a two week trial period- I've lost 7 pounds on Weight Watchers. However, I technically could not afford the sign-up fee when I joined, and I'm definitely not going to be able to afford to renew when my subscription runs out.

So, I've come to the conclusion that if I can't continue WW, my next best bet is to go back to calorie counting. However, the idea of having to count the calories for fruit and veggies is quite a letdown. I'm really loving the fre...

Must read-10 Steps to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:25:35 EST

The Mind over Body article was a real help to me. I highly recommend you to read it all the way through and bookmark it for the future. It has a lot of good information and I couldn't agree more with the fact that we are not on a diet plan but a lifestyle change.

Indian recipes needed in diet plan

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:55:41 EST

I am based in India and the diet and nutrition advice gives mostly westernised food. Could you suggest a diet plan : breakfast, lunch and dinner or indians

Need a diet plan. Thoughts?

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:39:56 EST

I been on the band wagon since May 1st. I'm doing pretty good. I just want a more stable diet. I kinda just eat what i think is healthy. Last few days i been googling some of things i been eating and realize they're not so healthy. Seems like there's always something bad in every food unless it comes from a tree or the ground. What i'm asking is... do you have a diet plan that's been working? I want to have a lot of fruits, veggies and protein in my diet. I just feel like i'm eating the same ...

No weightloss after a month....

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:55:00 EST

Super frustrated new member here! A little background about me:
I'm 30, 5'6, and currently 240lbs. I'm a SAHM to my two wonderful little boys and have been struggling to lose weight after my pregnancies. I developed GD while pregnant with my second son, and also had high BP issues during the end of the pregnancy. I'm almost 2 years post partum and have gained weight vs. losing dispite my most sincere efforts to manage my eating and exercising.

For a full 5 weeks I dieted and...

1500 cal

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:37:50 EST

Is anybody else doing the fifteen hundred calorie diet or plan I was doing the 1200 but was gaining weight and felt hungry and deprived now that I am doing the 1500 I feel satisfied I have lost three pounds this week and have a long way to go what are other people doing with how they eat or plans that they are doing

Help with drinking water.

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:28:08 EST

So my fluid intake for years as been soda with occasional koolaid or sweet tea mixed in for variety. Well I'm 65 pounds overweight and have ADD so I know the best thing to do isbdrink water. I've been drinking 64 ounces of water for the last few days. The problem is I pee a lot and got written up at work for taking too many pee breaks. Now I tried reducing my water intake while at work but that didn't help. I dont want have to choose between being healthy and having a job. What do I do?!?!

meal plan errors

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:26:54 EST

I started Sparkpeople just 5 days ago and am not losing. The meal plans (sparks choice) are about the same everyday, which always gives me some kind of nuts or hummus(yuck) to eat (I am not a vegetarian). I happen to like nuts so this was not a problem for me until..... Their suggested amount of walnuts is 14 halves for a nutrional value of 46 calories, 1 carb, 5 fats, and 1 protein. Just today it dawned on me that I should measure these 14 halves. It measures 1/3 cup. Since the amount ...

Has any one ever used pink sea salt?

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:22:05 EST

I use it all the time when I am cooking or baking. I buy it at the health food store. I think it has a better taste than regular salt and is better for you.

Picky Eater

Sat, 18 May 2013 03:23:29 EST

I joined our local Anytime Fitness. I found out about this site from someone on anytime health which is affiliated with our gym. I have started tracking my foods and activity. The last two days tracking here I have done very well on keeping everything well within the range they are suppose to be.

My problem is I am a picky eater and find that most of the things my diet has consisted of is processed foods. I have been eating raw carrots for my snack and that is going ok but I know ...

NEW GUY, NEEDS HELP LOSING WEIGHT

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:23:30 EST

Greetings,

I am a 34 year old male, 6'2 tall, and weigh between 237-248 depending on a variety of factors. I typically eat healthy foods, lots of salads and vegitarian dishes. I do eat a burrito twice a week because I'm from California. I never eat fast food, rarely a burger or fries. Only fried food I eat is typically the chips that come with the burrito, but I typically eat a couple then thrown them away. All in all I think I eat fairly heallthy and its always reflected in my ann...

Need some ideas for low carb snacks

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:30:30 EST

I normally stay withing my calorie range but always seem to go above my carb intake. SP suggests 150-273 per day and I believe this is the cause I have plateaued. Please I really need to know whether my carb requirements are too high and some low carb snack ideas

Struggling with food and new meds

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:27:06 EST

Since starting a new medication about a week ago I hardly have an appetite. I haven't even managed get to 1200 calories in nearly a week and it is showing on the scale. I have stopped losing weight and I'm guessing it's because my body is wondering where in the heck the food is. I would normally eat 3 meals and have several snacks. Since I haven't been eating as much I have really cut back on my work outs, however I really miss them. I feel fine physically, my energy level seems fine and I'm...

Protein range changing

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:16:15 EST

The low end of my protein range has been 60 for a long time. I've monkeyed around with my goals a bit lately (changed goal weight and end date, and also changed calories burned per week), and as a result of one of those changes, the low end of my protein range changed to 75. My overall calorie range didn't change; I didn't notice if my carb and fat ranges changed. I tinkered a little more, and the range changed back to 60. Today, I noticed that it was back to 75, although I haven't made any c...

Determining Nutritional Info for Recipes

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:56:09 EST

I have multiple food allergies, asthma, hypothyroidism and diabetes. When doing my nutrition tracker, I am unsure how to determine the Nutritional Info for recipes that I create. Any input would be greatly appreciated 250

Thanks so much in advance for any and all help 304

Marianne

Tabata training and app

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:49:48 EST

Who uses it? I love it!

Any tips on how to re-teach yourself how to eat?

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:18:38 EST

It just dawned on me a day or 2 ago that I eat 99% of my food while I'm distracted. Whether it's watching TV, checking Facebook/Sparkpeople, reading...I'm doing anything but concentrate on my food. I've also realized that I eat my food really fast. And once I'm done, I usually don't even remember the actual process of eating. 40

Any tips on how to re-teach myself how to eat? (Sounds funny, I know 334 ) I know the first step is to eliminate distractions wh...

exercise

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:48:41 EST

There are three exercises that I engage in habitually: I walk every day for one hour; I play pickleball two to three times per week; I garden nearly every day in my rather large garden. I have tried to enter my gardening into my fitness minutes and have not had any success. Since I'm a newbie here and still feeling my way around ...????

Thanks in advance for your help.

New to Sparkpeople

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:54:11 EST

Hi. I am new to Sparkpeople, but not to The Plan. How do you use this site since we don't count calories? I want to track water and my weight loss, and keep a log of my food. I'm just put in the Blueberry Chia Seed Compote I had for breakfast and it said 400+ calories-- that surprised me -- and I don't want to get side tracked worrying about calories. Any advice on how to take advantage of this site would be very welcome. Thanks. Jill

Drinking more water!

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:51:27 EST

I use my medicine to remind me to drink water. With my morning medication I usually drink 2 to 3 glass of water and in the afternoon is the same. That is 6 glass of water and a couple of more, than, I have my 8 glass. When I physically active like running, cutting grass... of course I drink more.

Foods that say sugar-free but aren't!

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:02:26 EST

I was looking at the International Delight coffee creamer minis and most have 5 grams of sugar. Found one (vanilla flavored, I think) that says sugar free. In the list of nutrition facts it said no sugar. Read the ingredients list and it has high fructose corn syrup as the first or second ingredient. Let's take a look at the ingredient labels and anything that says sugar, malt, or ends in"ose" is sugar. There may also be other ways to list sugar that are not obviously sugar...I will ...

Question about calories intake

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:43:07 EST

Hi,

My question is the following, if i ate yesterday 200 calories over my calorie limit , could i eat today 200 calorie less to make it up for it???

Frustrated

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:47:52 EST

Hi, I'm Marianne and am 57 y/o. I have severe allergies to all nuts, peas, non-celiac gluten intolerance, hypothyroidism and in February, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I am having a difficult time with the meal plans because so much about what is suggested are foods that I cannot eat (i.e. nuts, wheat, products with gluten, peas). I've finally figured out how to add my foods to the nutrition page, yet I NEED suggestions in how to get the appropriate amts. calories, carbs, fats and protein...

caloric value calcuations when draining marinades

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:26:39 EST

I am trying to raise the health-o-meter on a recipe that uses marinated artichokes. I rinse and drain but I dont know if the calculations on the spark database include the fat and salt or consider the user has already drained and rinsed.

It seems like 20g of fat in a 6 oz jar of artichokes that are drained and rinsed is high. If it is truly that high, I will have to modify my recipe.

Thanks.

Spark Solution Meal Plan

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:33:54 EST

I've been following the menu plan in the Spark Solution book this week ... with a few modifications. They really pack in the vegetables which is awesome. It also means I get to eat a lot more food since those vegetable are not very high in calories. Yesterday an interesting thing happened. I was eating my planned lunch and I realized I was full before I finished eating my lunch. What??? Aren't I usually feeling hungry when I watch what I eat?

Well, I wrapped up the rest of m...

I want to stop eating meat

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:22:19 EST

I want to stop eating meat because for some strange reason, I am having serious digestive problems in relation to meat. This started in the summer of 2010 when I developed a serious case of gerds that burned the lining of my esophagus and I have had a hard time eating red meat without upchucking it ever since. Fast forward to now and I am having problems with the poultry. I would rather give up meat then to worry about my body protesting every time I try to eat it, but for some reason I a...

Help with Plant-Based Cost Cutting

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:10:37 EST

Recently my wife and I decided to move to a more plant-based diet, strictly for the health benefits. While our goal is not necessarily to completely eliminate meat and dairy from our diet, we are interested in trying many of the vegetable based alternatives and replace as much of our animal options as we are comfortable with. The biggest challenge I foresee in doing this is the cost. Besides the cost of fresh fruits and veggies, the vegetable alternatives mentioned above are much more expe...

Prevention 2 Day Diet plan

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:10:05 EST

I just got an email from Prevention. I have always respected their little magazine, but this left me a bit skeptical. After clicking on the link, it is a come on for ordering and trying the book which details the diet. You can return it after 21 days if not fully satisfied. Just wondering what others thought about this.

Deli Meat

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:12:41 EST

I like to buy things in bulk when I can. There is usually a really good price on a certain deli meat each week - does anyone know if I can buy a few week's worth of sliced ham or turkey and freeze it? I've never tried it and think it would be fine, but I want to ask first..

Almond Silk Milk

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:00:17 EST

It is really good and lower in Calories and more proteins. Does anyone use it? Joan

Hungry all the time and super tired

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:44:59 EST

So, for the past 2-3 weeks now I've been doing really good. I workout everyday for usually a minimum of an hour sometimes only 45 minutes. However, sometimes it can be an hour and a half and I take a 2 hour bike ride every week. The first two weeks of trying to gain a healthier lifestyle I had so much energy and felt pretty full throughout the day... this is about my 3rd or 4th week and it's brutal. I'm always hungry. I'm at a point where I am so tired I was falling asleep in my spring classe...

Muscle Milk: Regular vs Lite

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:04:47 EST

I've recently had my calorie range lowered because of weight loss. I generally drink a RTD 11oz Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme as breakfast because I get a very early start in the mornings and I am just not generally hungry in the mornings but need to eat something because that's when I workout. I've been thinking of switching from regular Muscle Milk to Muscle Milk Lite, have you tried both? Any feedback on the taste and fullness factor of Lite is welcome.

Snack ideas!

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:04:15 EST

I always see people with different snacks like "Nut thins" and what not.

Besides fruits and veggies what are some other snack ideas?

I'm going grocery shopping tonight and I'm lost!

Food Planning

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:50:35 EST

Anyone have any food planning tips or resources?

I love SparkPeople but I didn't want to follow the meals plans they have on here, however, I do use the food tracker just not ahead of time...

High Fiber

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:15:02 EST

Okay, So Eat high Fiber, and protien However I am still Have problems being regular. I have horrible gas 29 . I hate to take anything to help me regulate because the doctor said drink plenty of water and eat high fiber. HELP...This has been going on for the past few months and its getting frustrating!

Interesting article on salt

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:35:54 EST

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/p
anel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restr
icting-sodium.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

The summary is that there doesn't seem to be a benefit in extremely limiting salt intake....even in people with high blood pressure or congestive heart failure. Certainly....more studies to follow.

McDonalds Egg White Sandwich

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:30:29 EST

I have to calculate cholesterol & need to know how much is in the cheddar cheese slice.
Does anyone know how to find that info? Thanks

Why did my calorie range go UP?

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:56:57 EST

After I entered my weekly weigh-in today, I noticed my recommended calorie range went UP, from 1200-1550 to 1270-1620. Why would that be? I didn't make any changes to my goals, and my weight loss has been slow and steady. I know it's a small change; I'm not freaked out, just curious.

Soynuts are the perfect snack food

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:48:54 EST

I am using 1/4 cup soynuts, salted, for my afternoon snack now. They are perfect--crunchy, salty, and filling, AND high protein which helps me get it together. As an added plus they are good but not GREAT and that gives me more will power to stop at my set amount and not mindlessly continue grazing or get another helping 'because they are good for me'. I get them in bulk from my favorite grocery (cheap) and keep a sack on hand--like I said, they are not the sort of thing that I would crave a...

Garcinia Cambogia - Heart Palpitations

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:49:31 EST

First off, yes I know pills aren't recommended when trying to lose weight, but my doctor suggested I start taking garcinia cambogia to suppress my appetite.

I did some research on it and found that the most common side effects were headache and nausea so decided to give it a shot. I started taking them Sunday (May 12), 2 pills a day, 1 before lunch and 1 before dinner.

Last night, I started having heart palpitations. I have experienced these before in the past, usually ...

Wanting to tone up

Tue, 14 May 2013 22:47:17 EST

I run 3 miles a day and strength train every other day. I would like to drop a few pounds and become more toned but I haven't had much luck with it since I turned 30. My diet does need some tweaking but it is hard to do that since I have a tight budget, 4 picky kids and a VERY picky husband. If I watch my calorie count will I be able to get toned without changing the types of foods I eat or do I need to go on a lowfat diet to see muscles?

BTW...I only drink water and I'm 5'3" 123l...

How much should I be eating?

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:22:18 EST

I think I might be eating too little. My calorie goals are between 1200-1500. I usually eat between 1200-1300. Should I be eating more to get weight loss moving in the right direction again?

HELP! I am constantly STARVING.

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:35:30 EST

I am trying to eat less and to eat healthier. I quit eating fast food for lunch. Now I bring my lunch, which is a sandwich with turkey breast or ham with spinach and cheese. I also bring chips sometimes and an orange and an apple. My breakfast and dinners are about the same as what they were before. All I've really done is add more fruits and vegetables and eliminate fast food and soda so far. But I am ALWAYS hungry. Not even hungry, it feels like I am starving all the time. I snack on almon...

Healthy almond milk or protein smoothies?

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:35:25 EST

Hello everyone! I am new to Spark and I wanted to start replacing my breakfast with a tasty yet healthy smoothie. I don't know where to begin and trying to research online i just couldn't find what i am looking for. Maybe you all can help? I would like to be sure the smoothie has Almond milk and a protein powder in it. Or, do i only want one or the other? I can't find the recipe page for Spark either lol.. Any recipes from you all that have worked with weight loss would be much appreciated, t...

Food Scale = Awesome!

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:40:50 EST

I used to think "eyeballing" my portions was good enough - deck of cards for protein, fist for grains and half my plate of veggies... BUT my BEST purchase since starting to monitor my nutrition is my new FOOD SCALE! Using the nutrition tracker in phase 1, I noticed my caloric intake during the day was great however after work my food intake went through the roof!

I love to cook home made nutritous meals for my family but I was not good at monitoring my portion sizes. Since getti...

Ideas for low carb, high protein foods

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:49:24 EST

Hey everyone, I am looking for some suggestions. I have been doing my mealplanning and overall, i'm doing okay, but having some trouble balancing my carbs/fat/proteins to the recommended percentages, i.e. 50%/30%/20% respectively. I always seem to be a little high in the carbs and low in the proteins. Any suggestions?

A Cooking Frozen Salmon Question..

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:42:13 EST

This is a silly question, but I want to make salmon patties tonight. I do not have canned salmon, but I do have frozen fillets that I moved to the refrigerator this morning before leaving.

How would one go about cooking a salmon fillet to use in a salmon patty?

A recipe I looked up that used fresh salmon in a salmon patty didn't say anything about cooking it beforehand. Isn't canned salmon already cooked?

Bored with Water?

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:40:46 EST

Sometimes, I just get bored with good old, good-for-you H20. On the other hand, a cup of unsweetened herbal tea -- I like mint and citrusy varieties -- is a nice change from the same old. Good luck and good sparking to you all!

Val

Folate - Can't seem to hit the goal

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:22:52 EST

Does anyone else have a problem getting enough folate? No matter what I eat during the day, my folate is always below goal. I've added beans, eat tons of spinach and other dark greens, oranges and sometimes orange juice. Still can't meet the 100 minimum. GRRRR......

Community Action Task: Drinking more water

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:17:17 EST

my assignment today was to share "sneaky ways to get in water." Since I enjoy water, I don't sneak it in. I drink water with every meal, whether I eat in our out. When dining out I ask for lemon with my water. I try to keep those tea or crystal light packets in my purse if I want a little flavor. This is a lot cheaper than spending 2-3$ on a restaurant beverage.

On busy days, I may need a reminder, so I rely on Diet Coach App (the free version). It is set for every hour duri...

Salsa

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:31:33 EST

Okay, so I have a great salsa, which I traditionally would eat with chips; lots of chips, too many chips (yes, there is a pattern here) :)

Any good thoughts on how else to use it? I'm not a big egg person, so might do it in scrambled eggs once a week. Combined it with little goat cheese today and spread on bread and it was good. But would love more suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Paula

Harder Than It Looks!

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:26:41 EST

I have been tracking my food and I am shocked at the amount of calories I have been taking in without even realizing!
My little girl is 4 months old today and I don't think I have lost anything since she was born, that upsets me. I would love to be able to drop some weight and keep up with her as she becomes more mobile.

There is so much information out there on what to eat, what not to eat and how to eat it that it makes my head spin, one article says to eat something, anoth...

what counts as daily water count

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:54:05 EST

Can you count diet drinks, diet juices, or decaf coffee in your water count for the day, or does it have to be straight water period????

Struggling on the Weekend

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:24:43 EST

I do great during the week. On the weekends I struggle. I might lose two pounds during the week and gain it back on the weekend. Any helpful strategies would be appreciated.

Beck Diet Audiobook Day Time markers

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:20:04 EST

I have the Beck Diet Solution in paperback and audio book. I was hoping to see if there is any list of the time markers for each day for the audio book? I have searched around but only find downloads and reviews.

TIA

Dieting with lupus!

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:06:59 EST

Hello everyone! I need some motivation:( I've been diagnosed with Lupus (SLE) and have zero motivation. All I want to do is sleep, prior to being diagnosed I'd run every single day two to ten miles! It's now been 15 days, zero runs and zero motivation, nothing but body pains! Anyone out there that can inform me on what to eat and what are good mess for this nasty disease??? 24

hows to count Oil

Tue, 14 May 2013 05:48:32 EST

How to we count if we cooked something in oil? for the calories I mean that absorbed into the food and creates more cal.

Tracking sugar in My Nutrition

Tue, 14 May 2013 04:00:02 EST

I want to track my sugar intake for my meals but I'm not sure what option I need to select. The list for adding nutrients has fructose, sucrose, glucose - but those are all sugars! What do I need to select for tracking? Very confused.

Battling Dehydration

Mon, 13 May 2013 23:23:56 EST

My Nephew is in the Navy and currently stationed in Jacksonville, FL. He just posted a Facebook update stating that he had become slightly dehydrated today, and his instructors are pushing him to drink more fluids. He is not used to high humidity conditions ans a friend from back home suggested adding Propel or another sports drink. We'll, he has GERD and the sports drinks really aggravate it. I suggested he eat bananas, nuts, and drink a couple of glasses of milk to help keep up his ele...

Grilling Vs. Baking

Mon, 13 May 2013 23:17:37 EST

Alright, first off, I'd like to say I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Okay, I AM. Preparing raw meat, every time I do it, causes me great anxiety that I'm going to not cook it correctly/all the way/I'm going to get salmonella/parasites/something else that could kill me or make me very ill, etc.

With that in mind, I also DESPERATELY want to be healthy/happy/lose weight effectively. I'm following spark people's suggested caloric intake and dinner always seems to be the same for me - bonele...

Could I be working out too long each day???

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:50:02 EST

I was watching Dr. Oz Friday (after I worked out) and he had a personal trainer on there. He was talking about an easy way to find out how many calories you burn daily, without exercise. He said that you take your weight and multiply it by 12. The answer you get is how many calories you burn (give or take) daily. He said as long as your caloric intake is less than this you should lose weight, but that it's important that you do not go under 1200 calories because it will put your body into sta...

Healthy Camping Food

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:47:36 EST

We are going out to the cabin for May Long Weekend (Victoria Day = Canadian holiday).
All the adults are trying to eat better but we know that making things out at the cabin is not always easy. The one thing we have agreed on is no potato chips.
My husband and I love to cook over the fire at least one smokie or hot dog during the week. Do you know of a healthier (low salt, low fat) hot dog or smokie (we do not eat tofu)???

I am going to make a big pot of the Baked Beans ...

Can't seem to get 50% of my calories from carbs.

Mon, 13 May 2013 19:01:13 EST

My carbs, protein and fat are always split pretty equally. I can't find a balance. If I up my carbs I drop too low on protein and tend to go over in calories. How do you all get 50% of you calories from carbs?

Quick Vegan Meals

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:23:47 EST

Anyone have any recommendations?

Question on Using a Food Scale

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:52:31 EST

So I bought a food scale and have just started to try to use it. I'm not sure though if I'm supposed to be weighing the food before or after I cook. For instance, for lunch this afternoon I had leftover ribeye steak - 100g cooked. Not sure what it weighed before I grilled it.

Also tonight I plan to prepare some zucchini ribbons and will sautee in a pan with some evoo. Do I weigh before or after? Some water will cook out of the zucchini when it's sauteed, but it will also pick up so...

Working Out and Managing Calories to Lose Weight

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:48:05 EST

So last night I calculated my BMR which gave me a number of 1496.2 calories. Then based on a light activity level I took my BMR x 1.375 which gave me 2057.275 calories to maintain my current weight of 148 lbs at a height of 5' 8''. Typically to lose weight you subtract 500 calories which brings me down to 1557.275 calories but I'm also exercising 6 days a week which is burning 337 calories.

I'm only taking in 1200 calories so when I work out does that mean I am only leaving myself...

Diet pepsi craving

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:32:57 EST

Today, it seems no matter what I do I can't shake my extreme craving for diet soda. I've been fine all week till today

NEED YOUR OPINION ON THE AMOUNT OF CALORIES GIVEN

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:04:37 EST

Hello everyone,

I have to lose a 10 pounds and I am hesitant between Weight Watchers and Spark People (who is free!). Although, when I saw my amount of daily calories, I was a little bit scared. 1500 calories per day for someone who is 5.3ft I find it a little high especially when I am sitting at a desk all day. Is Spark People working for you with the allowance it was given to you?

Ideas for freezing healthy meals ahead of time?

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:03:08 EST

I'm about to graduate college and I know my daily schedule is going to be changing soon. I don't want all the added stress to lead to a decline in my eating habits, so I'm thinking about preparing more meals ahead and then freezing them. In the past I have separated things out into separate freezer bags for portion control- but I've never done it with complete meals- like including portioned out veggies and everything. These past few weeks I know I haven't been eating nearly enough vegetab...

Using the food tracker

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:53:59 EST

I've been avoiding using the food tracker since I'm not sure how to use it. I've watched the video and can be successful for logging simple one ingredient or brand name foods. What I don't get is how to log "made from scratch" recipes. These usually include several ingredients which don't always come with labels and even if they have labels they're not products recognized by the tracker.

So, if I make a lentil soup, for example, which includes 8 ingredients none of which have la...

measurements

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:26:38 EST

Hi there
When I enter the amount of quinoa I cook to my tracker, I would like to be able to enter 2 tbsp instead of the quarter cup that is suggested in the choices; at the moment I have to enter the quarter cup and it puts me over the top of my daily lunch calories. Any ideas?

Losing weight while on depression meds

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:07:38 EST

I have been taking celexa for 5(?) years now...20 mg/day. My weight gain has been gradual but up until now the benefits of the med have not made me concerned about that. I have tried to come off it a few times but have never had good results. Have considered going to my dr for something else but am worried about trying something new that may not work and having to go through all the ups and downs during that.
So last fall I started Herbalife shakes. I also attempted at that time to decre...

foods to fight inflammation

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:12:26 EST

I have heard that some foods will help to fight inflammation and pain etc of arthritis. I would like to add these to my diet but am unsure which foods and whether this is fact or myth. Any help is appreciated

Cutting Sugar and Caffeine/Diet Pop

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:07:58 EST

Okay so a week ago I cut down my sugar and diet pop/caffeine intake by about 85% each. I used to regularly drink about a 2 liter of diet pepsi a day and I can't even say how much sugar, definitely not anywhere that my doctor would approve of with my state of diabetes, but I just couldn't live that way anymore. So in the past week I have tracked my food on here everyday, the first time that I've done it for more that three days in a row and I've been doing really well with staying in the goal...

More Sodium?

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:31:42 EST

Hello SP!
I am hoping for some advice...
I have been eating very clean and sticking to whole foods for about 6 weeks but have noticed that my sodium levels tend to be quite low without all the processed foods. In trying to get more sodium in to my diet is adding table salt really the best way to do this?
I workout six days a week, three of which with a personal trainer so I am sweating regularly. Two weekends ago I followed a personal training session with a five mile run and...

Is there a substitute for extra virgin olive oil?

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:05:14 EST

I reallllly like pasta, but because its so fattening, i only have a little bit at a time. The real problem is that i like to use olive oil. That really racks up the calories and fat. Does anyone know of a good substitute?

Did you drink any tea today? What kind?

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:37:32 EST

Just curious to see what everyone likes and what interesting blends come up.

This morning I had a plain cup of white monkey. Light and floral, but a little bit of a grassy, dry finish.

This evening I just brewed a blend that's new to me - from one of Adagio's fandom samplers, Avatar's Iroh Tea. This one was really surprising - it smells shocking, pretty much like straight lemongrass in the tin. After brewing the jasmine comes out on top with an undercurrent of lemon and ...

Soda/Sugar Addiction. . .

Sun, 12 May 2013 18:02:58 EST

Does anyone else have a loved one or friend who drinks A LOT of sugary soft drinks?!

My fiancé is super addicted to all kinds of sugary drinks. I worry about him every day since he guzzles down SO much sugar. Some people scoff at sugar addiction but he seriously behaves like an addict. He's in total denial about it and we argue whenever I bring it up. I want him to get healthy but between this and smoking (which he is at least trying to stop) I'm at my wits end!!

2...

starting day 1 tommorrow

Sun, 12 May 2013 16:05:13 EST
Hey all - I have a couple exercise questions..Im a fitness instructor (Zumba) and teach Tues/Wed/Thurs and (two on) Saturday mornings..from what I'm reading..plan to not introduce new things on those days as the exercise may be too intense? is that what I'm getting from folks?

Fish and Cholesterol

Sun, 12 May 2013 11:37:02 EST
I want to broil cod fish for dinner.
I am watching cholesterol.
In the fish is there any cholesterol?
How to give flavor without using butter fats and oils?

Cravings

Sun, 12 May 2013 11:28:14 EST
How you you deal with cravings? I try not to keep the things I crave in the house. The things I crave are sugar sweets, any thing chocolate, occasionally salty snacks. I don't live real close to town, so going to the store to buy something puts off the craving. I have been keeping more fruits and veggies at home so I will have one of those if a craving persists. Most of the time that helps.

Catch up!!!

Sun, 12 May 2013 09:56:09 EST
Hey Spark People -

Just took the trivia test question on What Prevents Diabetes and yes indeedy eating sugar has now been found to cause diabetes. You need to change your question/answer because marking that one wrong is just wrong.

For everyone else out there - watch your sugar intake and how much sugar your kids eat. There seems to be a direct correlation between sugar and Diabetes 2.

Didn't we always know that...?

Question about meal tracker

Sun, 12 May 2013 08:23:13 EST
I have been following the meal plans, mostly consistently the past few weeks, but am getting sick of the same menus....is there any way to change any or all of the meal plans from week to week? I was thinking there used to be an option for this, but I can't find it now. I know I can substitute my own foods, but I like using SP's to count in the protein, carbs, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Blessings, Michelle

Stress, PMS, bad eating

Sun, 12 May 2013 07:24:58 EST
Last week my grandma fell and broke her hip and so she had surgery and all week long between my mom, aunt, and I we have been taking turns at the hospital. One of the days I had a salad, but a glass of Sierra Mist, when the cafeteria was open on a skeleton staff as the hours were very late, I should've had water but didn't. Last week, I did manage on Monday as I wasn't at the hospital, to work in a little over an hour of straight cardio. All the rest of the week I was with my grandma. I s...

Cravings and how to stop them?

Sat, 11 May 2013 23:58:59 EST
I crave chocolate, potatoes, chips, pretty much everything but I try not to buy these things, which can be difficult because my boyfriend is not worried about his weight so he doesn't care. (Which is why he's not allowed to go shopping with me). How do you curb the cravings? Do I just ignore them?

Past History Meal Tracking

Sat, 11 May 2013 19:12:33 EST
I was on sparkpeople back in July 2009 tracking my food. I'd like to find the foods that I entered during that time so that I can use that same meal plan again. Can anyone tell me how to find it or if sparkpeople keeps record of past entries?

WiO diet (Your Weight is Over Diet)

Sat, 11 May 2013 15:42:06 EST
Hi, I'm new to spark people, but I love the resources and recipes here, so I joined. I'm currently on the WiO diet (no relation to the game or the Wii). It's kind of new and I was wondering if anyone here was also on this diet protocol? Do you have any tips?

It's a meal replacement protocol, shake for breakfast, shake for lunch (with a salad), protein and veggies for dinner, and a shake before bed. I'm writing a blog on it because there is so little information out there. I promise...

Killer hunger!

Sat, 11 May 2013 11:09:03 EST
Hi y'all --

I have been eating clean and healthy since April 7th of this year, so far so good, and have lost nearly 20 lbs. I've been seeking to keep my caloric intake around 1500-1600/day. I eat primarily vegetarian, although I do have eggs and every once in a while, some meat, usually fish or shellfish, but I'm not against turkey or anything else, again occasionally.

The past three days have been different, though. I'm accustomed to being hungry -- before April 7th I w...

Veggie Smoothies

Sat, 11 May 2013 10:38:01 EST
Plan on drinking more veggie smoothies with a high ANDI number so I can get more nutrients in a glass of good health.

Lyn Genet Recitas The Plan

Sat, 11 May 2013 10:30:17 EST
I cannot seem to be able to drink all the water that the plan calls for should be 80 ounces per day, I can't even get the first 16 oz down before I'm gagging on it, any suggestions?

Going over calorie limit twice in one week??

Sat, 11 May 2013 09:57:06 EST
I went WAY over my calorie limit twice this week! I've been eating super healthy since Jan. of this year and have lost 15 lbs. I was just curious if any of you have ever done this and how it effects you? I weight myself this miring and gained 3 lbs. I'm assuming its just water weight considering I went way over my limit with special k cereal & bananas w/ pb! 4 I've heard that some cheat days are beneficial to people who have reached a platue (Me). Any advice??

Skinny fiber?

Sat, 11 May 2013 08:33:46 EST
any1 try this? if so did it work

Recipes

Sat, 11 May 2013 07:57:26 EST
I had friend helping me cook a few days ago. We did the tuna noodle casserole out of the spark people book and the cucumber dip. We also did mashed potatoes from a recipe I had it uses greek yogurt. All of this was awesome and a lot is left over. How do I record this in nutrition and do I have to weigh all food before I eat it.

I ordered the new book from walmart.com but it won't get here in time for the challenge

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!! AHEAD OF TIME !!!

Sat, 11 May 2013 01:55:58 EST
You know what tomorrow is and we do have to watch our intake of food that we eat. We all have come so far to reach our GOAL'S that "OUR DAY" can't ruin what we've done. I WISH YOU ALL GOOD HEALTH, LOVE FROM ALL US MOTHER'S WHO ARE AND THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED. We have a job to do so LET US "TRY TO BE CAREFUL. THIS IS FOR ALL OF YOU, FROM ME. 214 .

Unusual breakfast ideas

Fri, 10 May 2013 22:59:19 EST
Well I never thought it would happen but I'm finally getting to the point where my breakfasts are BORING! I had really been enjoying my oatmeal or eggs or wheat bread with almond butter.....I find myself craving McDonald's breakfast more and more lately...uh uh, not a good sign! time to change things up! I guess it doesn't necessarily have to be "unusual" I just need something new and different that would be not too hard to fix (hopefully in under 5 minutes or so!)

Meal plans

Fri, 10 May 2013 19:07:55 EST
I use the meal plans on the website but i find it very boring and get very unmotivated.

what can i do to stick with it.

Thanks.

Truth In Advertising: Published Calorie Counts

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:57:29 EST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe
r_detailpage&v=HGunZpKLb5o

Anyone ever had a cactus smoothie?

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:51:32 EST
So a friend of mine told me that she drinks a cactus smoothie every morning to help her lose weight. So I figured I would give it a try, its all natural, so at the very least it will help me get more veggies into my system. I had my first one this morning, has anyone else ever tried one of these cactus smoothies?

Portion Sizes

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:47:57 EST
I am horrible at estimating portion sizes. I think that I am eating more than I really should be. I purchased a food scale so that I can start weighing my food. Does anyone weigh their food?Did it help in learning about portion sizes?

Calories/Exercise Nerves

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:40:05 EST
I have been getting a little nervous about the number of calories I should be eating in relation to the exercise that I have been doing. I work out 5 to 6 times a week doing at least one hour of cardio. My calories range is about 1400 to 1850. I always try to stay on the lower end of the calorie scale. Any tips of suggestions?

HCG & CANCER

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:10:26 EST

Not judging anyone using HCG.....But this information may be worth looking into.

An unfortunate resurgence of human chorionic gonadotropin use for weight loss, JC Lovejoy and M Sasagawa, International Journal of Obesity, 36: 385-386
“Some 55 years ago, English physician ATW Simeons proposed to treat obesity by administering human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Simeons’ pr...

Favorite Cooking Tools?

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:38:51 EST
Hi everyone! My pots and pans are reaching the end of their life - the nonstick surface is all scratched and I think they are aluminum underneath, not good. And my baking sheets are sticky even after scrubbing .. too much cooking spray? Time for replacements!! I have had them all since college and have NO idea what the "good" brands are for cooking supplies. Does anyone have a favorite set that they swear by? My husband and I are going shopping this weekend and I'd love to have some su...

Anyone's idea or recommendation for omega-3 fat?

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:08:11 EST
I've heard alot bout omega-3 fat being good for overall health. I don't eat much fish or nuts so I'm wondering bout taking the pill. Any suggestions would b great. Thank u

filling ? foods?

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:30:54 EST
Does anyone have some good filling take along foods for on the road? I sometimes take nuts but can easily over eat those. am diabetic so need to be careful with dried fruits. Sometimes an apple and a baggie of nuts is what I have tried so far Any other ideas?

Figured out my calorie ranges... but...

Fri, 10 May 2013 02:40:24 EST
I weigh 300 pounds.. SP says to consume between 1440 and 1780 calories a day... isn't 1440 to low for someone my weight??

Sparkpeople calorie ranges....

Fri, 10 May 2013 02:21:07 EST
I've changed my calories so often, I don't know what sparkpeople says I should consume.. how can I find this calculator?

confused about serving size?

Thu, 9 May 2013 23:50:50 EST
I am confused about the serving size of lo mein. I looked it up in the data base and it only says 1 serving = xxx calories. How much is a serving?

Any ideas would be most welcomed.

Slow water day

Thu, 9 May 2013 23:17:27 EST
I've been having at least 8 glasses a day since starting on Spark - some days seem much easier than others though. Today seems to be a slow day at least so far!

Anyone else have varied days or do you find more consistency?

proper vitamins/minerals

Thu, 9 May 2013 20:59:53 EST
I did some research and found that the top 5 nutrients for energy is Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, Zine, and Vitamin E. No matter what I seem to eat though, I just can't reach those goals for the day. Sodium (tracking just for general purpose) seems to be over every time. This is with taking a multivitamin. Help! I really want to get my nutrients from food, but I am just not making it there.

Oh, and if it helps, I really am not reaching my min calories either. Close but not rea...

Can't lose weight, vegetarian?

Thu, 9 May 2013 20:40:06 EST
I am having a hard time losing weight and have been for nearly a year. About a year ago I went vegetarian, I was also put on blood pressure controlling medication so I am wondering if one of those may be hindering my weight loss. I have done the old things I have done to lose weight such as watch cals, exercise, you name it. I have eaten a lower amount of calories, eaten a higher amount, lifted weights, All I do is stay at the same weight. I fluctuate a couple of pounds up and down, literally...

fruit

Thu, 9 May 2013 20:33:49 EST
Can you eat to much fruit? Also how do you find the sugar in the fruit you eat.

Too many carbohydrates recommended?

Thu, 9 May 2013 19:48:57 EST
I went on a medically monitored extremely low calorie diet to control Diabetes 2 and discontinue metformin. I was successful (yay) but still have a problem with blood glucose spikes when I eat any type of grain (tried them all) and starchy veggies like potatoes. So, I just stay away from these types of carbohydrates and watch my fruit intake as well. As a result, I'm contiuously getting messages that my diet is out of whack. Maybe for most, but it's just perfect for me. Any thoughts from...

Spark Solution Book

Thu, 9 May 2013 19:06:00 EST
I there a down-loadable printable .pdf for the shopping lists? Thank you!

Healthier cooking and eating for dummies :)

Thu, 9 May 2013 18:33:13 EST
I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I am not very knowledgable about the best ways to cook and eat healthy. I have always leaned towards anything that I can grab and eat quickly for breakfast and lunch, usually on the run and for the most part processed, prepackaged food. For dinners I have stuck with what I know which is mostly the old standbys from my childhood like shepards pie, pot roast, chicken and potatoes, etc. I am looking for any insight on the following: how to shop healthy in a g...

is it ok if I swap the lunch and dinner?

Thu, 9 May 2013 15:04:27 EST
I am new to the spark diet plan and heck it is hard for me :-( anyway I try real hard to stick to it while I get adjusted.
I was wondering is there a reason why some menus are at lunch and others at dinner/ can i swap them around?
Reason why I am asking is that it is real hard for me at dinner as I need to cook for my family and them I get tempted or neglect them... I am argentinian so I LOVE MEAT, feel like a meal is not complete without my meat... but have cholesterol so i need to...

How I deal with a food craving

Thu, 9 May 2013 14:31:50 EST
I usually try to distract myself by reading or playing with my kids. I walk away from the temptation because I am really focused on my goal of healthy living!

Lemon Water

Thu, 9 May 2013 14:13:48 EST
My friend drinks water with the juice of one lemon for health benefits. I've read some articles with some fantastic statements but don't know what to think. I guess it wouldn't hurt. Any comments?

WON A GARDEN LOT !!!

Thu, 9 May 2013 14:05:52 EST
I live at a senior citizen apt. complex and the drawing for a 4X4 where we can plant , what we want So, I am going to plant beeffsteak tomatoes, cucumbers, & pumpkins ( do this for Halloween. Everybody have a "good day".

Falling off the wagon

Thu, 9 May 2013 13:39:16 EST
Oh my goodness, I need to know I'm not alone!!

I've recently attended a skew of awesome family events - I got married last weekend, and ate soooo much food! I've gotten into an extravagant eating habit, and now I can't seem to reel it in. I feel like it's my Christmas season all over again, with food being everywhere and DELICIOUS!

What's a good way to get back on track without feeling like I'm punishing myself?

Eating Clean on Weight Watchers

Thu, 9 May 2013 13:32:50 EST
Hi all,

I joined weight watchers last night and I figure I'll try it out for a month. I've lost 27 lbs since November by trying to eat clean, watch my portions, and exercising. I really like this approach - and I find it is well supported on sparkpeople.

With WW, however, I feel that they really push "fake" foods. Lots of sugar substitutes, low-fat junk, etc. I'm much more of the mind set that I'd rather have an itty bitty morsel of real chocolate ice cream than a 100 c...

How long?

Thu, 9 May 2013 11:50:39 EST
How long does it take for your body to get used to heavy exercise and start losing weight again? I "kind of" lost 3 this week, but gained it all back during the week. I am not too surprised at this considering I didn't eat dinner the day before weigh-in (not a normal practice, just ended up being that way). I started doing Insanity on Friday (I weigh in on Sunday).

I weigh every day and noticed that it really isn't changing. I know that it takes time for your body to get used t...

Stevia instead of Sucralose

Thu, 9 May 2013 10:59:54 EST
Can anyone tell me what flavored waters or water flavor additives have Stevia instead of Sucralose.

Crystal Light PURE does, but I didn't see it in the grocery store this morning.

I'm trying Black Cherry Vitamin Squeeze, but its a little bitter.

I'm a big fan of the Lipton Tea & Honey powders, but I'm trying to reduce the amount of sucralose in my diet.

Thanks in advance.

Juicing to lose

Thu, 9 May 2013 10:49:27 EST
Has anyone had experience with juicing to lose weight and becoming healthier? How have your incorporated it if you have? do you juice one meal, two or all day? thanks

Frustrated and wanna quit!

Thu, 9 May 2013 10:36:58 EST
I can't seem to find the right balance of calories/working out. I have not lost a pound in weeks now and I am so frustrated. (I am 5'6" and 181lbs.) I do either a 3 mile walk or a 3 mile walk/run 5 out of 7 days. I was eating a 1200-1300 calorie diet and didn't see results so I thought I wasn't eating enough so I upped my calories to 1400-1600 a day about 2 weeks ago and that sill isn't working. I don't know what I'm doing wrong! Any tips?

Carbs, protein & fat ratio

Wed, 8 May 2013 22:23:41 EST
I try to keep my carbs, fats & proteins near the lower to mid-mark for the recommended number of calories in each category. I thought that way I would have the correct %-ages for said categories. My percentages are typically coming up heavy in carbs & light in proteins & fats. Yet, I'm meeting the recommended guidelines for the caloric numbers in those sections. Any ideas how to correct this without having to plan every single bite of food? Help, please!!

Tips

Wed, 8 May 2013 21:43:01 EST
So a really good friend invited me to her birthday dinner this friday at The Keg, and I have never been their before. Any good tips on what I can eat thats good and not too fatty or high on calories?

KAT

Calories

Wed, 8 May 2013 20:57:07 EST
can anyone tell me how many calories per day I should have....I am 350 lbs and 6foot 1 inch tall

Calories

Wed, 8 May 2013 19:47:28 EST
I heard that fruit and vegetables can not be stored as fat so you do not have to count them in your daily calorie count. What do you think?

Recipes and Nutritional Info

Wed, 8 May 2013 19:44:11 EST
Hi Again Everyone:

So, how do I find out nutritional information for some recipes I'm finding online? I have been avoiding trying anything that doesn't have the nutritional information on the package. I'm worried about going over my recommended calories for the day. So, I've been eating only what I can input or what I find on SP. I did go to where you can input recipes, but then got nervous since they are not my recipes and there's this big bold warning about using...

Food Measurements

Wed, 8 May 2013 18:36:54 EST
Hello, Just wanted to mention that when I add customs foods there are no Metric Measurement e.g. milliliters, liters
Thanks

Oatmeal prep

Wed, 8 May 2013 18:25:23 EST
Hi I am looking for great ideas for preparing oatmeal with little to know sugar that still tastes great!

Plans derailed

Wed, 8 May 2013 17:48:21 EST
I will have every intention to do what I planned like eating healthy or exercising, then my mom, sister, or friend will call and my plan goes out the window. I use it as an excuse to go off my eating healthy plan. What should I do? Thanks in advance.

Losing Weight while Seriously Injured

Wed, 8 May 2013 16:38:04 EST
So I just got home and my goal this summer was to lose and keep off a few pounds! I was gonna keep my goal around 10-20 lbs. to lose this summer. I was setting up a running plan, and even a basic diet plan but then my summer changed drastically for several reasons.

1) First I landed an internship in another city (SCORE!) but I would be having to stay with a host family. I still don't know who they are yet, but I should find out in a few weeks. So as of now they are going to be fee...

Theater Popcorn Temptation

Wed, 8 May 2013 16:11:06 EST
This Friday, my best friend and I are going to the movies. Our usual tradition involves splitting a large popcorn with EXTRA butter which is a scary, scary thing when someone is trying to lose weight.

The problem is, whether I want it or not, my friend is going to buy the popcorn because HE wants it, and theater popcorn is one of my weaknesses. I honestly do not feel I can sit next to him for 2.5+ hours and NOT eat the popcorn- no matter what healthy snacks I try to smuggle in (wh...

Pregnancy "Eating for Two" vent

Wed, 8 May 2013 16:10:29 EST
This is the worst title you can ever offer a pregnant fem. Do you know how many take this literally? They double the portions on everything!!!!!!!! How about eating for one and a lil bit....something, anything.....but not Eating for two...but hey, it helps sell diets later????? and exercise/workout routines?

Whats more important? hunger vs time

Wed, 8 May 2013 13:40:19 EST
So I have heard conflicting answers to this in the past... which is more important? Only eating when your hungry or making sure your eating regular meals? I have a tendency to get wrapped up in my day and will often find myself eating a light breakfast (I have a toddler and a preteen...light is all I have time for) and then not eating until 1:30/2pm, and even then half the time I am not hungry its just the time I can sit down to eat because I am feeding the toddler.

Drinking with friends :}

Wed, 8 May 2013 12:49:29 EST
I am supposed to go to a Mexican restaurant with a group of ladies I used to work with on Friday. Fun right? Well of course but those dang Margaritas are so tempting! I would like to have a few drinks with these ladies but I don't want to ruin everything that I have been working so hard for! I don't like wine so that's out of the question! Any suggestions on what to drink and oh what should I eat? I was thinking about eating before I went to one save $$ but to also not eat the ridiculous...

Grilled Burger

Wed, 8 May 2013 12:29:44 EST
Short version is I'm wondering how much of the fat cooks off burgers when you grill them?

With summer right around the corner, I'm wondering how much fat is left in say a 4oz raw portion of those crappy but cheap 75/25 walmart patties that are originally 330 cals, 28g fat and 19g protein. When I'm grilling myself, I'll get at least the 85% lean when its on sale, but when going other places It'd be nice to know what I'm actually consuming

I found this study http://www.bee...

I need your help please.

Wed, 8 May 2013 11:13:07 EST
For the past 6 weeks I have been working out at least three days a week and have been bringing food to campus with me so I don't buy the junk they make here. I usually bring: a bottle of water, fiber one 90 cal brownie, activia yogurt, a Nature's Path Granola bar, and an orange and banana.
I don't eat all of it usually. I bring the 90 cal Fiber One and the granola bar for breakfast then around 10 or 11 I eat the banana and orange, then around noon I eat the yogurt. Sometimes on the days...

Egg White Delight from McDonald's.... Thoughts?

Wed, 8 May 2013 10:42:08 EST
What are your thoughts on the the new Egg White Delight sandwich from McDonald's? Good choice for where you are on the road?

Quick add calories only

Wed, 8 May 2013 10:36:57 EST
Hey everyone :) I've been on and off this site several times but I'm back for another round using the new book!

I use myfitnesspal to enter my food/ calories because it is so much easier than the mobile app for SparkPeople. I'm wondering if it's possible to just enter my total calories for the day on this site so I don't have to double enter. I miss the community here and the wonderful recipes and articles, so I'm really hoping to make this work.

Thanks for any help y...

over 40, staying on track & can't loose S.O.S.

Wed, 8 May 2013 10:07:44 EST
Hi I'm 49 yrs. old eating now in the middle (approx. 1300 cal.) exercise daily & I think I'm burning the recommended calories on my sparkpage but I'm not loosing in fact I've gained 10 lbs.
Also my Mom is dying a very slowly & my father has passed away 2 yrs. ago. Could this have something to do with it?
Anyway someone please help!!

Fiber Supplements

Wed, 8 May 2013 09:45:19 EST
I have been tracking my fiber for over a year and consistantly fall short of the 25 grams recommended. I usually fall into the 15 to 20 range. I know natural fiber is best but it's just not happening. Is it time to take a fiber supplement? Do you take one? What brand?

Having trouble eating breakfast within first hour.

Wed, 8 May 2013 09:03:13 EST
Everything I have read says to eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. I can't seem to stomach it. I wake up around 7:30 and I don't get hungry until 11 (After my workout at 10). I can drink water or coffee, but everytime I try to eat a small breakfast, I can only get a couple of bites down, and it's very forced.
This morning I tried plain oatmeal with a dollop of peanut butter. I could only eat three bites before I felt too full to continue. If I eat breakfast at 11, I can eat the wh...

Reducing water retention

Tue, 7 May 2013 23:06:08 EST
When a high sodium meal is eaten, or when mother nature and your hormones go into overdrive I seem I gain 3-5 lbs in water weight. Any suggestions for helping relieve this or keep it from happening? I've tried diurex and drinking lots of water, to help flush the system. But nothing I do seems to work. I go for almost a whole week feeling puffy with fat fingers and ankles. Any suggestions?

Best Cook Books

Tue, 7 May 2013 22:56:32 EST
What cook books do you suggest? I want something with quick, easy but very healthy recipies.

Help with staying on track!

Tue, 7 May 2013 22:36:40 EST
Hello! I am looking for any assistance to help me stay on track of a healthy weight loss goal, and a nice exercise routine. It seems as though no matter what I do, I can not get my body to lose any weight. My guess is that portion control is my biggest issue because I eat nearly all whole foods. Rarely anything that comes from a package or has additives that I can not pronounce. I am 152 pounds, 5 foot 7 inches, and 24 years old. I try to average around 1400 cal a day. I don't know if that is...

NSV

Tue, 7 May 2013 22:20:16 EST
So, I went out with a friend for dinner on Friday (after celebrating a 4 pound weight loss my after getting back on track after a couple gains and switching my weigh-in day). Because of my financial situation, we used a BOGO coupon for TGI Fridays.

We started off with the barbecue chicken flatbread. It was cut unevenly, and I ate the smaller half. Then, I went for the 6 oz sirloin, steamed broccoli, and (as a treat) I decided to get french fries.

The second I started fe...

It's evening now, did you plan for tomorrow?

Tue, 7 May 2013 21:51:40 EST
I like to look ahead a bit, so have tracked breakfast. Lunch with a girl friend, so will track that later.

What do you say?

Tue, 7 May 2013 17:05:26 EST
People are always asking me what are you doing? My answer is always Hot yoga and the Spark diet. Most people have never heard of spark and I always decribe it as a motivational website. The last thing I end up talking about is the tracker. I always say I track everything I eat, it keeps me in check. I am down 18 lbs. Yesterday someone said I looked skinny. Unbelievable!....and awesome. So my question is "What do you say?"

Hiding or making private, the calorie tracker.

Tue, 7 May 2013 16:01:01 EST
I have noticed that "MANY" of the success story people, and other spark people, keep their calorie tracker's private.
I really don't understand why. It's so very helpful for me to see what they eat and the calories they consume.
Is it because they are eating so few calories to have lost and maintain their goal weight?
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What do you think?

No cravings!

Tue, 7 May 2013 13:38:41 EST
How many of you, have changed your eating habits eating nothing but wholesome foods, fruits vegetables, grains, legumes some poultry, fish.
Given up processed or refined foods, red meat, sugars, white flours/rice. Pretty much anything junk food including sodas, chips all the really bad food.
Have found that you don't have cravings for that type of food anymore?
I have, and I am in my 7th week of eating the right food, and not having one craving. Even when commercials come on ...

Is eating every 2 hours really help lose weight?

Tue, 7 May 2013 13:08:26 EST
Is eating every 2 hours really speed up weight loss?

Gained 4 pounds overnight!

Tue, 7 May 2013 12:49:48 EST
Every time I try to get back into a good groove of eating better and exercising, I lose about 3-5 lbs in the first week, no doubtably water. This time was no exception, except that after 8 days, I literally gained it back overnight! And then as the rest of the week went on, another pound was gained. I continued to exercise and keep my nutrition in range with no avail. I do about 35 mins of the elliptical per day, 5x/week, plus 35 mins of one of my fitness DVD's (abs and/or cardio) 3-4x/...

Portion Servings

Tue, 7 May 2013 12:48:02 EST
Does anyone know if the portion sizes by weight on pasta are before or after cooking, because 2 oz. cooked is sure a lot more than it looks when it is dry. Same question on meat, only after cooking seems less than before cooking.

Thanks.

Fasting

Tue, 7 May 2013 11:57:05 EST
I've read a little bit about it, and I'm intrigued. But then, there's basically two camps; people who are totally for fasting, think it's amazing, and people who are like NO! Both camps seem to come from legit websites.

So now I'm confused. Is it a great thing to do, every now again? Or does it wreck havoc and is unnecessary? Opinions?

Hibiscus Tea

Tue, 7 May 2013 11:18:59 EST
I have found the best tea! I purchase it in bulk and use a little mesh tea ball to put it in my hot water. It is tart, and I like that. It also has been shown to help lower blood pressure. When I drink it, it helps curb my appetite as well. Give it a try!

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I need a good recipe

Tue, 7 May 2013 11:13:33 EST
My boyfriend, while supporting me with whatever i choose to do in life, hates the fact that I'm dieting. He claims that I am gorgeous the way I am. He is coming over to eat supper at my house tonight and I want to be able to cook something that is healthy but he won't think of as "diet food".

Question on Finding Balance

Tue, 7 May 2013 07:15:59 EST
I am a bit confused on finding balance between eating low-cal to lose weight and eating enough calories to support my very active lifestyle. I only need to lose 20 lbs, but my body fat is way too high. I feel that since I eat low-cal, I have inadvertently trained my body to hoard fat for fear that it will be starved. Now I eat the proper amount of calories, I am not binging, and I have energy again, but am no longer losing weight or body fat. I purchased a fat caliper and I am 30%... I would ...

Losing weight while bedridden with blood clots

Tue, 7 May 2013 01:16:31 EST
Just wondering if anyone had any guidelines how to ammend my caloric intake for weightloss while basically bedridden. Recently diagnosed with severe blood clotting in my brain I am not allowed to do any exercise for 2 months, which means no chance to burn calories. Ive been told that I cant do anything, but am concerned with weight gain. Ideally Id like to lose weight, I just need help with a caloric guideline as how to lose whilst been inactive.
Any tips would be much appreciated

Nut allergy

Mon, 6 May 2013 23:47:00 EST
Where can I put I have a nut allergy so it stays out of my Meal plan so it stops coming up?

Still trying to find ways to add more protein...

Mon, 6 May 2013 21:04:57 EST
Since tracking my calories for the past 3 weeks I have been a little high on the carbs and a little low on the fats and proteins. Although I am doing significantly better on the protein and fiber than the beginning it seems tough to get this in each day. I need some suggestions that are easy. I don't eat nuts, except peanut butter and rarely eat beans, unless it's mixed in a soup or something. I don't really care for them. Should I use protein powder? If so, which is best?

Home with parents, help getting back on track

Mon, 6 May 2013 20:47:51 EST
Hey all, so I ate like utter and complete garbage during finals week and want to lose these 6-8 pounds I put back on so I'm back to eating at a deficit for a while. I'm at home with my parents for a couple weeks and they don't eat horrible (although they think all fats are the devil and constantly snack on carbs) so I think I'll be ok if I can just eat meals and no snacks besides a fruit and protein.

I could use someone to let me now they're keeping an eye on my trackers and I fee...

Exercise and Caloric Intake

Mon, 6 May 2013 20:38:04 EST
So, as you can tell, I'm...very large. I've been incorporating exercise and a low-calorie diet (Always staying within or below Spark's suggest carb range, in the protein range and always WAY below the fat gram range). Lately I've been averaging approximately 1100 calories or so without feeling too hungry after, but eventually even comfortable. My question is..Spark suggests I intake between 1200-1485. With my exercise (usually low-key stuff like dancing for 20-25 min every other day, only tak...

Gained 6 lbs so far on Low carb.

Mon, 6 May 2013 18:49:15 EST
Guess the low carb thing isnt for me. Gained 6 lbs very fast on low carb. Feeling fed up and dont know what to do next. I keep yo yo-ing. I know I definitely need to get off my butt and excersise. Im working on that. But the low carb thing isnt working out. Feeling frustrated. Any advice?
Melanie

Healthy and cheap.

Mon, 6 May 2013 18:12:06 EST
I need some ideas for some healthy cheap food for breakfast lunch and snacks. I'm on a budget and have to buy food for my family and me. I still want to eat whatever my family has for dinner that is our time together. So I have to watch my calories during the day.

Cutting back on salt

Mon, 6 May 2013 16:33:33 EST
Well lately I have been pretty frustrated with the scale not moving. I was glad I was losing inches but the scale was just not moving at all. So while I was taking a break on writing a paper for homework, I stopped and thought about my issue. I then googled it. I started reading about water retention, which could be a reason why the scale isn't budging. So I thought to myself "hmm, maybe that's an issue and I don't even realize it?" So I popped on my tracker to change what I measure....sure e...

Oranges or Orange Juice

Mon, 6 May 2013 16:16:18 EST
Is it better to consume1/2 cup of orange juice or a medium size orange? I would assume it would be the orange because you are consuming all of it and getting the benefits of all the nutrients.

Girl Stuff

Mon, 6 May 2013 14:39:56 EST
So..it's that time of the month.

I feel like crap. I always seem to be super crampy and exhausted during this time. I just can't seem to motivate myself to workout today.

How do you ladies motivate yourself to be healthy and eat right and all that even when experiencing P Symptoms. Now, keep in mind, I'm not talking to those lucky gals who have 0 symptoms. Yes, I know they exist. I am not one of them. :P

Adding nutritional supplements

Mon, 6 May 2013 13:25:20 EST
Is there a way to include the supplements like potassium,magnesium, calcium, etc so it will show up on my nutrition tracker? I don't get enough of some of the nutrients and take supplements and would like for them to show up so I can see if I need additional amounts.

SparkFriend Laura

food tracker websites

Mon, 6 May 2013 12:32:55 EST
Hey all,
I know SP has a food tracker but im not a fan of it. I was wondering if anyone else uses a different one. Thanks
ncrose

Do you have days where you just can't stop eating?

Mon, 6 May 2013 12:17:36 EST
I'm having one of those days that I can't stop eating. I'm wondering if my body is trying to tell me if I'm not eating enough during the week? Any ideas?

Help! Hit a plateau!

Mon, 6 May 2013 11:16:16 EST
So I'm not overweight, but I am trying to get rid of my post baby belly fat! I have been on a strict diet for about a month. I walk about 2 miles everyday (sometimes twice) and I do an ab workout once a day. I lost almost 10 lbs and I'm at 125.5 now. Well the past week I stopped losing weight and I have really low energy!! What can I eat to boost my energy and stop my fatigue? Also why have I stopped losing weight? I haven't changed my diet at all! TIA!

Do you follow Spark menu plans?

Mon, 6 May 2013 10:49:29 EST
If there is anyone who has been successful with Spark people, I am wondering if anyone has followed the menu plan issued here. Please let me know. I struggle with nutrition...I'm good at exercise.

Thanks :)

Really Filling Low Calorie Lunch Ideas

Mon, 6 May 2013 08:58:19 EST
Sparkpeople:
I need some ideas for lunch that a working mom can make and take. I love the ideas on my menu plan, but I don't have time to make those kinds of meals.

Thanks!
CeeBee

diet plan

Mon, 6 May 2013 07:27:41 EST
Hi, I just joined last Wednesday, so I'm still blindly wading around here, but I have a problem because I'm diabetic so I have the diabetic meal plan, but I also don't eat wheat, so lots of things on the plan don't work for me. I've tried to figure out how to go back and put the wheat free part in, but have not been able to. Hoping someone can help.
Thanks.

is there a place on here to copy or create a menu?

Sun, 5 May 2013 23:59:47 EST
look for successful menus and to see if it could be sent to my phone for a shopping list?? New on here thought it couldnt hurt to ask

Help me, please! I am supposed to have 3k/day?!

Sun, 5 May 2013 21:49:46 EST
Hi.

I am really into the video game and dancing exercises... so I do DDR 7 days a week, Wii boxing 7 days a week, Wii Tennis 7 days a week, Zumba 4 times a week, and Strength training 3 times a week. Using Sparkpeople's calories burned information I am being told I burn 12386 calories/week just on my exercising. I know this seems like a lot but I really enjoy it and do the Wii and strength with my husband as quality time... I hadn't realized how much I had been burning and so had b...

I am in weight loss hell...

Sun, 5 May 2013 21:07:45 EST
This is a very long post with a lot of complaining. You've been warned.

I am 33, a wife, mother to a 7 year old daughter and a real estate agent. I am 5'10". Four years ago I weighed 222 when I started Weight Watchers. I did well on the program for about 6 months, lost 30lbs, then headed back down the anorexia road that I had been on as a teenager. I cut my intake down to 300 calories a day for six months and lost another 40lbs before I got myself back on track. Ever since then I h...

SparkPeople Cookbook

Sun, 5 May 2013 19:03:02 EST
Does anyone have this cookbook. Looking for some feedback on it.

eggs

Sun, 5 May 2013 19:01:51 EST
I am confused. PLEASE sort this out for me. everytime I eat an egg and track it in the nutrition tracker I am over cholesterol and yet I hear that eating eggs doesn't actually do that and that the current science supports eating eggs to not effect cholesterol. Today I had 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites and a low fat yogurt and 2 ounces of cheese and I am way over cholesterol. Perhaps I am not understanding something or have been misinformed.

when the food isn't in the search....

Sun, 5 May 2013 18:31:51 EST
What do you do if the food you ate isn't in the search box? I made beef and broccoli pasta skillet from scratch and the recipe I used said it is 365 calories per serving. Well I found something close to that but it's a box mix (Stouffers, I think) and the sodium was crazy high. Is there a way to put in your own food and calories?? I prefer to cook from scratch but it's hard to know if the nutrition will match up.

I can't believe my weight spiked up 5 pounds

Sun, 5 May 2013 17:44:17 EST
Yesterday my friends and I went wine tasting. I ate within my calorie range, but I think most of those calories were from wine. I got on the scale this morning and my weight was up by 5 pounds. Can this be real? I'm very depressed about this. Any advise on how I can quickly take them off.

my own recipes

Sun, 5 May 2013 16:20:21 EST
I sometimes make up my own soup recipes. Is there an app I could put all the ingredients in and it would break down the nutritional information for me? Or can I do that here, and I haven't found it yet. I don't want to have to enter each ingredient every time I make it.

Will my weekends set my goals back?

Sun, 5 May 2013 15:30:18 EST
I eat well and exercise well all week until sat nights. This weekend I shared a choco chip paradise and a plate if appetizers with my husband and four year old. Then later that night my husband and I had a bottle of red wine. With a stubborn plateau and only ten to go, will this set my goals back and prevent my weight loss efforts?

McDonald's ice cream cone nutrition

Sun, 5 May 2013 15:16:38 EST
Most of the nutrition info I have looked up for McDonald's cones on the Spark website say that the cones are only 150 cal. I live in Canada and when I look up the nutritional value on the actual McDonald's website, it says a cone is 230 cals. Can anyone tell me why?

FAQ about water not clear

Sun, 5 May 2013 13:02:53 EST
The FAQ about water does not really end up telling me whether or not to count sparkling water, tea, or herb tea in my water count. It gives two different messages. Keeping track of fluid is important to me, and I am doing it manually; but I will not do it on this site unless I know the proper way to do it. I usually drink 33-47 oz. of "plain old water," but I also drink tea or herb tea each day, and sometimes some sparkling water. What do I actually count?

Explain why people buy pre-formed burger patties?

Sun, 5 May 2013 12:04:38 EST
I buy ground meat (grass-fed in my case but that's not the question here). WHY do folks buy pre-formed patties, which cost more, than simple ground meat? I really REALLY do not get it. I add in my selection of spices and finely-diced onion, none of which takes up more than ten minutes of my time, and re-mound the burgers to sliders or regular hamburger sized food, depending on desire. Ten minutes of time gained, for what benefit??? I am seriously curious. I simply do not "get it".

GMO foods? How to identify them.

Sun, 5 May 2013 11:58:41 EST
How can we identify GMO foods. Genetically altered? Is it labeled differently or does it have a specific code?

No change

Sun, 5 May 2013 07:33:05 EST
I started to track all of my foods that I eat for the last 4 days .but threre is no change in my weight loss yet..I have lost my appetite they put me on crestor makes me sick at my stomach can't eat as much..I have not been able to work out since tuesday got a stitch in my leg..so I feel it is always something why I can't loose this weight..Dr.s put me on crestor my trygl.was 438 and have to get them down..so any advice will help

Dealing With Cravings

Sun, 5 May 2013 06:52:42 EST
Today's Spark Coach activity is dealing with cravings; for me these cravings have mainly been a problem when I see my husband snacking his way through two hours of TV each night. My plan will be to try not to sit in the same room with him as he does this. I don't usually watch TV but am sitting there reading a book so this may work. One day last week he ate an entire package of marshmallow fudge cookies! If I had been there I would have had to have one of them just because I saw him eating...

Do you like to eat fresh or canned fruit?

Sun, 5 May 2013 06:26:20 EST
I love fresh fruit. I can't remember the last time I ate canned fruit!

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Jucing and Smoothies

Sun, 5 May 2013 00:15:22 EST
Can you safely diet using a combination of juicing and smoothies, maybe supplemented with some nuts?

potassium

Sat, 4 May 2013 22:21:43 EST
how do I get more potassium in my diet. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables but I can't seem to get enough potassium.

Egg Recipes

Sat, 4 May 2013 21:40:36 EST
We have a small 18 acre hobby farm with 20 chickens and a couple of roosters. We get about 6 to 12 eggs a day. I give some of them to the neighbors but I need some egg recipes to add some interest. We are tired of eating the same thing all the time. Anyone have some new ideas for eggs.

Best foods to prevent illness

Sat, 4 May 2013 20:24:00 EST
Ever since I began running I've been getting colds more often....this seems to be the exact opposite of what most people say. It could have to do with the allergens in the air as spring is approaching but does anyone have any advice on how to keep up good health while being on an exercise regimen such as running? Last month I got strep, three weeks later was on more antibiotics for a different infection, and after running yesterday and today, my throat and ears are starting to hurt again!!! S...

50 grams of protein w/ <20 grams of fat...?

Sat, 4 May 2013 19:26:24 EST
I worked out for 3 hours today, my tracker says I need 50 grams of protein with less than 20 grams of fat....how can I even come close?

How do you weigh food to figure out calories?

Sat, 4 May 2013 17:35:00 EST
I cook a lot of meals from whole ingredients. I know I'll need a kitchen scale, but I'm having a hard time finding information out there on exactly how this works. I'm very frustrated because I feel like it should be obvious but I can't find the answer. I've never counted calories before, and I'm not really sold on the idea because I watch my portions, but I figure it can't hurt to at least have a rough idea so I have some information to plug into the nutrition track here on sparkpeople.

help with eggs?

Sat, 4 May 2013 16:40:47 EST
I have a VERY HIGH sensitivity to eggs. What can I eat in place of them that would give me the same nutrition and help that eggs would give? Thank you!

Anyone here doing Nutrisystem

Sat, 4 May 2013 15:31:23 EST
I'm just finishing my second week and wondered if anyone else here has tried it/

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Calorie Counter Question

Sat, 4 May 2013 15:19:38 EST
Not sure if this is the place to ask this question, but I was wondering why there is a spread on my calorie counter? It says I can have anywhere from 1500 - 1850 calories. That seems like an awfully HUGE difference between the 2 numbers. Can someone please explain this to me maybe?

My Dinner Today !!!

Sat, 4 May 2013 15:06:37 EST
I am going to have:-

Gorton's Simply Bake Salmon:- 1 ( 140 calories)
Asparagus :- 6 stalk's ( 20 calories )
Slice of Watermelon:- ( 40 calories )

Try it , it is good.

Half Marathon

Sat, 4 May 2013 13:06:13 EST
I've become a bit obsessed with the desire to run a half marathon. I started running daily about a month ago and have worked up to running 4-5 miles a day. I checked out some of the half marathon training schedules online and they basically have you running 2, 3, 4 miles a day and then a long run of 10mi on the weekend.Yikes! I can't imagine running that long (yes, I realize a half marathon is 13.1mi). Has anyone else run one? How did you train for it? And since I've started running I've been...

having such a hard time

Sat, 4 May 2013 11:49:02 EST
I was doing great being gluten free until I got sick in July - and my legs went weak and I ended up in a wheelchair

I've gained 20 since then

but now I have a back/neck injury - and I can't exercise - and I've been eating comfort foods

I want to smack myself or become bulemic -(don't worry I won't)

I'm frazzled and stressed - I just want to scream

Tea

Sat, 4 May 2013 11:48:31 EST
I have decided to go on a pop detox and was wanting to maybe try drinking tea, as I have read there are many health benefits associated with drinking tea. However, all the tea I have ever had just didn't taste good. Can anyone recommend some teas for me, or how to make it taste better without adding extra calories? I also am somewhat interested in drinking teas with herbal properties to help with various things, such as anxiety.

food ideas

Sat, 4 May 2013 11:09:37 EST
I have been with the Spark club since February and I have lost 22 pounds. I am very happy with that, but I have gotten in such a rut with my eating. I am bored with my food. Does anyone have a recipe for low calorie trail mix and granola made without maple syrup? I have been told by a nutrionist to eat a high protein breakfast within 30 minutes of getting out of bed. I would love to do it, but I am having a hard time eating much right after waking up.HELP
I am stuck at the same weight fo...

keeping a nutritional balance for the day

Sat, 4 May 2013 09:12:43 EST
One valuable thing I learned through tracking is to keep a balance of all the required nutrients for each day. Because I eat a Vegan diet, I wasn't getting all the protein I was supposed to but thanks to tracking on SparkPeople, I know I am getting a better balance and I'm not as hungry as I was before I started finding ways to increase my protein. This is awesome for me.

USA vs Canada??

Sat, 4 May 2013 02:56:50 EST
Okay so I have always heard about how many Americans struggle with their weight. I'm from Vancouver Canada and when I eat out their are usually some pretty healthy options and when I go to the grocery store I have a huge variety of fresh fruits and veggies, meat, 7+ grain bread. Of course their are bad things as well but I have a lot of healthy choices. Where ever I have lived in BC I have been fairly close to a produce market! I have always thought this was normal!! Well I went to the USA an...

Carbs in Broth

Sat, 4 May 2013 00:15:27 EST
Hi If I make a broth with vegetables and then remove the vegetables and just eat the broth. Do I count the vegetables as carbohydrate.
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Do You Shiver When You Eat Ice Cream?

Fri, 3 May 2013 21:09:25 EST
Is it normal to shiver and get cold when you eat ice cream? My nails turned purple!

I gained 10 pounds so i'm not underweight anymore. Does it happen to anybody else?

sabotaging myself before noon

Fri, 3 May 2013 20:49:59 EST
I get to work very early (6:00 am) and I find myself consuming 800 calories before noon. I eat a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter in it at work, followed by an apple an hour later, then crackers, then I'm onto other snacks. I calculated my intake at noon the other day and it was 800 calories. I feel like I need to eat breakfast later (self control...) or come up with a new strategy. It's not like I'm every hungry I just compulsively eat.

Hypoglycemia help!

Fri, 3 May 2013 18:33:42 EST
I've just been diagnosed with hypoglycemia. This is a whole new world of dieting for me. My biggest problem is figuring out how to LOSE weight, while having to shove food in my face every 2-3 hours.
My biggest problem is caloric intake.
How many calories can I have and still lose weight without having to stop eating?
From the time I wake up, til the time I go to bed, I have to eat something every 2 to 3 hours.
and i'm GAINING weight. during the summer before I was diagnos...

Have you tried something new today?

Fri, 3 May 2013 16:39:25 EST
Today I made a snack out of carrots and peanut butter. This was a surprisingly yummy snack -- have you tried anything new today. This snack was suggested in the sparkpeople fruits and veggie article today. Never knew there were so many spring veggies and fruits. I am learning a lot here. Have a great day!

Have you tried something new today?

Omelet with a serving of veggies?

Fri, 3 May 2013 15:28:24 EST
Hi there! I was wondering whether the veggies put into an egg omelet counted as a serving of vegetables? Usually I put a half inch slice of green pepper, half inch slice of onion, a whole 2 inch tall mushroom, and one of the breakaway pieces of garlic. If so, are there any negatives to having 4 servings of veggies in a day (along with about 4 servings of fruit in addition)? I know the recommendation is 5 total, but I am a pretty big guy... (6', 240lbs)

New strategies

Fri, 3 May 2013 14:15:28 EST
1. When going out to eat, I struggle with making healthy choices. I don't want to hold everyone up by mulling over a decision so I usually just pick quickly and immediately regret my decision. Since most restaurants have online menus available, I will check them out in advance. If it's a chain, they most likely have nutritional information posted online. If it is not, then there is a "close to" available using another restaurant.

2. A group of friends always hits us the local Mexi...

Grrrrrr!

Fri, 3 May 2013 13:32:41 EST
So Im on here to really pay attention to what I eat, to make sure I am eating the right things and to lose weight. I have been doing this for the past three weeks. Great, right? No. I am not seeing the results I would like to see. I see people easily losing weight just by making minor changes, and it seems like I am giong nowhere. Im not saying I want to quit I am just saying I am currently very very very frustrated. What am I doing wrong? What do I need to change? I stay within my calories, ...

Homemade chicken curry

Fri, 3 May 2013 13:03:09 EST
Just a quick question. I LOVE curry, the spicier the better and I love to make my own chicken madras curry from scratch with basmati rice. I've never really thought about it til now but if I'm making it all from fresh ingredients as I always do, does that make it pretty healthy? I don't use any oil and I don't use any salt. It's basically all chillis, red onions and tomato juice (no salt in it) and the spices. The chicken is fresh chicken breast and the basmati rice is boiled and has no salt....

Snacking ideas

Fri, 3 May 2013 12:40:17 EST
Since I've started to keep an eye on what I eat and eat better I feel hungry all the time! And all I want is chocolate or noodles, which isn't good 3 times a day lol.

What can I buy in for snacking on? I'm not a huge fruit fan so tend not to snack on it. And nuts I don't really like either, I only like hazelnut when it's in something but I don't like it alone.

Sources for herbs and spices

Fri, 3 May 2013 09:54:54 EST
Hi, Sparkers:

We grow some herbs on the deck, and I know about finding reasonably-priced herbs and spices at Trader Joe's and Penzeys Spices.

But are there other sources for herbs and spices that you like and would recommend?

Thanks!

I just have to post this great read

Fri, 3 May 2013 07:51:44 EST
I mean no offense, I just think that this was a great read on "paleofantasy" and wanted to share with you:
www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-
04/your-paleofads-are-paleo-bs

Can increasing protein stave off hunger?

Fri, 3 May 2013 02:39:58 EST
Hi, I'm training for a triathlon (my first) and my exercise has gone way up. Along with it, so has my appetite - and I've gained 5 pounds. My family is (mostly) vegetarian and, as a result, my daily protein intake is low by SparkPeople standards. I've been really struggling with the overwhelming urge to eat everything in sight and I started to wonder if I would do better to drastically increase my protein.

What do y'all think?

Perfect Fries baking

Fri, 3 May 2013 01:10:16 EST
So, I got this little contraption: https://www.perfectfries.com/

But it only tells me how to fry them in oil. Does anyone know how to bake fries just by experience? They taste horrible fried in oil... 39

Fat-free BBQ main course?

Thu, 2 May 2013 21:57:41 EST
Hi all! I spent some time checking the nutrition information tonight looking for a fat-free main course for a BBQ later this month. I checked chicken breasts, tilapia and haddock and was surprised to find fat in all of them.

I have an elderly relative who can't tolerate much, if any fat, and will be attending this BBQ. Yesterday, she had a salad with an oil-based dressing as part of dinner and spent most of the night with lots of GI distress. She's old enough that "Have a lovely qu...

breakfast

Thu, 2 May 2013 21:21:11 EST
is Red Mill brown rice Creamy Rice hot cereal a replacement for the flax granola. I can't get the arrowhead where I live. Any suggestions would be welcome

Measurements......???

Thu, 2 May 2013 21:20:07 EST
Some of these recipes, ingredients, etc. use measurements I've never used, or heard of......I've tried to use the internet to try and figure things out, but even the internet comes up with nothing........what is .06 of a cup??

Turkey Burger......How to make??

Thu, 2 May 2013 19:25:22 EST
I am new to this site and the menu has me having a turkey burger Friday night for supper, but it doesn't tell me how to prepare it. Any suggestions? I want to make sure I don't go over my calorie count by adding stuff -- eggs and bread crumbs -- that I would normally use to make a ground beef burger.

Can I safely store bottled water in my car?

Thu, 2 May 2013 19:05:42 EST
I want to boost my water intake by keeping bottled water always on hand in my car. I often find myself sitting in traffic, thirsty, with my trusty water bottle already empty. Plus, I'd like to be able to offer water to my kids more frequently. I've heard that plastic bottles may leach toxins to the water when they are overheated, such as by being stored in a hot car.
Additionally, is bottled water generally safe, when it may have been overheated during transport to the store? Thanks in ...

Best Pastas?

Thu, 2 May 2013 18:58:12 EST
I love pasta! I'm doing really good at cutting it out completely but its been calling my name.

Is there a brand that you buy that is healthier? I know wheat pasta can be "healthier" tho some that I have looked at have the same calories for the same serving size as regular white pasta. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!

Popcorn

Thu, 2 May 2013 18:30:09 EST
What can I put on my popcorn instead of butter? I killed my fat grams today... 227

Stay below rec. values or eat dbl to catch up???

Thu, 2 May 2013 18:05:57 EST
I ate a good amount of healthy foods today, but I am below my recommended daily amount of calories and protein. Even if I add to my tracker my usual nighttime snack, then I am still under. Is it better to stay under or eat enough stuff later to be within my range?

An interesting website...

Thu, 2 May 2013 17:02:29 EST
So a friend posted about this website on Facebook and it looks like it could be useful for anyone who needs meal ideas, I know I always do!
www.eatthismuch.com/

This is new to me but if you've used it before, share you're opinions! I know there's a monthly charge for this but compared to what I use to spend on fast food back in the day, it's not much. Plus, you get 2 weeks free!

New here

Thu, 2 May 2013 16:06:54 EST
Hello I am new to Spark People. I have decided it was well past time for me to lose weight and be active. My goal is to run a 5K and become an everyday runner. I was wondering what is the best protein powder and what shoes are the best for running? Thank you all

Started new exercise plan, diet needs adjusting

Thu, 2 May 2013 15:42:09 EST
I've just started a new exercise routine involving two days a week of strength circuit training, two days of cardio interval training, and one day of distance, as set up by a personal trainer. The 1200 calorie plan I've been following when I was sitting at a desk all day is NOT cutting it -- I'm STARVING (like, so hungry I want to cry), tired, have a headache, and I actually blacked out when I stood up too fast.

The problem is, I updated my fitness goal and the tracker is still gi...

High Fiber Foods

Thu, 2 May 2013 15:33:29 EST
Hello!

I took a look at my nutrition tracker for the last few days, and I've noticed that my fiber count is really low. I'm trying to eat 50-60 grams of fiber a day. What are some of your favorite high-fiber foods? I already know about fruits, vegetables, and grains -- just trying to find new ideas!

Getting Started

Thu, 2 May 2013 14:16:46 EST
I can't afford WW E-tools anymore and they weren't working anyway, so I have returned to Spark People. I'm finding out the older you get the tougher it is to lose weight, especially if you are a type 2 diabetic now taking insulin. I've had weight loss surgery (lap band) that didn't work. I'm going to a diabetes educator next week and I'm now tracking my food and hopefully, soon, my exercise here at Spark people. It is hard when you have one replaced knee, one knee that needs replacing and a b...

Should I eat more?

Thu, 2 May 2013 13:26:34 EST
My fitness plan right now running every other day, strength training and walking twice a week, and the 30 day shred every day. It's only Thursday and I've nearly doubled my calories to burn this week. Should I make an adjustment or simply eat towards the upper edge of my calorie range?

Editing Favorites in Nutrition Tracker

Thu, 2 May 2013 12:17:09 EST

Lately I have noticed that I have many duplicate entries in my Nutrition Tracker.
How can I edit these duplicates out?

Lightheaded and queasy in the morning?

Thu, 2 May 2013 11:12:02 EST
Let me preface this that I've never been much of a breakfast eater, I usually eat a small one when I get to work at 9. I've never had a problem with it before, I usually do not feel hungry at all until I get to work.

So, this morning after I got up I was feeling not OK throughout getting ready... sort of queasy and lightheaded. I've never had that happen before. I opted to eat a small piece of cornbread on my way out the door (the only thing I had handy) and drank a diet coke on...

Restaurant Food!!

Thu, 2 May 2013 11:06:12 EST
Last night my husband and I went out for a Birthday dinner for one of our friend's. Wednesday is our day to have one cheat meal so we knew that we would be over in calories. We shared 1 appetizer, 1 entree and 1 dessert -- this is what we normally would have eaten on our own so we only eat half of what we would have consumed a month ago. I thought we were doing quite well sharing.
I went to the restaurant`s web site and looked up the nutrition and we entered our dinners into nutrition t...

Why is my "calories to burn" figure so low?

Thu, 2 May 2013 09:15:10 EST
Dear Spark Friends:

I have several friends on Weight Watchers or other weight loss programs. They have a calories to burn goal of 3500 calories and an intake of 1200. Why is my goal only 650 calories to burn per week with a 1200-1550 calorie intake? I manually reset my calories to burn to 3500 per week, but my calorie intake increased to 1600. My current weight is161.5 pounds. My friends are in about the same range.
Thanks,
Carol

PS I love Sparkpeople!

Does Crystal Light count towards water intake?

Thu, 2 May 2013 08:31:46 EST
Hi, everyone! I do my best with drinking plain old water, but it's not easy for me to get it down. I have always had a difficult time with drinking water. The only time I actually like it is during and after exercising. So, my question is this....Can I include Crystal Light, or any low calorie drink, into my daily water intake???

Where to buy loose tea

Thu, 2 May 2013 07:35:59 EST
I am trying to go from coffee to tea. I empty tea bags into coffee pot. was thinking tea with out tea bag would be so much more simple to use. but not sure where to buy it. TIA

wheat free

Thu, 2 May 2013 07:30:43 EST
I have been reading a book called "Wheat Belly" by Dr Williams. Because of the many interesting and eye opening things I am seeing in it I have decided to eliminate wheat from my diet. I am not doing anything drastic -just eliminating products made with wheat.
Has anyone had any experience with wheat elimination- does it help? Does it help with weight loss?

stayed under 1500 cals but went over the 1200

Thu, 2 May 2013 06:15:30 EST
Yesterday I did stay in between my goals for cal. but if I wouldnt of had my bed time snack I would have done better. I was not hungry at all but still had to have it. I hate this I wish I could stop this bad habit of mine any ideas advice ?

Warm Weather Treats

Thu, 2 May 2013 06:13:57 EST
What's your favorite warm weather treats guys? What's that one, nice cold thing that you like to consume when the temps hit 80+ degrees? Do you grab a sinfully good treat like a milkshake or a sundae? Or do you keep it healthy with something lighter, yet still sweet?

I admit, I just had a caramel malt last night and it was super yummy...but at over 300 calories I'll not be having one too often. Boy was it yummy though!

I'd really like to have some ideas for some not ...

Potassium and protein in foods listed

Thu, 2 May 2013 03:55:50 EST
I have only been a member for a few weeks, so I am still getting familiar with using this marvellous site! One thing I struggle with, though, is getting enough protein, as I cannot consume dairy, and enough potassium. So I have started being very careful when using foods listed and their nutritional content. I am really surprised at how many foods that are listed, do not have these two critical nutrients included. I have started deleting those ones from my favorites list, so I am not short-ch...

Has anyone done Dr Alejandro Junger's Cleanse?

Wed, 1 May 2013 23:24:46 EST
So I am about to start the clean program as stated by Dr. Junger's book "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself". Wondering if anyone else had heard of it or tried it. I'm kind of excited. Did not buy his kit online, just following the guide and recipes in the book. I got really interested in all of this stuff a couple of months ago after watching Hungry for change on netflix and then their first film Food matters. When I think back on everything...

Size matters

Wed, 1 May 2013 21:36:00 EST
It occurred to me today that I could do something that would help me psychologically with my calorie count. When I'm logging fruit, for example, instead of 'medium-sized strawberries', for example, I'm going to start selecting 'large strawberries'. This will increase my calorie count a little bit.

By overestimating, but really eating just a bit less, I can help myself stay in the lower margin of my calorie range.

Excercise and your daily calories question.

Wed, 1 May 2013 19:10:01 EST
Daily caloric range is pretty wide. Say you have 1200-1540 per day. How does exercise calculate in. If you're spending 400 calories a day should you be eating closer to the 1540, or does it matter.

Binging

Wed, 1 May 2013 19:04:25 EST
Hi,

I've been on sparkpeople for a while now, but I've stopped and started a lot. This time I want to keep it going, and I did fine today and yesterday, but last week I just could not stop binge eating. I know that I shouldn't, but it seems like when the food is available I just go for it. I asked my roommate to help and not buy the foods that I'm trying not to eat, but it's my deal, not hers, so I don't want to bother her with it too much. She sometimes says she wants to lose w...

Help!!!

Wed, 1 May 2013 17:37:36 EST
I eat out every day-sometimes twice a day. Besides being very fattening, it's burning a whole in my pocket. So five days ago I put myself on a one year challenge not to eat out at all. I'm afraid that if I eat out even once in a while I will lose control and make it a habit again. The problem though is I don't know what to do when I'm out for long periods of time. For instance, I'm going out all day tomorrow and I know I'll be hungry long before I get home. I'd like to pack myself a lunch and...

Cookbooks for Healthy Eating?

Wed, 1 May 2013 16:36:51 EST
Hi everyone...Im looking for good Cookbooks for healthy eating. I need ingredients that are either ((preferred)) Organic, Non GMO or readily available at the market... I have a weight watchers cookbook but many of the ingredients arent easy to locate.. Thanks!

A job with high calorie burn + how to eat?

Wed, 1 May 2013 15:10:54 EST
I went from not really exercising at all to working a custodial job at a gym. (I get a free membership!) Shifts are 3-4 hours, and occasionally a split shift of 7 hours total for the day with one 3 hour break in between those hours.

I used an online calculator that measures in METs and it says I am burning a LOT of calories. Of course it isn't an exact calculation, but is around 600-800 calories per shift, which would make the split shift around 1,200-1,600. (I weight 178lbs) I'll ...

How many calories to eat?

Wed, 1 May 2013 11:43:08 EST
I was eating 1200-1400 and losing 2 pounds a week for the past 6 weeks. I am not starving and eat a lot of whole foods.

I am called back to work and i will be gardening for 4 hours everyday. I checked out the calories burned in the 4 hours. It says 1000 calories burned.

So my question is how much do i up my calorie intake? I still want to loose more weight as i have about 40 pounds to lose. But i also know i am going to need more calories with this type of work.

Going vegan...but where do you start?

Wed, 1 May 2013 10:29:55 EST
After fighting months of IBS, feeling horrible, vicious sugar and fast food cycles and not being able to drop a pound I have decided to cut the junk food and processed food cord and go vegan! Now if I could just figure out the first step in doing that. I know cutting everything out cold turkey isn't a good idea. Does anyone have any suggestions on a first step?

Doritos are my enemy

Wed, 1 May 2013 08:48:01 EST
My daughter left a bag of doritos in my bedroom the other night. Well I had a high impact Zumba session at the gym.....wasn't hungry at all afterwards (I had dinner prior to the late 8pm class). I woke up in the middle of the night so hungry....I know my initial reaction should have been to grab the water that I keep next to the bed, but no...I went for the doritos....woke up and gained about 3 lbs...Is there that much sodium???? I'm guess that I am retaining extra water now :(

Staying under 1500 cal today

Wed, 1 May 2013 08:25:10 EST
this is my plan for today I hope I stick to it.
Stay under 1500 calories
Plan
cereal in am
salad or shack for lunch
cucumber/ fruit snack
salad for supper
carrots for bed time snack

lets see how this will work

What is ur plan for today

herbalife

Wed, 1 May 2013 06:43:24 EST
Is herbalife shak?e good. I joined a free weightloss wibinar on facebook.They want me to get herbalife.Any advise

Permanent metabolism problem?

Wed, 1 May 2013 00:08:04 EST
I have tracked my calories before...and have started tracking again and same problem is here. I have to force myself to break 1000 calories count each day; 800 is about my average. I can't lose weight. Have a permanently damaged my metabolism and ability to lose weight? What can I do? I have seen a nutritionist who simply did not believe my food tracking. How can I get my body to burn fat?

Which menu item would you choose?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:12:28 EST
We go to the same restaurant every month for a work meeting, and of course, they don't provide nutrition information. I can't decide which of these would be the best choice (as in fewest calories), so I'm asking you all what you think! I'm the kind of controlling gal that I can't trust it if I don't see the calories written on paper before I eat it, or see exactly what goes in/on it! I know it's only one meal, but if I'm going to have to go here frequently, I want to pick the best option. ...

No motivation

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:45:19 EST
I work all day and take care of my 87 year old mother every night and weekend. I feel like my life is spinning out of control. I feel like I have no life. My brain feels like mush most of the time and I have no motivation to exercise anymore. Any suggestions??? Thanks.

Need help with carb information and running

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:29:14 EST
I've noticed a strange pattern and was wondering if anyone had similar experiences. I've always heard that if you are going to run, load up on carbs the night before. Now, I do run, I try to do 5k maybe three times a week. If I really want to push myself and do my best and focus on my time, there have been times that I will have spaghetti or lasagna the night before if I know I am running the next morning.

Much to my surprise and frustration, I have found that every time I do this...

water

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:21:31 EST
Does anyone have any tips for getting the required 8 glasses of water per day for this newbie? I have tried, I'm just not that thirsty, so I forget to drink!

Thank you!!

summer sweets and my sweet tooth

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:11:56 EST
Well, I know that summer is coming with all the sun, new growth, and its warm enough to enjoy ice cream without freezing. My biggest issue is finding a cool and sweet alterative to ice cream and sherbet in the summer. I have thought about everything from yogurt to gelato, to frozen fruit. I can remember eating frozen yogurt a few times and it was interesting, gelato I had twice and I love the flavors.

I am open to all things, I am not too picky about most things. Trying something w...

How long before you saw results?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:04:41 EST
I'm just curious when everyone started to see results form diet and exercise?

Protein shakes

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:22:02 EST
I have been replacing one meal a day (usually lunch) with a 100% whey protein shake. I am trying to lose 40 pounds and this makes it more convenient for me when I'm on the go. Is this a good idea for women trying to lose weight?

Trying to stay in calorie range

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:32:07 EST
I usually eat - A LOT - and have always had problems if I skip meals. Soooo, now I am trying to track my calories, but I am finding that I am feeling a little light headed.

In the past - since I was a kid - if I don't eat my meals around the same time range, I get light headed and have fainted when I would skip meals because I was busy or whatever.

I have noticed that since I put weight on it is worse....

Was just wondering if anyone has experienced this probl...

In need of tips for a effective diet!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:21:29 EST
About a year ago I was diagnosed with pre diabetes. Since finding out I have been exercising almost daily and have been watching closley to what I am eating. Latley, I have noticed that I'm still taking in alot of sugar with my diet. Is there anyone out there who could give me a few tips on what I can do to make this diet more effective?

Antihistamine and hunger.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:36:35 EST
I am having a ravenous hungry day. I have been eating balanced and enough so I thought about what might be different. Well I have taken an antihistamine the last two days and found on line that it can cause increased appetite in some people.

I plan to end the day on the high end of my calories range. Just thought I'd mention this since spring is here and it might happen to some others.

Can't eat due to stress, help! :(

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:15:35 EST
Hi, I have exams for uni starting next week so I am incredibly stressed, and since last thursday I have not been able to eat normally. I was having two meals a day since thursday, but today & yesterday I have just ate once. I normally have a very big appetite, it's hard to ever feel full, but now everytime I eat a mouthful too much I vomit.

I don't believe it is something I should go to the doctors about as it always happens to me when I am stressed but I care more this time since...

difference between raw and cooked meats

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:53:49 EST
The calorie counts in Sparkpeople are for cooked meats. How do I calculate the difference between raw which I can weigh and cooked which sometimes I cant eg if its in a casserole?

Help!!!! Need assistance with calorie intact

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:35:38 EST
Hello everyone,

Sparkpeople has my calorie intake MUCH higher than my doctor has me at. I have been feeling very hungry at only 1,200 (doctors advice) and weak when I work out, almost like I'm getting sick all the time. I burn alot of calories when I work out (500-600) and I do it 6 days a week. Am I totally messing up? I have approx 100 lbs to lose and any help is greatly appreciated

CALORIE GOAL SETTING

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:06:19 EST
Hi all,
Hope your day is a great one. The question I have, is concerning future calorie goals. Will Sparkpeople's system adjust my nutritional goals or will I need to lower them as I lose weight ?
Will appreciate any feedback.

Thanks
Brian

Non-dairy protein powders

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:54:41 EST
Any recommendations for non-dairy protein powders? I am allergic to casein (not whey, though, and I am not lactose intolerant). We have some "100% Whey" powder in the house, but I'm wary of it, mainly due to fears of cross-contamination.

Also, if you can think of any other excellent non-dairy protein sources, feel free to suggest them! Some of my go-to items at the moment are shrimp, skinless chicken breast, edamame, black beans, eggs, & nuts or peanut butter.

Drinking More Water

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:16:07 EST
I never liked to drink water, so now what I do is I bought a glass pitcher with an infuser, or any pitcher will do. Fill it with water and slice lemons, limes, oranges (organic of course) or pineapple and straberries or any fruit, and let it sit overnight. It is so delicious and now I drink lots of water every day. You can also use vegetables. Sliced cucumbers are my favorite.

Sparkpeople's calorie counts always 10 off

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:26:53 EST
Hello! I've noticed that whenever I decide to track my calories on Sparkpeople- the calorie amounts are often 10 more than what the package says per serving. Has anyone else noticed this, or know why this might be? I'm wondering if maybe companies are now allowed to round down or something? Or if users input an extra 10 calories on purpose for some reason? It's odd that it's consistently 10 off.

I know 10 calories isn't a lot- but over the course of time it adds up! Sometimes...

Having Trouble Getting My Carbs

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:21:35 EST
I know this probably doesn't happen much but I have a hard time getting my carbs in each day. Most days I'm still 30-50 off from getting them. Will this effect my weight loss? Thanks ahead of time!

On Day 7 of the Plan- help uber constipated!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:05:47 EST
Hello all, I am on Day 7 of The Plan and though I am loving the results, I think the weigh in accuracy in the morning is being compromised by my ...uh... issue of constipation. Yes -- I am drinking lots of water ( 3L minimum daily),I have dried prunes/blueberries and currant in my flax granola, I am taking probiotics and MSM daily, eating a lot of greens on this diet ( naturally) ....but I seriously only go every 2 -3 days.
Is it time for the senna lax. tea?? Help! : //

Cinco De Mayo Beer Walk

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:04:46 EST
I am not typically a beer drinker. I drink usually a glass of wine a night or every other night with dinner. I am going on a beer walk this weekend from 3pm to midnight and was wondering what would be the best low calorie beer to drink so that I do not undo all my healthy choices for the week and gain all kinds of weight from one day? I heard of Michelob lights that are flavors but am not sure that most bars carry those? Can someone that likes beer help me out?

I am having trouble getting enough daily protein.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:23:32 EST
I usually eat peanut butter in the morning. I only eat meat once a day, at dinner.
Everything else is basically fruit and veggies.
How do I keep my 1200 calorie diet but get enough protein?
I don't know how much protein powder costs, but at this point, I can't buy any.

Any ideas of how to add protein to my diet with little calories?

benefits of juicing, non-dairy milks?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:09:25 EST
I know that green juices and non-dairy milks (coconut, soy, almond, rice) are very popular among folks who are nutritionally minded. But what are their benefits? Are they worth the cost/trouble?

Is it just me or...?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:28:05 EST
Does it seem like more and more people are posting, asking about the miracle pill, shake, weight loss magic wand? Maybe I am just reading the forums more consistently that I have in the past but... Wow, seems a lot more frequently I see those posts.

You'd think that, for as long as people have been trying to lose weight, they'd realize that there isn't anything that magically makes you thin. I mean, if there was, then no one would be overweight!

Question about tracking fluids

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:06:17 EST
I am following Spark's meal plans and when it suggests things with my meal like tea, coffee, milk, etc, should I count it in my daily water intake. I only drink actual water after my workouts, but I drink unsweetened tea all day so I log that in my cups of water. So, 2 days ago, I logged only 4 cups fluid, but I had a glass of something with every meal that Spark recommended.

???

Blessings, Michelle

Going it alone - advice?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:05:09 EST
Hey all:

I am trying to do this on my own and have failed miserably in the past. I really want this time to be the last, but I already see myself going to old habits (not tracking, going out too much, etc). I think the hardest thing is that I am single and don't see a change in that in any near future. I am not looking for a buddy or anything like that - tried it, didn't really keep me "accountable" or motivate me or anything. I don't have many close friends to turn to, either....

Garcinia Cambogia

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:01:45 EST
Hi, has anyone used this supplement w/ success? Its recommended by Dr Oz and he was saying how great it was. I need something that is going to kick start weight loss, keep it going and give me TONS of energy as I have zip for energy.

Just ordeed from GNC

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:00:10 EST
I ordered their drink mix in vanilla and some other weight loss stuff :) Anyone have any good bad review of that mix? TIA :)

Gluten Free for Me? How Do I Start?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:53:41 EST
I'm sure there are posts buried on here about this and I could probably do a ton of research on my own, but I'm interested in hearing stories from REAL people about the Gluten Free lifestyle.

I recently went through three rounds of antibiotics in two months and they left my stomach insanely inflamed. My doctor suggested going gluten free to help with the inflammation and as a possible side benefit of easing my hypothyroid symptoms.

I am sort of totally confused about th...

3rd shift exhaustion

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:46:08 EST
Hi, I am kinda new here - was here a few yrs back and trying to loose weight again and KNOW I have to exercise but am just SOOOO exhausted all the time, plus i have plantar faciitis and love to walk and jog - its how I lost all my weight before - but now w/ this foot problem I cant do what I loved and worked for me. Why am I always exhausted - i see other people wake up and exercise before work -OMG i couldn't even fathom doing such a thing - and some exercise when they come home which I cou...

Low sodium and carbs ?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:25:25 EST
Need some ideas to make meals that are low sodium and carbs it seems that is my problem area TIA

Going over and under on calorie counts.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:07:33 EST
I'm wondering if anybody goes under the range on some days and over on other days, which I tend to do, which in my mind makes me think it all evens out in the end. Does anybody else do this and how does it work for you? Some days I'm hungrier or eat out, which makes my count high, and some days I just don't feel like eating as much as I need to to get all the calories in.

I've read about the cycling between the lower and upper ends of the range, but that's not what I'm talking ab...

Just recently quit eating dairy.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:47:25 EST
Hi I was wondering if there are side affects from not eating dairy. I just recently quit and Iam irritable, tired, and just not in a very good mood. Is this a sign of dairy withdrawl.? I am trying really hard to rid myself of the dairy habit.I need to lose alot of weight and I had seen on Dr Oz that dairy contributes to weigh gain. I was eating alot of cheese and drinking milk. It has just been a few days since I started this. Could this be why i feel like this.?
...

Gluten Free/Lactose Free

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:14:12 EST
Hey Everyone,

I'm on a GFLF diet for medical reasons. I've always been LF, but the GF just started within the last 6 to 8 months or so.

I'm just starting to get serious about tracking my food and I noticed that while I'm eating "healthy" foods, I'm not getting the proper caloric intake.

I'm supposed to be getting around 1,200/day to get to my goal weight by my goal date, but for example, tomorrow my intake has worked out to just under 800 calories, which I kn...