My oatmeal takes about 60 seconds in the microwave. Am I doing it wrong?I'm not going to count calories (too much work), but if this is becoming a recipe thread, I'm happy to share my prized oatmeal recipe that has become my standard breakfast.
Step 1: Start cooking the oatmeal. (Rolled oats, steel-cut oats, whatever.) Make one serving however your package says to do it. While the oatmeal is simmering...
Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix up: one banana (sliced into little pieces), half a dark chocolate bar (broken into little pieces), a handful of almonds, five or six heaping teaspoons of plain yogurt, and an unmeasured amount (maybe about a tablespoon) of honey.
Step 3: A few minutes before the oatmeal is done cooking, toss in a handful of frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, whatever).
Step 4: When ready, dump the oatmeal-with-berries into the bowl of other stuff, stir it all up, and eat it.
Pro tip: Find a big bowl, because it's hard to fit all of that into a regular-sized bowl.
Do you cover it with aluminum foil?My oatmeal takes about 60 seconds in the microwave. Am I doing it wrong?
Will that help? I do put my ear right up against the glass so I can hear when it is done.Do you cover it with aluminum foil?
Depends, what are you measuring water with?My oatmeal takes about 60 seconds in the microwave. Am I doing it wrong?
Whatever container I find left in the sink from the night before.Depends, what are you measuring water with?
If I understand correctly @bostonfred is making a calorie goal the challenge for the month of May.Wait so are we counting calories now? That the new challenge?? If so, hell, I’m in. What’s the challenge though?
oh and tonight Imma go nuts if that’s the plan. Brownies cookies and booze: fear me.
Fyi this isn't really true. There are a lot of reasons why it's unhealthy to eat garbage and plenty of reasons why people who eat too much sugar or other "bad" foods can struggle with weight loss but there are plenty of examples of people eating nothing but McDonald's or Subway and losing weight at exactly the rate predicted by their calorie intake.And that brings us to a very important thing to keep in mind...not all calories are created equal. You eat 2,000 calories of sugar all day vs 2,000 calories of largely nutrient dense food, there's no comparison, the 2nd group will lose weight and it's proven time and time again.
1.2 pounds is not packing on the weight. I understand the psychological impact or whatever of seeing a "2" as the first number when you step on the scale, but you really haven't gained much. Regain focus, track calories, keep exercising - you got this.I exercised like crazy over the weekend and still packed on weight.
The trick for me is count the drinks at the start of the day and then fill in the calories left with food.Going to eat no more than 1,500 calories per day through this challenge. As part of that will severely limit or avoid alcohol.
This is exactly what I've been doing except that my weekends are identical to the rest. Breakfast: oatmeal (recipe upthread). Lunch: potato salad (with mayonnaise replaced by guacamole and hummus [and extra lemon juice instead of vinegar]). Dinner: something different every night. (I sometimes skip breakfast and/or lunch, but when I eat, that's nearly always what I have.)M-F I'm at 1350 calories at suppertime because breakfast, lunch and snacks are identical. I recognize most people would not tolerate that, but it doesn't bug me at all. I have plenty of variety at dinner and on weekends.
With short-term weight fluctuation, MoP has a point because, calorie for calorie, pizza causes more water retention than an avocado.Fyi this isn't really true. There are a lot of reasons why it's unhealthy to eat garbage and plenty of reasons why people who eat too much sugar or other "bad" foods can struggle with weight loss but there are plenty of examples of people eating nothing but McDonald's or Subway and losing weight at exactly the rate predicted by their calorie intake.And that brings us to a very important thing to keep in mind...not all calories are created equal. You eat 2,000 calories of sugar all day vs 2,000 calories of largely nutrient dense food, there's no comparison, the 2nd group will lose weight and it's proven time and time again.
The good news is they're only 100 each. So it's not like you have to cut them out completely. You just want to be sensible about it.i might like this calorie counting thing, once i have a handle on it. it's fascinating to discover how many calories are in things. those delicious chocolate chip cookies my wife made, have 100ish calories each!! :(
simply by circumstance, i skipped lunch yesterday. had 3 beers and a burger and fries for dinner. first take out since this bs started. that was still under 2000 calories, add my exercise and i was 1000 calories under the MFP calculations. i think i'm going to shoot for under 2000 a day and see where that takes me. i need to establish a baseline, and adjust from there.
thanks for the impetus @bostonfred
Lol look at this guy doesn't even know how to spell avocado what a dummyWith short-term weight fluctuation, MoP has a point because, calorie for calorie, pizza causes more water retention than an avocado.
When it comes to burning or storing fat, though, it's all about calories. Your mitochondia don't know whether a particular C55H104O6 molecule came from pizza or an avodaco, and they don't care. They're combining it with the same amount of oxygen to produce the same amount of water and carbon-dioxide either way, releasing the same amount of energy regardless of the source.
Seems overly aggressive. You are a big dude. Why not aim for a net of 1800 calories each day? Rowing away 300 calories and then only consuming 1500 calories for the day is going to tough after a few days for someone that weighs 220ish.Going to eat no more than 1,500 calories per day through this challenge. As part of that will severely limit or avoid alcohol.
good thing i almost never do take out. last night's burger was the first meal, not from home since 3/7. when i was in WY. without the pandemic, i might have done it once or twice more. food from restaurants usually hits my body like a freight train. i'm so used to the healthy way of eating that i do at home, the salt/sugar/preservatives in restaurant food, really does a number on me. last night's burger, had my heart pounding, and i felt like crap for about an hour. i'm really lucky that my wife likes to cook, is a really good cook, and that she still likes me!The good news is they're only 100 each. So it's not like you have to cut them out completely. You just want to be sensible about it.
It's amazing how many times i was like oh no i didn't realize how bad that was.
Wait until you find out how many calories were in that takeout meal you used to get all the time. Oops.
I have to exercise to stay under my goal. I eat.Yeah I'm starting to realize that this counting calorie thing is not bad at all. It's actually not that hard to stay under your goal (especially if you sprinkle in exercise). It's motivating me to stop snacking as much but I'm still able to enjoy fun things (like drinking and an occasional dessert).
My only snack today was bleu cheese with some carrots. I actually measured a tablespoon of bleu cheese.I have to exercise to stay under my goal. I eat.
Traitor!!!!i might like this calorie counting thing, once i have a handle on it. it's fascinating to discover how many calories are in things. those delicious chocolate chip cookies my wife made, have 100ish calories each!! :(
simply by circumstance, i skipped lunch yesterday. had 3 beers and a burger and fries for dinner. first take out since this bs started. that was still under 2000 calories, add my exercise and i was 1000 calories under the MFP calculations. i think i'm going to shoot for under 2000 a day and see where that takes me. i need to establish a baseline, and adjust from there.
thanks for the impetus @bostonfred
While not perfect, it’s still better than what some of us were doing before this (I.e. eating bad stuff, drinking bad stuff and not caring about calories).Traitor!!!!
You’re better off using your “counting calories” time doing another set of whatever.
Don’t eat bad stuff. That’s a lot simpler than counting calories which apparently to everyone here is to justify adding junk to their diet because it’s fits in their little numbers game.
Lift heavy ####. Put heavy #### down. Do it quickly (and safely). Drink water. Eat protein and veggies. Stay away from white man-made crap.
Note: I’m only messing around with you guys. I fully understand that not everyone is the same and fully support whatever method works for you.
It is shocking when you start tracking things...i might like this calorie counting thing, once i have a handle on it. it's fascinating to discover how many calories are in things. those delicious chocolate chip cookies my wife made, have 100ish calories each!! :(
simply by circumstance, i skipped lunch yesterday. had 3 beers and a burger and fries for dinner. first take out since this bs started. that was still under 2000 calories, add my exercise and i was 1000 calories under the MFP calculations. i think i'm going to shoot for under 2000 a day and see where that takes me. i need to establish a baseline, and adjust from there.
thanks for the impetus @bostonfred
I just posted my calories for the day in the may challenge thread. Sugary coffee, half a frozen pizza, a snack, a huge dinner and 3 glasses of wine. My only exercise was an hour of walking. 1500 net calories. You don't have to deprive yourself or go crazy exercising to lose weight.I have to exercise to stay under my goal. I eat.
Rookie mistake - if you just eat all the pizza when you get it, like I did, then this doesn't happen.Some leftover slices of pizza from the weekend didn't help.
Listen to her, she's a professional.Rookie mistake - if you just eat all the pizza when you get it, like I did, then this doesn't happen.
"TIMEOUT OFFENSE"(does the Referee double arm pointing like he's bringing in a 747)According to MyFitnessPal, based upon my starting weight (297.4), my goal weight (275) and an ambitious goal of losing 1.5 lbs per week, I’m allowed 2,280 calories per day. Currently sitting at 2,098 for the day. I do have 317 exercise calories today from 51 minutes of exercise (21 minutes walking & 30 minutes recumbent bike.
51 minutes today. 171 minutes for May.
Gotcha."TIMEOUT OFFENSE"(does the Referee double arm pointing like he's bringing in a 747)
I want to draw up a game plan with you CP, I set my controls and goals similar to what I will share here.
1. When you load in the calories that MFP is going to allow you of 2,280...don't eat 2,280, try to shoot for under 2,000 and if you can hit 1,800 you would be wise.
2. DO NOT EAT the exercise calories it loads back in or on top of the daily goal/target...read that again a couple times
You want to try and create a 500-750 calorie deficit daily IMHO...somewhere around 3,500 calories makes up 1 pound of Fat or Flesh, 7 day week, 5 good days, 2 middle of the road and you lose 1 pound a week but I almost promise, you will lose even more as you go along.
-I'm not someone that should give out advice because I can never keep it off but I have been your exact weight in my life time so I know how you feel. I haven't been thru exactly what you have been thru in the last few years of your life but I have lost loved ones and I understand pain.
-Simplify everything, breakfast should be one of two or three things you eat daily rain or shine, limit the amount of sugar you eat and it's in everything so check labels CP. I think sugar is as addictive as cocaine and just as big a health risk for most.
-Up your water and up your fiber intake but make it soluble vs insoluble...you likely have impacted bowels right now and would be shocked what an enema might do...wouldn't hurt to get that colonoscopy check up, they'll clean you out prior
And if you are think I'm coming down on you, apologies my friend. I just want to help.
Don't know everyone's ages but I was reading how Tiger Woods wishes he didn't run so much when he was younger...WOW! What an indictment on running and you do see a lot of runners over their lifetime have to stop or destroy their knees etc...going the other way and being stationary throughout life isn't good either.did 4.38 miles today ran 1.4 of it, hiked steep hills for .5 of it. my knees are pissed. 3 days in a row of running, especially in the real world, is not my friend. i miss my elliptical @Otis but most of all, i miss my Finnish sauna. 10-15 minutes a day of intense sweating. temp was usually between 160 and 180 that's around 200 minutes a month.
I would put pizza-eating up there with parallel parking and composing extremely polite "eff you" letters as my best skills.Listen to her, she's a professional.
Took an easy 34-minute walk today,. If my leg isn't too balky in the morning, might lengthen that a bit tomorrow.
I disagree with MoP completely on this one.Gotcha.
I’m under the 2280 MFP allows. Was about 2100 today ( That was with an unusual breakfast and heavy dinner). I even decided against a snack, even as much as I wanted it. Lol
Not planning on eating the exercise calories. Not sure how they are calculated so I don’t trust the numbers.
My goal is to stay under 2,000 a day, preferably around 1800 as you suggested. I’ll adjust as needed as I go.
Let's work it out together and not make up stuff or accusationsI disagree with MoP completely on this one.
First of all, his advice may be unsafe.