Current Events > health nuts of ce, i need your advice

(+) Yeah! (+)

Over the last year or so, Ive lost 75lb. Right now, Im at 112lb even but I want to get to 95-100lb. However, its starting to get.. obsessive and unhealthy for me.

I grew up in a household of microwave meals, and Im only now starting to eat better. Its really overwhelming the amount of things I dont know how to do, or are even an option for me to eat.

Ive been coping with this by simply eating next to nothing at all. I feel really guilty for eating, so I try not to eat full meals. Right now, an average day of food for me is a banana and a quarter pound of salmon. Today I had a bowl of spinach salad (first time ever buying fresh unpackaged greens lol) and two applesauce cups. I feel like I ate too much.

Im constantly hungry and thinking about food all the time. I weigh myself sometimes 2 or 3 or more times a day. Its really starting to affect my mental health. Im a jittery, anxious wreck and I havent felt this bad in a long time.

But when I try to think of ideas for healthy food my mind comes up blank. Salad, fish and canned beans are the extent of the dishes I can think of lol. I have absolutely 0 experience with normal homecooked foods.

TLDR:
Where/How can I learn how to eat sustainably?

What are some good ideas for healthy, satiating food?

Whats the best way to go about making sure that Im getting the nutrients I need?

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@CableZL was able to lose a lot of weight through diet and exercise, maybe he has some tips

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id start by addressing the feelings of guilt from eating first...
is it what youre eating or that youre eating?

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boxington posted...

CableZL was able to lose a lot of weight through diet and exercise, maybe he has some tips

Hopefully!

BuckVanHammer posted...

id start by addressing the feelings of guilt from eating first...
is it what youre eating or that youre eating?

It used to be from what I was eating, but these last few weeks, Ive been feeling guilty for eating at all. I feel so fat, gross and ugly. On days I eat nearly nothing, I can typically see my weight drop the next day and I feel better. Its encouraging. But then I feel like shit because Im hungry and thinking about food all the goddamn time

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i got a health nut if u know what im sayin

also to be serious, look up some cooking channels on yt if you really wanna get started and buy some basic ass shit like chicken breast, beans, etc.

these are meals you can prepare in advance for days and still eat healthily

Reis posted...

i got a health nut if u know what im sayin

Check your dms bby

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Tag

I also need better food ideas to eat. I'm down to eating chicken with some cheese, veggies and apples with almond butter every day. Oh, and a ton of water.

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Harpie posted...

Check your dms bby

look at my edit!!!!

Early stages of anorexia. Anytime you're DSMing you should probably get off CE and seek actual medical help. Go seek out a nutritionist.

Bad_Mojo posted...

Tag

I also need better food ideas to eat. I'm down to eating chicken with some cheese, veggies and apples with almond butter every day. Oh, and a ton of water.

I found this site a while back that might be useful (it's full of affordable recipes):

https://www.budgetbytes.com/

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Eat me

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It's honestly surprising how little I know about food myself too and i dont have much to add to the topic.

It is great that you're acknowledging this and it sounds like you will be able to stop yourself in time from going down a bad path

You should never have to feel that way about eating. Its literally just adding fuel to an engine so it's about finding something that works for you.....

Reis posted...

also to be serious, look up some cooking channels on yt if you really wanna get started and buy some basic ass shit like chicken breast, beans, etc.

these are meals you can prepare in advance for days and still eat healthily

You know, after all this time I never even considered the idea of cooking channels lol. It seems obvious but it makes sense.. imma be spending a few hours tonight looking up and subscribing to a few channels

Theyre basic but I still dont know how to cook them and make them taste good. Ill figure it out though, the cooking channels will be super helpful

Thank you bby reis

Bad_Mojo posted...

Tag

I also need better food ideas to eat. I'm down to eating chicken with some cheese, veggies and apples with almond butter every day. Oh, and a ton of water.

Yeah it sucks feeling like you only have a handful of options to choose from. How has it been affecting you?

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I had a friend that could not eat much at all similar to your own situation. Got her into smoothies and cooking simple one pan dishes on her stovetop. Helped her tremendously mentally and physically (energy level, shakes and lightheaded feelings).
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Hummer 2 posted...

Early stages of anorexia. Anytime you're DSMing you should probably get off CE and seek actual medical help. Go seek out a nutritionist.

I tried to look up DSMing but all I got was the name of a medical journal. What does that mean?

I dont have anorexia, nor am I getting there. Im not nearly that bad. Ive never gone more than two days without food

boxington posted...

I found this site a while back that might be useful (it's full of affordable recipes):

https://www.budgetbytes.com/

Ah yes, I love Budget Bytes! I used it to find my favorite yellow jasmine rice recipe.. and then I never went on the website again lmao

Ill revisit it

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Harpie posted...

Yeah it sucks feeling like you only have a handful of options to choose from. How has it been affecting you?

Frustrated because I'm not really seeing any improvements. I've also been fast walking for an hour a day [20/20/20] at around 4mph, which includes all the other walking I do since I don't drive

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boxington posted...

I found this site a while back that might be useful (it's full of affordable recipes):

https://www.budgetbytes.com/

This was gonna be my suggestion. Fantastic site.

And Harpie, if you're feeling hungry it's okay to eat. That's literally your body's signal to you that it needs food. If you're not solely filling up on white bread and sugary bullshit (and it sounds like you absolutely aren't) there's no need to feel gross and fat.

Eat till you don't feel hungry then stop. Food is good for you and eating enough every day to fuel your body is important.

With all that said, 112 pounds is teeny tiny. I'm not an expert at all but it sounds like you've got some serious hangups about food and body weight. Might possibly be a good idea to schedule an appointment with a nutritionist or something similar and have a discussion about it.

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Chicken posted...

Eat me

I do like chicken. Have you been seasoned?

Proofpyros posted...

It's honestly surprising how little I know about food myself too and i dont have much to add to the topic.

It is great that you're acknowledging this and it sounds like you will be able to stop yourself in time from going down a bad path

You should never have to feel that way about eating. Its literally just adding fuel to an engine so it's about finding something that works for you.....

Ive found that most people dont know much about food and nutrition. Its just something thats not talked about, at least in my very American social circles. It seems like everyone around me is eating junk and processed foods, and I want to get away from that

Thank you ^^
Im trying to be somewhat self aware. I know that what Im doing cant last forever, and it definitely isnt making me happy. It kinda clicked for me this morning what a bad mindset I currently have. I was looking in the mirror and stretching myself so that my ribs looked really prominent. I liked seeing the bones, and I was thinking how much better itd be if I could look like that without sucking in.

Ive never wanted to look that skinny before now..

OgesMC posted...

I had a friend that could not eat much at all similar to your own situation. Got her into smoothies and cooking simple one pan dishes on her stovetop. Helped her tremendously mentally and physically (energy level, shakes and lightheaded feelings).

That sounds like a dream honestly. I dont know how to cook, so the simpler it is to make the less overwhelmed I feel. I have a blender too, so Ill take your idea and look for simple recipes

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It sounds like you might want to bring this up with a therapist, preferably one with experience dealing with nutrition. I realize; however, that may not be fiscally possible. Your thought patterns in regards to food and eating sound a bit unhealthy. You should be eating more than you do.

With that said, bananas, salmon and spinach are all foods that are excellent nutritionally.
Like, for breakfast: how about a cup of yogurt to go with the banana? Preferably a brand that's relatively low in sugar, like Siggi's or Skyr. Bananas are loaded with good nutrients, but they're not very nourishing on their own: yogurt supplies healthy fat and protein to nourish and satiate.
Eggs are another good (cheap!) source of good fats and protein that are easy to prepare(and you can have them a dozen ways and with any meal).
Salads are another relatively easy meal. Just buy a tub of greens(or, if you're ambitious, a head lettuce, a bushel of kale and/or spinach) and throw in some veggies. Chicken, salmon, hard-boiled egg, or really any protein makes a great accompaniment to round it out. Olive oil and vinegar(of any kind, really) combine to make a nice, healthy dressing. You can switch it up with different dressings, greens, veggies, and proteins to keep it from getting stale.

Tell me Harpie: do you cook? If not, learning would be an excellent medium-to-long range goal that would give you a lot of control over your diet and enable you to switch things up on a whim.

Oh, lastly: do you exercise? That's good for your body, but also good for your nerves.

boxington posted...

I found this site a while back that might be useful (it's full of affordable recipes):

https://www.budgetbytes.com/

Had to click out when I saw fucking cottage cheese and crab. Like, what the fuck? And then ANOTHER cottage cheese one? Gag, lol

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TC, chicken breast, beans, brown rice/quinoa, vegetables, fruits, almonds (any raw nuts) as an in between snack, tuna fish, almond milk, yogurts, cottage cheese. Eggs/egg whites. A tall glass of water before/during/and after you eat.

These are things I generally used to eat before COVID-19. Not working/going out for a few months got me feeling depressed and now I overeat, drink and have gained what I consider a lot of weight. I went hard hitting my bike 5 days a week, but saw no progress so I stopped. I know it takes time, but I feel I cant get there. TC, how did you manage to lose weight?

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yeah, i would also suggest talking to a pro about your eating habits. its cool you lost a ton of weight, but your focus on weight and not overall health is concerning...

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RoadsterUFO posted...

Eat more red meat, fatty fish, and eggs. Canned wild caught salmon, tuna, sardines are typically low-priced. Avoid vegetable oils like the plague, that shit will kill you.

Tilapia is objectively trash, Omega 6 heavy.

Lol whats wrong with vegetable oils I thought they were good for you. Maybe Im mixing that up with olive oil or something

Good ideas through, and I agree tilapia is trash

Bad_Mojo posted...

Frustrated because I'm not really seeing any improvements. I've also been fast walking for an hour a day [20/20/20] at around 4mph, which includes all the other walking I do since I don't drive

What are your goals? It may be because youre getting close to them. I know for me, the closer I get the harder it becomes to lose weight

Schwarz posted...

This was gonna be my suggestion. Fantastic site.

And Harpie, if you're feeling hungry it's okay to eat. That's literally your body's signal to you that it needs food. If you're not solely filling up on white bread and sugary bullshit (and it sounds like you absolutely aren't) there's no need to feel gross and fat.

Eat till you don't feel hungry then stop. Food is good for you and eating enough every day to fuel your body is important.

With all that said, 112 pounds is teeny tiny. I'm not an expert at all but it sounds like you've got some serious hangups about food and body weight. Might possibly be a good idea to schedule an appointment with a nutritionist or something similar and have a discussion about it.

That makes sense. If only I could drill that into my head lol. If it isnt dark green or a piece of salmon I feel like Im sabotaging myself. Luckily Ive never suffered from bulimia, but there have been several times in the last few weeks where I felt an intense urge to purge.

To be fair, for my height 112lb is actually normal if not on the heavy side. Im 50 so ideally I should be in the high 90s.

I dont want to see a nutritionist, but I can schedule another appointment. I went to one a few months ago with these same questions, and she told me that I was fine and that I didnt need to lose weight.. I was 130lb at the time. It rubbed me the wrong way because I felt like she wasnt listening to me

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Harpie posted...

What are your goals? It may be because youre getting close to them. I know for me, the closer I get the harder it becomes to lose weight

I don't seem to be changing for the better at all. Still have a gut I don't want. I would do crunches, but I don't think they work for me since I'm doing them wrong. I only get pain in my back, not that good pain in your belly when you're working your abs

But whatever, even if I don't lose weight, at least I'm still heating a lot healthier. I have a soda in about 2 months now, which I think is a new record for my adult life

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Since I doubt you have cholesterol issues I would suggest eggs and different forms of meat.

Complex carbs are still your friend, just have a decent amount for breakfast to provide fuel for the day.

And remember that you're more than a number on a scale. A beautiful gal regardless of your size. Happiness is what matters most.


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ElatedVenusaur posted...

It sounds like you might want to bring this up with a therapist, preferably one with experience dealing with nutrition. I realize; however, that may not be fiscally possible. Your thought patterns in regards to food and eating sound a bit unhealthy. You should be eating more than you do.

With that said, bananas, salmon and spinach are all foods that are excellent nutritionally.
Like, for breakfast: how about a cup of yogurt to go with the banana? Preferably a brand that's relatively low in sugar, like Siggi's or Skyr. Bananas are loaded with good nutrients, but they're not very nourishing on their own: yogurt supplies healthy fat and protein to nourish and satiate.
Eggs are another good (cheap!) source of good fats and protein that are easy to prepare(and you can have them a dozen ways and with any meal).
Salads are another relatively easy meal. Just buy a tub of greens(or, if you're ambitious, a head lettuce, a bushel of kale and/or spinach) and throw in some veggies. Chicken, salmon, hard-boiled egg, or really any protein makes a great accompaniment to round it out. Olive oil and vinegar(of any kind, really) combine to make a nice, healthy dressing. You can switch it up with different dressings, greens, veggies, and proteins to keep it from getting stale.

Tell me Harpie: do you cook? If not, learning would be an excellent medium-to-long range goal that would give you a lot of control over your diet and enable you to switch things up on a whim.

Oh, lastly: do you exercise? That's good for your body, but also good for your nerves.

Okay those are all really good and seemingly easy to execute ideas, especially the yogurt and eggs. Thank you! Imma try those and hopefully Il feel more full and better

I dont cook, but I would love to learn. I 100% agree that it would likely help me feel more in control and confident in my diet. Thats the main problem, I think. Literally just not knowing how to cook. Im gonna take up Reiss idea earlier in the topic and search up cooking youtube channels.

Yes, but the exercise is a very recent development lol. Everyday for the past few weeks, Ive been out for an hour riding my bike. There are some beautiful, long trails where I live. Its honestly helped so much with my anxiety and its shocking. If I wasnt cycling, I know for a fact I would be feeling much much worse.

DontHateMe posted...

TC, chicken breast, beans, brown rice/quinoa, vegetables, fruits, almonds (any raw nuts) as an in between snack, tuna fish, almond milk, yogurts, cottage cheese. Eggs/egg whites. A tall glass of water before/during/and after you eat.

These are things I generally used to eat before COVID-19. Not working/going out for a few months got me feeling depressed and now I overeat, drink and have gained what I consider a lot of weight. I went hard hitting my bike 5 days a week, but saw no progress so I stopped. I know it takes time, but I feel I cant get there. TC, how did you manage to lose weight?

Thank you for the literal list, thats exactly what Ive been looking for lol. Ive screenshotted your post to look at later when Im grocery shopping

I lost the weight by tracking calories. I did not make any effort exercise at all, and I still was consistently losing weight. I made sure to be in the 1100-1200 calorie range every day on MyFitnessPal. No more, no less. I would look up what calorie range is best for you, though. Im pretty tiny at 50, so its probably not a good idea for you to be eating the same amount as I was. On average I was losing 5lb a month.

BuckVanHammer posted...

yeah, i would also suggest talking to a pro about your eating habits. its cool you lost a ton of weight, but your focus on weight and not overall health is concerning...

My therapist and I are just starting to work on that. She noticed that Ive dropped a significant amount of weight, and I fessed up how. Were working on building up my self image now lol

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Bad_Mojo posted...

I don't seem to be changing for the better at all. Still have a gut I don't want. I would do crunches, but I don't think they work for me since I'm doing them wrong. I only get pain in my back, not that good pain in your belly when you're working your abs

But whatever, even if I don't lose weight, at least I'm still heating a lot healthier. I have a soda in about 2 months now, which I think is a new record for my adult life

Monitor your body fat percentage because your body just might distribute a little extra fat to your tummy. You don't wanna drop your body fat percentage too low because it will start fucking with your hormones.

And a little tummy can be sekzee anyways. Stop calling it a gut like it's a bad thing.

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BettyWhite posted...

Monitor your body fat percentage because your body just might distribute a little extra fat to your tummy. You don't wanna drop your body fat percentage too low because it will start fucking with your hormones.

And a little tummy can be sekzee anyways. Stop calling it a gut like it's a bad thing.

I'm 5'5 and weigh 170 pounds. I look horrible in pictures =(

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Bad_Mojo posted...

I'm 5'5 and weigh 170 pounds. I look horrible in pictures =(

Just stay consistent with a diet and exercise program that you can maintain. I've been doing DDP Yoga myself because it's actually sorta fun and pretty dynamic.

DDPY also has meal plans and what not.

You can do this!

https://youtu.be/bIXOo8D9Qsc

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@Bad_Mojo

You can message me any time if you want pep talks or to work through issues. Anything at all my friend.

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I'm one of the lucky bastards that has Ring Fit Adventure and have been doing that. I did buy DDP Yoga a long time ago, but lost the DVDs and the booklet. I never learn well watching people on TV for the same reason as why I don't drive - it hurts my brain think backwards with the mirror. When it comes to working out, I need someone side by side with me so I can better understand their instructions, if that makes any sense

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Bad_Mojo posted...

I'm one of the lucky bastards that has Ring Fit Adventure and have been doing that. I did buy DDP Yoga a long time ago, but lost the DVDs and the booklet. I never learn well watching people on TV for the same reason as why I don't drive - it hurts my brain think backwards with the mirror. When it comes to working out, I need someone side by side with me so I can better understand their instructions, if that makes any sense

There's an app that's 7.99 a month.. But I understand, everyone learns differently.

Shiid. You don't live in Sarasota, FL do you? Lol. I'll teach you.


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DuranOfForcena posted...

this might not be anorexia or leading to anorexia, but it still seems unhealthily obsessive about your weight. you should never feel guilty for eating barely anything, especially healthy stuff like spinach, bananas and fish. and especially when you are already at 112, which seems like a good weight. how tall are you? 95-100 pounds definitely seems on the very low side, unless you are like under 5 feet or something lol. but hey, i don't know you or what you've been through and i'm not trying to judge. it just seems to be like you are being too hard on yourself. there really isn't any reason you should feel like you have to weigh yourself 2-3 times a day.

that being said, i have been trying to manage my weight better in the last couple years as well, and i have a few things i've learned that have worked for me that i can share. one of the biggest things that has helped me is meal prepping and/or prep work prepping at the very least. my go-to healthy dinner is something that i have everything prepared for and in the freezer ready to just throw in a bowl and pop in the microwave, and it consists of grilled chicken breast strips, black beans, mixed brown rice and quinoa patties (measure out in 1/3 cup portions), mashed avocado, and bags of frozen mixed veggies including bellpeppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, snap peas and water chestnuts.

you get the value packs of chicken breast, filet, marinate, season and grill it all up in one big batch, cut em into strips and freeze em in a gallon freezer bag. you make double quantities of brown rice and quinoa, mix em together, measure em out and freeze em wrapped in wax paper and in a gallon freezer bag. you make a whole bag of black beans at a time and freeze that in two quart freezer bags. with the avocados, i usually wait until they go on a good sale and get like 10 at a time and mash them all up with the juice of about a half a lime in order to stave off the brownness. buy whatever kinds of frozen veggies suit your fancy, and voila, you got everything to make a healthy and filling dinner that just takes about 8 minutes in the microwave and it's done.

also, scrambled eggs and steel cut oatmeal is a healthy and filling breakfast/brunch. use diced turkey lunchmeat in the scrambled eggs in lieu of more salty and fatty meats like ham or bacon, and plenty of veggies like onions and bellpeppers which you can dice up in large quantities and freeze to cover the prep. or you can do a sauteed spinach mix in olive oil with roasted garlic, sundried tomatoes and a little bit of crushed red peppers. i used to mainly do the former, but i've taken to doing the latter more now since i'm already getting onion and bellpepper in the chicken bowls. the spinach mix also makes a great side dish for a fish or steak dinner, and even a great snack by itself. for the oatmeal, put some fruit of your choice in there, like sliced banana, berries, or sliced peaches, and compliment it with a good spice and some chopped or crushed nuts, like nutmeg and walnuts with the bananas or cinnamon and almond with blueberries, etc.

I actually am freakishly short lol. Im either 411 or 50. Im not 100% sure so lets go with 50. I understand what you mean, though. Youre right in that Im being overly harsh on myself. Logically, I know that I shouldnt feel guilty for eating food. However, its hard to listen to that side of my brain when all I can think about is how fat I look.

And wowowow, thank you for the clear tutorial! Ill be customizing it to my taste buds, but the advice you have is really helpful. Ill 100% be coming back to this post tomorrow when I go grocery shopping. I like to keep things organized and clear, so I know that meal prepping is probably one of the better ideas for me personally.

How long did this take for you to get down?

Bad_Mojo posted...

I don't seem to be changing for the better at all. Still have a gut I don't want. I would do crunches, but I don't think they work for me since I'm doing them wrong. I only get pain in my back, not that good pain in your belly when you're working your abs

But whatever, even if I don't lose weight, at least I'm still heating a lot healthier. I have a soda in about 2 months now, which I think is a new record for my adult life

I had similar issues when I was trying at home workouts ftft. My form is way off, and I wasnt getting the benefit of the exercise since I was doing it wrong. My college has a gym thatll open up in the fall. Its free, so I plan on going there when it opens and asking for advice on form and such from the PE professors

If you can consult a professional thatd probably be the way to go tbh. But who am I to be giving out advice on this lmaooo

BettyWhite posted...

Since I doubt you have cholesterol issues I would suggest eggs and different forms of meat.

Complex carbs are still your friend, just have a decent amount for breakfast to provide fuel for the day.

And remember that you're more than a number on a scale. A beautiful gal regardless of your size. Happiness is what matters most.

Thank you! Is breakfast mandatory, do you think? Historically Ive never really eaten breakfast. Eating when I wake up makes me feel lethargic and bloated most of the time tbh.


Youre the best

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I'm afraid I don't have anything of value to add, I just wanted to pop in and say that you've made a fantastic achievement already so far and that I hope you manage to shed the last few pounds in a healthy way!
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Harpie, first of all congrats on the weight loss. Thats amazing! But I would be careful as it sounds like youre on a slippery slope to an eating disorder. You are not eating enough at all based on what youve posted. Your body needs nutrients to function correctly. You can still get adequate calories and lose weight. Have you tried any calorie calculators?

Also, are you eating a carb heavy breakfast? Ive noticed I get lethargic if I eat carbs in the morning. I find that I eat less junk and feel good throughout the day if I start it off protein heavy. I might make myself a couple of eggs with a berry-spinach smoothie, or some bacon and an apple or something and Im good. I avoid cereal, oatmeal and even yogurt since those can be too sweet for me and make me feel crappy.

Learn to cook! Learn to cook!

And own it dude, seriously - let your confidence also come from how happy you make others and even people on here

Get super excited and just let that excitement fester and build up as much as you can

Bad_Mojo posted...

I'm 5'5 and weigh 170 pounds. I look horrible in pictures =(

Hey bro, youre trying at least and thats something that will shine through - let yourself keep trying and be kind to yourself man

every failure is temporary and just means you put forth an effort to try.. always try find a new methodology and stoke those burning embers until they grow into flames man - you can do it, just keep trying and trying and youll see those results you wanna see

Little by Little man.. stone is a hard surface to break all at once but if you chip away at it little by little surely you can shape it eventually.. just be patient and let yourself hit the rock true with honest effort

Harpie posted...

Thank you! Is breakfast mandatory, do you think? Historically Ive never really eaten breakfast. Eating when I wake up makes me feel lethargic and bloated most of the time tbh.


Youre the best

I'm the same way really. I would just aim to get your carbs in with your first meal so you have energy to burn through the day. Potatoes are my complex carb of choice.



Though honestly I have similar problems. I pretty much eat potatoes and chicken everyday. Largely because I'm a picky eater and hate putting effort into cooking everyday.

<3


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