I use My Fitness Pal (except the last couple days because I've been stressed) and if you want to be friends add me. My id is veg_jen.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

1) Do you follow a strict diet or nutrition plan?

Yes and no. I'm a 17 year vegan so my diet is restricted by nature. I am also very careful about my recovery, hydration, and meal size but I do let myself have cookies, chips, other snacks on occasion and I stopped counting calories about a year ago.

2) What makes it work for you?

I know it's a cliche but to me breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I eat an awesome breakfast of cooked quinoa, fruit, granola, coconut milk yogurt and a little dark chocolate every morning. It keeps me full and gives me great energy. I have found that as long as I start every day off with this meal, that eating well for the rest of the day naturally follows.

3) What are the hardest aspects of it for you?

I love chips and fried foods and the hardest thing for me is replacing these unhealthy snacks with healthy alternatives like nuts and dried fruit.

4) How long have you followed it?

I've eaten basically the same way for about two years. Two years ago I dropped 18 lbs by keeping a food diary and changing not the amount of calories per day but more the caloric sources and timing of my eating. The first 6 months were hard and I constantly monitored my food but eating right has become second nature now and my weight hasn't changed.

5) Do you use any tools to track adherence?

I used to use myfitnesspal.

6) Would you recommend it to others?

Absolutely. I have a lot of friends who struggle with nutrition and I've offered to and have written three week meal plans for them to get them on the right track. You don't have to be vegan or vegetarian to eat how I do, you just have to have the right balance of protein, carbs, and fat and eat them at the right time based on your training.

7) What are your goals in following this plan (weight loss, muscle gain, dietary restrictions)?

I am currently happy with my weight (about 56 kilos at 5'6") so my goals are maintenance and maximizing my energy and power output (I'm a professional road and cyclocross racer)

8) Have you reached these goals and/or been able to maintain?

I've been in a happy place with my weight and body comp for about 18 months.

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my severely neglected blog

Background, I'm 44, no longer racing, but running 2x per week, cycling once in a while, hiking with the pooches.

1) Do you follow a strict diet or nutrition plan?
I just started Weight Watchers last week. I did it last year for 6 months and lost 12 pounds in the first 3 months, about 6-7 have snuck back on.

2) What makes it work for you?
Tracking what goes in. I'm much more accountable and it makes me track portions and up the fruit and veggie intake. I typically eat lots anyway, but on WW fruits and veg are 0 points, so the intake goes up even more so.

3) What are the hardest aspects of it for you?
Eating out is challenging and I cut way back on wine. I like wine and it's easy for the hubby or a friend and I to polish off a bottle.

4) How long have you followed it?
6 months last year, Less than one week this time.

5) Do you use any tools to track adherence?
I use the WW online tracker and the iphone app

6) Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, absolutely. It's easy to follow, hold you accountable and makes you realize how much "extra" stuff adds up. And the more you exercise the more points you get so it makes me want to get out and run, ride or hike every day.

7) What are your goals in following this plan (weight loss, muscle gain, dietary restrictions)?
Weight loss. I don't feel horrible, but I'm a few pounds about my feel good weight.

8) Have you reached these goals and/or been able to maintain?
I maintained for about 9 months then hit a slide with several decadent weekends in a row. I'm 5'3" so on me 5 pounds is a pant size.

Hey, I have found myself thinking about your diet a few times.

I can't get over how low 1200 cals/day is. I know you've said you primarily do computer stuff for work, and I don't know how tall you are or your body comp or anything, but, dang, woman that just seems too low.

Do you keep track of your protein grams/day? Have you tried doing something a little less restrictive?

Totally understand if you don't want to share more about this, I just found myself worrying a bit. I can mother hen these things, so please don't feel obliged to answer if you don't want to :)

To address a few of your points:

• 1200 is for weight loss, not maintenance or training - I am much closer to 1500 on average.
• I'm 5'5" and currently at a VERY high weight of 144 - at the peak of my training in June, I was 135. That was 22% body fat, so still high.
• My training is currently pretty low due to an AWFUL work schedule - 3-5 hours a week, so I'm not expending a ton of calories on exercise.
• I try to make a good balance of my calories, though I am carb sensitive. I once tried a low-carb diet and was energy deprived to the point of almost fainting. I choose lean meats, but love my bread and cheese. My most-used wedding gift so far was my air-popper so I can make super-light popcorn for an evening snack.

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You. You make me stronger.

I had to plug it in to believe it. 5'5, 144, and 22% BF your basal metabolic rate (just sleeping--not walking, working, talking--just sleeping) is 1300cals a day.
With a "sedentary" (little to no exercise) 1.2 to "lighty active" 1.375 (light exercise 1-3x/week) factor that takes your total calories burned/day to 1560-1788c/day.

It sounds like you're right on top of it.

1200 sounded so low, but it's just that I've been eating like a crazed athlete for a while and it's skewed my perspective :)

OK I am in too..reading the others is a good affirmation that I am not alone......

1) Do you follow a strict diet or nutrition plan?
- Sadly I am a stress eater so I have been heavy many times in my life. My best plan for losing is Weight Watchers
2) What makes it work for you?
- writing down everything that I eat, being mindful and accountable.
3) What are the hardest aspects of it for you?
- once I get my weight down I have a hard time maintaining it when the inevitable stress monkey climbs on my back. Eating is my comfort when everything else is beyond my control.
4) How long have you followed it?
- I have followed weight watchers for 4 months at a time - four times in the last ten years.
5) Do you use any tools to track adherence?
- Weight Watchers on line is useful.
6) Would you recommend it to others?
- I would only because you can cook for yourself and your family easily. Regular food without feeling like you are on a "special" diet. It is more about fruits, vegetables and portions.
7) What are your goals in following this plan (weight loss, muscle gain, dietary restrictions)?
- My goal is always health first as I really drag my ass when I am heavy. I really hate how I look as well and I feel like crap. It is even more pronounced as I get older so I find it is actually easier to keep motivated and stay on track because the results are so rewarding. I run faster, I sleep better and I smile more often.
8) Have you reached these goals and/or been able to maintain?
- Reaching the goals no problem, maintaining for a time but it seems like every few years a life event will throw me a curve and I put the weight on.

8) Have you reached these goals and/or been able to maintain?
- Reaching the goals no problem, maintaining for a time but it seems like every few years a life event will throw me a curve and I put the weight on.
I totally agree with this. Losing with WW is actually pretty easy. I've been doing it one week and I'm down 2 pounds. Once my activity goes down and I stop tracking, pounds creep back on. The tracking keeps me accountable and in check.

Exactly. Being mindful and accountable really does make the loss easy and rewarding. I also really like all the fruit and veg...my intake goes up when I am on WW and my cooking is more creative because I am always cramming more veggies into everything!