I agree with u/loonie_toonie_rooney: If you want to look lean and athletic, your best bet at BMI 22 and 30%BF is almost certainly "recomp": You can remove fat and add muscle. This will make you look toned. And the easiest way to recomp is to lift weights.

Don't worry about looking "too muscley"—even men with their much higher testosterone levels have to work incredibly hard to get big (sigh, I have tiny little arms). Women who lift hard typically end up looking like fitness models instead. (Those bodybuilding women who look like guys are either using steroids, or they're 1-in-a-thousand genetic outliers.)

To learn more about weight training and recomp, see r/fitness, and especially their FAQ. A lot of women also say good things about Strong Curves, although you could get perfectly good results with something simpler. And it's possible to make some very nice progress in about 3 months with a good beginner program.

CICO is about looking good with your clothes on. Strength training and recomp is about looking good in less.

I told my sister-in-law about the artificially sweetened maple syrup I use to coat squash and sweet potatoes before roasting. She said in that tone of voice "but that has *aspartame* in it." [Sigh]. Yup. But it's one weapon in my arsenal to help me make warm and delicious fall foods without breaking the calorie bank.

​

For anyone who's curious, [this stuff](https://www.amazon.com/Maple-Grove-Farms-Vermont-Sugar/dp/B00KQ11D22/) plus cinnamon and a smidge of oil makes roasted acorn squash and/or sweet potatoes taste lovely.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the gold standard for depression and anxiety (and many other things as well). It works wonders for me. If your therapist does it, that is wonderful, but there are excellent books which you can use on your own. One of the core principles of CBT is that you need to work on your own to acquire skills to deal with your problems, reading and doing "homework" and mental exercises.

This is an excellent book, with a strong emphasis on anxiety. I recommend the paperback, so you can write in it (it has lots of worksheets).

This is another excellent book that I have.

Copying this from the previous. There's science behind the issue with the protein quality being poor and including the warning is an FDA requirement (see below).

I've never actually seen the label in person. Here's an example.

> When the protein in foods represented or purported to be for adults and children 4 or more years of age has a protein quality value that is a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score of less than 20 expressed as a percent, or when the protein in a food represented or purported to be for children greater than 1 but less than 4 years of age has a protein quality value that is a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score of less than 40 expressed as a percent, either of the following shall be placed adjacent to the declaration of protein content by weight: The statement "not a significant source of protein," or a listing aligned under the column headed "Percent Daily Value" of the corrected amount of protein per serving, as determined in paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of this section, calculated as a percentage of the Daily Reference Value (DRV) or Reference Daily Intake (RDI), as appropriate, for protein and expressed as a Percent of Daily Value. When the protein quality in a food as measured by the Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) is less than 40 percent of the reference standard (casein) for a food represented or purported to be specifically for infants through 12 months, the statement "not a significant source of protein" shall be placed adjacent to the declaration of protein content. Protein content may be calculated on the basis of the factor 6.25 times the nitrogen content of the food as determined by the appropriate method of analysis as given in the "Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International," except when official AOAC procedures described in this paragraph (c)(7) require a specific factor other than 6.25, that specific factor shall be used.
> https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=101.9

This is a little thing but usually in thrift stores you can find wooden potato bins, theyre like little skinny dark storage compartments that are great for storing onions and potatoes if you're living in an apt. Also you can find (and make!!!) a reusable sack to bring to the store with you. They have them on amazon for pretty cheap here however: https://www.amazon.ca/LEPKTSN101-Eddingtons-Potato-Storage-Case/dp/B008VSBQQ0/ref=asc_df_B008VSBQQ0/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292927302851&hvpos=1o7&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3821310758314169914&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9060815&hvtargid=pla-420109846693&psc=1

Book probably:

Damn Delicious Meal Prep: 115 Easy Recipes for Low-Calorie, High-Energy Living

Adding calorie info to every step sounds neat.

EDIT: The introduction already sounds great.

I know this question wasn't directed at ME, but I have this one and I love it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QDHWFZM/

Way easier to use than the handheld ones.

I'm in Canada, so I'm not 100% sure, but it does look like if all else fails, you can order it on Amazon.

Amazon also appears to have the hoosier hill farm powdered peanut butter, which is a LOT cheaper than the PB2 brand, but I haven't tried it so I can't speak to the quality, but it does have good reviews and unlike PB2 which has added salt and sugar, the hoosier hill farm stuff is literally just peanuts.

Both of those are fulfilled by amazon as well, so not some third party that advertises one price and then charges twice that much in shipping.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BXR3WLS?psc=1 - hoosier hill farm

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bell-Plantation-Powdered-Peanut-Butter/dp/B002GJ9JWS - pb2

Dooo it! It's such a fun thing to see yourself getting better at. I used this one for the longest time and really enjoyed it.

This is a direct copy from a post elsewhere on the thread, but I'll repeat it here (sorry folks!).

I make this Roast Chicken Dinner Ramen Soup. I've made it with leftover turkey and homemade turkey stock, and chicken. Both ways are excellent.

It's sort of an Asian Twist on Chicken Noodle Soup. Both my husband and I are obsessed with it. I bought the Hondashi powder at a local Asian Grocery Store. The recipe calls for 1 TBLS of Hondashi powder, but I cut it down to slightly more than half TBLS. Otherwise, I find it a bit overpowering.

The recipe is from my favourite cookbook Asian-American: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes from the Philippines to Brooklyn by Dale Talde from Top Chef (can't remember which season).

Oh gosh I'm not experienced enough to answer this with authority - hopefully someone else is!

I just got the Amazon-recommended one that has the most high reviews and decent price (and was on a steep sale price at the time): https://www.amazon.com/Brother-XM2701-Lightweight-Buttonholer-Instructional/dp/B00JBKVN8S/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sewing+machine&qid=1555518843&s=gateway&sr=8-3

No idea how it compares to others, but I've found it perfectly serviceable so far. However as I said I'm a beginner, I really only use the one stitch so far as all I've done is simple alterations such as size reduction, shortening sleeve or hem, etc.

I wouldn't suggest Jello regularly, cause it's full of sugar. Buy gelatin powder and add your own healthier flavouring! There are TONS of recipes on how to make healthy jello/gelatin snacks. But Jello would definitely help in a pinch.

https://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Gelatin-Natural-Powder/dp/B000MGR302

My favorite feature is you can have multiple users. So I can keep track of my kids weights as well.


Bluetooth Body Fat Scale, multifun Body Composition Monitor with Smartphone App,Auto Recognition Technology Smart Scale,Tempered Glass Platform for He https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N64UBLW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_WfLjLQnPdeoW6

That's the first thought I had, too-- even with a close friend, I think I'd feel uncomfortable pointing out the nutritional content of the peanut butter, because it means that you were paying close attention to what she's eating which is really her business...

I have an idea, though. There's this thing called PB2-- it's powdered peanut butter, so it does away with a lot (all?) of the oil that causes peanut butter to be so fatty. It's only 45 calories for 2 tbsp, that's only 25% of the calories!! They're stocking it more and more at grocery stores near where I live and they have chocolate-pb flavor, too. Maybe you could mention that you never realized how fatty peanut butter was, but you heard about this product called PB2 and ask her if she's seen it at the grocery store...? Just a thought. Regardless, though, it's really good!

May I recommend the Blue Ant Pump I've been using these for about 6 months. I love them mostly because I had the same problem, all the head phones I tried would not stay in my ears. I also like them because I can control my music right in the head phones (at least for Android).

Everybody read this book it is the fatlogic reddit in book form, except nicer and everything is on one place.

I find it incredibly motivating.

Good on you for stepping in and taking proper care of the poor thing! My chubby cat has about 2lbs to lose. I recently got a toy ball cat feeder that encourages my kitty to bat it around and shake the food out of it. Might be helpful for your cat too for some extra exercise. Found it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Petsafe-SlimCat-Meal-Dispensing-Blue/dp/B0018CG40O

This one. Handy, light weight, and it's pretty neat.

I have this one and I like it: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B001EJMS6K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have a few kettlebells and resistance bands for home exercises. Both are easy to store and use. Check out r/bodyweightfitness for workout ideas too

https://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493471946&sr=8-1&keywords=ozeri+food+scale

12 dollar scale, weighs to the gram, batteries last forever, I fucking love this scale.

Conquering Fatlogic by Nadja Hermann is the thing you want. It's basically /r/fatlogic in book form (she posted here a few years ago). Also great to give other people to get them started in the right direction.

I suggested this to someone else in the thread, we often recommend food balls that the cat has to knock around to get the kibble to fall out. Usually helps!

Quite sure that it is "Conquering Fat Logic"

Look into getting one of these:

https://www.amazon.ca/PetSafe-SlimCat-Interactive-Food-Dispenser/dp/B0018CG40O

My cat has lost a bunch of weight with it. She hears the food as it rolls around, so she doesn't whine for more :)

i'm sorry if that's true :( and feel free to take a break from exercise, but once you get back you might want to get the book Strong Curves, it's exercises designed to make a feminine body. Some ab exercises actually make the waist wider, so it avoids those. The sub is r/strongcurves

sleep comes first 100%

I have this scale

Been using it daily for 2 years. Haven't even needed to change the batteries on it yet.

If you don't want to install anything, you could get one of those pull-up bars that hang over your door frame. I have one. It requires a strong door frame, but other than that, there's no setup involved, and you can take it down in a second.

So I know you said you can't afford a food scale, but this one is $12. It's what I have cause I get it, I work at a job that pays $10 an hour, I pay for school and my car, and I'm working a limited amount of hours. If you can afford this scale, I recommend it. It's the biggest contributor to my weight loss.

Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Elegant Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004164SRA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PGyTybHTRA31A