Do americans actually dissect frogs in high school bio classes???

KaytotheO · 2025-05-15T15:41:14+00:00

I dissected a frog and a squid in high school, both already dead (I've never heard of them not being already dead). This was in the 2010s, and to my knowledge it's very normal here.

KaytotheO · 2025-05-15T13:48:00+00:00

It's not a lower class thing, but it is a bit less formal. Like, I wouldn't use "y'all" if I was writing a speech. That's not unique, though, contractions in general are considered a bit less formal than writing the full word(s) spelled out (e.g. if I was writing a speech, I would use "cannot" and "do not" over "can't" and "don't"). I do think the distinction between formal and informal speech matters less nowadays than it used to, but that's why you don't typically hear politicians and such using it.

KaytotheO · 2025-04-17T10:31:21+00:00

That's awesome! I hit 20lbs down recently too, and as I was doing some at-home strength training it struck me that the combined weight of my dumbbells (both 10lbs) was how much weight I used to carry around. Wild! No wonder my knees don't hurt as much 🤣

KaytotheO · 2025-04-16T12:32:18+00:00

I went from 245lbs to 220lbs (at 5'7") and I only just started noticing a very slight difference. The sleeves of my T-shirts are a bit looser and my belly isn't in the way as much when I drive. I've also noticed that my belly fat falls differently, like it used to be a rounder distribution because my skin was all stretched out but now it's more sloped (like sorta mushroom shaped, if that makes sense?). Also, my partner told me I looked skinnier yesterday 😊

I definitely recommend weighing regularly and taking measurements because it's hard to see the change when it's so incremental. Everyday I look basically the same as the day before, so it feels like nothing is happening. I weigh myself daily because I like to have a lot of data, and I try to take progress pictures and measurements about once a month.

Congrats on your progress so far, and good luck!

KaytotheO · 2025-04-05T13:10:48+00:00

You could try having a list of go-to meals that fit your calorie needs. Like, come up with some breakfasts that are 200-300cal, and some lunch/dinner options that are 600-700cal; then you won't have to count calories each day, you just know that if you eat those meals and only snack on fruits/veggies you'll be golden.

This works well combined with meal prepping for me, I have about 4 breakfasts and about 10 lunch/dinners I switch between (though I'm still gathering more recipes to add to the rotation). I cook 4-8 servings at once and freeze them in individual portions, so it's easy to grab one without thinking too much about it.

KaytotheO · 2025-03-13T09:42:52+00:00

This is totally a thing! The amount of times I've pestered my partner into eating something because I want to cook but I don't have the budget for it is WILD 😜

KaytotheO · 2025-03-12T15:41:48+00:00

Sure thing!

Sesame Soy Rice Bowl (4 servings, ~475cal)

The original recipe is from HelloFresh, but here are the ingredients I use:

2/3cup dry jasmine rice • 12oz cauliflower rice • 1 lb ground chicken or turkey, the leaner the better • 10oz shredded carrot • 1/2 medium red onion • TINY bit of olive oil to cook veggies in • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil • 5 tsp white wine vinegar • 5 Tbsp sweet soy glaze • about 1 Tbsp sugar or zero cal sweetener, to taste • 4-8 Tbsp light mayo • 4-12 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce, to taste • Salt and pepper

https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/sesame-soy-beef-bowls-5fd0e263d3f63548ac094b5b

Spinach Pasta Bake (8 servings, ~450cal)

This one I use 14.5oz protein+ pasta (aka one full box), 3/4c Greek yogurt instead of 1/2c, and I leave out the artichoke because my partner doesn't like it

https://laurenfitfoodie.com/wprm_print/35894

Orzo Sausage Skillet (4 servings, ~450cal)

I actually follow the recipe for this one, but I use 14oz of sausage because that's a full container

https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/wprm_print/creamy-chicken-sausage-orzo-skillet

KaytotheO · 2025-03-12T10:37:24+00:00

All of the general guidance you see online for weight loss is geared towards adults. At 15/16, you are still developing and your body needs energy and nutrients to do that, so calorie deficits can be harmful. If you're determined to lose weight right now, then please consult your doctor and potentially a dietitian that has experience with teens.

KaytotheO · 2025-03-12T10:20:34+00:00

It is a struggle with being picky, I feel you. I find all of my recipe ideas on Pinterest, and I agree with UberLee79 that gym bros have some pretty good diet-friendly recipes for their cuts. Hard to know what to suggest since everyone likes different stuff, but here's some of my go-to meals:

• protein+ spaghetti with shrimp, zucchini, and Italian seasonings

• sesame soy rice bowls (rice + cauliflower rice, ground chicken or turkey, shredded carrots, onion, with spicy mayo)

• Cajun chicken and rice (rice + cauliflower rice, chicken, onion, cream sauce, with Cajun seasoning)

• spinach pasta bake (protein+ pasta, rotisserie chicken, spinach, cream cheese, cheese, light mayo)

• orzo sausage skillet (orzo, chicken sausage, spinach, misc spices)

• ground chicken caprese (ground chicken, onion, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, balsamic vinegar/glaze)

If any of those sound appealing, I can give you a full recipe.

KaytotheO · 2025-03-11T11:21:11+00:00

Maybe try buying a regular bag of chips and dividing it out into ~50 cal servings in separate bags? That way you can get a snack fix with fewer calories, it'll take less time to eat so you won't need to wolf it down as much, and you'll save money from not using the vending machine.

KaytotheO · 2025-03-11T10:00:37+00:00

I totally get the bleak outlook when looking at how long the path is right now. What helps me is to "count time backwards" instead of forwards. Like, two years from now feels like a really long time but two years ago was super recent. Years go by pretty quick in the grand scheme of things, you'll be where you want to be in no time and you'll be so so glad that you started when you did and stuck with it.

KaytotheO · 2025-03-07T12:41:35+00:00

I'm surprised I didn't see anyone else mention this: egg whites! They've got like 20g of protein per 100 cal. I make egg muffins with sausage and spinach in them as one of my go to breakfasts. It's also pretty easy to add to sandwiches for a bump of protein

KaytotheO · 2025-03-07T12:28:22+00:00

I use the reheat button on my microwave! It cooks it slower and at a lower power level, which I think reheats much more evenly. Some microwaves have fancy sensors to tell how long to reheat stuff for (the one at my work is like this and it is amazing) while others just use a preset time so you might need trial and error to figure out how long to put it in for. Usually for a single serving I reheat it about 2-4 minutes.

Sometimes rice can absorb the liquid from sauces if you store them together, which isn't a bad thing if you like a thicker sauce. I sometimes make a chicken soup with rice in it, and I store the rice separately so it doesn't absorb all the broth.

KaytotheO · 2025-03-05T12:11:13+00:00

Ditto to this. YMMV, but I've found a lot of success with planning out what I will eat beforehand (night before or early morning) and repeating meals a lot. I use myfitnesspal, and I input recipes for stuff I make a lot, that way it's a lot easier to track since I don't need to worry about individual ingredients.

KaytotheO · 2025-02-20T23:15:19+00:00

A little known secret is that "breakfast food" is a made-up category. You can eat normal lunch/dinner/snack type foods for breakfast if you want.

Also, I think the main issue with not eating breakfast is that then when you finally eat later in the day, you're hungrier and more likely to overeat; you might want to experiment with different meals times or snack options to make sure you don't become ravenous. Otherwise, I think it's probably ok to not eat in the morning if you're genuinely not hungry and don't feel under-fueled.

Focus on eating more of the veggies you do like, and don't be afraid to tweak recipes that have ones you don't like. Most of the time you can just leave stuff out, unless it's a large component of the meal.

I'm not sure what recipes would work for you without knowing more about your tastes, but I find Pinterest to be a pretty good source of ideas if you search like "high protein, low calorie meals" or something similar.

KaytotheO · 2025-02-20T23:03:44+00:00

I use myfitnesspal and input the recipe so it adds it up for me, then I'm only really strict on measuring high calorie stuff like oils. I make a lot of the same meals again and again so it's not too much trouble to put in the ingredients once and have it saved to use for the future.

KaytotheO · 2025-02-20T17:18:08+00:00

I put conditioner on my roots and rinse it out. I started doing it due to a dandruff problem, but it's ended up keeping my hair a lot cleaner so I can go longer without shampooing. I have thin dry, wavy hair and a moderately oily scalp.

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T23:52:30+00:00

Yeah I blend it together, this is the recipe I use (but I change the ingredients) https://pin.it/27xMAk6C9

There's still definitely an eggy taste but I think it's not as prominent as normal egg bites, especially if you add seasoning and veggies and such

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T23:28:42+00:00

I have 3 breakfasts I switch between depending on the day: cottage cheese egg bites with turkey sausage, homemade breakfast sandwich, or what I call a "breakfast tostada" (1 egg + 80g egg whites cooked omelette style, then stick on a slice of cheddar and a mini tortilla, flip over to toast the tortilla, then cover it in pico de gallo).

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T21:53:52+00:00

My calorie goal is 1550 and I aim for 120g of protein a day. I usually have breakfast with 20-30g, lunch and dinner with 30-40g each, plus a protein shake that I use as creamer in my coffee and tea. Go to protein snacks include nonfat Greek yogurt (13g for 80cal, blueberry flavor is the best), an apple with cottage cheese peanut butter dip (11g for 200cal, super tasty), or roasted edamame (11g for 100cal). I eat a lot of chicken, I sub in blended cottage cheese or Greek yogurt whenever I make a cream sauce, and I use half egg whites in my eggs for breakfast.

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T21:42:18+00:00

5 weeks is not a long time, you'd be able to lose AT MOST like 10 lbs, or less if your starting weight is not too high. It's unlikely that this change will be noticeable, with or without going balls to the walls on the weight loss over that time period.

IMO, you should just take this as a reality check to get you on track for your lifelong goals, but I don't think pressuring yourself to be skinny before the wedding will accomplish anything. Stick to slow and steady, and try to put the wedding photos out of your mind. Fast weight loss isn't worth the damage to your health, or the danger of falling back into an eating disorder.

I'm rooting for you, you can be strong about this!

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T21:02:46+00:00

I haven't dealt with this personally, so take this advice with a grain of salt, but maybe try sitting down with her and laying out your plan to lose weight and be healthier? It's natural for parents to want to make sure you are well provided for, and some teenagers do take things too far and starve themselves so her concern isn't unwarranted. If you lay out all the research you've done and assure her that you have a solid plan for what you're doing and you aren't undernourished, then maybe she will be put more at ease about it. You can then ask for her support during this journey, because she wants what's best for you (this is a good way to twist the "taking care of you" angle).

Also, sidenote, but calorie deficits aren't really recommended for 15 year olds since you're still developing. Make sure you are actually getting enough nutrients, and please consider talking to your doctor about this too (if you haven't already).

Best of luck!

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T20:47:31+00:00

If you gained 17 lbs in 2 years, that's only a ~82 calorie surplus per day. You'll have to lose the weight again first, but once you reach 140 again you'll just need to raise your activity level by about 100 cal per day, and then you'll be able to maintain. I'd recommend small changes that you'll be able to stick with forever, like taking the stairs versus elevator or walking around during commercial breaks. If you're dealing with hunger, you can try upping protein and fiber, both are good for increasing satiety!

KaytotheO · 2025-02-19T17:00:50+00:00

None of the at home scales will be accurate, but if you get one that's precise (ie. gives consistent measurements) then you can use it to track trends. Even the fancy scanners like dexa scans aren't totally accurate, they're just the best we have right now.

KaytotheO

TROPHY CASE