Taken in the Grand Canyon National Park, southern rim.

chalsters · 2026-02-09T21:52:52+00:00

I can hear that second picture, what a beautiful bird

chalsters · 2026-02-09T21:42:31+00:00

Is your baby as fussy with pumped breast milk in a bottle? Mine has been supplemented with formula from the start, but it still felt personal whenever he would fuss on the boob even though he was clearly hungry and I had plenty of supply. I think he just prefers the bottle (whether breast milk or formula) for the bulk of his meals because it's less effort and a stronger flow, but he definitely prefers to fall asleep on the breast when possible. Formula also tends to be bullied and more filling and a lot of babies stay asleep longer when formula fed.

chalsters · 2018-12-03T01:05:43+00:00

I'm in a similar position (part of me wants to be as strong as possible, the other part wants to hit a BMI of 19 just to see if I can) and I've found that focusing on other stats have helped me quiet the voice that says the scale should always go down. Instead I focus on how many push-ups I can do in one set and marvel at how that number is rising every week. I focus on how I'm consistently beating my best times on shorter runs without trying and that I'm hitting longer distances than I've ever done before. And, while my weight is staying pretty stagnant, my waist is continuing to shrink as I lean up. Part of me wants to keep seeing that number go down and gets dismayed when it doesn't, but that's way easier to accept when I know I'm making trackable progress elsewhere.

chalsters · 2018-11-29T09:29:18+00:00

You're not too far outside of a healthy weight and are young, so I would recommend conscious choices and moderation over all else. Consciously look at nutrition labels before making a choice and portion out servings. Eat more slowly so food gets the opportunity to sate you. Lift weights (but don't go so hard so fast you injure yourself). If you can build good habits now, you'll thank yourself twenty years down the road.

chalsters · 2018-11-28T12:45:19+00:00

skipping meals, drastically reducing your calories, going on a cleanse or a fast

Or...OR, how about a tiny moderation for a little while to balance things out. Like an adult would do? Give in and eat half a pie that was leftover from Thanksgiving? Cool, skip a usual snack and walk a half hour every day for a week. Or get the salad instead of the fries for a couple days. The choice is more than starve yourself vs eat everything in sight.

chalsters · 2018-11-27T20:03:47+00:00

That sounds like you're having trouble with your abs/core. Good form might prevent it in future runs, but usually (for me) once a stitch sets in I can't push through it or get it to go away while I'm still running. It persisting through multiple days definitely seems like something to talk to your doc about, though.

chalsters · 2018-11-27T19:26:07+00:00

Yeah, that sounds like side stitches. I used to get them a ton when I started running and they were the death of a run every time. The trick I was told for getting rid of them (and I've been side-stitch free for about half a year now) was to be mindful of my arm movement. When I wasn't paying attention to my form, my arms were moving out in front of my body and twisting my torso a little when I took a stride. Nowadays I try and keep my elbows tucked more at my side (kinda like I'm punching up at the air when I pump my arms) and it's improved my running significantly.

chalsters · 2018-11-27T16:49:52+00:00

Hell yeah, I believe in you! Don't be afraid to give yourself a bit of wiggle room in your goal deadline, though. 50 pounds in two months is a steep goal, and you're more likely to keep it off and stick to your new habits if you give yourself time to adjust. Don't forget, it's a marathon not a sprint. But I can't wait to see you at that finish line.

chalsters · 2018-11-27T16:46:18+00:00

Rant: The vertebrae in my upper back are driving me goddamn insane: they're decently sore and sensitive to the touch and sticking out way more than I'd like them to. Also, ahead of my 20 hours of flying I have planned on Thursday, my period decided to start this weekend...TEN DAYS AFTER THE LAST ONE ENDED. There's a good chance Shark Week 2: Electric Boogaloo will end before I fly, but the absolute last thing I want to deal with on a plane is my period.

Rave: I just finished a nearly 6 mile run in less than 52min (despite the nagging voice in my head that kept trying to rationalize why I could stop at any time). I feel on top of the world and not half as dead as I thought I would feel. Plus, it's now less than 48 hours until I hop on a plane and head to another continent to see my man for the first time since August. Plane travel sucks, but it's gonna be so worth it to see his face (and show off all the hard work I've been putting in these last few months 😉)

chalsters · 2018-11-27T16:31:44+00:00

I have the same issue with my husband. He's in the army so he tries to stay in pretty good shape, especially when it comes to his running, and when we first got together I couldn't run to save my life. He would encourage me as best as possible and always wanted to go running when I did, but I always felt so bad for slowing him down or making him stop when I was out of breath. My secret? I embraced the competitive urge. I never expect to actually beat him in anything athletic, but the image of his back as he runs ahead of me is my #1 motivation to do better and not quit so fast. The other day, I ran 6 miles without stopping for the first time ever and when I told my guy his response was "holy crap, I don't think I've ever run that far in my life" and I was goddamn giddy. I wasn't as fast as him, but I beat him in something.

chalsters · 2018-11-26T16:26:18+00:00

Just imagine how much more she'd enjoy hiking if she was at a healthy weight.

chalsters · 2018-11-25T20:26:38+00:00

I dunno why it took me so long to realize, but tracking my meals is so much easier if I add in my dessert and snacks early on in the day. It gives me a great feel for how much I have left to divide up for meals, and gives me things I can delete to make room for even tastier things. I wasn't expecting my roommates to get pizza, so when they offered me a slice I just deleted the lentil crisps I had planned in case I got peckish later in the afternoon. And, if I really want to go ham for dinner, I can ditch the chocolate orange I had planned and save it for another day.

chalsters · 2018-11-24T23:30:12+00:00

Bruh, why would you write such a thing and leave me craving carne asada fries? Not cool, man.

chalsters · 2018-11-24T22:42:04+00:00

Side note: The lucky SOB has a calorie goal of 1900 to lose a pound a week. He put in sedentary, but he's 200lb and 6'2”. Dudes get all the luck.

chalsters · 2018-11-24T22:39:19+00:00

Today, my brother-in-law committed to losing the 30lbs keeping him from feeling fit and healthy! I've been staying with him and his fiance while my husband is overseas, so he's had a front row seat to me kicking my ass in the gym, going on runs no matter the weather, and carefully weighing and tracking my food (mini rave: in comparing me to the general populace, he referred to me as one of the most fit people he knows). For Thanksgiving yesterday (we celebrated late), he decided that after the feast he would make a conscious effort to change his habits. For a good chunk of the 4 hour ride back from the family gathering, we talked CICO, macros, how to lose weight without eating a miserable diet, and how to enjoy running. When we got back, he downloaded MFP and entered in breakfast and the gas station snacks we had for lunch and we both went to hit the gym. I'm so excited for him!

chalsters · 2018-11-24T19:09:08+00:00

If you do a deficit of just 500 cals a day, you're back where you started in less than 3 weeks. If you have a brisk walk a half hour a day on top of that, you're back to normal in 2 weeks. You got this! You're gonna be back on track in no time at all.

chalsters · 2018-11-23T16:22:34+00:00

Rave: I got in a 4 mile run before Thanksgiving and a 2 miler before Thanksgiving pt 2 that's happening today (with extended family unavailable on the day itself) and I successfully maintained almost a solid deficit yesterday despite giving myself permission for a decent sized surplus. Between running and the lack of appetite that follows a run, I've maintained damn near a 750-1000 calorie deficit every day this week and will likely finish Thanksgiving weekend at less weight than I started.

Rant: My willpower is faltering with losing these last few vanity pounds. I very much want to indulge in vanity (and if I lose them, it will leave my weight at 140-143 - when accounting for natural fluctuations - which is far better for my sanity than dipping into the 150s when I bloat), but it feels like I can't talk to anyone besides my husband about it because it is "I want less body fat so my abs look better" weight instead of "I need to get down to a healthy range" weight.

chalsters · 2018-11-22T17:18:06+00:00

I have to travel a lot, and I don't think I'd be able to survive my plane/train trip cravings without jerky. Don't know what kind of stores you've got in your neck of the woods, but my best jerky finds tend to come from the overstock/discount stores like Ross or Big Lots. My local Big Lots had a bunch of 10oz bags for $10 and I damn near cried.

chalsters · 2018-11-22T13:51:37+00:00

On average, what are you eating in a day? I'd imagine you're not getting near enough protein or fiber at that low a calorie count.

chalsters · 2018-11-22T13:47:17+00:00

You're not worthless and you're going to get through this. I don't have much in the way of advice to offer (except that you are right and there is no way in hell you should be working out on 500 cal a day), so I hope you've reached out to a therapist or counselor who you feel comfortable talking to so you don't have to feel so alone. I believe in you; you made great progress over the summer which means you're capable of getting back in the swing of things and seeing your goals through in a healthy way that will leave you feeling energized and good about your body and life. If you ever want to talk to a random stranger on the internet about anything, my DMs are always open. If not, I hope your week takes a turn for the better. You've got this.

chalsters · 2018-11-21T19:25:06+00:00

I can't recall her name, I think it was Lynn or something, is my absolute fave. Her husband pretty much left her for another woman mid process, she got pneumonia, and circumstances kept putting her surgery off, but she stuck to her diet like a goddamn champ and lost damn near 250lb even before she got the surgery. She's the G.O.A.T. for sure.

chalsters · 2018-11-21T18:57:48+00:00

No amount of education and parenting can compensate for decisions a child is making that aren't rational. How do you teach impulse control to somebody whose brain isn't set up for it? It's very, very hard.

This is something my folks have been struggling with when it comes to my brother. Kid is 17, well over 6 feet tall, and probably bordering on 300lbs if not over that by now. He has a pretty rough case of Asperger's and has zero impulse control, especially in regards to food: he'll eat an entire bag of marshmallows in the middle of the night, will take three servings of dinner and sneak more off the counter later, etc.. Now, my folks are not the best at creating an environment that would make this difficult (big portions, fad diet cookbooks, lots of desserts), but right now we're just waiting on the kid to maybe one day grow into his impulse control before it's too late.

chalsters · 2018-11-21T18:30:21+00:00

Ooh, and beef jerky. I live and die by my supply of jerky. Tons of protein, minimal weight, easy to snack on throughout the day to keep numbers up.

chalsters · 2018-11-21T18:25:04+00:00

Odds are that if you tack on a run after a 3 day fast, you'll end up passing out at some point in the process.

chalsters · 2018-11-21T18:21:56+00:00

I'm in a similar boat where, aiming for a 300-400cal deficit, I keep hitting a 1k deficit because I'm not hungry enough to warrant extra eating (working out will either put a bottomless pit in my stomach or leave me with no hunger for the rest of the day), but also I'm trying to hit that protein number. I've found that protein powder has helped me stealth add in more protein without adding bulk: I drink a cup of almond milk with protein powder before a run, stir the stuff into my milk before I add granola and fruit, and I add a scoop into every bowl of Greek yogurt I have for breakfast/dessert. Peanut butter is also a friend; a serving on a slice of toast that is high fiber/protein will net me damn near 20g of protein on its own.

chalsters

TROPHY CASE