Things that popped out.. I am going to do a better back read tomorrow when I am more awake. So if I repeat anythin', I am sorry. ^^;;
"popcorn as a snack instead" this is good IF it is one you pop yourself and not a microwave kind. They have oils and butters that = bad. But I love fresh good old popcorn. But because of my teeth have not been able to have any in forever.
"remember losing fat is different from losing weight" I LOVE this line, it is the same the other way too, gaining weight isn't always bad. If you start a new workout and your next weigh in have gain some weight, yet have been eating well. Don't get discouraged. New muscle you gained could be the reason. And, if you use to not drink enough water then stat to drink a good 32, or 64oz or 90oz, it takes you body a little time to get use to the new amount you drink and utilize it.
I read once something like, "Activity is how you loose weight, not lack of food." This is true. Both things, not having lack of food and being active, are what I struggle with.
I am not an active person, I sprint at work (Car hopping is fun, speed walk food to cars, run back inside to get a new scan/ticket, then speed walk again to bring food, then run back to run credit card, then run back to car to return credit card. hehe.) but work has been slow, and hours are low, so that activity is not as much as it use to be. I go to the gym about 1 every week now. I want to go more, but I have a hard time getting myself to the gym even though it's only 5 minutes if even that from my house. Then, house work I use to do more, but I been slacking on that so that has been lowering my activeness.
As for eating, I think I found my range (unless I start getting more active.). I am 5’4 and very inactive and trying to loose fat, I have been in the 1800 to 2200, felt I was eating too much. was in the 900-1100 for a while, too small even for my low activity level and just always felt like I had no energy (did help that I stopped caffeine cold turkey the same time.) Now I have been in the 1100-1500 for about a week. I started taking fish oil pills too (omega 3 goodness). I think this is my range, but it's hard for me to eat that much food now. I got use to the lower calories. Also, other than bananas, pears, and peaches and rarely apples there isn't really any fruits I like. OJ is okay sometimes if mixed with a banana. And veggies wise I seem to mostly only like the bad starchy ones like carrots, potatoes, and corn. I can eat green beans and raw spinach (in salads and on ham sandwiches) and broccoli (steamed and raw) okay too. I think it's just I have not had the veggies made right, I need to force myself to try more and try them prepared different ways. Then meet... I cannot eat beef anymore. I just don't like the taste at all anymore, not even Angus. I never liked pork much. So turkey and fish is what I am left with but I am picky with my fish. I don’t like halibut, and only like tuna when it’s sushi or in tuna noodle casserole. Love salmon though. And I like almost every nut other then peanuts, but they don't fill me up that well with how little a serving size is. Milk I can only stomach skim/none fat milk. And if by itself or in instant breakfast I need to water it down. Cheese, only really like string cheese or sometimes cheddar. I like yogurt okay, but only Yoplait light banana cream pie.
and the SUCH hikes will not always be in portland. and I can pic people up and stuff if not too far away too most the time.
