u/Novel_Schedule_5141

I have lost exactly 5lbs in exactly 2 weeks. I started with a 29.8% body fat percentage (scale) and now down to 29.2%. I know that isn't always super accurate but its showing a downward trend. I weigh myself in the morning before eating or drinking anything, naked and after urinating. This morning I even took a drink of water cause I was thirsty before weighing myself so I might even weigh less. I've tried to consistently stay around 1500 calories but yesterday was an off day and I didn't eat much. My main priority is keeping my muscle mass while I am off work, second priority is fat loss. Goal weight is 155lbs. I am used to eating around 3000 calories per day (manual labour plus eating fast food daily) but since prioritizing protein and cutting out fast food I find it difficult to even eat 1500 calories. 32F. 5 foot 6.

Stats: 176lbs, 5'5.5" 32yo woman, my scale says I have a 29% body fat but I know that can be off. 33 inch hips, 43 inch hips if that matters? I know I'm overweight but my stats fall within the healthy range, except for BMI.

Past activity level: I was very active (25,000-35,000 steps/day at work + manual labour of lifting and carrying 25lbs at a time.). Back got injured end of June, was in bed for 2 weeks and now I've worked up to 7,000 steps per day plus some core stabilization work. Diagnosed with lumbar retrolisthesis and mild arthritis osteoarthritis.

Would like to lose 20lbs in 4 months to reduce strain on my spine and discs.

I would like to preserve as much muscle as possible during this weight loss without strength training/lifting, and only walking as I do not trust my form to protect my lumbar.

Currently eating 1500 calories per day (down from 2500-3000 when I was working), prioritizing protein but I am still only managing about 60-70g per day. It is really hard because the protein is making me FULL FULL FULL AF and even eating 1500 calories is a struggle. I've had a few days where I just couldn't eat past 1100 calories. I think this is mainly because prior to this injury and new diet, I ate mostly fast food... carbs, fats, refined sugars etc very little protein and vegetables/fruit and was constantly hungry due to the blood sugar spikes and intense manual labour. I think this new cooking at home and eating whole foods has completely shocked my system. I have lost 5lbs in the week since I started calorie counting and prioritizing protein.

Anyways, how much protein should I realistically be eating per day to limit the muscle loss?

Hi. I am currently on essentially modified bed rest due to lumbar pain. I do my spinal stability stretches 3X a day and walk 30 mins/day (10 mins after every meal). Because of this, I have had to cut my diet from about 2800 calories/day (work a manual labour job which I'm off right now) down to 1400-1500. 176lbs, 32F, 5'5.5". I am having a heck of a time meeting the protein goals. I was told to consume at least 130-150 grams of protein a day to maintain my muscle, but I am also trying to get in enough calcium and iron. Well, calcium and iron shouldn't be eaten at the same time so that limits my protein intake at my calcium snack. I manage to consume MAYBE 100 grams of protein a day.

Anyone got any tips for dairy-free protein?

I grew up in a fairly functional, mostly organized home until my mom left when I was 16. Before that, she kept the home clean but it definitely looked lived in and there were hidden messes. Well, when she left, it turned into really bad. I managed to keep my room fairly clean but I think that was just because I personally didn't have much stuff and was always out of the house in school and working 40 hours a week (gone from 6:30am for co op until 1am when I got home from work), trying to save money to move out. Well, I did move out and lived alone. I never had much stuff. I kept my apartment relatively clean.

Then I got married, bought a large house and everyone was giving us stuff as hand me downs, , giving us furniture (at one point we had 3 couches!!), buying us clothes and gadgets (his parents were rich), he moved in with his childhood stuff. When we had kids it got even worse. People showing up with garbage bags/totes of kids clothes and toys. I couldn't keep up with the clutter. When he moved, he took nothing except about half of his wardrobe and some personal belongings with him so I was left with overflowing closets, a completely cluttered basement, a half full garage, a half full attic etc of stuff I had no use for. All while dealing with a new move, a new baby, postpartum depression, infidelity and spousal abandonment. I did not want to get rid of these things, especially sentimental things from our marriage but I finally have started. I've offered him his stuff he had left behind (its been 4 years and he is remarried) and he tells me to just get rid of it, so I've started. I've even burned some things like paintings we did together or letters we wrote each other and it helped me move on.

As a single mom, people are constantly handing me down things and I feel bad saying no cause I want my kids to have everything. But it's become too overwhelming. My young kids (8 and 4) are always making messes because they are very creative and imaginative. They're pretty good with cleaning up small messes if given clear directions but they also get overwhelmed with the sheer amount of STUFF they own. They don't want to help me go through their toys, they don't even want to pass on their clothes they no longer fit "in case you get married and we get another sibling, you can save it for the new baby". That tugs at my heart strings and results in me keeping even their newborn clothes.

I recently discovered I have a butterfly clutterbug style (visual macro) and have been utilizing some of the techniques but the amount of stuff I have to organize is overwhelming. My kids are eager to do a chore chart and earn allowances, but I am overwhelmed so how can I expect them not to be?

My main hurdle is feeling sad about my kids being sad about me getting rid of toys and clothes. I've got no problem getting rid of my stuff, but theirs is another story. And trust me, even though they have hundreds of toys, my eldest has a photographic memory and even if it takes 6 months, if she wants a certain toy and she can't find it or I tell her I donated it, she will get REALLY upset. Like she remembers toys from 4 years ago!

Do I just get rid of stuff to help us function better as a family and deal with the emotional fallout? Kinda kick the can down the road? Cause the mess and clutter is really making it difficult for us to function.

I'd say I'm a level 2 hoard, with level 3 hoard in some areas of the house or when I'm struggling with depression or executive dysfunction but without the unsanitary part of it. But I no longer really have the emotional inability to get rid of things in theory, just struggling to get rid of my kids stuff.

Any practical or emotional tips?

Hi there.

I'm 32 with normal-dry skin prone to dehydration. No acne or texture concerns. Main concern is my forehead wrinkles. I want to start wearing SPF, especially for my mlrning and afternoon commutes (35 mins each way, open highway so no tall.buildings to block sunrays lol)

Issue I've had after starting any skincare routine is I work a physically laborious job indoors where I wear a hardhat and sweat a lot. The moisturizer just melts off my face and makes my skin even wetter and glistening.

So I might not wear moisturizer to work (unless you have a recommendation for one that won't slide off with sweat). But I'd like to wear SPF and maybe use a face wipe when I get to work to wipe it off if I am finding it is melting off. I would also use a wet wipe at the end of my shift in my car and re-apply the sunscreen before my commute home. Would this be bad for my skin if I wash my face when I get home? I know applying sunscreen on a dirty face isn't ideal but the women's washroom is pretty far from our lockers and not on the way to the parking lot. Walking up to the washroom and washing my face would add another 10 minutes to end of shift.

Looking for sunscreen and wet wipe recommendations that I can order from Amazon or Sephora :)

Hi there.

I'm 32 with normal-dry skin prone to dehydration. No acne or texture concerns. Main concern is my forehead wrinkles. I want to start wearing SPF, especially for my mlrning and afternoon commutes (35 mins each way, open highway so no tall.buildings to block sunrays lol)

Issue I've had after starting any skincare routine is I work a physically laborious job indoors where I wear a hardhat and sweat a lot. The moisturizer just melts off my face and makes my skin even wetter and glistening.

So I might not wear moisturizer to work (unless you have a recommendation for one that won't slide off with sweat). But I'd like to wear SPF and maybe use a face wipe when I get to work to wipe it off if I am finding it is melting off. I would also use a wet wipe at the end of my shift in my car and re-apply the sunscreen before my commute home. Would this be bad for my skin if I wash my face when I get home? I know applying sunscreen on a dirty face isn't ideal but the women's washroom is pretty far from our lockers and not on the way to the parking lot. Walking up to the washroom and washing my face would add another 10 minutes to end of shift.

Looking for sunscreen and wet wipe recommendations that I can order from Amazon or Sephora :)

Hi! Happy to be hear and get all your wisdom.

As the title says, I have 8yo and 4yo picky eaters. We are working on that, slowly but surely!

In the meantime, I would like to come up with a schedule and find high quality supplements to make sure they are getting the right minerals and vitamins. Giving them a multivitamin and calling it a day is tempting but I know they need other stuff than that. Preferably sometbing available on Amazon since I am in the middle of nowhere!

We are a lactose-free household but eat a small amount of meat (they prefer chicken and bacon).

My priorities:

1. Calcium and vitamin D.

2. Omega-3.

3. Iron and vitamin C

4. Protein.

5. Greens

This is where mom guilt comes in. I know this is not even close to nutritionally complete but their pickiness has been so difficult. I am going to share our meals just to give an idea of where I can sneak powdered supplements in ans of when I should time thr supplements to ensure maximum absorption.

Breakfast is usually homemade chocolate chip pancakes (fortified soy or oat milk), cereal or hard-boiled eggs with bacon and potatoes. They also eat fruit either strawberries, apples, blueberries grapes, or bananas (at every meal).

Mid-day snack is fruit, bear paw, lactose free yogurt.

Lunch is mac and cheeze, hot dogs, fries, cucumbers and fruit.

Snack. Homemade cookies/muffins or lactose free cheese strins, crackers, fruit.

Dinner is usually homemade chicken nuggets (breast or ground chicken) dipped in egg and flour, fried in vegetable oil (trying to switch this out for olive oil but its soooo expensive. I want it fried so the kids get the extra fat/calories). Fried homemade chips or wedges. Honey for dipping the chicken nuggets. Cucumbers, fruit, and one kid will eat carrots but the other won't. Sometimes I can get them to eat something like spaghetti or steak but that is few and far between.

Both kids don't like their food touching and one pot meals or casseroles out of the question

I'm thinking of adding smoothies to one of the mid-day snacks so maybe a suggestion for a shake or protein powder. They will not drink soy on its own but enjoy glasses of oat and almond milk.

Hi, ever since I was a kid, I would get frequent UTIs. Usually that was after taking bubble baths. As an adult, I no longer take bubble baths but I get one almost EVERY time I have intercourse and let a man ejaculate inside me. It doesn't matter if we have both washed before hand or if I urinate immediately after. It doesn't happen as frequently when he pulls out, maybe 1 out of 50 times then. I have been tested for all STIs, trichomonias, yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis but they have all been negative. This has happened with multiple partners, except one. It's made trying for children very uncomfortable. The only symptom I ever get of the UTI is a very pungent chemically smell in my urine. It lingers in the washroom after and is quite embarrassing. I test positive for e-coli after cultures, even though I wipe front to back and shower with a gentle soap daily. I am seeing a urologist and he prescribed prophylaxis antibiotics to have pre-intercourse (and it has prevented the UTIs 90% of the time) but said I shouldn't be taking it everyday. I would like to have more kids one day but this is a big barrier to it and feel like I might have to go IUI due to it. Any advice on what other treatment options I can explore with my urologist?