hey effie!!! im new here too and after lurking here I finally joined and Im so glad I did...I love the motivation I get from just getting on the board and looking at the women (and men) whove met their goals or the mini-goals!!

Hi Effie,

I am new today and it is very exciting having "friends near by" to support us. Good luck to you. I will watch for your progress!

Thanks again for the sweet thoughts everyone!

I got a bit of a surprise/laugh today though. My roommate apparently expressed concern over my eating healthy/going to the gym on a daily basis because it was sudden and now she thinks I have an eating disorder. This is the same girl, mind you, who said I was too big for regular clothes. Make up your mind, woman! But I'll take it with a grain of salt, I know I'm acting in a healthy manner and just because she doesn't monitor my every meal doesn't mean I'm not eating!

Some people, you just can't win!

Yeah, I agree. Good for you to not let it get to you :) :hug:

Haha, you're right about that effie!!

I'm really glad you're here... I'm 20 and in college too. I'm also the fat, funny friend, if even a friend at all. So I def. get how it feels!

You CAN do this, and just by taking the first steps like going to the gym and such, you already ARE. I hope to see you on the boards!!:hug:

Hey Effie!

I don't know where you're going to college at, or what you're major is, but spend a bit of time observing the people around you.

You will be able to find other students who have the healthy mind set.

The medical students, the sports med kids, the athletes, look for the folks carrying around healthy food, the nutrition students, if your college has a gym, who is working out?

Just observe and you will be able to find all kinds of great friends to help you out. Along with all of us here.

I have kids older than you, lol. But they did the college experience, had a good time,(partied) got a great education and stayed healthy. It's all about finding a good balance.:D

Good Morning ladies, I finally subscribed to this thread so I can never lose you guys again.
I am on the EFS diet and to change the foods up I usually cook my brown rice about 4 servings at a time and then when I need to have the brown rice for a meal I would sautee some onions and minced garlic with very little olive oil then add the rice and some soy sauce just like the chinese restaurants. It makes a huge difference. I get creative with my beans like I would made some white kidney beans with some chili ready tomatoes (sold in a can). I also like to use spanish and mexican seasonings for my beans, tomatoe sauce, sofrito, recaito, onions, garlic. You can never go wrong with onions. Even with my veggie or soy burgers I will sautee onions to eat with it. Bake chicken and fish with basil, italian seasoning, oregeno, etc... I'm a straight garlic veggie person it's great with spinach and stringbeans, but my brocoli has to have a little sweet & sour sauce (made by hellmans now) and soy sauce. Ladies being creative will get you very far on this diet.