my thoughts

BMI is incomplete. Arnold Schwarzenegger's BMI says he is really obese and on the flip side some people with a healthy BMI can still have too much fat in their bodies which puts them at risk for heart disease. I'd focus more on body fat%, how clothing feels on you and most importantly how you feel *both mentally and physically.* You worry if you're being too hard on yourself -- what do people closest to keep telling you?

Make sure you're giving your body enough time to recover.

Is your diet the same every day? Your diet is packed with protein and grains but seriously lacking fruits and veggies. Listed you only have one serving broccoli and slightly less than a full serving of strawberries. Try to mix more of a variety of fruits and veggies as well. The balance of nutrients are different in different fruits and veggies. For your blends, if you buy fruits that are ripe and healthy you wouldn't need to add splenda to it because there are already enough natural sugars.

For example, instead of just having strawberries, try mixing it up -- make a fruit salad. Adding a dash of lemon juice acts as a natural preservative and it brings out the flavors in the other fruits. You could scoop out a cup to add to your drink (instead of just strawberries) or have it like it is as a snack.

In the mornings I also have the hot oatmeal with cinnamon but instead of adding a sweetener like splenda I add dried cranberries, currants, mango or raisins. I also add flax seeds to mine.

Best wishes with your goals :)

Thank you so much for the

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I know - the basic charts that show BMI are so awful. I really don't have that much body fat, just some stubborn places - mainly my tummy and a little bit on my thighs, but I'm also really strong and I wouldn't doubt that my BMI isn't all that bad. It could definitely improve, but I shouldn't be so concerned about it.

And yes, the people closest to me think I look fine. My boyfriend thinks I am neurotic. And I probably am a little bit. ;) I'm just very much a perfectionist, and I am very willing to push hard and be motivated, so I get frustrated when I feel that my hard work is not paying off.

I should definitely mix up my fruits and veggies a bit more - instead of broccoli I do substitute a mix of peppers, pea pods, mushrooms at times. But yes, now that you mention it, that does need some improvement. And I do think that trying to find natural ways to enhance my food vs. using artificial sweetners can definitley be beneficial.

As for your oatmeal - why do you add flaxseed? I have heard of numerous people using flaxseed in their diet, but never really asked why. Is there a benefit to adding it into your diet?

Thanks again!

why flaxseed

Flaxseeds add additional nutrition to my oatmeal (I add 1 tbsp to mine). I'm a vegetarian so I try to improve the quality of my foods when I can. I also add it to salads and sometimes to pasta. It's sorta like adding dark sesame seeds. The nutrition info I put down are the main reasons why I add it and the link at the end is more extensive (for 1 tbsp):

Fiber 3g
Protein 2g
Iron 3%
**Omega-3 fatty acids 2.338 g (main reason: I don't eat fish: this is a good substitute)

"This food is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin and Manganese."

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20p1.html