peaches

I barely drink anymore. My tolerance for alcohol has basically disappeared since I started on Paleo! It's kind of bad (I get pissed really quickly and recently had the most horrible, pukey, epic hangover of my life) but also good (cheap to get 'happy', reduce calories consumed by booze). I haven't had anything to drink since said epic hangover a few weeks ago, but next time, it'll be a glass of red wine and that'll be about it.

What do people think about avocados, as in...how many is too many? I don't know if they're in season right now here in Australia but I can't get enough. Since I discovered a few healthy recipes using them (yummy guacamole, chocolate mousse!) I'm eating 1-2 every day. I know they are a good source of good fat and several micronutrients but they are also quite calorically dense. I guess it's a balancing act between nutrients and too many calories (I am trying to lose a bit of weight). Thoughts?

Another Melburnian here

I'm finding I'm getting hungry an hour or so after dinner so the last couple of nights I've added half an avocado to my plate. Fills me up. I think the answer is more fat!

My friend's chocolate mousse recipe really helps me when I'm desperate for chocolate... :: 1 large, ripe banana :: 1/4 ripe avocado :: 1/8 cup raw cacao powder :: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon :: 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup :: 1/4 tablespoon water Whizz everything together in a blender or food processor and voila! Sorry for the weird measurements (1/8 cup?!?) but I halved the recipe to serve one It's not so much about resisting cravings for me, I simply try to find the best alternatives. No point having those Peanut M&Ms (don't worry, I bloody love them too!) if I can have some amazing 85% dark chocolate (one square is enough for me) or this chocolate mousse. Going Paleo was rather tricky for me at first because I hate waste. I did throw out some food which was just plain crap, but I also gave a lot to my flatmates (quinoa anyone?) and I have been slowly getting through the rest of the stuff that's kind of 'borderline' paleo...store-bought sauces, etc.

I have no advice, but I'm very glad to read you have a diagnosis, and I just wanted to wish you all the best on your journey to babby

I have one cup of black coffee in the morning. I love it. I feel fine if I skip it. But lately I'm a little worried about the link between caffeine and raised cortisol levels. Does caffeine prevent fat loss by raising cortisol (a fat storing hormone) levels too much? Cortisol is already at its peak in the mornings. On the other hand, caffeine increases our basal metabolic rate, and of course, perks us up so we're more likely to move our butts Tough one! I know Rob Wolff loves the stuff!

Don't go crazy on supplements...please try to get as much nutrition as possible from your diet, and take it from there. The supplement industry is big, big business, and you will find a lot of unsubstantiated claims. Don't get sucked in!

I've just started to realise how important Vitamin D is. You'd think in Australia that nobody would be deficient, but we've had the 'slip, slop, slap' (slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat - lame, but it works!) message drilled into us for so long that we hardly ever expose our skin to the sun. My levels were very low, so I've started supplementing. I'm always extremely hesitant to go beyond the RDI for any vitamins/minerals, so I just take 1000IU a day. Haven't noticed a difference so far, but then again, I had no idea I was deficient either

Yay for mascara! Don't forget the eyelash curlers. They're not as scary as they look, and they will really help!

Something which goes a long for any woman is a good eyebrow shape and tint. Brows are SO important! They frame your face and emphasise your eyes. Check out the Benefit Brow Bar (http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/brand/boutiqueoverview/browbars) but any good salon or beautician will take care of you. Pay to get it done by a professional once and then you can do the upkeep yourself after that. Totally worth it. You have great skin, so you don't need foundation for coverage. Tinted moisturiser is fantastic. These days BB creams are also very popular. Try to find one with SPF in it to protect your skin - suncream is my #1 beauty product. Garnier have a good BB cream ('Miracle Skin Perfector'), you can pick it up at the supermarket or chemist. Of course, always go for a shade which suits your skin tone. If you're willing to explore makeup a little bit, start with a nice pinky blush and black mascara. If you're not keen on mascara, consider getting your eyelashes tinted. A lip and cheek tint is also a great idea (same as a stain), again Benefit have some good ones (I love Benefit, in case you couldn't tell). If you don't want to go too girly with your clothes, think about getting some nice tailored pants/slacks and some knee-length skirts. In terms of jeans, curve-embracers are fantastic. They're higher in the waist, so you don't get muffin top, and they have more room in the butt and thighs. You might prefer straight leg or bootleg, your choice. If you have a big bust, V-necks are actually more flattering than higher necklines. It stops your entire chest looking like one big slab of body and instead breaks things up a bit and creates shape. Don't be scared of colour too - the 'colours' quiz posted above is pretty accurate. I hope that's not too much info all at once! If you take anything from this post, take the brow shape tip!!! Good luck - let us know how you go, and don't forget, us girly girls are here to help whenever you need!

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU! I really, really want to have kids. But I completely understand why people wouldn't want to have kids. And I don't think there would be many things worse than bringing a child into the world that isn't wanted. Don't do that. You have the right to live your life exactly as you want to (provided you're not hurting anybody, and by hurting I don't mean your Mum getting upset that she's not going to be a grandma, I mean like...murdering people). Don't feel bad!

Just wanted to say WOW and good luck! What a big change, good on you

Exactly!

Maybe I'm just a narcissist, heh