[ArabX3]

Thanks everyone for the help! I can't lift weights because I have tennis elbow in one of my arms - I already had it injected twice. (they don't recommend a 3rd time) I ride and compete so I can't afford to mess my arms up again.

I have done the Jillian Michaels DVD (30 day shred) that uses hand weights and I did it without problems. It was a 30 min workout and seemed to work. I was doing it when I got home at night (every other night) since I am not a morning person and it worked great but once you work out you are wide awake and ready to go, instead of ready for bed. Maybe I will just start that again. Can't hurt.

My BMI is right at the top of normal weight.

I have never had to lose weight in my life until I turned 43. I could eat anything and everything and not gain an ounce. Now thats over So now I watch what I eat etc.

I never thought about not eating enough that sounds odd to me. Before I ate everything not good for you. Then I met my boyfriend 5 yrs ago and he eats healthy so then I went that route, no brats, burgers, fried foods etc. Just the stuff good for you. And I have to say the good stuff doesn't taste near as good as the bad stuff

[danceronice]

Eating too little stops weight loss just like eating too much--in the former case, eventually your body starts storing absolutely everything because it thinks you're in a famine state. And you need fuel for workouts. I lost more weight skating 2-3 hours a day four-five days a week and eating 2700-3000 calories than I ever have 'eating right.' And that was in my late twenties, not as a kid!

And try working in a restaurant. I lose weight because I don't have time or energy to eat.

[Coanteen]

Why discourage? Because of the reasons I stated above. It's an expensive placebo that cause you to do damage to your body and metabolism. There have been ZERO medical studies that show HCG does what the quacks who sell it claim. The only studies done have shown the HCG does nothing. Anyone who eats 500-1000 calories per day will lose weight, HCG or no.

LOL, I checked the HCG forum. It was really interesting to see the "oh I'm so so very cold" complaints from the 500-calorie people (phase 2), and the mods telling them "that's normal, the hypothalamus is resting."

Is it now? Dayum, I thought it was supposed to be extra-busy sending magic signals to release fat stores (and fat stores only, no muscle) for burning in phase 2. I mean, reading through the *cough cough* scientific explanations, that's its busiest phase.

Horse people know that most horses will be ok out in cold weather if fed adequately. If they start to shiver, feed more (well, if they're orincesses like my mare, you also need to blanket, but...).

These poor people are living under mountains of blankets because their body isn't getting sufficient energy to normally warm itself, and they're swallowing some bile about ~resting hypothalami~. Which even according to the *cough cough* science of HCG isn't supposed to be resting during that phase.

[twotrudoc]

Public Service Announcement . While metabolism may slow down a small amount that is easily overcome with exercise when eating less than about 1000 cals a day, you do.not go into famine mode, do irreparable damage to your metabolism or any such nonsense.

If that were true, then all starving folks in third world countries would be healthy wright with burnt out metabolisms. Actual truthful studies and life experiences show that those who starve can indeed starve and get very thin and also with healthy eating, their metabolisms are just fine

[Curb Appeal]

Public Service Announcement . While metabolism may slow down a small amount that is easily overcome with exercise when eating less than about 1000 cals a day, you do.not go into famine mode, do irreparable damage to your metabolism or any such nonsense.

If that were true, then all starving folks in third world countries would be healthy wright with burnt out metabolisms. Actual truthful studies and life experiences show that those who starve can indeed starve and get very thin and also with healthy eating, their metabolisms are just fine

Yes. For the record, I in no way buy into the whole "starvation mode" thing. Loss of lean mass will result in a resting metabolism slow down though because muscle burns calories. Someone eating low will not get fat. Our bodies don't work that way. Eating low will result in a loss of muscle though and bony bodies just aren't fun to look at. Strong bodies are awesome.

What it comes down to is that you do not have to eat ultra low to lose weight, so why do it? Most diets fail because people jump in with both feet, then burn out and fall off the wagon. Healthy weight loss can not be a sprint. It's a marathon that requires a lifetime commitment.

I lost and gained the same 40 pounds over and over because I thought the commercial low cal diets (Nutrisystem, WW, pills, and a large assortment of expensive garbage) were the way to go. When I educated myself and started eating smart (1500-1800 calories per day) the weight started falling off. I went from 41% to 21% body fat and have lost nearly 40 pounds in the last year. I weigh less now than I did in high school! The only thing I have cut from my diet is soda. Otherwise, I still eat the same things I always did. I just learned to portion and budget my calories appropriately. Thanks to strength training, I can now do a pull up for the first time in my life too!!

[twotrudoc]

Yep. And learning to listen to your own bodies cues for hunger!

I do like the paleo diet (although not the extreme no carb stuff) as it is fresh and healthy but generally any fad diet is just that-a fad.