weight loss

[tgirljuliewilson]

Time is sooooo slow!

What is the safest, fastest, and, if possible easiest (!) way to lose weight and muscle mass while still keeping enough body fat for re-distribution to the preferred locations?  I have too much body fat in the wrong places and muscle mass that refuses to leave....

Is there a better method before HRT than after starting HRT?  What about using herbal methods like taking Black Cohosh and Soy Isoflavones in addition to Atkins-like diets?

I know I'm not the only one struggling here.....please help!

[Ms.Behavin]

Black cohosh, and other OTC are great placebos, but that is all they are.  Walking is very good.  You'll want to exercise with low weights and very high reps.  Plus diet and time.  HRT with diet and exercise will work wonders, with time.  Rome was not built in a day. 

Enjoy the journey and you'll get there in time.  Plus a low protein diet helps more for MTF then a high protein diet.  Much harder to loose protein IE mussel mass when your on a high protein diet.  LOL you actually want a higher fat diet, but cut way down on intake across the board.

Beni

[Brianna]

Black cohosh, and other OTC are great placebos, but that is all they are.  Walking is very good.  You'll want to exercise with low weights and very high reps.  Plus diet and time.  HRT with diet and exercise will work wonders, with time.  Rome was not built in a day. 

Enjoy the journey and you'll get there in time.  Plus a low protein diet helps more for MTF then a high protein diet.  Much harder to loose protein IE mussel mass when your on a high protein diet.  LOL you actually want a higher fat diet, but cut way down on intake across the board.

Beni

I don't really agree with this strategy, beni. But it does have the merit of containing action. Doing things is always better than not doing anything.

1. I think walking is okay if you're older. Getting your heart rate up to 130-140 will areobicly tax your system when you're about 40 or so. If you're under 40? You need something harder. But again, something is better than nothing.
2. If you exercise enough, your body comes into equilibrium. You can eat whatever you want then. I think starving yourself without exercise never leads to permanent weight loss.
3. Educate yourself on how you eat affects your body. I beleive obesity is common because no one in America understands how to eat.

Bri

[debisl]

Bri  I agree. You have to learn what to eat, and drink.
I goined a gym years ago, but found it was too much hastle, and not the results I was trying for. I started doing palities. That was good too. I saw the commercial on tv for bow-flex with the 52 year old woman who looked fabulous. I thought if she could look that good at 52 I should be able to at 32. So to answer the question at hand.
1. You have to know what to eat
2. I do resistance training with very low weights on my bow-flex
3. I have started Tae-Bo
4. My secret weapon ( get a horse to pound your butt into shape)
5.*** Most important is enough desire and will power to accomplish your goal.

My grandmother use to tell me, you can be anything you want to, if you want it bad enough.

Deb

[Ms.Behavin]

Oh I agree that excersize along with proper diet is important.  I just don't think the atkins diet that Tgirljulie thought about was really the proper plan.  Not really a fan of the atkins diet anyway.  I don't lift weights anymore as my body type tends to bulk up pretty quickly even on HRT.  But I do walk/hike 15-20 miles a week including some mountain paths on the weekends, hiking up mountains does work cardio nicely.   Mountains, natures stair-step machine. 

Beni

[Kate]

Eat less. Exercise more. Be patient.

I'd stay away from fads, diets, herbals, all these concoctions and "plans."

Eat less. Exercise more. Be patient.

And I don't mean starve yourself. I mean just take smaller portions of whatever you eat now. If you're eating bad stuff (fast food, etc.), this would be a good time to change your diet to better stuff - but not WEIRD stuff following the latest fad "plan." Just eat a nice variety of good foods, and don't eat tons of it.

And you'll get there, and get there safely, and create sustainable eating habits so you can STAY there

Kate

[melissa90299]

I joined Weight Watchers and lost sixty pounds. My exercise routine consists of weight training and various exercises that I learned from watching exercise TV on Video On Demand (I have Comcast) I  did a bunch of routines from body toning to hip hop and belly dancing. I am 58 and just yesterday, this guy who is in my therapy group (who also happens to be an attorney who got his law degreee from Harvard!) told me what  a great body I have

So if I can do it, anyone can, I also might mention that after four years, I finally have a nice shape including really nice boobs, which are really perky and not sagging like many women my age. The men (which were many, I was a sexual addict as well as addicted to everything else) I have been with love my body, I guess that is why I was so addicted to that feeling and being told how hot I am all that, luckily I am HIV- and STD free...I guess I am getting off topic, quite normal for someone in recovery I guess...anyway, I recommend Weight Watchers and an exercise/body toning routine.