Quote from: Brenda E on August 19, 2014, 05:33:12 PM
HRT is the key, as is cutting protein, cardio cardio cardio, and sucking up the absolute misery of eating 1200 calories a day. Did I forget to mention cardio?
Worse than electrolysis.
Going vegetarian is the fastest way I've found to lose muscle quickly, but it's truly unpleasant
Don't go crazy though. Being in shape is far more attractive (to me) than being unheathily skeletal. There are plenty of bigger girls out there who are stunning, and plenty of waifs who look like crack addicts.
I lost 35 pounds after having lived in a small mill town in Oregon for a year. I was originally around 175 lbs, and when I got back to Texas I was at 142. I had a very noticeable belly in any form-fitting clothing, so I wore a jumper for several years. My family are big eaters and don't pay any attention to diet, so we always ate lots of Mexican and Italian food. Being away from that for so long has done me some good. I didn't really shy away from unhealthy foods like pizza and salami/pastrami sandwiches, but I ate considerably less.
Plus, I was taking an herbal supplement called kratom once or twice daily which is rich in beneficial alkaloids and fiber. It also really aids in anxiety and focus. Don't go looking for it in stores, though. It's still in a very controversial place in society due to its analgesic properties. Anyway, due to the fiber content it helped with suppressing appetite. And it helps in regulating blood sugar levels so that sweet cravings are diminished. Because it's not an FDA approved dietary supplement I cannot condone its usage. I can only say how it has helped me in various ways.
Also, after returning to Texas, I was finally able to get meds for ADHD. As some of you might now, one of the potential side effects of stimulants is appetite suppression, so the first month was almost like Ramadan for me, and I ended up watching my fat belly shrink in size. No more wearing jumpers all the time, although I probably will, anyway. It might be hot outside here, but it's always freezing to me everywhere I go that's indoors. But yeah, stimulant meds will burn fat like mad, and possibly even reduce muscle mass. I
certainly don't condone that kind of off-label usage, though. I'm only reporting my experience. Now that I'm used to it my appetite is back, so I keep things in shape through yoga.
And you don't have to be flexible to start yoga. I was a rigid automaton when I started, and I'm still not there, but I'm seeing (
and feeling) progress.
I can't say I've avoided meat proteins in my diet, but I haven't had a steak in over a year. It doesn't even really appeal to me anymore. I did have pork, though. :/ Most of what I eat is chicken, fish, fruit, granola, raw veg, portabella mushrooms, and stuff like tempeh and natto. I don't touch any kind of soy that hasn't been fermented. Tofu, soy milk and similar things might aid in estrogen production, but really aren't good for you otherwise.
Sorry to ramble completely off topic. I've never been all that good with short-and-sweet responses. I'm not even that yappy in person. I guess that's why it channels into my writing.
