[bryony]

I cannot disagree more about taking protein.

Chances are, if you gained weight steadily after the age of 30, then you have developed insulin resistance. I have found that I need to restrict my carbs to around 50g per day or less. I was able to eat as much protein and fat as I wanted until I started taking PM. Once your testosterone drops, you will have even more trouble losing weight.

After going on PM, my weight steadily climbed to 180 lbs in Dec. 2011. That's when I moved from a low carb diet heavy on protein to a low carb / high fat diet (LCHF), which treats protein pretty much like carbs. The problem is that if you exceed the amount of protein that you require to build/rebuild muscle, it will get converted to carbs by gluconeogenesis - at least, that is what I deduce my problem was.

Once I kept my total calories low, and apportioned them as 80% fat, 5% carbs and 15% protein, the pounds started to fall off, and I am now 145 lbs.

Incidentally, for those of you who have trouble finding interesting ways to eat this way, I highly recommend this book Real Meal Revolution

It's not available until the end of July from Amazon, (I got mine from South Africa) but you can get some ideas from their web site here

[Dianna1395]

Thank you for the suggestions.
Consistency seems to be my biggest problem. I have been VERY stressed for years, and it's bee getting worse.
(I mentioned some of the circumstances elsewhere, I believe. Put down the dog on Wednesday, he had lymphoma and couldn't even lie still... :-( )

Anyway: Thank you for suggesting the "Real Meal" book and site/blog. My problems are primarily threefold:
1. Hard to be consistent in the gym.
2. Sweet tooth exacerbated by stress (which is endless for me)
3. I eat good foods. Too much good food.

Put it all together, it's a recipe for disaster.
I'm down to 234 right now. (After tonight, probably going to hit 235... Despite being in a fasted state most of the day, I had to make the sick baby a milkshake... and I have to have some, so she won't feel guilty. :-) But WTF can you do. Not like I can be too direct about her irrationality - look where we are, after all, genetic males who want their own breasts... )

BUT, I'm trying to take the bull by the horns (again.) After the last few weeks... Dealing with the dog's cancer, and the woman being sick (Three prescriptions right now... Not a psychosomatic or fake thing), at least the stress levels have evened out. Got out of the storage unit, finished that today. Ate very little this weekend (and most of what was eaten was bad - cookies, ice cream, pasta. WTF was I thinking?)...
Now, maybe I can get back to working out.

But I need to change the workout. My lats are pushing out (and they're NOT impressive, mind) so much that the sports bras are cutting into me. And I've noticed a "dimple" in one boob that I think is from the bra band cutting into the flesh.... :-(

But I got saw palmetto and the "change-o-Life" blend (works well for me). Now if I focus back on weightloss and drop the 5X5 program (which wasn't helping), I can do more squats* and metabolic conditioning, and get my caloric intake under control (Maybe, and unicorns might fly me in to work tomorrow...)
But, what I eat IS up to me. I need to take some of the muscle catabolism as a good thing, take some of the links here, apply the knowledge... I just HATE being weak in ANY way. (I guess it comes from being picked on all my school days. Never fought back, never put my foot down, until I almost choked someone to death in seventh grade. It was an off day... But I let him live.)
It's not like I'll compete in a strongman competition, but I LIKE being able to lift heavy.

Which is counter to looking feminine.... :-P

Anyway - I'll try to redesign my meals, and change up the exercise a bit, and post some updates.
Even when it's "no change."

[bryony]

The best thing you can do if you are struggling with a weight problem is to stop your blood glucose oscillating. This is what makes you hungry 5 mins after a big meal.

The way to achieve good weight loss without hunger is to eat ketogenically.

But, for now, all you need to do is to stop eating anything with grains in it.

No wheat, oats, rye, rice, corn/maize. (No bread, rice or pasta or sweet corn/popcorn)

Don't drink soft fizzy drinks with sugar or aspartame - drink milk or just fizzy water. If you need some flavour squeeze a segment of lime into the water.

Where you need a sweetener, use Xylitol (but don't let dogs near it - it kills them)

Do this and you are pretty much guaranteed to lose weight rapidly without hunger.

Use the green lists on that website.

If you satisfy your hunger using high-fat foods, you will satisfy it for longer, and it need not be a crutch for stress.

If you use ice cream for stress, get a maker and make your own, substituting xylitol for sugar. It them becomes a really healthy food.

Good luck!

B.

[Pinnochia]

Dianna, I'd be cautious with that document you found. It does offer some good points, however, 100 rep training can cause stress on joints and lead to injury. Not saying to not try it, or that it won't work. Just be careful, research and double check sources, and if you do try it out -- make sure your form is perfectly flawless, with proper warm-up, cool-down, and stretching to minimize risk of injury as much as possible.

To summarize some of the sources below, to help reduce muscle mass/size efficiently and safely, the following tips are recommended (I will be trying these as well):

* Cardio first thing in the morning -- before breakfast.
* Reduce calories to create a deficit by maybe 250 calories a day.
* High Rep/Low Weight -- recommended 30-50 reps
* No snack/meal/protein shake for 3 hours after workout.
* Post-workout cardio.

I added a few links for you to check and compare notes, I encourage you to google more on catabolizing or reducing muscle mass to help ensure safe success.

Aerobic vs HIIT to lose muscle

10 ways to lose muscle

How to reduce muscle size

Here are some links to help build your hips/booty. I'll be testing and compiling a custom workout using information and techniques from these videos. I like to warm-up with the 5 minute video plus Knee Tuck Crunch, Bicycles, and Reverse Bicycles (15-25 each) to get the TFL (front hip muscle) engaged. I finish my butt workout with Kneeling Rear Leg Raises (Donkey Kicks) and Kneeling Side Leg Raises (Dirty Dogs/Fire Hydrants) to encourage blood flow to the desired areas.

FB 5 minute Butt & Thigh workout

FB Brutal Butt & Thigh Workout

Stretches to Get Curvier Hips

FB Build a Booty Workout

Wider Curvier Hips

FB Hourglass Workout (Abs)

Hope this helps.

DONKEY KICKS,,,! i have to agree their the heart of my lower body workout. Only im a bit obsessive about them. I try to get a minimum of 1500 in a day, ive been doing this for two weeks at this level, and doing them for the last six months in reduced numbers. Ive felt good after each 1500 , no injuries.(so far) It is turning my ARS into an anvil though,,lol i always do this before breakfast.