Thank you very much on your post. I do understand where you are comming from. I am a solid 16 and if it run small 18 but if you looked at me you would think i am a size 14. i am very solid.... I was a solid size 10 and that is where i want to be. not for my wedding of course. I am just looking into other avenues to help me achieve my goal. I just recently over the past week added a 5 am 1hr workout 5 days a week and i want to add an evening walk a few nights that is 3.5 miles. i also changed my eating on my own. which is big for me so i am now really looking forward to getting healthy and loosing weight.

I am by no means an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I'll share with you my experience and a little about my weight gain and loses.

My current measurements are 36, 28, 40, and I am sitting at around 155, which is a pretty uncomfortable weight (for me personally!) for my 5'4 height.

Last summer this forum got me really thinking about HCG as I weighed about 150 and I really wanted to weigh 115. I read the HCG protocol in it's entirety. But, I have absolutely NO will power, and so my (stupid, in hindsight) thought was that HCG would allow me to lose a crap-ton of pure fat in a very small time, and I would only need will power for a short amount of time.

I did the injectable HCG for about 20 days, and I lost about 12 pounds, but I was moody, all I thought about was food, and I cheated all the time so that instead of eating the 500 cals of protocol food, I would eat 500 cals of cake that day instead LOL I was an idiot. But I don't look back and blame myself. You would have to have the will power of a saint to make that system work, and I honestly think that the weight I did lose was purely a result of my HIGHLY restricted calorie intake. I wouldn't do it again for a few reasons: I don't have the motivation to restrict myself that much, I LOVE food, and because I was using it as a patch fix for the weight I had gained, when what I really needed was a lifestyle change. A lifestyle change really is 100% the only thing I believe in now because anything else will just be a series of diets, loses, binges, re-gains, diets etc...

I am finally ready to make that change and I have been changing my diet for about a week now (I know, I definitely have a long way to go!) and I'm actually not finding it that difficult at all! I watched a TON of motivating youtube videos that helped me decide on foods and snack options, because I am a carboholic, and a snack fiend. I am also currently doing Insanity which is a work-out by Beach Body from Sean T. It is absolutely brutal, and I so spend a considerable amount of time resting and drinking water, but I guarentee that in 35 mins I burn at the very minimum 300 calories. I also found this awesome sight called " Lose It! " and the website is loseit.com and it allows you to create a timeline for your weightloss journey and a daily diet plan and calorie counter (Goal day is Nov. 2nd for me, 1,200 cals a day, current weight 155, goal weight 120)

Here are a couple of my favorite youtube videos that motivated me soooo much and helped me decide a course of action:

About Lose It!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pz-F5Tw1-s

Favorite Video! So Motivating and helpful with snack options:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQLGm9DNR7s

Anywho, sorry for the novel but I wish you all the best and I encourage you to look around at motivating tips and tricks on youtube because they really are helpful. And I can't say I'd recommend HCG personally, but I do understand it's allure. I don't think it is a crazy goal that you could get down to 200 around September the all natural way. Healthy diets and exercise work super fast sometimes! My sister went from 265 to 180 in about 6-7 months using herbalife shakes and a healthy diet (she exercized exactly ZERO at that time as well)

My parents lost 3 stone using weight watchers. It took them 3 weeks.

My friend lost 3 stone in 3 weeks cutting out carbs.

I lost 5lbs in 2 weeks by cutting my carb intake to 80g per day. I have peas instead of potatoes, rice or pasta. TBH, i have not noticed the "diet" really. I just want to change my eating habbits for good and maintain a healthy weight. I love my food and starvation is NOT an option.

My parents said that weight watchers changed they way they eat too.

Good luck!!

I have tried the homeopathic hcg and the injectible. Did a few rounds of each.

I would NEVER use it again. It has ruined my metabolism and has changed my body for the bad. I am pregnant right now and am very eager to get on with weight loss after the baby in a HEALTHY way.

Weight Watchers has been the only way I have lost weight and kept it off.

Good luck Hun!

KatNewby thanks for your post! You are 100% correct when u say it needs to b a lifestyle change!!! Because if it's not then all your weight will just come back and make it harder to loose! I put my self on a restricted calorie count and I am going to try it for a week before I make any choices as what to do! Yes 500 calories is too low ! I am thinking more of 800 calories! I guess I need to think about it for a week! I am truly going to think hard about this!

Hi,
Check out www.marksdailyapple.com. It's all about healthy eating and lifestyle. He has some great books also. My other favourite is a book called How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy by Paul Chek. No starvation, just delicious, healthy food. Good luck!
Kati

I am a student personal trainer (sitting for my exam in November) and getting a master's degree in health science. You can do 35 lb in 3 ish months and then keep it going with eating real food + motivated workouts. I know some people swear by 1 way or the other.... The reality is the only way that matters is the one that works for you.

The latest research I have done for sustainable weight loss & overall health suggests 2 short cardio sessions and a light strength-resistance-weights session a day. That could be 20 min cardio +10 min strength in the a.m. + 20-30 min walk after work. It isn't a huge time commitment to give yourself. Also, eat more vegetables! For the last few weeks I challenged my husband who wants to lose 10 lbs in 2 months. I calculated what he should be consuming in a day and he didn't want to hear any more. For a week he tried it and ended up so hungry at the end of the day.... Then he listened. Vegetables have very few calories. You can fill up on a well stocked salad, when stacked right you don't need dressing!, and be full on less than 150 calories for lunch. In 1 week he has lost 3 lbs. Now, he doesn't have much to lose to begin with, but with subtle changes, appropriate support, and proper motivation, YOU CAN DO IT!

I have a friend from highschool who wanted to lose 60 lbs in 6 months. She's a bright attorney but couldn't seem to make the time for herself. A few changes and tweaks and she is on her way. (40 lbs in 4 months)

So I say again, YOU CAN DO IT.

Do you want to message me and I'll give you as much information as I can with my currently limited knowledge? I'll need more information from you, but I would be happy to help you as a friend helping a friend. I am not a professional *yet*.

800 calories is way too low still. Try for 1500-1600 if you aren't exercising and 1800 if you are exercising.

That is sound advice. There are very few women in the world that can function (seriously) on less than 1200 calories a day.

We are different heights, but we have the same measurements and weight