Have you tried the HCG diet?

Can stress and depression lead to weight loss?

To my surprise I've recently found that I've dropped from a size 10 to a size 8 without doing anything different as far as eating or exercise. I've been extremely stressed and depressed for the past two years because I vehemently hate living in California. I want to get back home east but have been unable to land a job there despite many applications...so more stress and sadness. Can stress and depression itself lead to weight loss? wanna go home

Losing the belly fat

I'm middle-aged, and after a lifetime of high metabolism everything changed. Now I have the belly fat all the reports warn about. I am not overweight overall; it's all concentrated. Would love to hear what's worked for others -- is there any way to target just that area? Like Santa's bowlful of jelly but no ho-ho-ho from me!

Need online weightloss site--with GRAPHS

I would like to lose 25 pounds in anticipation of an event next June. I have already talked with my doctor, who ran thyroid and other tests, which were normal. It's simply a matter of exercising more and eating fewer calories. I am HIGHLY motivated by recording information and seeing the resulting progress in graph form. Can anyone recommend an online site where I can enter calorie counts, exercise, and weight--and see my information presented visually? --8 Months to a Healthy Weight

I have 10 pounds to lose in 2 months ...

Hi everyone! I'll love to hear from those who have successfully (or not so much) lost some weight on some of those very commercial methods. I have 2 months and 10 lbs to loose for my sister's wedding this December. I have a dress and I'm just not willing to buy a new expensive dress for one night. Please not lecturing... I'm a very busy mom of two toddlers, maybe I can walk for 30 3 or 4x a week, I'm on an overall healthy diet, I RARELY eat out , I know myself what in the food I need to change. I will star to do this waking running, but PLEASE tell me about that magic green tea, other herbal methods, weight watcher, slim fast o the like. Thanks for your input mommy with the big thighs

The South Beach diet is a great way to lose weight/eat healthy without ''dieting''. It's also based o the no sugar concept, but explains it much better than I am.

I find that my vanity took over once I did lose the weight, so I'm more motivated to stay thin. I am finally able to leave food on my plate. In fact, eating only half of your entree out is a great trick as well. anon

Another plus in your favor is that in addition to walking several times a week, you have toddlers who keep you on the go. Have fun and take advantage of their energy, maybe by taking walks or pushing them in their stroller, go to the park and play with them on the apparatus, or dance, jump, gallop with them. Everyone will have lots of fun and you'll burn lots of calories too. Since you are highly motivated to lose weight, you would be a great candidate for hypnosis. If this seems like something you might like to try, let me know. Catherine

I'd say, put a calendar of the two months ON THE WALL. PLAN your meals, write them up there, follow them. Keep to small portions, you know that. Use that 30 min 3-4 X a week to push yourself at a high heart rate, put those 30-mins up on that calendar too and do them when you're supposed to. You have to signal to yourself that it's a new program. Keep the dress in mind. You may drop 5 right off the bat. Keep hydrated. Use all the tricks, vegs & water first, stop before you're full, plan in little sweets or whatever your weakness is. The main thing is make yourself a written plan and stick to it.

My personal favorite mind game is knowing I can do one small (150-200 calorie) late morning meal, then ONE MAIN MEAL late afternoon and be satisfied. I keep my coffees with cream and sugar in because I'd feel deprived without them. I plan what I will eat if my stomach is growling late night, OR if I'm strong I just say to myself ''That's the sound of this body sculpting itself down,'' and go to sleep. You can do it! Good Luck!

Always the "Before" Photo

Not easy to articulate this question, for which I would really appreciate some supportive, concrete advise. We just took a look at our Mother's Day photos, and I look like such a blob. Apparently, my two pregnancies triggered my thyroid disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but the second pregnancy and diagnosis were about five years apart, during which time I both failed to lose my pregnancy weight and then put on a bit more. Now the girls are in their early teens and I'm a silent daily wreck over this issue. Tried Weight Watchers, lost twenty or so pounds about five years ago, hit a four-month plateau, got on a plane to Europe and in frustration, stopped counting points and weighing food and the weight rushed on in a weekend or so. Have been unable since that time to muster the internal resources to reappoach this issue in a meaningful way. I am always locked in my search, never moving into action: I'm always looking for the book to read or the program to join, the blog to believe in, the conversation to have - vbasically I'm still waiting for the tipping point into the new life of activity and empowerment, but nothing seems to penetrate the fifty-years worth of habitual behavior and inertia that charactize this issue for me. I came from a family of total non-exercisers. I don't think I moved much as a kid and it's been downhill since then. Strangely, I think I actually like to exercise but I forget that during the day and suddenly it's evening and another sedentary day has gone by. I'm a consultant for a living so lots of time in planes trains and automobiles, with long work days and lack of structure in my schedule. We do not live near a gym and I can't figure out when I'd get there anyway. My heart is breaking over this issue but I just can't seem to find the language to talk myself into changing, and what would that change be if I could find it? Any help, resources, guidance, direction would be appreciated. Looking forward to learning how to be an ''After''

But since you want to be an ''after'' photo, this is how it gets done. You find a workout program, you get up and go to it 4 or 5 days a week and you don't let excuses get in the way. Period. No buts. The skinny women you see around town don't use excuses, or have complicated rationalizations. If you want to be one of them, you have to adopt the same procedures. Anon

I can say that from my own personal experience of going up and down the scale and using food to comfort myself for many years, that in the end losing weight permanently and living a healthy lifestyle has nothing to do with how many times a week you make it to the gym or what diet you are on. Very few people can sustain the kind of routine we are lead to believe is necessary to lose weight, which is why people give up and gain more weight.

Of course simple science of calories in calories out will explain why you aren't losing weight, that is a no brainer, the real question is what leads you to not eat healthily and consciously in the first place, and why don't you feel that you are important enough to take care of yourself by carving out some time to move every day. We all have busy days and busy lives but just look at how many things you do for other people each day, how much time you spend on the computer or in front of the tv each day, of course you could work in a 30 minute walk. The truth is that somewhere inside you feel that you don't deserve that time. Nothing will change until you really believe that you deserve to take care of yourself and you make taking care of yourself a priority.

Your body is a reflection of what you think about yourself and your state of happiness. For me, when I am happy, grateful, and taking care of myself (including no negative self talk), I naturally lose weight and look better overall because I am not indulging in emotional eating or beating myself up and I want to get outside and walk or run (I can't stand the gym anymore, I work my muscles at home with dumb bells).

Start small, change one thing at a time and tell yourself over and over every day that you deserve to take care of yourself. been there

While it sounds as if your sedentary lifestyle and weight may be putting you at risk for some serious physical problem (diabetes and heart disease), what concerns me most in your post is your description of your mental state.

I understand. I was where you are, having grown up sedentary, overweight and asthmatic. I yearned to be different but could not see how to ''get there from here.'' The first step is to make a decision. A real decision. Once you make a real, heartfelt decision that you are going to take care of yourself, all of the other things (I can't because I travel, no time, no gym) will melt away. Understand that they are excuses and that if you are committed, you can find time to exercise in any lifestyle (this comes from an extremely busy professional single mom).

Second, commit to a little at a time. Instead of ''I am going to change my lifestyle and lose 40 pounds'', try ''I promise to myself that I will exercise for 30 minutes 4 days this week.'' One key for beginning exercisers is to make dates for it, whether it is meeting a friend for a walk or setting up personal training sessions.

Third, be a Buddhist. Understand that your success will come in how your workout will help your mental state right now today, without an attachment to how quickly you are getting to some goal or how well you are doing compared to others around you. I think this is really important since it sounds as f your negative feelings are really affecting your life. Trust me, the benefits of taking time to take care of yourself each day will outweigh the cost of the time taken away from your family, job, etc.

And lastly, understand that you are ''in recovery'' from being a sedentary person. The desire to make excuses, to blow off your workouts will alway come around again and you may give in occasionally. That's ok, just do better tomorrow and the slips will be no big deal.

One more thing: if you do commit there will come a time when exercise no longer feels like a chore but is something you look forward to. It may take a long time, but I promise it will happen. Anon

I lost about 40 pounds by following the volumetrics cookbook and doing moderate excercise over the course of 8 months, but now I have gained 15 back. The thing is that I KNOW exactly why the weight came back - it is emotional eating to reduce stress. It is comforting to know that I could take more weight off if I focused on it again. Even though I am ''overweight'' by BMI, I still feel a lot healthier than I used to because of the excercise, which I have continued to do.

The other really important thing is to lower your standards. The BMI standards of weight are not the be-all end-all for ideal weight. In fact, being in the slightly overweight range of BMI may be healthier long term than being in the ideal wieght range, depending on your body type and other factors. We have had kids, we work hard, our tummies don't have to be flat, and its ok if our thighs rub together. If you can get to a point where you are feeling healthier, where you have some muscle tone and you can breathe easier and sleep better, than that is good enough. I am now 5'8'' and 175 pounds, which by American standards is fat. But I am finally starting to accept myself instead of berate myself for it. You can do it !!! Not before and not yet after . . .

Gaining weight though not eating more

I have been gaining more weight (well I never lost all the weight I gained after my youngest child was born 10 years ago) and I am not really eating more than I used to. I exercize about 4 times a week, although I don't seem to sweat when I do so. Now that I am about 27 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, and the weight seems to be going up, does anyone have any advise or knowledge about how metabolism works or how the body responds to exercize now that I have hit 50 and am post menopausal? Thanks for any thoughts on this. anon

Weight Watchers always works for me, even though I have a thyroid disorder which is only partially treatable. And recently my acupuncturist suggested that I try out not eating wheat, as that can hold water for some people. It's a pain in the neck to avoid wheat, as it's in more things than you'd think, but I'm feeling much less bloated since I began a couple of months ago. Cece

The other thing to look at is what you are eating? Are you eating sugar? Wheat? starchy foods'' Sugar will pack the pounds on like nothing else! Bread? Pasta? White flour?...as good as sugar. If you want to lose weight you have to eat less calories. Try writing down everything you eat for a few days. Be totally honest. You might be surprised that you're eating a lot more then you think. Take it a step further and figure out how many calories you're eating...You can also figure out how many calories a day your body needs for your activity level adn to lose weight. ...whatever you are eating, if you cut 500 calories per day out of your diet you will lose about a pound a week (I thnk that's right...3500 cal/#). And drink lots of water. But mostly, cut the sugar.

WHat are you doing for exercise? Weight bearing exercises...exercises that build muscle will burn the most fat. There are many websites that can help you. It might also be helpful to have a consultation or two with a nutritionist or personal trainer/weight loss coach. Since you didn't say anything about what you eat or how you exercise I''m only asking questions here, not making any assumptions.

If you'd like to talk further, please e-mail me. I'm a personal trainer/weight loss coach, massage therapist, have hypothyroidism, am a sugar addict off of sugar, and have lost weight successfully. Good luck. Been there... June

Just by replacing 270 chocolate calories every day with a cucumber-carrot salad, your weight will gradually drop to your goal weight. If you eliminate a Frappuccino every day, you could actually lose too much weight.

If you're over 50, you are probably losing muscle mass, too, so add some push-ups, crunches, and lunges to your daily routine to maintain joint health and to prevent your weight from migrating to places where you don't want it.

And, don't forget the fiber for your aging digestive system. The fiber will make you feel fuller on fewer calories, too.

Aerobic exercise is good for your health, but if you watch the numbers on the treadmill, you'll see that it takes a long, long time on a treadmill (with or without sweating) to burn 3600 calories (the equivalent of 1 pound of fat).

No excuses, just veggies

Help....my weight is STUCK!!!

Last year through exercise and good nutrition I lost about 15# (needed to lose 20). I was doing really well. In April I started putting back on abunch of weight (got sick, mom passed away, other stressful events)..I'm an emotional eater and a major sugar addict. AFter 2 months I'd gained 7# back. Now I''m back on track...back to exercising regularly, no sugar, white flour, dairy, etc. I know a lot about nutrition (in fact in my work I council people on how to lose weight and eat better). As far as food and exercise I know I'm doing the right things. I have a physically active job (I don't sit at a computer all day) and try to eat about 15-1700 calories per day. I take supplements, etc. etc.

Here's what may be an important factor. I'm 54, going thru menapause...I've felt like a period is coming for about 2 weeks now. I didn't get one for 10 months and then got one last month...now it feels like i'm on a regular cycle again. My belly aches, I get crampy, irritable, my face is breaking out. So, given that this holding on the the weight could easily be a hormonal thing....any suggestions? Any herbs, supplements, etc. Thanks to any of you menapausal moms or nutritionists out there who can help. bloated and annoyed!!

one poster reported that once menopause sets in it is harder to lose weight, because the body is holding on to stored fat as a source of estrogen. she was paraphrasing christiane northrup MD., maybe from her book (she has several) called ''the wisdom of menopause.''

here's the bookstore part of her website: http://www.drnorthrup.com/bookstore/index.php signed: not there yet, but ?close.

Husband's drastic weight loss

My husband has lost 15% of his weight in two months. He was thin to begin with. He weighs 30 pounds less than me. I am no longer attracted to his slight frame. He appears very unhealthy in my eyes and my family agrees. He has given me no valid reason for his weight loss, but it may be viral. I have no idea. He is not sick and he does not do drugs at all. He runs twice per week. He has lost some motion is his left shoulder. He also has some bruising near his spine. My question is could he actualy like looking so gaunt? He is wearing tight t shirts and jeans that accentuate his skinny arms! Is this fashionable in some circles? Is this something straight, married men do? How can I be married to someone who looks likes a 43 year old man in the body of a 14 year old? What can I do to convince him to gain more weight? Size 10 married to Size XS

You don't mention if your husband intentionally lost the weight, or it just happened. Drastic unexplained, unintentional weight loss is a classic sign of cancer. The bruising and shoulder pain are also cause for concern if they have no other explanation like he fell and injured himself. Is he a smoker? Shoulder pain can be caused by a lung tumor pressing on a nerve and the pain then radiates to the shoulder (get a chest x-ray maybe). Unexplained easy bruising can be due to a low platelet count which needs an explanation (get a CBC, complete blood count). Leukemias and lymphomas often cause a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia).

Other reasons are emotional or mental problems, food alergies, food phobias, viral diseases and of course extramarital affairs. Or maybe he just thinks he looks hot that way. Get some good looking women to dis him a few times about being too skinny and that should cure him. In any case, sounds like he needs to see a dr. to rule out serious problems if in fact the weight loss was unintentional. sean

Losing the Last 10 Pounds

Last year I lost a lot of weight with healthy diet and exercise. I've kept my goal weight for about 6 months now, and I'd like to lose 10 more pounds. This would not make me ultra skinny, but pretty trim. However, I am finding it very hard to get these last pounds off. I've amped up the exercise, water intake, healthy diet....the scale is not moving. Any advice? wish I could get the numbers to budge

Been in your shoes. Upped the exercise, but not till I lowered my calorie intake did the pounds come off. I measured my portions too cause I found that eyeballing my portions was not accurate. So, for example, 1/4 cup of dry oatmeal was 150 calories. 1/4 cup dry looks like not much oatmeal, so I'd add more... But actually 1/4 cup dry was plenty of oatmeal cooked. I could go on, but you probably get the idea. Good luck. maintaining...would like to lose more too.

The Ice Chamber is not your ordinary gym - and they don't get ordinary results. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial - you will not believe how effective their approach to fitness is. But don't take my word for it - check out these BEFORE and AFTER photos of Ice Chamber members (including me) http://www.icechamber.com/beforeandafter

They just added a 9:30 a.m. bootcamp class. Beginning March 5, you can work out, and still have time to get other things done before you have to high tail it back to your nanny, best bud, daycare, mother-in-law, or whoever else watches your kiddo while you take care of yourself. If that time doesn't work for you, there are daily morning classes and evening classes: http://www.icechamber.com/schedule.html

Try it. After all, what have you got to lose (besides those last 10 pounds). http://www.icechamber.com/contact.html 510-558-0807 Truly fit for the first time

People commenting about my weight loss

Hello, I have recently lost some weight. I started at 5'8'' and 150lbs (on the medium end of a healthy weight) and over the course of 3 months I am down to 125 lbs (still a healthy weight). I dieted and excercised. People keep saying to me ''WOW!! You have lost SOOO much weight!'' and ''You look SO much better now!''. This is kind of hurting my feelings, because I wasn't overweight in the first place . Also, I really don't know how to respond. I feel like saying ''Thanks'' is kind of awkward.. I wish someone would just say ''Great job on the weight loss, that takes discipline'' or ''You look great'' or something.. Since most comments seem to be in the surprised/slightly insulting category-- How should I respond? Also, am I being too touchy? Thanks! -Just wanting to feel comfortable in my own skin Anonymous

Husband wants to lose 40 pounds

My husband has been trying to lose weight for years but can't seem to do it. Like many people in the Bay Area, he lives a busy working parent life. He's usually good about exercising regularly, and he's tried to be more mindful about what he eats, but as soon as he gets a little too busy, it seems his good habits go out the window. We hired a personal trainer for him for a few months. It taught him a lot about how he exercises, but he still didn't lose any weight. He got on the scale today and found out he's gained another 10 pounds, and he got really depressed about it. I feel terrible for him.

I'm one of those people who can eat donuts every day without gaining a pound, and I'm at a loss for how to help him. I know lots of people struggle with this problem, and some of them succeed in losing the weight and keeping it off. For him, I think it's less about exercise, and more about changing his eating habits. How do you do it? And particularly, how do you fit this change of life style into an already overcrowded schedule? anon

1) something inside me made the choice I finally really decided, without planning or forethought, that I had to change this fact of my life. I think that my Dad's quadruple bypass surgery had a lot to do with the shift, but also my age -- I was 45 at the time and felt very middle-aged. I think that no weight-loss effort will succeed unless this #1 hurdle is cleared. You have to REALLY want it YOURSELF.

2) I exercised EVERY DAY. And I mean EVERY. My husband complained that I was becoming obsessive, but so be it. I needed the every-day regimen because if I, for instance, instituted a three-day-a-week plan, every day would turn out to be the day I ''didn't have time.'' Make the time. Otherwise it won't happen. It has to be the top priority for self-time. If there's no self time in your husband's day, he has to make some.

3) Write down every morsel that goes into your mouth as long as you are on the weight-losing part of the plan. It's tedious, you'll feel foolish, but that's partially the point. Brutal honesty.

4) Make many choices a day. ''I'd love to take one of those cookies, but I won't do that right now.'' ''I'd like to go out for lunch instead of eating my yogurt, but I'll do that another day.'' ''I'd like some brie, but a carrot with dip will tide me over for right now. I can go for the brie another day.'' You can have ice cream. Just not now, later.

5) Weigh in frequently. I know people say not to, but I do it consistently every day. I know that my weight can fluctuate with fluid, etc., but ultimately the scale doesn't lie. Make a graph and mark your weight each week to see patterns.

Your husband can do it if he really wants to. Make it easier by keeping lots of healthy food he likes on hand and getting rid of the fattening binge stuff. Good luck to both of you! happier and stronger

Second, you don't try to pack health into ''an already overcrowded schedule.'' You decide it's more important to be here for your kids and grandkids and to enjoy health into later years, and you cut back on the scheduling. It may mean fewer dinners out or no vacation because of less income. It may mean disappointed people who were relying on your husband to help with committees, volunteer work, etc. He will be happier after losing the weight. One of the major causes of fat storage is stress Anon

Since I'm primarily responsible for buying and cooking food I help him with his health and assure that we both have healthy things in the house that suit both of our different bodies. We don't eat junk food and don't keep it in the house -- even though he would and could eat gobs of it and I would (if I ate it) gain gross amounts of weight -- not because of our weight but because we both share a goal to eat healthy food.

''I'm one of those people who can eat donuts every day without gaining a pound, and I'm at a loss for how to help him.''

You may think your lucky, but I don't necessarily see it that way. I consider myself really lucky to have such a slow slow slow metabolism b/c from a very young age I developed really really healthy habits. Healthy eating habits today assure fewer health problems in the future (not just today). It's not all about weight, that's only one part of your health profile. I look and feel years younger than I am and am convinced its due in part to my long standing healthy diet.

You probably used the donut anecdote as an example, but taking it at face value, I think you could help him by not having that stuff around, or not suggesting to go out for donuts (if you do). You could help the most by developing your own healthy eating habits for one, and as well you can both together build a diet of fresh foods that are nourishing and invigorating. Finally, perhaps talk to a nutritionist who can review your diet and help you establish what healthy looks like for your family. anon

http://www.hmrprogram.com/

If you are not ready to make that commitment I can suggest a great book that might help as well called ''Thin for Life'' by Ann M. Fletcher. It's a great book with a lot of helpful insights to getting on track.

Good luck! Loosing weight is the easy part it's keeping it off that is the challenge. :) Jennifer

Really the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. Exercising increases your calories burned and watching what you eat manages your caloric intake. I got a book that lists calories of foods and tracked my daily calories in a notebook. I set a target daily intake of calories and stuck to it.

By doing this you really learn a lot about where calories come from and what to cut out or cut down. It's very educational. Some of the ''tricks'' I learned are:
- sugar is a huge source of calories, avoid it. If you're cooking something at home, use half or less of the sugar.
- don't use mayonaise on sandwiches. If you're worried about a dry sandwich, use extra lettuce or tomato.
- speaking of sandwiches, use bread where it is 80-90 calories/slice. Most breads out there are 110 calories or more per slice.
- don't use salad dressing on salads. Flavored vinegar works good.
- if you're making a stew, cut the amount of meat in half and add more vegetables. It'll still be hearty, healtier and fewer calories.
- if you're having some juice, water it down a little (say 25- 50%). Still tastes fine, and you fill up faster on less calories.

Okay, so many of these are tiny, but they all add up. Look at the bread example. You could save 30 calories/slice. At two slices day for say 5 days a week, that's 300 calories a week. Over a year, that's over 15,000 calories, or the equivalent of about 7 or 8 days worth of food. Now that's some weight loss

Meridia for weight loss?

I'm just wondering if anyone out there has taken the drug Meridia for weight loss, and if so, how did it work? Were there any side effects? How long did you stay on it? I am considering Meridia, a drug that decreases the seratonin levels that affect appetite. The main side effect is higher blood pressure. I work out endlessly and have a very healthy diet but just haven't been able to loose the weight from the 3 babies. I have about40 pounds to loose, and I jsut feel if I could get some help with appetite control, I would be able to get back to my regular weight and maintian from there. Any advice about Meridia? very anon

100 lbs overweight - medical solution?

After having 3 kids in 6 years, I'm 100 lbs overweight. I'm very motivated to be healthy again, but also very addicted to food. I use it to stay awake (chocolate, sugar, caffeine...), and to reward myself for being such a good mom, and I eat the wrong things because I'm always in a rush and want quick satisfaction. I've used Weight Watchers in the past, but right now am not motivated to go to the meetings (kids in tow--ugh), when no one will miss me if I don't show up.

I'm very tempted to call my primary care doctor and ask for help...but what should I ask for? I'd like to find a nutritionist or hospital-run program where they expect you to go every week...for weigh-ins, consultation, etc., at least at the beginning. Does such a program exist? If so, would insurance cover it (BX HMO)? (I'm willing to pay for something that works, but insurance coverage would be nice...) Any advice for this exhausted, fat mommy? Big Mama

I recently found an on line seminar called The Fast Track Kick Sugar Program (www.fasttrackkicksugar.com) It's a 10 week siminar where you hear live weekly phone lectures given by various nutritionists. I can't go into too much detail here cause it would be over the 2300 word max but I can tell you due to this program, I've now been off of sugar since January 5th and I feel SOOOOO great. I've lost 11 # so far with about another 10 to go.

The important thing is how healthy I feel. Some minor health issues have cleared up (including achey joints, to the woman who wrote about arthritis at 42).The amazing thing is that generally I do not crave sugar. I find now that fresh fruit or small amounts of dried fruit(no sugar added) fills that need for something sweet. You can get in touch with Connie Bennett, the woman who puts on this seminarat the website, or you can e-mail her at connie@sugarshock.com

I also was recently told about''Food Addicts Anonymous''. FAA is a 12 step program and is more strict and structured than Overeaters Anonymous. In FAA you have to commit to 3 meetings a week (I'm told),follow a food plan and check in with a sponsor every day.

I hope this is helpful to you. Please e-mail me if you want to talk more about the kick sugar program. Good luck. If I can do it ANYONE can do it. J

My husband wants to lose 30 pounds

My husband want to lose more than 30 pounds. I was about to recommend e-diet (or another online program), but there may be on this great network people with experience with effective programs for men, who would like to share their experience with us. He has tried many ''book-diets'' and has regain everything, he thinks that a support group might help, or a dieting buddy to ''share the pain''. Any tip will help! Thanks wife

I couldn't believe how much weight I lost and the jeans I could fit into. I've had to buy all new pants. I am sooooo happy!!! I had lost weight after my first baby and I knew I looked great, but I just couldn't see the results. I was doing cardio 4 times a week then, but I just wasn't tone, so I couldn't really see the weight I lost. Then I had my second son and I never was able to get the weight off and with school and work, there was never time.

Weight training has been great. I can actually see tone in my body. My arms and legs are tighter as well as my tummy. I don't have to lift heavy either. It's great... You should definitely check out a personal trainer. mary

But since your husband regains weight after dieting, that shows that he has not made the crucial lifestyle changes that are necessary to achieve permanent weight loss. So in this respect, it does not matter which diet he chooses, they will all fail in the end if he does not change his nutritional and exercise habits.

The key to being lean-for-life is eating a nutrient rich diet in the proper amount for one's individual needs—caloric balance—and regular exercise.

Your husband should focus on eating generous amounts of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals; and lean protein-rich foods such as meats, fish, and legumes.

When you diet without exercise, about half the weight lost is actually from protein that your body has ''cannibalized'' from its muscles. Over time, lean muscle loss will lower basal metabolism, which makes weight loss all that much harder, and weight gain after dieting practically inevitable. To be healthier, you want to improve your lean mass ratio, or the percentage of lean mass to fat that you carry. Dieting without exercise does not efficiently inprove lean mass ratio.

This is just one of the reasons why succesful weight loss REQUIRES exercise. Studies show that the optimal amount of exercise for fat loss to be about 200 minutes per week. To maximize fat loss, aerobic exercise should comprise about 70% his weekly program, and strength training about 30%.

It takes about 20 minutes of sustained cardiovascular exercise to start burning a substantial amount of fat as fuel—before that it's mostly carbohydrates. I'd recommend 40 minutes of sustained aerobics 5 times per week, with 20 minutes of strength training three times a week. This will quickly burn fat and build muscle mass which is the FASTEST way to improve lean mass ratio. Helene

Stackers for weight loss?

A repy to a post recently made reference to a ''nice little dietary supplement called Stackers'', to aid weightloss. I tried finding it on drugs.com and no luck. What is the pharmaceutical name of this supplement? intrigued

There is not a lot of success with weight loss. Those who do have success try, try and try again, much like it takes smokers many times to quit. Also exercise and recording what you are eating are the simplest yet some of the only tools that have been proven to work for weight loss. I like the book Strong Women's Journal by Miriam Nelson as a way to record and review diet and exercise habits to continually work toward making small permanent changes. a dietitian

Losing 4 or 5 pounds

I am 46, have a small frame and for the past several months have been trying without success to lose 4-5 lbs. I realize that this might seem trite to those who are more challenged with weight, but I am struggling with this. I have a healthy diet that does not include wheat, gluten, cow dairy and generally eat organic veggies, eggs, some chicken and fish and other low carb unprocessed foods. I do indulge in chocolate. I exercise 3X a week including about 20 minutes on the treadmill at a challenging speed/ grade, and about 20 minutes of weight training each time. I know that I might have more muscle (tho I absolutely don't see these muscles!) and that affects weight but I am measuring myself by how I fit into things, the flab on the back of my arms and my increasingly heavy legs , both of which are significantly less when I am a few lbs lighter.

My thyroid is fine. I probably am not eating enough protein. I would welcome any ideas for how I might lose these few lbs or inches . I'm a single mom working full time, so these ideas would hopefully fit into my life. THANKS! Anon.

I didn't stop there. I started adding good fats to my diet. I ate more nuts, especially almonds and walnuts. But, I watch how much of those I eat, too. My breakfast usually consist of a cup of orange juice mixed with half-cup yogurt, and 10 almonds. For variation, I have an apple with peanut butter. For some lunches, I throw almond pieces or pine nuts in my salads. (Yesterday I had an open sandwich consisting of one thin rye bread slice, topped with sardines, baby spinach and shredded cheese, and baked for 5 min till the cheese melt. It was something spontaneous, but I was in the mood!) I use only olive oil in my dressings and cooking. I developed a craving for avocados, so I'd pick up a bag of avocados at Trader's Joe and have one avocado for lunch, spread on a piece of rye toast.

I love fish and meat, too, and eat small portions whenever I feel the urge. If I feel hungry between meals, I munch on few nuts. For me, when I need to lose few pounds or maintain my weight, the bottom line is to eat fewer calories and listen to your body. Once you do it, it becomes a way of life. I think our perception on what is the right amount to eat is out of whack. Until I started looking at food labels, I had no idea I was eating too much. At the time, I expected to lose about 20 pounds. I had heard that the last 10 pounds would be difficult. But, to my surprise, losing the last of the extra weight was much easier than I thought. I didn't even bother to count calories. I just stayed with the serving size information on the labels and listened to my body when enough is enough. That goes for chocolate, too! The weight will come off slowly, but surely. Amy

Finally, the *weight* is (especially at your size) probably not the best thing to focus on. What you really want to concern yourself with is ''lean body mass.'' That is, replacing fat with muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat does, so you can lose fat, drop in size and actually weigh *more!* You might want to look into Callanetics. I love it, and man, it really does work! (at least, for me and other people I know who have stuck with it). You can find her books and videos at Amazon.com. Just type ''Callanetics'' into the search engine. anon

Also, you may need to switch your workouts around. If you always do the same thing at the gym, you will cease to challenge your body, and it will go into ''maintenance mode.'' Instead of always doing the treadmill, try the pre-cor elliptical trainer, or the stairmaster for 20 of the 45 minutes you are exercising, for variation.

Spin classes are also great, because they keep you going for a full 45-50 minutes. Trying some different weight lifting exercises would not hurt. Lift some heavier weights--no, you won't get bulky, but you will build muscle (which burns fat). Good luck, Elizabeth

That said, Can you increase the cardio part of your work-out to at least 30 minutes each time? I think the recommendation is to exercise at moderate intensity 5 times a week for 60 minutes (yeah, right!), but even an extra ten minutes, three times a week, of really burning calories will increase you cardio time by 50%.

Are you able to adjust your routines to do more stairs rather than elevators, walking a few blocks to work from your car or bus stop, parking in one spot and walking between places when you do errands? Do your kids enjoy biking or swimming or other active pursuits you can do on weekends as a family? Good luck - and let us know if you try something that really helps! Just a few more pounds!

Since you have been strength training regularly for 20 minutes 3x a week, I will assume that your body is not ''under muscled''. I would suggest that you lenghthen the aerobic portion of your workout to 40 minutes, and try if at all possible, to fit in one more session a week. In order to most effectively burn fat as fuel, you need to use up your available muscle glycogen, which usually occurs after about 15 to 20 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise. Only then will your body go into the pantry (stored fat) for additional supplies. This is particularly true with women. We are genetically/hormonally designed to hoard our energy suppplies.

Adjust your diet, and skim off 250 - 300 calories a day, to create a slight inbalance on that end too. But be careful that you don't go under 1200 calories a day. If you take away too many calories, your body will attempt to ward off starvation by lowering your metabolism. You want to make sure that this does not happen.

Be aware too that as we age, our metabolic rate lowers about 10% per decade. So the amount that you ate in your twenties and thirties is now too much. Many women notice a big change in their bodies at around 40. And it is a little harder and slower to lose weight when you are small framed because you have a smaller metabolism and already eat a lot less than others to begin with. FYI, I'm 5', 105lbs., and 47, and have had to cut back on total calorie consumption just to stay even too.

Since you are small and not eating dairy, you need to take calcium supplments daily to maintain bone mass. Calcium citrate is more esily absorbed than calcium carbonate. I like the brand Citricel(sp?) beacuse it also provides Vitamin D and other trace elements like magnesium. Some studies have shown that high calcium levels in the body helps with weight loss. If you're eating chicken and fish regularly, you probably are not protein deficient. Very few Americans actually are. That's a marketing myth.

And lastly, be patient. Slow weight loss is the healthiest and most effective long term. Small women should aim for no more than 1 lb. per week. Fast weight loss is almost never permanent. And a lot of times side effects have too many negative health consequences. Helene

Slowly gaining weight despite Weight Watchers

I have been a member of Weight Watchers for the last few years with some success. However, recently, although I have diligently followed the program by journaling, exercising (including increase) and drinking water, as well as attending meetings and getting a tremendous amount of support, I have been slowly gaining weight in small increments. Needless to say, it is very frustrating. I will say that I have met my goal to be heart healthy, which was my main motivation for joining. I have asked for advice at meetings, but feel that working directly with a nutritionist would be helpful as well. I would like to find someone who is supportive of the WW program, as I plan to continue with the program and want to continue to learn life long habits. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Weight loss resources: E-diets.com?