Okay, I'm joking a little bit but on a serious note.. give me your best tried and true weight loss tips - I know all the healthy ways, slow and steady, exercise, eat right blah,blah,blah..

But I want to hear personal detailed ways that have worked for you... I have a vacation coming up in July - one that involves a bathing suit! aahhhggg it's so hard the older I get to lose the extra pounds that creep up over the holidays ( well actually all the time now)!

I not suggesting a magic pill - I don't want to be a crack addict ( although they sure are thin!) and their houses are so clean! :tweeted:

I've been doing Turbo Jam which is okay - I did Ab Jam and couldn't move for two days! I'm drinking water, water and more water...

Has anyone tried Hoodia?

Tell me some success stories.. what worked for you and what are you doing to maintain your ideal weight.

You should definitely start smoking.

Crack is illegal btw.

But not in Mexico.

Metabolife. Loved it before they yanked it off the market. I ended up with enough energy to exercise after a long exhausting day after work and school.

I know some folks swear by the south beach diet...helps you lose your belly fat.

You should definitely start smoking.

Crack is illegal btw.

But not in Mexico.

Wellbutrin works the same way, without giving you lung cancer. :)

mranderson lost over 100 lbs, simply cutting back on what he hate (reducing calories) and running a million stairs every day.

simply cutting back on what he hate (reducing calories)

Yeah, it's easy to lose when you cut back on eating what you hate!

I'm having problems cutting back on what I love!! LOL

What about Ephedra Sinica not mixed with Phen Phen...? I know they pulled it but I heard it was making a come back.... what are the side effects other than a faster than normal heart beat?

Don't hate :(

Love.

What about Ephedra Sinica not mixed with Phen Phen...? I know they pulled it but I heard it was making a come back.... what are the side effects other than a faster than normal heart beat?

Well, being that it increases blood pressure and speeds up heart rate, it can cause heart attack. That's why it was pulled.

Hydroxy Cut worked for me a couple of years ago. A lot of guys were using it and I think they still are. It's got lots of caffeine in it. It cut my appetite and gave me the energy to work out hard. However, I think my body was beginning to have enough of it after awhile and I just wanted to quit it. I get tired easier now and would rather relax. I'm not sure why that is but it could be I was working too hard, the pills, or just plain getting older. i have blood sugar issues and my blood pressure fluxuates a lot so that could have something to do with it.
Now I'm having a hard time losing weight because I jsut don't seem to have the motivation to keep up with my workouts.

http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/hydroxycut/hydroxycut-sideeffects-benefits.htm

http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/hydroxycut/hydroxycut-ephedrine-free.htm

Some info about ephedra. I might take the hydroxycut again. I'm unsure because I don't know how it effects ppl who have my blood issues. It's really just an issue of the amount of caffeine intake. I think ephedra was just improperly used when ppl weren't taking precautions. ruins it for everybody else who wants to make the choice to take it.

You're correct, rxis. People overdo and aren't careful and things like that happen. I took Metabolife (containing ephedra) for several years and never had a problem...unless I took it in the evenings. I couldn't sleep.

Too much caffiene can be just as bad, but of course no one would dream of yanking that from the shelves. (God, I hope not!) :)

The key to taking these types of pills is starting very slowly and using the recommended doseage on the package. I have a bottle of Hydroxycut "lite" (no ephedra) and I'm not seeing the results I want, but we'll see.

I know Midtowner would agree with me on this., we really live in a pill-driven society. We think taking pills will solve all of our problems. Truth is, they won't. Take depression for instance. You really think a pills is going to help take the pain of losing your spouse away? Of course not. All pills do for grief is cover it up. You have to face it eventually.
Same thing with diet pills. They have many draw backs, number one being that they really strain your heart. They're stimulants, and they have the same effect on your heart that smoking does.

I've gained a lot of weight the past few years. But, I'm not going to get on a stimulant to fix the problem. What I need to do is get off my butt and go exercise.

I know Midtowner would agree with me on this., we really live in a pill-driven society. We think taking pills will solve all of our problems. Truth is, they won't. Take depression for instance. You really think a pills is going to help take the pain of losing your spouse away? Of course not. All pills do for grief is cover it up. You have to face it eventually.
Same thing with diet pills. They have many draw backs, number one being that they really strain your heart. They're stimulants, and they have the same effect on your heart that smoking does.

I've gained a lot of weight the past few years. But, I'm not going to get on a stimulant to fix the problem. What I need to do is get off my butt and go exercise.
I have never, ever, been a fan of diet pills. It seems that when a diet pill gets popular, that they eventually find out that there is something in that pill that can cause severe illnesses.

How do I lose weight? First of all, I have a big strike against me...I am on some medication that gives me very low metabolism, so it is hard for me to lose weight. During the spring and summer I do lots of bike riding and mowing. Plus, I have been eating less red meat, more fish and skinless chicken. I've cut way back on sweets...no chocolate...no candy bars....more fiber and whole wheat and fat free meats. Yes, it is difficult to do at times, but when I think about my pudgy stomach, it gives me more willpower to say no to fattening things.

Everyday when I go on break at work, I walk. I have a walking partner, and we both walk around our huge parking lot four times (equals a mile)...I do this twice a day, rain or shine, heat or cold.

I am getting strong muscles in my calves and my thighs, however, I can't seem to get rid of the pudgy stomach.:doh:

The only way to get rid of that pudgy stomach is to reduce overall body fat through diet and exercise. You're on the right track, Keith. And regardless of how fluffy your midsection may be, all this work you're doing is great for your heart, and that's what is important!

As for me, I do not condone diet pills in any form, shape, or fashion. If you have a metabolic disorder that makes it very difficult to lose weight, then see a doctor or a naturopath or someone who can help you.

I have lost 20 pounds over the last year. I'm pretty short (5'3) so that's a lot of weight. Yes, it has been slow. I took a good 6 months off from trying. More exercise, correct diet (which for me means fewer carbohydrates and more lean protein and as little sugar as I can stand!) and plenty of sleep and stress-reduction...still working on that last one but that is what summer vacay is for!

I know Midtowner would agree with me on this., we really live in a pill-driven society. We think taking pills will solve all of our problems. Truth is, they won't. Take depression for instance. You really think a pills is going to help take the pain of losing your spouse away? Of course not. All pills do for grief is cover it up. You have to face it eventually.
Same thing with diet pills. They have many draw backs, number one being that they really strain your heart. They're stimulants, and they have the same effect on your heart that smoking does.

I've gained a lot of weight the past few years. But, I'm not going to get on a stimulant to fix the problem. What I need to do is get off my butt and go exercise.

I do agree... law school and a fulltime job do not leave much time for exercise. I suppose I could go to Aspen at 1:30AM to do my workout and be up for work the next morning at 7:30 (I really could probably handle that)... but I'm just not that driven :)

If only exercise of the brain actually burned calories :(

I could run a marathon...

By the way, in my comment about depression, I didn't mean that people shouldn't take antidepressants. For some people, with a biologically-based inherited melancholic depression, antidepressants are the only option. But many people today are taking antidepressants for every type of grief, where counseling would probably be better.

I have lost 55lbs in 4 1/ months, Phentermine HCL 37.5 mgm twice a day, excersise, zero fat, low sodium sensible planned meals. B/P monitored and is a surprising 110/70. Thats the plan and it works.

Now I must confess that my plan adaptations are not recommended but results are ok with me. Karried you know my #1 rule " If you see me running you better run too cause something bad is going to happen" well rule #1 still applies. Zero FAT? fat chance. Too much sodium in Diet Coke? i dont think so. Planned meals for me are impossible so I like a granola bar, spinich salads , lot's of chicken, and some secrets I'll share so PM me.
I'm about 1/2 way to where I was before I moved here and discovered Chicken Fried Steak, Biscuits and Gravy, stopped smoking and had a beer for every Chris Paul assist.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e268/upisgr8/ghost.gif


I do agree... law school and a fulltime job do not leave much time for exercise. I suppose I could go to Aspen at 1:30AM to do my workout and be up for work the next morning at 7:30 (I really could probably handle that)... but I'm just not that driven :)

If only exercise of the brain actually burned calories :(

I could run a marathon...
Midtowner are you going to Law School???

The worst part of exercising is getting started. It takes a good month or so before you start to have the energy you need to feel like going to exercise! That's where the stimulant comes in. While I'm not a huge proponent of diet pills (or any pills for that matter), sometimes a person needs that extra boost just so they can get off their butt to exercise. But they've helped me in the past when I had a schedule rivaling Midtowner's and I have no regrets for taking them.

Upisgr8 also pointed out a very important fact in our diets. We consume WAY too much sodium. Cut your sodium intake (you'd be amazed at how much you consume each day) and that will help.

This is by no means a permanent 'skinny pill', but I wanted to share my experience with a water pill, a diuretic formula, by Cellucor. I am a runner, and being a woman, I am faced with that bloated feeling/water weight gain from month to month that interferes with my workouts. Cellucor offers an entire weight loss system, but the water pill results are fast, and I mean really fast. It claims it can help you lose up to 10 pounds of water weight in one week, which I stand by from experience/my use of the product.
I really don't believe in diet pills...but this is great addition to your workouts when you feel like you have hit a plateau. You can get all of Cellucor's products at GNC or online.

Thanks! That sounds interesting.. it might help get me motivated at least...now if it removed fat like water, I'd be at GNC as we speak! ... lol

I figure I've lived nearly my entire life feeling guilty in some way, shape or form about something I've eaten.. or from lack of exercise. It's such a struggle really to constantly think about what you can and can't eat.. Isn't it a shame that we have to feel so badly if we gain a few pounds?

I do find it interesting that in the South/Midwest, it's seems a bit more acceptable to be 'big boned' as I like to call it! I guess that's a positive thing about moving here ..