[OnceUponADrive]

Has anyone else bought this book? I just do not see this diet plan being realistic at all. I've modified it to make it more doable for myself, so I don't expect my 12-day results. As far as the exercise goes, does anyone know if this is legitimate? He says that walking or slow jogging is the only exercise that uses slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are the only muscle fibers that burn stored fat as opposed to blood glucose. I have lots of muscle under my fat, so walking is probably best for me anyway because I don't want to build too much more. And his weight lifting program says to use short range of motion with a very limited variety of exercises which are supposed to lift and lengthen muscles instead of build them up too much. Anyone else have any good experiences with this? It feels like I'm doing almost nothing during the workout.

[Meg]

Did you see 3FC's review of the book? Michaels Thurmond's 12 Day Body Shaping Miracle We had a lot of the same problems and questions as you do.

If you decide that's not a realistic program for you, do you have an alternative? Has anything else worked for you in the past? Do you like structure or are you better off eating what you like so long as you stay in a range of calories? Tell us a little bit about you and maybe we can help you find something that suits you better for the long term.

[OnceUponADrive]

I have no idea what works best for me...for as long as I can remember I've been between 170 and 180. I was at my thinnest in college when I was around 160 and didn't watch what I ate at all! Occasionally I'll fluctuate up to almost 200. I love milk, cheese and bread (not great, I know). I've never officially tried the calorie counting or points system like weight watchers, but I think I'd be better off eating what I like and staying in a range of calories. Of course, I try to eat healthy as much as I can, I just really have trouble getting in a lot of fruits and veggies. Part of the problem is I've been unemployed for a bit and was unhappy with my work for the past few years. So there's a lot of stress eating and just general stress belly fat, too! Plus since I'm home a lot and bored, I graze too much!

[Meg]

Maybe try calorie counting and eating frequent small meals to help with the grazing? I eat 5 - 6 times a day, so I never get too hungry. That way you could eat reasonable portions of the foods you like, rather than trying to stick to someone else's meal plan. For me, I can only last about three days eating foods I don't like, so I've always been a calorie counter.

Many of our calorie counters use a free site called Fitday to keep track of their daily calories. It also will tell you what you're eating in terms of carbs, fats, and proteins. Yes, it's a good idea to learn to love fruits and veggies - they'll fill you up with few calories and are full of fiber and vitamins.

Exercise is great for relieving stress -- do you exercise? It's also a great calorie burner and will help you look tight and toned when you reach your goal.

We have a calorie counters forum here at 3FC that you might want to check out: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=172

Best of luck to you! Be sure to stick around and I'm sure eventually you'll find something that clicks with you.