@BunsenBurner Concerning the “rush to market” of Contrave, if it was able to get a speedy approval it was because all it is is a combination of two already approved drugs which have been found to be safe and effective, and which are not contraindicated for concurrent use.
If somebody came up with the idea tomorrow to put salt and pepper in the same shaker, how many decades of study would we have to have before allowing it onto the market?
I think many of us (myself included) would be happy to shift fat into muscle like hibernating bears are able to do. Sadly, haven’t figured out that secret and figure I will pretty much stick at 130-35 and 5’ 5.5" since its been my weight most of my adult life. Gravity and age redistributes things, but we have to adjust as best we can.
Yes, my problem is body fat. Even though the height/weight ratio is good, I don’t want anything to jiggle. I don’t want anything to look fatty, and even though I’m trying I will probably have to do something extreme to reduce it. I think a lot of it is heredity, actually, I look at my mom and she has always had the same issue. I think my hands and feet have no visible excess fat, so there’s somewhere to start 
I can look at people who weigh a lot more, but don’t have the same issue. This summer, I’ll whip that body fat into shape!
I want my body to look like Bunsen’s, but I don’t want to have to kill myself for it!
I will repost what you said earlier:
“Contrave is said to be highly effective, and they offer a coupon that makes it affordable. Combine it with Topamax, say 100-125 after titrating up, and you will lose weight.”
Advice like this is dangerous and irresponsible! At first, I thought it was a really bad joke. Apparently, not.
Busdriver11, have you had your body composition measured using Dexascan or ultrasound? It would give you objective data by which you could set realistic and obtainable goals. It would also inform you of whether at your present weight the ratio of lean mass to fat was good or not and give you important lean tissue measurements to use in determining the caloric component of your nutritional plan.
"I will repost what you said earlier:
“Contrave is said to be highly effective, and they offer a coupon that makes it affordable. Combine it with Topamax, say 100-125 after titrating up, and you will lose weight.”
Advice like this is dangerous and irresponsible! At first, I thought it was a really bad joke. Apparently, not."
Oh my gosh, Topamax? My son took just 25 mg of that for Tourettes, which was effective, but that should never be used for weight loss. So many side effects, especially at higher levels. That’s crazy.
“Busdriver11, have you had your body composition measured using Dexascan or ultrasound? It would give you objective data by which you could set realistic and obtainable goals. It would also inform you of whether at your present weight the ratio of lean mass to fat was good”
No, I don’t know if I want to reinforce what I already know, that I am 95% body fat. :((
Especially if I don’t have an achievable, realistic plan that will certainly work, then it will just be depressing. I know what I’ll have to do is go into ketosis for weeks, major weight training, and run my butt off, but will that ever happen?
Topamax was initially developed as an anticonvulsant. It has also been used for pain management, migraines and for some off label uses (eg mood stabilization). For some patients with migraines or seizures it was very beneficial. But some patients found that it caused cognitive impairment ( a frequent complaint was word-finding problems, but there were other cognitive problems too). Because of that side effect, we used to call it “dopamax”.
“I want my body to look like Bunsen’s, but I don’t want to have to kill myself for.”
Be careful what you wish for! Jokes aside, free weights are very helpful for arm toning.
Yes, I can agree about the “dopamax” term. Just 50mg and my kid felt very doped up, kind of oblivious, everything gray. Experimental usage for Tourettes, but effective and a better choice than antidepressants that they often use. Playing around with that stuff is nuts.
Busdriver11, I don’t know your present circumstances and activity levels but making the changes you want probably doesn’t need to be as all consuming as you imagine. Structured compound movement strength training for an hour 2-3 time per week and structured cardio interval training for a half hour on the days you don’t lift, taking 1 - 2 days per week for active recovery (like just taking a walk), coupled with a sound nutrition plan based on your actual caloric need to maintain existing lean tissue and fuel your activity level. And a sound nutrition plan doesn’t mean you have to go to the extreme’s necessary to put yourself in a ketogenic state.
That sounds reasonable enough, MichaelNKat, just if I don’t have to give up my precious glass (or two) of wine.
@busdriver11 , dh and I share a bottle of wine for weekend dinners and (mostly) don’t drink during the week. I’ve lost about a half pound to a pound a week for the last two months. I’m not going hungry at all. I eat lots of vegetables, small portions of meat, the occasional grain with dinner. Breakfast is an egg and half an Eng Muffin or half a mini bagel with jam and/or cream cheese. I’m getting a moderate amount of exercise - including a fair amount of weekend gardening.
A glass or two a meal, a day, a week? 
A glass or two after dinner, if I’m not working. I know two is too much!
Make it a glass (not two), and you will be fine calorie-wise. Red wine apparently helps mice with weight maintenance. How that translates into humans is yet to be studied. 
As I said, my coworkers and I have cured cancer in a gazillion of mice and rats…
The whole menopause thing scares me. I just turned 50 and don’t yet have any real signs but it is imminent, I know it is. I was fortunate as a teen that I had to watch what I ate so I was always aware. I never started exercising regularly until I was pregnant at 27 but since then I have walked or run 3-4 times a week. Things have shifted but I’m close to the same size I was at 27. I never weigh unless I’m at the dr. But if my clothes feel different I know it. I started swinging a kettle bell 5 years ago and do that 3 times a week. It’s 35lbs. I’m a pretty disciplined eater and avoid junk. I love to have a drink or two several times a week. I have every intention of taking bioidentical hormones when the time comes. I feel really healthy now and want to maintain that. I appreciate hearing all of your experiences and stories.
I am late to the party, but Michaels advice (as always) is very good. I was having the same incredible frustration with creeping weight gain (which fed despair, which fed my face). The hardest lesson to face was that in my 50’s it wasn’t just how much I exercise, it’s what KIND of exercise it is. I felt like I was walking 12-15K almost every day, and doing cardio 1-2x week for 30 minutes, so I could eat what I want and stay even, right? I deserved that!!
. I only started to lose that miserable 5lbs when I switched my habits to something more muscle- and cardio based – but I didn’t have to take very much more time. As soon as I relapse back into active-but-not-cardio or strength training, I gain weight instantaneously. If it doesn’t make me sweat, it’s not helping, basically.
I try to concentrate on protein-and-produce for my food, but honestly, I struggle a LOT with chocolate and emotional eating. I so miss my 30’s, when this was easy. (I was outright fat in my 20’s , so I don’t miss that!!)
First of all, 4 lbs is nothing. When you start doing what you normally do, they are going to be gone.
There are no tricks about weight. Gaining / losing is simply a balance of consumption / physical activity. Like any physical system, our body is storing energy or losing stored energy depending which number is greater consumption of energy or usage of energy. We store energy long term in a form of fat. The simple fact is, that if you noticed the undesirable gain, just decrease consumption and / or increase physical activity. And if you noticed undesirable loss, increase consumption and / or decrease physical activity. Most people who retain the same weight, are doing it on a regular basis and never think much about it. I lost 50 lbs after having my second child by simply having a goal of loosing 1 lb / week. As you calculate, it took me one year. If I was not making that pound in certain week, I simply skipped eating on Friday. Was not a big deal at all. Skipping one day of eating is actually very good for our body. Plan is needed when you need to lose a lot, but 10 lbs or under does not need a specific plan. Just weigh yourself every day and if you are no losing then adjust your consumption and/or physical activity.
Here is a rebuttal to the NYT Biggest Loser article