any advice? about 7 1/2 months out.. not really losing. (sorry, kinda long)

I have been taking Bronkaid (Primatene is another similar product) since June of last year to improve my metabolism and I believe that's a part of my success thus far.

Please be careful with this!  You could really hurt yourself:

"Primatene is an over-the-counter medication used to treat asthma. Ephedrine, one of the main ingredients in Primatene, is sometimes used to boost weight loss. While ephedrine has potential as a weight loss aid, it can also cause serious side effects like high blood pressure and seizure. To prevent adverse health effects, don't use Primatene for purposes other than those listed on the label."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/471485-primatene-for-weigh t-loss/#ixzz1qwxNGflW

Thanks, I'm familiar with the medication's uses and ingredients.

In Oregon Primatene/Bronkaid/etc are NOT OTC meds... they must be prescribed by a doctor (because of their use in recipes for meth). I see a doctor specializing in metabolism and he prescribed this for me considering my impairment - I didn't decide to use it on my own willy-nilly.

BTW before I started taking Bronkaid my BP was 170/110... now my BP is 125/68... and like I said, I'm being closely monitored by my doctor.

I would strongly recommend Ashley (or anyone) work with a Dr regardless of their state's policy on whether this product is OTC or not.

What is you TSH? Is it 3.0 or less? It needs to be 3.0 or less for the most effective weight loss.

I'm not 100% sure what it is.. i just had it drawn a few weeks ago but my endocrine never gave me the exact number. i have hypothyroidism, but i'm on 50mg 1x a day of synthroid for it.

 From being on these boards for a while I've learned one very important thing ALWAYS get a copy of your results.  ALWAYS!  That lets you know, often what is within "normal" is still way too low to facilitate weight loss.  It's your right and they have not a leg to stand on to refuse you.

i normally do, i have a copy of absolutely everything besides that.. haha. i don't have the number for the office.. but i'm going to have my mom call and ask what it is and i'll just write it down with all of my other records.

but thanks. (:

I think perhaps you need to up the exercise intensity (not so much the time spent exercising, just the intensity).  If you're walking/jogging for 30 minutes, work towards getting to the point where you're jogging only (no walking) for an hour.  Throw some sprints in there. 

Another thing you might try is a twice a day workout schedule.  The additional workout doesn't have to be super long - maybe half an hour - but by exercising every 12 hours roughly, you'll help keep your metabolism rev'ed up.  I know that it's hard and maybe impossible to fit it in with our busy lives, but on the days where you can make it work, try to fit it in. 

One last thing I do on the weekends is a long walk of 9 miles.  I have a 3 mile loop in my neighborhood and I do it 3 times.  I take the kids, dog and husband along for various pieces - it's a great time to talk.

Maybe meeting with a personal trainer once or twice to get some ideas would help?

Good luck!

For what it's worth, I hit goal by not eating any (or hardly any) carbs.  I just stuck to dense protein--as much as I wanted--and didn't eat any bread, rice, pasta, potatoes--nothing starchy.

Also, it's great that you're working out but have you tried a spinning class?  I find that it's a great workout, lots of fun (with the right instructor) and fantastic for weight loss.

Good luck.

You could try the 5 day pouch test
http://5daypouchtest.com/
there is a sample menu on there you can find that gives you an idea of what to do.

Also, if your calorie intake is really low, that can make your body hang on to weight. If you are eating under 800 cals a day at 7 1/2 months out, your body might be hanging on to everything now. Perhaps try upping your calories a bit and seeing if that revs up your metabolism?

I am just throwing ideas out there. I hope you can figure it out. Best luck

Eat more. My nutritionist told me that, I was resistant. But, it worked. Of course, consult your local nutrionist who can monitor more closely your daily intake.