This effect is so far from possibility for me, it isn't even on the radar screen! I know there's been talk on this thread of body-building techniques, but that definitely ain't me!

On the other hand, I took advantage of the January "special" at the YMCA, and rejoined. I'm certain that having the best muscles I can get (with the amount of effort I'm willing to exert) is a huge advantage to health, appearance, and weight maintenance. I haven't been very consistent in the fitness room where I live, so it's back to class. I went to my first class last night--it hurts so bad, and feels so good!

Now, if I start to lose weight and lean out, I still won't know if it's calories or not. But I don't care.

I'm currently reading Nina Planck's book "Real Food". And it's making me think that I am not getting nearly *enough* dairy! But it needs to be "proper" dairy - raw, unhomogenized, unpasteurized. Luckily I have access to that sort of milk and cream. But I can only place an order every two weeks. And I have an order arriving today! But I only ordered cream this time, no milk. But the cream is to die for, thick and golden yellow and just, well, "creamy" - which stuff in the supermarket never is.

But I'm a big bacon fan too, and I do use a lot of bacon grease in my cooking. Also very yummy stuff IMHO.

yes it is very sad but here in Chile there is no way I can get hold of raw dairy - apart from raw goat cheese, but you have to be very cautious as hygiene standards vary a lot - can get very sick on bad goat cheese.

I simply don't tolerate pasteurized stuff anymore. It was ok for awhile but I was surprised how much better I felt when I cut it all out. I'm sure raw stuff is completely different.