[fudelholf]

If you are into heavy lifting and doing hcg check out bodybuilding.com. I think they address hcg more from the angle you are looking for. I work out on the diet because my body is used to it. After the first week of P2 I add in an extra ounce of protein at every meal. But I don't always know how that translates into calories. I definitely have to back off my more challenging workouts during the diet or I really start dragging and get discouraged.

I hear you about having put in the work for months and years and not wanting to lose that....but if you are here I assume you are overweight which probably also took you some time to achieve (well, you said yours has always been the same...but it sounds as if dropping weight is important to you). Kind of a crossroads and deciding which is most important (strength maintenance vs. weight loss) might be a good starting point.

You can work out on hcg....but I would caution you closely monitor yourself since you aren't giving your body much to work with. You are burning half your daily calories just in that cardio routine.

I'm a 35 year old guy, lost 32 in round one which ended in February, started P2 yesterday and was 6 lbs over my LIW so I kept off 26 successfully for months and four of my six pounds gained came in the last two weeks when I knew I was starting a new round and let my guard down a bit. The diet works. The good news for you is that your workouts probably have provided you with good discipline. DO NOT CHEAT and follow the diet to perfection....that's all there is to it!