Thanks for the positive feedback. I was not sure at first whether I should post here, but now am glad that I did.

Anyway, let me preface by saying I was not engaged in any intense performance sport while losing 35 to 40 lbs. I worked out, all day sometimes, but not competitively. I lost the bulk of my weight over a nine-month period, most of it during the 6 months I was rehabbing a broken leg.

To answer one of your first questions, MB: New rule number one for me is never to starve myself. I no longer go hungry. So, after your first workout, you definitely need to take in some calories. I usually either drink a smoothie, eat some fruit , squirt down a pkg of Cliff-gel, drink a glass of water with a package of emergen-c in it, whatever, I just don't go hungry anymore. Why?
So that I don't gorge on whatever is in front of me when I finally do sit down to eat.

That for me was the hardest part. Staying properly nourished all day. My new trick is to take down water loaded with those emergen-c packs every morning and evening before and after work. The result: I am never hungry. Last year, while gaining twenty-plus lbs, I was hungry all the time.

Smoothie ingredients: I suggest not getting to in depth here with your first smoothies. At least, hold off getting the Reishe Mushrooms, Jujube, Albizzia flower, and Asparagus root until later. lol.
BUt, I would get a hold of some raw cacao powder, frozen wild blueberries, hemp nut, coconut oil, raw almond butter, Lucuma Powder, some chili peppers (yes, spice up that smoothie), vanilla bean, Cinnamon and Celtic sea salt. I'd throw those items into a powerful blender along with about 16 oz of water, sweeten it all with honey and/or agave nectar, and then relax and enjoy.

Good luck gang and never, never give up.