RE: For the
I actually eat about 1500-1700/calories a day, not 1200 and during the week my workouts are 60-90 min most days and on weekends just depending on how I feel 1-2 hours but some of that time is cause I take longer between workouts if switching dvds b/c I'm not as rushed during the week. And yes, I am only 29-will be 30 in May but I have always had to watch my weight as I used to weight about 25 pounds more than I do now when I ate bad & didn't workout. I carry my weight in my hips, thighs, and butt!
If you tend to bulk easy I would recommend lifting lighter & doing more reps, if you don't bulk easy then heavier weights will probably work for you. I know you said high impact doesn't work well b/c of your knees-you may want to look into the Beachbody Slim Series & Tony's 30 minute line, Bun Shaper, Thigh Trimmer, and the others. I think Slim Series is boring compared to Cathe but it did work for me, the cardio is lighter than Cathe but Debbie incorporates light cardio w/ light weights and for me, it worked. I don't do them as often now but if you are limited on the cardio you can do I would suggest buying one & giving it a shot. You can purchase them in a package or buy just one or two.