[ladyfyre]

Why is it that I have been stuck around the 230 lb mark forever. Does the body just get used to the weight and not really want to let go.

I may go up or down a few pounds but I always seem to level out at 230. If the weight is so bad for me shouldn't my body want to get rid of it.

It is frustrating that I have been at the same weight for a while, but my body is reacting differently. I now have the saggy belly not just the big belly, which is feaking me out! Will it ever go away if I lose the weight or will I be stuck with the saggy belly?

[kelly315]

If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Maybe your plan needs some adjusting. It's possible for your metabolism to adjust to what you're currently doing, but there's no such thing as your body just being used to the weight and refusing to let it go. What diet plans are you on?

[Thighs Be Gone]

Yes, what Kelly said. I can say that my belly is a little saggy after weightloss but it isn't anything a good pair of Spanx can't handle! Are you logging your food each day? Have you tried adding HIIT for exercise? These are two of the things that really helped me out--in addition to water and fiber.

[fiberlover]

Plateaus happen to most people during weight loss. The body does have setpoints which can be difficult to break through.

It might be time to re-evaluate your plan. Change things up a bit, or make sure that you are really following your plan. Sometimes plateaus are a result of becoming just a tiny bit lax on portions, like having a few bites of this here, and an eyeballed portion of something there.
Tightening up the discipline may be all you need.

Also - if you have been exercising, change what you are doing. The body gets used to exercise and you won't burn as many calories doing the same thing as it becomes more efficient. You should change it up every 6-8 weeks or so.

And as for loose skin, it's likely that you will have some. Those of us losing large amounts of weight have to deal with that. You may genetically be lucky.
I have some loose skin, but I would rather have that than the 100 pounds back.

[Pandora123a]

Ladyfyre,

Strangely enough, the body does get used to the weight and not want to let it go! Oddly enough, at smaller weights the body gets used to that and doesn't want to add, your body will actually increase your metabolism for short periods if you overeat a bit once you are maintaining at a steady weight. When you are trying to lose your body worries it is being starved and slows the metabolism. (This is a reason that very low calorie diets can be self-defeating, the metabolism slows so much that to maintain you have to remain on that very low cal diet, every time your body "sees" an extra calorie it grabs it!)

While weight loss seems as though it should be an easy math equation, our bodies are not quite so mechanical. The trick seems to be to eat fewer enough calories that our bodies need a few of the stored ones to burn, and increase the movement and muscle mass so that we are burning more without putting our bodies into a panic that says "starvation, need to budget carefully."

Many folks have found some calorie cycling is useful. (More calories some days fewer others.) That is working for me. The caveat is that you can't make the more calorie days so generous that they undo all the low calorie days!

If you are really stuck aim slow...a 300 calorie a day deficit will lose you about a half a pound a week, but may move your body off its "set point". Also exercise as others have noted. Also make sure you aren't unwittingly eating a bit more than you think...that's another way we keep ourselves at a certain weight.

Finally (if you've had the patience to get this far) your slider shows that you have only lost two pounds yet you say you are stuck. Did you lose more weight before setting it, or is this the beginning of your journey?

Good luck...this can be done.

[ladyfyre]

Hi,
Pandora - I have tried to lose weight over the last year, but I have given up due to lack of progress and I always seem to end up at the same place I started even after losing 10-15 lbs. I think I lost the most weight by following the body for life program, but I became burnt out within a month - it was just too intense for me at the time.

I guess this time I am trying to make a life change rather than a quick fix that really doesn't seem to be that quick.

I will be here everyday for support and inspiration.
thanks

[GirlyGirlSebas]

Ladyfyre,

If you're consuming fewer calories and working out with no results, it might be time to re-evaluate your plan. For some of us, eating too many starches and fruits will stall weight loss. Also, cardio exercise is sometimes the key to triggering fat burning. How much exercise are you getting each day. I'm 44, in full menopause and on thyroid medication. For me, I don't see any loss on the scales without at least 5 hours of cardio exercise a week and strictly limiting myself to 2-3 portions of whole grains and 2 fruits a day. Don't be afraid to try some new things until you find what works well for your body.