I didn't weigh myself at all in February. I took measurements and weighed on February 1, then didn't step on the scale again until March 1. I gained a half pound. I lost three inches. I don't get it.

I stayed within my calorie range. I did four hours of Zumba a week. I worked out another hour to two hours every week on my own. I know it's not muscle, because I didn't lift weights. I don't get it. I have been bouncing between 176 and 186 for the past year. Can someone please explain to me what I am doing wrong?

Are you weighing and measuring everything you eat and writing down absolutely everything that goes in your mouth? Generally, when there's a stall it's because we're eating too much.

I hate it when that happens. I can tell you're frustrated and I don't blame you a bit; it's enough to drive anyone up a wall.

If you lost three inches, it's very likely that you've lost fat even though you haven't lost weight. The scale only measures how gravity affects you--all of you--not how much fat you may have lost. You could be carrying around extra weight in the form of water or yesterday's dinner that's still being processed. Maybe you've eaten a lot of sodium lately, maybe it's near That Time, maybe you gain a pound or so in water weight when you ovulate.

In other words, SO many things can cause weight fluctuations that aren't fat fluctuations that it's hard to say anything is "wrong."

On the other hand, the fact that you've been in the same ten-pound range for the last year does sound like a lengthier stall. What is your daily caloric intake? It might be time to step it down a little bit; a lot of us have to do that as we slim down.

If you're already at a pretty low number, it might be time to re-check your weights and measurements, as Gale02 suggested. You might be suffering the side effects of "portion creep" if you've decided to lay off the food scale and measuring cups.

You could also try giving your metabolism a shake. Try calorie cycling to see if that un-sticks your stuck weight. Some people switch plans altogether and go low-carb for a month or two to see how they feel.

Chances are you don't need to do anything drastic, though. Three lost inches says you're not doing anything wrong, and while scales don't lie, they also don't tell the whole truth about how much fat you've lost. That's one of the reasons I weigh daily even though I used to dread it--it helps me put the scale back in proportion.

I'm sorry you're frustrated and I hope that it changes soon.

Zumba can tone and build muscle without lifting weights. I wouldn't be surprised if you are indeed building muscles. That being said, it has been a long year for you. Why not try varying your workouts to maybe a kickboxing class or something. Zig Zag your caloric intake for a bit....sometimes we just have to shake it up! Good luck, I know it is frustrating!

I started doing a 75% raw week once a month.

I eat 2 raw meals and one cooked meal, and one or two raw snacks. That seems to really jump start things for me.

good luck.