[avi0903]

What is wrong with me? My highest weight was close to 270, but that was years ago. On my latest journey, I joined Weight Watchers a year ago, and lost about 30 pounds. But since November, I've been up and down the same 5 pounds. The kicker is that I joined Weight Watchers with a friend, who is now down 70 pounds. What's wrong with me?

I realize it's not a competition, but I also have 2 friends who during the same time lost over 100 pounds (she runs about 10 miles or more, every day); and another who lost 60 pounds in the last 3 months (she has developed a gall bladder issue and can't eat).

I don't know what my issue is that is preventing me from losing weight. One of my kids told me he thinks that I define myself by my weight. I talk about it constantly, I read about it constantly, I think about it constantly. Could that be it? Does it even matter? Why don't I just stick with it?

I had been really excited to get the Weight Watchers keychain that they give you when you lose 10 percent of your weight. I lost steadily till then. Then I sort of started thinking oh, that wasn't so hard, now I can reward myself. And once I started rewarding myself, I let go.

I feel miserable, hopeless, fat. I had started wearing smaller sizes, and now those smaller sizes are tight on me. I feel so bloated, so fat, fat, fat.

Help.

[Slashnl]

I really don't feel qualified to give you an answer, because I am not doing a very good job with myself. But I just wondered with what you said about rewarding yourself and that you've let yourself go... what if you re-commit to being perfectly on plan. I don't know how you track with weight watchers, but make sure you are writing down everything and being absolutely honest with every bite of food. Maybe a different form of exercise would help too?

Like I said, I'm not the expert. Just hoping you can get past the plateau and start losing again!!

[avi0903]

Thanks. Very true about the tracking. On weight watchers we are given an approved amount of "points" that we can eat in a day. We are supposed to write them down (track). While I was losing, I was religiously writing down my points. Then I stopped. I just feel so draggy with it all.

What you say makes sense in my head - a new form exercise to keep me interested, and getting back to tracking.

Thanks - I know I need to do it. Any ideas on how to get from knowing it in my head to actually being committed and doing it?

Thanks so much.

[omgsasha]

i just recently hit a plateau too! i know how you feel. maybe its our bodies telling us to try something different! more intense workout... or new diet plan... im not sure but im looking into new things as well.. when i start feeling down i go to read some weight loss success stories and it makes me feel better. cuz it can be done and we are strong enough to do it! keep focused and listen to ur body. try something new. maybe a new machine at the gym that u would never try or a new diet plan. anything to take ur mind off the plateau cuz soon as u sink into it too much... it gets hard to come back up from it. but i hope i could of helped a little.

[sassyangies]

OH hun, we have all been there. Some of us are there right now. Take a deep breath and think about why your doing this and what your going to do to get there. I know it's hard I have been there and started over many a times! It's frustrating I know.
Another member told me something not to long ago that really stuck with me. She said, "you just have to choose not to". Choose not to over eat, choose not to get seconds, choose not to whatever it may be. It reallly helps me because it makes me feel like I am the one in control. Not my feelings, not my bad day, not anything but me and only me. I choose whether I eat veggies instead of more pasta, or whether I order the hamburger instead of the chicken and veggies.
Please don't give up just re-evalulate what your doing. You can do this!! Another thing that has helped me is to get friends and family to do a weight loss challenge. We do one every six weeks and whoever loses the biggest % of weight gets 10$ from each person. I love it because were all in different states, but we talk through messaging on FB and we keep track and then at the end we send our money to the winner. That along with the challenges on here keep me on track. You can also try and journal or smash your progress with pics and stuff. If your not sure what smashing is google it. It's like a scrapbook, but a journal too. I love it and it helps me.

We can do this!!

[zoesmom]

Heh...I just made a post regarding virtually the same thing earlier today. I've been in plateau for six weeks straight. Driving me nuts. My doctor advised me to *shock* my body by going off diet for 5 days (but to stay under 2000 calories) and then go back on. In addition, on days I exercise, to use EAS Carb AdvantEDGE within 30 minutes post exercise (granted, I am not on WW, so this advise may not be for you.)

[avi0903]

Thank you all for your help. I was able to have a better day today because of your answers. I felt less alone and less hopeless. It helps to know others have been there and done that, and are successful!

I never heard of a smash book - I'm going to try that! And I also like the notion of "you just have to choose not to". I need to make that my mantra!

Thank you all.

[Mozzy]

Hugs

You can do this!

[Angihas2]

Originally Posted by avi0903

I had been really excited to get the Weight Watchers keychain that they give you when you lose 10 percent of your weight. I lost steadily till then. Then I sort of started thinking oh, that wasn't so hard, now I can reward myself. And once I started rewarding myself, I let go.

Help.

how are you rewarding yourself? Food isn't a reward, or it shouldn't be. It's merely a tool to keep our bodies alive and active as we go about the accomplishing our tasks. If you can, and most of us have struggled with this, remember that rewards are things we can look back at and remind ourselves of what we did. Not something we eat once, and regret everytime we think back on it. It makes the initial accomplishment seem so much less.

[Daimere]

. While I was losing, I was religiously writing down my points. Then I stopped. I just feel so draggy with it all.

If you are not tracking, start! If you feel intimidated by it, start by tracking 1 meal for one week, next week, track your next meal, etc. By a month, you'll be tracking all your meals!

I reward myself with non-food words. For every 5% I lose, I'm going to take a new workout class that is too expensive to take regularly. I also have a few active vacations planned this year. Vacations that involve a lot of movement/activity, swimsuit maybe, hiking, etc. They aren't rewards but they will be better if I'm thinner! I also got a new tattoo for my first 10% years ago.

Are you exercising now? If you aren't, add in 10 minutes of exercising. Wear a pedometer and try to hit 10,000 a day. Choose this day as a day to recommit yourself. You CAN do this.

Also you can try adding in the Beck Diet Solution, it uses psychology to help you overcome what has made you heavy. I think it's the perfect mind-helping companion for WW. Cause weight loss is more than food. It's very mental

Are you eating the same things? Eyeballing portions? Using too many weekly points? You can try using 85% power foods (which are filling and healthy), portion out everything perfectly. Try some new recipes.

You can make smaller goals. I have all my percent goals lined up on a notebook for me to hit. I also have some goals that I'd like to hit before I go on my vacations. I also made a year long commitment to just lose 50-62 pounds this year. And if I feel like moving to a smaller weight, I will or I will maintain.

[going2bskinny]

we all have slip ups like that not everyone can keep going 100 percent from the get go and drop weight steadily I stalled for almost a year at 280 just don't give up your still doing great and maybe you just need a different approach what works for one doesn't work for all check out some new diets that get you excited about losing the weight again.

I'm trying 80/10/10 right now I love the whole foods approach of fruits and veggies I feel the more strict I get with myself the better I do with not cheating but I've been through many different phases I cut out dairy and meat then brought it back a few times now am cutting it out again and also gluten because I see the most results without it but I just keep trying and trying different things to see what works best for me.

I don't think you define yourself by being fat I just think your having a rough patch right now. Trust me we are all obsessed with losing the weight the more obsessed you get the more prone you are to cheating I find for myself cuz I'm always thinking about food all day that way I try to just buy what I'm supposed to eat and stop thinking about it that helps alot. Then when I get hungry just grab something quick from the fridge and try to stay away the rest of the time as much as I can.

the 80/10/10 approach works well for me cuz it keeps me away from the kitchen and cooking and I love to cook but it makes me very hungry when I do and I want to cook things I shouldn't be eating mostly then.

dont let it get you down you can do this just pick yourself back up and start right now again.