I am totally frustrated right now because I feel like I have been stuck in some sort of never-ending plateau. I cannot seem to get under 180--or even under 181. I haven't changed my weight on my ticker because I bounce around so much that I would have to change it every day. I went shopping today and couldn't find anything that looked good, an experience that made me feel depressed. Then I feel bad thinking about that because this is really supposed to be about my health, not how I fit in jeans.
I have been doing well with most things--increasing my exercise, avoiding fast food, drinking lots of water and trying to cut down portion sizes. My habits have never been terrible--I don't have a major soda habit, I eat lots of veggies as a matter of course. I think I just eat too much of everything, even the "right" things.
I know that this is up to me and that I must be simply eating too much. I didn't expect to wake up and be a size six, but I did expect some measure of progress by now. I want to get this frustration out there so it doesn't take over me. I don't want to get so frustrated that I just end up eating everything in sight out of spite.
Thanks for listening to my complaint--I just had to get it out.
Are you -counting- anything? For example, keeping track of your calories or points or whatever? It is well and good (and healthy!) to eat healthier foods, but I find it terribly hard to lose or even maintain weight without a conscious effort to count my calories. So careful tracking, and reductions where possible, might be all you need to stop the "eating too much good stuff" that is keeping you at 180.
Otherwise, if you are counting, have you tried playing up and down with that count for a week or two at a time? The mixup can be what your body needs.
I just read your goal story and Wow! That is really inspiring. I laughed when I read the part about the clean kitchen. I feel the same way--I do everything better when the house is clean. Of course you'd never know it by the looks of the house at this moment...
I know I need to get my calorie counting more exact. I did them on the FDA site over the weekend and it came out to about 2,000 cals. So, I definitely have room to drop some calories. I think I have had a shift in my metabolism as well--I am eating less than I used to at a lower weight. Darn mid-30's!!!
As much as I know intellectually that it's work and that it will take time, there is this little part of me that wants instant results without much effort. It's the American dream, no?
I lost the baby weight after my daughter was born (she is now almost 4). It was a slow process, but I did it. I got pregnant 1 month after I reached my goal weight, so I didn't really get to enjoy it or flaunt it with new clothes. Now I cannot seem to drop much of the baby weight from the 20 month old.
Oh wow do I know how you feel! I've been stuck at my weight forever, too! But with the holidays, I'm also happy to have not gained. Good luck to you! I feel you!
Tara
Take your measurements sometimes we lose inches .and it does not show on scale.Also your maybe working out to hard stay with the fat burning zone
55%- 65% could it be that your not eatting as much as your body needs.It could be a Girl thing too .Just do not give up.
Several years ago I worked with a trainer and when I would hit a plateau I would hit them harder than anyone she had ever worked with so I feel your pain. She said the only way to get through one is to do one or more of three things-- increase your intensity, your duration or your frequency. I hated her a little for it but it always worked. So, for example, if you are doing 30 minutes (duration) of exercise once a day (frequency) you may want to up it to 45 minutes twice a day until you break through. Or you could increase the intensity and step up the incline on a treadmill, up the resistance on an elliptical or increase your heart rate by 10 beats a minute. I would have to do two one hour exercise sessions to get through some of mine... thus the hating her just a little.
She also always encouraged me to vary my exercise so my body didn't get used to doing the same thing. So one day walking, one day elliptical etc.
She said you can expect to plateau every 10% of your body weight that you lose but can preempt it by doing the above things. That also helped, I skipped a couple plateaus that way. I still hated her a little. I hope that helps. Seems like I should take her advice and get my badunkadunk off the couch. I probably won't.
Thanks for all the suggestions! I think that my best options right now are to make sure that I don't have tons of hidden calories by tracking what I eat more carefully AND mixing up my exercise routine. I have been slacking on weights a little, so there is room to move there. Ditto for the cardio.
I do so hope that I don't require 2 hour-long sessions on the treadmill though! I think I would have hated my trainer too!
The scale is stuck...
