I am really at my wits end. I woke up this morning sore from head to toe from last nights workout and hobbled into the bathroom only to find that my weight is UP a pound. I called my bf in tears who was very supportive and told me that we would figure it out, but I just don't know what to do anymore. So here's how I have gotten to this point:

Late summer: I was doing WW (Core plan so I wasn't writing down my food) and walking/jogging everyday 1-3 miles. I went from 251 to 240 and then nothing. It was suggested to me that I wasn't eating enough.

Early Fall: The jogging exacerbated an early summer ankle injury so I started doing yoga or pilates every day. I wasn't overeating during this time, but I wasn't tracking my food either. Weight went from 240 to 238.

Fall to now: I started working with a personal trainer 2 days a week (strength & cardio - a lot of weights, but done in a way that my heart rate is always in the target zone) and cardio (usually elliptical) on the other days. In the beginning I wasn't journaling my food, but I was really watching what I was eating since I was putting out so much money on the trainer. I know that I have built muscle and gotten rid of fat. I can see those changes, but it's been 4 months with little change on the scale (238 to ~231). After the first 2 months my trainer was thinking that I probably wasn't eating enough so after many attempts at tracking in a little notebook I finally signed up on The Daily Plate. For the most part I stay on target. I have my little slips, but they are little. I have been hovering at this weight for what seems like an eternity and I am so close to saying f-it. What am I doing wrong?!

Am I eating too much? Am I not eating enough? Should I be eating more on days that I workout with the trainer? Should I be doing more cardio? I just can. not. figure. this. out! I feel like my body is some kind of combination lock and I keep trying the wrong combination.

Any help, advice, anything is appreciated. I am just ready to pull my hair out! My goal is to lose 30lbs by mid June and right now, it's not looking good.

Just FYI, if you are sore from head to toe, there is a very good chance you are retaining quite a bit of water as your body attempts to repair all the micro-tears to your muscles.

If after 2 months your weight didn't budge my guess is that you are eating too much. I'd try counting calories and bringing them down by a couple hundred and see if that gets thing moving.

Your story is very similiar to what I'm going through right now.. I have been on WW for nearly 10 weeks now, w/ a steady loss in the beganning, but now-- nothing for the last 4 weeks. I'm sore from working out, grouchy because I haven't had chocolate in weeks and about at my wits end. I'm looking forward to seeing what other advice you get!

I think that it would be a great idea for you to track your calories and know exactly what you are eating. If you do that for a week, you'll understand how much you are actually taking in and counting calories really does keep you away from foods that you would feel bad about eating later. My best advice to you is to not weigh yourself. I strongly believe that weight is just a number and how you feel in your own skin is what truely matters. If you are eatting the right amount of calories and working out the majority of the week, you will lose weight! The human body fluctuates so much with that anyway with how much water we are retaining. When I used to weight myself every time I went into the bathroom, it discouraged me so much from eating right and working out. Now that I am going just by measurements and how my clothes fit, it feels great! I've never stuck with anything this long before and actually felt good!

How much are you eating?

IMO, online calorie recommendations are worthless. What matters is how much nutrition your body needs to function and release fat.

Can you give us a typical day's intake?

And, yeah, if you're sore head to toe you are probably retaining fluid in your muscles. My scale was up 2 pounds today from a workout 2 days ago.

Hey all.. thanks for replying. I actually have been tracking my food. You can click on the My Daily Plate link in my siggy to see.

Oh, the Daily Plate link!

Well, sounds like you are maintaining with what you are eating. * I would suggest going for 1600 calories a day of really clean eats (ie, dump the alcohol, cupcakes, any processed foods---think as natural as possible).

The only thing I consume differently on the days I work out with my trainer is a post workout protein shake. What are the ingredients in your shakes?

*was incorrect about my initial calorie impressions

Yeah I would second that you need to eat less - 1600 sounds good. I lost a lot of weight (before) eating about 1500 a day and exercising for at least an hour 5 days a week.

Yeah, cupcakes are not a traditional part of my diet, but I made them for work and they kept calling me and I eventually broke down. I do, however, allow myself the odd beer or glass of wine. If it takes me giving that up to see a lose though, I'm on it.

I hear ya on the cupcakes. I rarely have cake, but when it enters my life----look out!! At least you kept your cake intake at a reasonable level!

Yep, I'm another who thinks you could drop the calories a bit. Try it for 2-3 weeks - maybe 1600 or so - and see what happens. Calculators or no calculators, I've never been able to lose on more than 1600 calories a day. Our bodies haven't visited these sites and set themselves to the calculated value, you know? It's alll estimates.

Please come back and let us know how it turns out.

Alright, I'm scaling back to 1600 calories for at least the next week and we'll see how it goes. I'll let you all know. I'm thinking on training days I might throw in my light protein shake after workouts with the trainer though... we'll see.

The only thing I would add to the above advice is to maybe incorporate some more veggies and fiber into your diet. Few calories, filling and nutrious. Helps keep things um moving also . Stick with it - slow weight loss or not it's moving down and your body is changing!