[skinny4me]

Well the scale has not moved for me in 3 weeks (only the normal fluctuations of 1 to 2 pounds up and down). I cannot get it to go below 168 at all. Its a bit discouraging since I am starting my 7th week of my exercise routine and now I am at a stand still.

I am eating healthy but not counting calories yet. I am having a hard time finding time to sit down and do it with a toddler running around. I have been doing Denise Austin's daily workout everyday (taking off one day a week) but I think I need more. So I decided to up my exercise routine from one workout (about 25 min) to two workouts back to back. Even going to do a few windsor pilates workouts to change it up some. I don't think I am getting the intensity I need to get my metabolism going in one workout. I really hope that I start seeing something happen in the next week.

[JayEll]

Hey skinny4me,

Most people who are successful at losing have found they need to do more than "eat healthy." Most track their food in some way--either with a formal program like Weight Watchers, or just something like calorie counting. Without tracking, it's too easy to overeat without knowing it--especially if exercise makes you hungry.

Plus, healthy food is not necessarily weight loss food. Plenty of 3FC members became overweight eating healthy foods...

I know what you mean about being stuck, though--it's really maddening.

Good luck in breaking through it!

Jay

[gailr42]

Wow, I need to take lessons from you! I do not love or even like exercise and I know it is good for me.

I have had just about zero results trying to loose or maintain with exercise alone. I have had to pay attention to my calorie intake, either by strict portion control or counting calories and writing everything down.

[Nancy CA]

I've found too that I don't get good results with exercise alone. I tend to overcompensate on calories when I've had a good workout and completely defeat the purpose. Not saying that this is what you do but it's what I've found for myself.

[Hat Trick]

Yeah, unfortunately exercise alone simply will not do the trick. What you eat (or don't eat ) plays a much big role in wt. loss. You might need to start really tracking how much you are eating per day. Check out http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm It gives you how many cals you need to maintain, lose at 1 lb/wk or lose at 2 lb/wk. It also gives you a zig-zag option for cals, which is sometimes very useful for breaking through plateaus.

I lost 2 lbs last wk -- the first 2 lbs loss for me in a looooonnnng time. I'm currently exercising 6 days/wk. but I need to do 2 different things on 4 days of the week in order to get in everything. I've been tweaking and tweaking this along the way. I do treadmill intervals and a 45 min. yoga Mon and Fri; Treadmill and 40 min. pilates Tues; Wts w/stability ball incorporated and a 30 min yoga on Wed; a dance cardio on Thurs and the wts w/stability ball on Sat. If I have time I'll squeeze in a 20 min. pilates on Thurs or Sat. I know this sounds like a lot -- but I do the treadmill (max 30 mins because I do intervals) b/4 my youngest leaves for school and then do the other stuff (45 min max) when she's gone. I refuse to exercise more than 1 hr or so. I just don't have the time so I'm trying to make the most of the time I do have.

I've found that constantly tweaking and changing things up -- both in food and exercise helps alot. Keeps it interesting and keeps my body guessing what I'm up to next.

[meowee]

I read a great little book a long time ago that mentioned that men can be fairly successful losing weight with exercise alone but that things are definitely not the same for women.

Obviously, you've got the exercise part going for you . . . maybe it's time to start tracking your food as well? I think we tend to underestimate just how many calories we are consuming at times and, unfortunately, they do count.

[shalu]

This happened to me also..i was stuck in 162 pounds for 6 months with 1hr exercise for 5 days a week..I was counting my calories but slipped in most of the weekends..I was advised by forum members to be strict with my diet in the weekends too..i followed it and i lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks and my weight is 157 pounds now. So exercise alone does not do the magic..pls try to track your food intake and watch the scales moving

[skinny4me]

Thank you all for your advice. I will have to start tracking my meals/calories and see what happens. And with the extra exercise hopefully I will start seeing some weight loss.