[Soon2BSlim]

I have struggled for 5 years to break through the 170 wall. I get so close but never hit that 169 mark. I know it sounds silly! Why do I sabotage myself? So, I had a great 1st week....6 pounds! And then, week two...zip! I lost nothing....and I thought I did great. I'm trying so hard to keep my focus....but for some reason I always have a hard time after a disappointment to keep pushing.

[shishkeberry]

Think of it this way. Even though you lost nothing the second week, you still lost an average of 3 lbs a week and that's pretty darn good!

[Esofia]

It sounds like the problem isn't that you have the odd week when you don't lose, the problem is that you give up after that happens? Does it help to change what you're focusing on?

[ahyessophie]

Originally Posted by Esofia

It sounds like the problem isn't that you have the odd week when you don't lose, the problem is that you give up after that happens?

This! Could not have described myself better.

[bamagirl28]

I can totally relate eventhough right now I'm attempting to get into the 170s rather than out ....throughout all of my weight loss attempts over the years I'd do really well for a week or so and then I'd stall and then give up altogether after a little bit. This time, I've done the same thing. I joined a 12-week challenge on one of the support forums and lost 5-6 lbs the first week. Then the second week: nothing. The third week: I gained! Honestly, this had more to do with my eating habits than anything else. I saw a lower number on the scale than I expected and thought woo hoo! let's go eat! (Who knows why I would think that would be a good idea.) But it still wasn't every meal that I was cheating on nor was it an every day thing.

After I thought about it for awhile I realized the weekly weighing in was stressing me out. (I know some people on here weigh in daily but I could NEVER do that). So I stopped weighing weekly. And eventhough I was staying on plan and exercising, could see a difference, and knew I was losing weight, I wouldn't let myself on the scales until a little over 3 weeks had passed. (originally I had said it would be 21 days but then TOM came in the middle of it and there was no way I was getting on the scale then). Anyway time came for me to weigh and I found myself praying "please be lower, please be lower, please be lower"....and it was!

Sorry, I tend to ramble...I really said all of that to say this: if what you're going to focus on is what the scale says (I understand completely because no matter how well I do and how much difference I see, I want that scale to go down so badly!) then maybe don't weigh in as often as you are. If you're weighing every week, maybe start weighing every 2 weeks or 3 weeks or once a month or whatever works for you. The only reason I chose 3 weeks was because the program I was on said not to step on the scale until after 21 days. I actually found myself looking forward to weighing in rather than dreading it because I knew I had done well during the 3 weeks. And during the time that I wasn't weighing, I celebrated small victories like being proud of myself for staying on plan for a week or exercising 5 days that week.

Just a suggestion...it works for me cause scales kinda terrify me! Ha!

Good luck and hang in there....you'll get to where you want to be!

[stacygee]

I can totally relate! I have been working on breaking through the 170's too. I am so anxious to see 169. There seems like such a big difference between 170 and 169. Although I know I haven't broken through b/c of all the summer fun I have been having... I do know that when you hit a wall it is the consistency that pays off. It took me three-four weeks to break through 175 while on plan... now I have been floating up and down between 172-175 all summer. Here is to summer being over so I can get back to weightloss work!

[Soon2BSlim]

Thanks for all the responses..ugh...glad to hear I'm not the only one. It seems so simple...lose a few pounds....but I have literally been battling this for 5.5 yrs.....teetering between the upper 180s to the low 170's and then back up & down...and on and on. Does this sound ridiculous.....I feel that breaking that 170 wall is not only about the number but also what it symbolizes. To feel like...finally...I did it and now nothing can stand in my way. Thanks for the support, and yes, maybe you're all right...stop focusing on the scale, stay on track, and yes, stacygee, stop having so much summer fun in the form of adult beverages lol.

[Murph]

For years, I couldn't break through 170! I would get right there, and quit. This time, when I hit 169, I nearly cried! Now, I am 148! I went all the way to "healthy weight" and am still losing. I think just getting to 169 was what I needed to keep going. I started at 190 in january. Good luck, you can do this! Quitting is a sure bet you wont see 169. Just keep going and you WILL see it!

[xxkaleidoscopic]

The same thing happens to me. I've been close to escaping the 150s for sooo long now, but I haven't quite made it yet! But you just gotta hang on and keep pushing through until it changes. A lot of people give up at this point, but we can't! It'll happen.

[ChickieChicks]

Same here! The 140s haven't been seen on my scale in 5 years!!! I wasn't sure if they even existed. LOL I had a hard plateau in the 150s and then I stuck at 150.0 forever. UGH! But the day I saw 149.5 was AWESOME!

It WILL happen! Stay on track and try to remind yourself that your body is adjusting. You will see 169..and then lower!!!

[Soon2BSlim]

No grains at all, huh? Ugh...hate that idea but worth a try. Gives me horrible flashbacks to doing The Atkin's Diet years ago...that was miserable.

[ShanIAm]

I still haven't figured this out. I got stuck going from 160 to 159. I wanted it but didn't know how to get there! Is it mind over matter? Was I scared or did my body reject being at a weight it hasn't seen since early 2001? I just stayed on plan and fought the urges to relapse. Once I broke through there was no looking back. It was like I got a second wind to keep going.

But of course, I am back to the same issue. I can't get through the 130's. However, I came a long way and I don't have much to go so the pressure to break on through to the other side is not as mind consuming. But still there.

I don't really have any advice. Just wanted you to know that I understand and I hope you see that magical number on the scale soon. Just don't get discouraged, stay on plan and FIGHT FOR IT!

You have done amazing so far! Kudos to you sweetie. (And FYI -- you are absolutely beautiful!)

[Soon2BSlim]

Thank you so much ShanIAm...you are so sweet. AND, good for you....130's....that's amazing!

[KatieC87]

Girl, don't say that! I'm weighing in Friday morning and hoping to break through to the 160s. I haven't weighed 170 since high school, so I'm happy to be here. But I want the 160s so bad!

[Laureedee]

I have broken the 170 wall, but only a couple of times and now even though I'm doing everything "right" my weight is shooting up and I've sabotaged myself before. I totally get what you're feeling. All we can do is keep pushing through, if we stay on plan, the weight WILL come off.