Ok...it's been awhile since i've posted and even read in the forums..and i took a look around and found some good advice..but i still need some myself.
I've been working out with weights as well as cardio.. cardio day one, weights day two, cardio, weights, cardio, weights, rest...then start over agian.
I've also changed my diet eating less fat..no junk food when i can and more water. I've taken a job where i'm standing for 8 hours a day and wrapping tree saplings which is killing my back. So my workouts haven't been that great. Even before my job when i was working out like a fiend...the thing that's driving me insane is..i haven't lost one pound..not one! I've lost inches..but not one pound. And that's starting to worry me. I've been at this for about 4 months now and i've lost a total of maybe 5 inches...all around not just one place..this past month i've lost an inch around my waist..half an inch on each thigh..and half an inch on my chest..under my breasts...so that's great! But why won't the pounds come off!!! I'm stuck at 190 if i go by my bf's scale and it won't budge!!! I'm 5'8 and i would like to go down to 140, 145...but there's no goal if my weight won't budge at all...because i don't know what kind of inches i need to go to in order to be less weighty...
any advice or help or anectdotes would be really appreciated since i'm slowly going insane...help me!!!!! please!!!!!

Okay. Now. First question: why is that number so important? If you could wear, say, a size 8 and still be 190 pounds, still have to look at that number on the scale BUT still have that number on your clothes, would you take it? Not arguing, just asking.

Second is a statement: one pound of fat is about 3x (or is it 5x?) as bulky as a pound of muscle. So if you've LOST 5" and your weight has stayed the same, you're taking off fat (getting smaller) but putting on muscle (so the weight # is the same). The body eventually stops doing that, without the help of steroids at least, but right now you're in that "let's build muscle!" zone.

There is the possibility that you're not eating enough. When you have more muscle, you need more protein. What's your diet like?

About your sore back: add some core work (crunches, woodchoppers, trunk extension) to your workout. When your core (stomach and lower/mid back) are stronger it takes the stress off your other muscles. They're sore because they're doing some of the work of your weaker core. Try Pilates, as well. Pilates rocks.

I much prefer looser clothes to losing numbers on the scale! Keep at it eventually the numbers will go down don't you worry. It took me a whole year to lose 12# but I went from a tight size 14 to a loose size 6, hang in there! Congrats on the inches lost that is awesome progress...

Check the Fat vs. Muscle pic in my siggie!

sorry it's taking me so long to respond but thank you so much and yes mousie that first question is the most important one...i want results i can see on my body and feel in my health not see on a scale..i needed that much needed boost from both of you..thank you again..i seem to keep repeating the same frantic posts over and over and i think i finally got it sunk into my head...thanks again!!!

Well I would say to you.....WAY TO GO!!! Don't you feel so much better to have your clothes fit better?.....Losing inches so that you don't feel pinched when you bend over to tie your shoes?......Not so much in the thigh dept. rubbing onto the other leg?... hehe.... Its all about perception!!! I know the scale is not budging, but success is measured so much in other ways.

You might try to change up your routine a bit. Sometimes the body (as tricky as it is...) gets used to excercises and repetitive foods that it just 'stays the same'. Try changing things up abit. For your cardio....if you ALWAYS walk on the treadmill, try a kickboxing class or try the eliptical machine. Or a combo of both. I know its frustrating, but HANG IN THERE.....oh, and muscle weighs more than fat!!! So another positive....is that you are now replacing fat with beautiful nice lean STRONG muscle!!!!

On the inches lost! I'm also 5'8" and have been doing cardio and weight training for 5 months, and it's only recently that I have seen the scale start to move. I have lost inches, I'm now wearing a smaller pants size, but the scale has not budged much. It can be frustrating to say the least. I have read and been told that 6 months is kinda of the "magic" number for when pounds start to drop off with weight training. I don't know if it's true since I'm not there yet. Here is a good article that explains how our bodies change from the inside. It really does give a good perspective on what is going on.

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/html/TSInsideOut.html

GREAT article, Michelle!! Thanks!

Thanks for the article and for the support i know why i come here so often now..you girls all rock so much!!! i feel a lot better, so much so when i went out dancing i wore a new low cut top that i never would have before ...thanks for the confidence boost girls...of course the bf's reaction helped too lol

Woohoo nutbar! Turning into a little hottie, are you? Good for you!