Hi, this is basically the same as my intro thread, but in case people don't really read those...I found the 100 lb. Club, and I guess that is where I belong since my ultimate goal is 100lbs lost. I am just looking for any ideas on how to get passed a wieghtloss wall.

I have been trying to loss weight since Oct, I wouldn't say I am really on a diet, just have been eating less and trying to be more healthy about what I eat. I was 250 pounds back in Oct and I am down to 210 now. I would like to eventually reach 150 - but I feel that is a dream. I would be happy somewhere between 180 and 160.
My original plan was to loss the wieght in a year, or since 100 pounds in a year is really alot, within 14 months.
To keep my self focused I make mini goals of between 7 pounds and 8 pounds a month.
Up until Jan, I had reached those goals, but I have slowed way down the past 3 months. I am now about 9 pounds behind what I was hoping to achive by this time.
I feel good about the fact I haven't gained any wieght, but I also feel like I have hit a wall. I am trying now to add exercise in. I know that eating healthy and exercise is the only way to really lose weight and keep it off, but like most people I am terrible at the exercise bit.
I have gotten ahold of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and started that today. I wont be able to do it on the weekends, but I plan to do it every day during the week.
Does anyone know if this dvd works?
I have joined here in hopes that some support and conversation with other people like me will help me reach my goals and get back on track.
I am going to the States to visit my family at the end of June and I would like to be between 190 and 185 lbs by then. I know thats alot of wieght for two months, but I want to jump start my weightloss agian.
Anyone have some good ideas? or some great support?

Um, OK --
1. Setting a goal of 2 lbs per week is setting yourself up for failure. Weightloss is not linear nor is it predictable. Let go of those numbers, and focus on your diet.
2. Perhaps you need a structured eating plan. Trying to be more healthy and trying to eat less may not be working if you don't have a real grip on what you are truly eating (a bite of this, a taste of that, and so on...). Figure out what plan will work for you and stick to it. This way, you have an accurate picture of what you are putting into your body, nutrition and calorie-wise.
3. 80% of your results are diet-related, NOT exercise related. So pumping up the exercise will help cardiovascularly but the majority of your results will be from your diet. So sort out your diet...
Good luck!
Kira

Alright, any suggestions for a diet plan?

I don't like doing faddy diets. So far I have been trying to eat 3 meals a day about 500 - 600 calories each. I try and stay under 1700 calories for the full day and try not to snack in between.
I drink mostly water and about 3 to 5 pints of it a day.

I suppose recently I haven't been sticking to this plan as well as I did in the past, and maybe that is why I stoped lossing weight.

As for the exercise I don't really exercise at all, so I think it would help, even if it just gets me more in shape then lose wieght, thats important too.

I know that lossing that much by the end of June isn't going to happen. 2 pounds a week is alot especially for such a short time. Its just I haven't been home since Oct and I wanted to be much thinner then I am when I see my family agian.

Since I already lost 40 pounds, I know that will make a huge impact, I am just slightly dissapoited I didn't do better - Even though I know that 40 pounds in 7 months is still really good.

You're doing great so far!!! Seems though that you are ready to kick it up a notch. Exercise will definitely help in that area as you will burn more calories by doing it, thus creating MORE of a calorie deficit.

But I do agree with kiramara. Keeping your food in check is appox. 80% of the equation.

As for a food plan. I am a calorie counter. Tracking my calories is the only way that I know *for sure* that I'm not eating more then I should. Plus it's built in accountability and portion control.

My calories matter though. I can't eat any old calories. I need satisfying ones. And ones that keep my cravings at bay. For me, that is protein and fiber. Fiber and protein. Unlike you, I snack often. I do my very best to avoid that hungry, munchie feeling. But again, they're good wholesome snacks. And I also need to avoid (at all costs) food which I tend to overeat - the white-sugary-carby stuff.

Something that rings out to me as that you keep saying *try*. And that you haven't been sticking to it as well. Well we all know the only way steady, consistent weight loss can occur, is if we stick with a healthy eating plan. So, I think making a commitment is essential.

I do find sticking to that plan waaaay easier if I plan out my food schedule in advance. If I've got a good plan in place, delicious foods to eat, no need to veer off track.

You've done fabulous so far. Fabulous. Your family is going to be so happy for you. You should be proud of the changes that you've made and not disappointed. Losing weight is not easy and you've done it. You've done it!!!! Now - just keep on doing it.

But of course, don't let all your hard work be for naught. Tweak your plan a little and get back to it. Ya hear? Make a commitment to be healthy and lose the weight. Once and for all. There are soooo many rewards in your future.

In the time I've been on these boards I've noticed that the number one predictor of failure is the placement of artificial time constraints which leads to unrealistic expectations then the inevitable loss of mojo when reality bites. You haven't done too much of that to yourself. You've been playing the 'mental' game of weight loss (learning to accept that even small changes add up over time) and you should be very proud of how you've done so far.

I'm in the same boat you are. I need to kick it up a notch too. Slow and steady does win the race but right now I've got the wind to sprint and would like to try that for awhile.

You might find you like exercise more than you thought. Now that you are 40 lbs. lighter it's going to be easier to do than it was before. The hardest part of exercising frequently is pushing the 'play' button or driving to the gym. Once you get started doing it, it's not bad. I feel so good after. The best part is that exercise generates motivation- at least for me. The more I exercise the more motivated I am to stick with an eating plan.

You could try the same thing I'm going to do- bump up the exercise so I'll feel more motivated to stick to my eating plan which is already working. If you want a good no-brainer eating plan, check out Eat2getfit dot com. I do not work for them or make any sort of profit from telling you to check it out- I bring it up because it's the best thing I've found to answer the questions of 'What can I eat?' and 'How much should I eat?' If you type in 'Free' as a coupon code you can try it for free for a couple weeks. The regular cost is only $40 a year though so it's not an expensive thing. I only follow it losely but if I tighten that up, I know my result will skyrocket too.

The hardest part of winning at losing is the mental game. Check out the Maintainers Forum here at 3FC and start adopting the same attitude those folks have and you'll win this time around.