I have made it to the other side of my first plateau! Since 5/22, I have been 213 lbs. I have counted calories, and exercised constantly and faithfully since. It has been a mental battle. I made it through with hubby telling me to keep going and reading all the threads on 3fatchicks that have plateau as a keyword. I tried everything increasing calories, decreasing calories, increasing intensity, decreasing intensity, changing foods, changing exercise routine. Nothing worked. Finally, I just decided (with hubby's help) that my body may just be catching up and adjusting. I felt and looked smaller - but no loss. So, hubby said that I just need to concentrate on being fit and this might be a test of my new healthy eating habits. I love him for trying to help keep me focused!

This morning . . . WhewHoo . . . . 211 lbs! I was rushing to try to get to 199. This two month break in loss will probably extend my time as a loser. But, I am so thankful that I didn't go back to gorging on Oreos, brownies, mozzarella sticks, pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches and wings from Pizza Hut. These things usually would accompany any kind of hitch in the plan. So, here I am on the other side of this experience with the same hope and commitment as before. There were many days when I would start whining about how it wasn't fair that I WANTED to be healthy and was DOING my best and NOTHING was happening.

So, I said all of this to say . . . If you have gotten stuck and feel like it is unfair and your weight will never change again . . . KEEP ON GOING!!!!!! There were many days that I summoned Dorrie (from Nemo) "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming.") I just plugged in whatever activity that I didn't want to do for the "swimming". Just keep going! ! !

Excellent post, Jenhai! Thank you! It is always very reassuring when someone lets the rest of us know that there really is life on the other side of a long plateau.....

You paid your dues for the last few weeks by never losing your focus, never falling into all those defeatist thought patterns and never giving up the new habits that are making you healthier and healthier. And all that hard work DID pay off and is GOING to pay off! You will be waving bye-bye to the 200's soon, very soon.

Kudos to you for your determination and a big high five to your very supportive, very intelligent husband!

SunshineCA - Thank you for your encouragement . . . Yes ma'am, I WILL KEEP SWIMMING! You will not believe the times where I have felt saying those words to myself.

Numina . . . Thank you for reading and also I will pass your kind words along to hubby. I always look foward to reading your posts. I am so looking foward to moving out the the 200's. You have just made me very excited about the upcoming victory that I will have over the forever dreaded 200s!

Now that is passion and sticktuitiveness!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!

I plateaued a little after you at 214! I, unfortunatly, am still on my plateau... You give me hope, Congrats to you!!!

I defintely needed this post.

Congratulations on breaking through!

wow, thanks for sharing that, great post and congrats! really nice hubby!

Awesome!!! I'm glad you got to the other side, congrats on beating it!!

Woohoo! Congratulations on sticking it out. I hate plateaus (plateaux?)

Yeah! Wonderful post, one that I am sure that I will reread. Just keep on going!

6 weeks?
You plateaued for 6 weeks?
And you kept the food monsters at bay! Amazing. I admire you (and your wonderful hubby) very much. That takes fortitude, courage and faith. Well done. Truly. Way to go.

AzulFire, cfmamma, Ailidh, dragonwoman64, RomanceDiva, ChrissyBean, timetolose . . . thank you all for reading about my crazy adventure. And I really stress CRAZY!

shrinkingleah - Yes, ma'am you can make it through. Maybe it is the 30+ pounds lost mark, or is it the six month mark - that brings on the stall?
But, it sure is fishy that both of us have the same issue about the same time with about the same loss. Who knows? Let me know what you ALL think.

Alana in Canada, yes 6 weeks! I don't know but reading your questions made me realize all the more . . . that I am going to have to keep up my "swimmy" attitude. I knew it had been that long but, seeing the 6 weeks in print? That is enough for me to continue just by sheer determination to beat the plateau concept entirely! So if I have to stare down another one (plateau), at the town square, at high-noon . . . I am going to be ready! Thanks.

EVERYONE - reading your kind words and congratulations is enough to make me continue. Thank you all for reading and I have relayed all your kudos to my hubby! I think that I will keep him! He has definitely be an sure partner in this! Thanks again!

for sticking with it.