Hi all,

So the first week of my new eating and exercising, I lost 2.4lbs. Ok, not bad. Second and third week, nothing. I have been keeping to 1800 calories (somedays lower to see if that made a difference), severely limiting my carbs after 3pm (except fruit and veggies), working out 3-4 times a week (with an hour of cardio) etc...and havent seen any more movement on the scale. Ugh. Is it possible to stall at the beginning before a whoosh, or is that only after quite a while? I am doing everything that has worked well for a 2-3lb loss a week in the past (and we're talking like 6 months ago, not 10 years ago), and its like my body is refusing to do what I want it to. Any advice? Im just not sure what I can tweak. Im not drinking enough water, so that has been my goal this week, and Im trying to do an extra workout day as well. But, Im eating pretty clean already...although not eating snacks most days, so maybe I need to eat 4-5 small meals rather than 3 larger ones to keep my metabolism going? Reassure me that this will break and Im not working my butt off for nothing!

Okay, so you lost 2.4 lbs the first week and now you are saying that another 14 days have passed and you haven't seen a loss -just want to be clear on that...

Anyway - are you certain, absolutely certain that you're accounting for every bite, lick, taste, crumb and sip that goes down your mouth? Are your measurements accurate? Have you had any splurge meals or days - In other words, is there any way at all that you're UNDER estimating your calories???

If the answer is no, I'd say just keep at it, keep at it, keep at it - the weight will HAVE to come off - it's got no choice but to.

If you want to tighten up your menu a little you can try that. More protein, more fiber - of course I haven't a clue as to what you've been eating - perhaps you'd like to post a typical days menu.

Maybe rearrange your calories a bit.

I'd also start right this minute with strength training. Start building some muscle, as that's our only way to increase our metabolism and make sure that what we are losing is fat- not muscle.

I know it's hard, but you've got to be patient. Your hard work WILL pay off, though it may not be immediately.

nothing else to be said I ditto rockinrobin. Good luck hun!

Ummm ... well, fruit & veggies are carbs, and depending on which kind, can be high in sugar; but I don't think that should matter really. I would switch your evening snack to protein and see what happens.

If you are positive that you are not going over 1800 calories a day; then maybe mix things up a bit by eating 1600-1800 and cycling the days (ie, 1600; 1800; 1600; 1700; 1800) to see what happens.

Also, watch your salt intake; water retention can cause a stall (and your menses can cause water retention) -- so keep going becuz you may lose some in the next two weeks instead. You are only 28, so that could very well happen on a monthly basis, as a doctor told me once. He had me weigh myself only every 3 weeks to avoid seeing those days; plus he was pretty sure that I would see a loss in that time frame, which would be more encouraging, of course (smart guy).

I agree with ROBIN about adding in weights; and I would do exercise of some kind at least 6 days a week, and take one day off to rest. What kind of cardio are you doing? Walking? Running? Swimming?

You aren't working your butt off for nothing -- you are doing something great for your health ... so, keep at it!

The same thing happened to me. I started accounting for foods and nutrition, exercising, and would lose little to nothing. The difference for me came when I stopped eating after 7 pm, and substituted a protein drink for food if I wanted an evening snack (1 scoop of chocolate protein powder w/ 1 cup of skim milk). It satisfied me without leaving me feeling full. The weight WILL come off, though. Your body can't resist forever! Good luck!!

It's pretty normal not to lose much the 2nd week, but if you haven't seen any loss since then, a closer look may be warranted.

If you're tracking calories using an online site, what is the percentage from fat, protein and carbs?

I might guess that you're high on carbs and low on protein. And also if you're eating a lot of frozen meals, the salt intake also can be a weight loss hindrance.