NSV!! (Trying to find that silver lining.)
 

Well, for the last 15 days I have yo-yo'd up and down between 261 and 257 usually staying somewhere between 259 and 257. The trend continued after another disappointing WI this morning and some kind words from a fellow 3FC member opened the flood gates. I've been struggling emotionally with this plateau and have been afraid to stop and analyze those feelings but ultimately I guess I'm feeling like, at only four months into my journey, that it's too soon for a plateau. I feel like I've been doing all the right things and that damn scale just won't budge and it really upsets me. (Basically just feeling sorry for myself when I get right down to it.)

So, while I'm still a bit down and understandably frustrated, I realized after those kind words that although I have struggled emotionally, I have stayed OP. I continue to go to the gym 6 days a week, eat well, and drink my water. I have been more easily been derailed and by significantly less frustrating situations in the past - and yet here I sit, still working my plan - head down and trudging on as though going backwards weren't even an option. Which it is, I just choose not to accept it.

Whether I have the motivation or not, I AM COMMITED and nothing - not even a relentlessly immoveable scale can defeat my determination to be healthy so I can live life!

"losing weight so i can live life" is the title of my blog jami :)

you're doing wonderfully, just keep moving and eventually your body will listen to you.

have you tried making your metabolism go "wait... wtf?" with a higher calorie day in a while? eat the healthy high fat/calorie stuff a little extra one day. cheese, nuts, etc. you might see a gain initially the next day, but i've found that one or two days like that a month keep my metabolism guessing and my scale moving.

every time it gets stuck for a week, that's how i get it moving again.

Jami you've been a rock to so many of us and I always find your words inspiring. I'm so proud that you will not accept going backwards, we both know how easy it would be and how miserable we would be on that other end.

I've been yo-yoing in and out of Onederland for months and you've kept cheering me on! So it's my turn to return the favour. And you and I, we're gonna figure this thing out and get crack-a-lacking! Keep your head up and continue to trudge through. We're gonna get there, I promise! :hug:

Wow, Jami! That's a HUGE silver lining. I always try to focus on the bigger picture issues when the scale won't move (though what you describe is the reason I've tossed the scale, actually). Do I want to go back to the way it was before? Enjoying the ice cream (sort of) and "freedom" to eat mindlessly (though always with a nice helping of guilt and hopelessness)? Where I chose to go to a movie with my kids instead of to the park or on a hike because I was so physically exhausted all the time?

No thanks. Even though I really want the weight loss, I would take how I am today, with lots of energy and ability to do things, over a 135-pound me who always feels horrible physically. (Probably - the ability to buy great clothes is a huge motivator as well, actually...)

As Kukkie said, thanks for being an inspiration and a support. And I hope someone bumps this thread six months from now, when you're rocking a Onederland weight loss ticker, to remind all of us that the road is not smooth.

Jami, you are a rock star. I know the scale is wonky right now, but you're doing a FANTASTIC job, continuing on your path to health, sticking to plan, and staying here with us! Keep on keeping on, that durned scale will have to cooperate eventually!

Oh yeah, I also wanted to throw out there: Have you changed the batteries in your scale lately? I remember Trazey staying the same and staying the same on the scale while she was shrinking out of her clothes. She changed the battery and WHAM! 50 lbs lighter... sometimes the scale doesn't die when the battery drains, it just goes nuts.

Jame, your attitude is nothing short of inspiring! These dang stalls are the bane of our dedicated and orchestrated weight loss journey, but you are showing us how to handle them --- POWER RIGHT ON THROUGH! In our platoon of Fat Fighters, you are the gritty leader that never gives up and never lets us give up You ROCK!

So, run through the obvious checklist: are you drinking enough water? are you eating enough , but not too much? have you upgraded your exercise routine as you became slimmer and stronger? are you sleeping all right? any new stresses?

Then, a weird consideration: are you really stalled? If you are replacing fat with muscle, you may not see it on the scale but you would with a tape measure. So, are you losing inches, but not pounds? If so, I don't think you are stalled at all!

And you might want to consider bubble therapy: get one of those bottles with the bubble wand in it, find some pretty place outside and make some temporary magic. Or go for a spin on your kid's scooter --- I can testify that this is fun and guaranteed to make your kids hurt themselves laughing. Take a walk through a park instead of on the treadmill. Do something to ENJOY this wonderful new body you have created.

And don't panic, because you will break on through this stall --- and we will be there to party when you do!

:celebrate:

Are you SEROUS??! omg!

:yikes:

Great advice! Sometimes we need to take a minute to appreciate the small things that make us smile, which then give us the strength to continue on this journey!

keep going Jami, the scale WILL catch up with you and register all your hard work - and in the meantime, you are still getting healthier and fitter every single day!!

Where is the "like" button?!?!?!

I feel like you're telling your scale off, and I love it!

"I WILL NOT BE DERAILED!!!!"

Jami - just hang in there. I know how you feel - we all do. Because we're working so hard, we want it to show up RIGHT NOW as weight loss. You are such a joy in here that it hurts my heart to see you sad. Just know that hanging in there is the best thing to do for lasting results. I, too, think you may be gaining muscle. A whoosh will come.

Lin

First off, I just want to thank you all so much. For your overwhelming support, decades of combined experience, and your friendship. I've known since day one that the support of the 3FC community was making a huge difference in my journey and life as whole but I feel that mutual love, appreciation, and respect much deeper in my heart and soul today.

My cup runneth over...

The good news...and yes, there is good news is that I decided to take some new measurements and my first progress picture...since as many of you suggested, I might be replacing some of that fat with muscle and guess what? I AM! I can definitely see a difference and I posted the pictures here...hopefully you all can see them too. (I couldn't find my the same sports bra I used before so I used my new one - which looks like a regular bra but isn't!) :) I went ahead and took some new measurements too. The last time I took measurements was 7/14/11 so in about three weeks...I've lost another 4.75 inches! Which brings my total inches lost to 15.75 inches since April 2011! Wow! I'm definitely feeling better about what's going on and am grateful to all of you for reminding me that there are more ways to measure success then the scale.

You also gave me lots to think about in terms of my plan (like calorie cycling, scale batteries, and diversions) that I will definitely look into. Although I am confident now of my progress, I think there are some lessons I can learn from this and positive changes I can make too.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I consider myself a very lucky person to have found this site and all of you.

(And even though I'm feeling better, I think I could still use some quiet and peaceful bubble blowing time! :bubbles:)

Well girl I'm telling you I see LOTS of changes in your body definintely! You are doing something right so keep at it. The scale will catch up, the inches are coming off I can totally see it you are looking great! Hang in there. Maybe hide the scale for awhile?

yes! about health and lifestyle change forever! Hold on to this mindset and it will carry you through a lifetime of forever change!

yay!