Nicki: I have adjusted my calories based on my weight loss. Everytime I lose a pound, I go back & recalculate how many I should be eating. It re-adjusted when I kicked up my workouts so I can have more, but I still stay between 1550-1700 calories. I usually hit about 2000 twice a week, so that it is all over the place so my body doesn't get used to one set number.

Hm? Well good for you for keeping up with what you need to do! I'm sorry I can't offer much more to say. LOL. Just stick to what you're doing and you'll see it again

I started at about the weight you are now, and I needed to eat less than 1700 hundred a day to see any really significant weight loss -- I started around that, but I only lost 3 pounds my first month. I targeted 1300 a day the next month and I lost too fast...the next month, I went for 1500, with calorie cycling, and my weight loss picked up to a nice clip but not more than 2 lbs. a week. Now, in maintenance, I seem to be able to eat around 1800-2000 calories a day to hold steady -- and this is with 45 minutes of HIIT cardio 5 days a week and 30 minutes of strength training 3x a week. Since you are not near the "dangerously low" zone calorie-wise, I think I'd try lowering your target number for a couple of weeks, not too low but lower, and see where that gets you -- the calculators are general and do not work perfectly for everyone's metabolism.

It just might be time to shake things up a bit more. Good luck!

Thank you so much Schumeany! I wanted someone to tell me what I was doing wrong. I was getting so frustrated. After this week of fruits & veggies, I will scale it back & hopefully start to see some dropping. :hug:

You're losing inches, so you really aren't at a plateau. Just keep on doing what you are doing!

Chance, I just posted my own plateau woe-is-me story a couple days ago... and again today in the WL Support section. I'm eating 1400-1500 calories a day, working out an hour a day.

The fact you are losing inches means you are not at a total plateau. I've pretty much stopped losing inches. I mean things will decrease a tiny bit one week and go back up the next. In about 3 weeks I've lost .5 inches CUMULATIVE from 10 places I measure on my body.

I'm just starting to change up my workouts. I was rotating 3 days of 60 minutes on the TM, then 3 days of 60 minutes on the exercise bike, then a day of 60 minutes of whatever, usually Dance Dance Revolution. I've decreased the time on the machines and added in other exercises, like weights, pilates, stair climbing, etc. I have calorie cycled for two days. No plateau breakage yet though. :shrug:

Unfortunately, with having a baby, you may have to adjust one of your plans, either the date you start TTC or the weight you are when you start. I understand disappointment. I mean, I'm going on a big beach trip, which I know can't be compared to having a baby, but I have been working out and eating smarter for 3 months now with this in mind... and I've lost only 4 lbs. I'm nowhere near goal so there's no reason my weight should be the way it is.

Hopefully your cleanse will help you. The only problem with them is whenever I've done them or friends have done them, they pretty much gain back EXACTLY what they lost during it. That said, I'm hoping my vacation might even make me lose weight--I'll be in a new place, eating new foods and doing new activities. Hopefully it will shock the fat right off me!

Anyways, good luck to you. I was just going to start a weight loss tips thread. I'm willing to try anything! If people have done anything and it helped them lose weight, I'll try it!

Chance- I feel for you! I applaud your decision to try to be healthier for your babies!
I am also at a plateau and it is killing me!!! I usually do 30DS with treadmill and tae-bo. I really think it is the muscle you are gaining from 30DS that is preventing the scale from moving. And I also agree that cutting calories may give you the boost you need! I am laying off the 30DS b/c I am insane and need to see those numbers on the scale move.
Good luck!

Hi Chance - Just wanted to say sorry and I feel your pain. I've been stuck for 3 weeks now too. Don't you just wish there was a weigh loss manual that had all the right answers. You could just open up to page 58 and it would tell you exaclty what to do LOL Wish I could offer advice but I don't know what the h*ll I'm doing :) Just try not to stress out to much and know you are doing a good job!!!

Plateaus are totally normal. I have personally had one for over a month when I was eating 1200 calories a day and working out.