Hello,
I'm actually 30-something, so I hope it's alright for me to comment. I can understand your frustration. But my question is: do your clothes feel looser? It's really hard to go based on the number on the scale, even though I do the same thing! I've heard Oprah's trainer (Bob Green) say that when you're weight training, your body tends to hold onto water as it's getting adjusted and he actually said it takes about 2 months for that to improve. Ok, so that should make you feel like you're not just wasting your time. Also, had you been doing the same thing as before, you might be weighing more than when you started, so you're definitely helping yourself out.
However, do you know how many calories you're eating? Just because you're having more whole grains and veggies doesn't necessarily mean you'll drop weight. I've heard a weight specialist say that oranges are healthy, but if you eat 30 a day, you will gain weight. I'm not in any way suggesting that you're having that much food, but it's just a thought. Are you doing WW or calorie counters? You might want to consider doing something like that so that you'll know exactly what you're getting.
Also, I just read that studies show that people who workout tend to eat more because they justify it with the fact that since they burn more calories, it's alright to eat more, so they see less results. If you go on the exercise forum on here, you'll find the sticky that explains how cardio machines don't burn nearly as many caloreis as they say they do.
Finally, I would ask you what your'e doing for cardio? I highly recommend interval training. Maybe you already do this, but I thought I'd just mention it. Let's say you're on the treamill or elliptical machine and you start of slow. Then, you go 1 minute as fast as you possibly can and then, you slow down for another 2 minutes to catch your breath. You repeat this and it releases something in your body that makes you lose about 30% more weight. I read this a few months ago in Oprah magazine and in Women's Health magazine.
Most of all, please don't give up. You're not alone in this journey and it is a journey. Don't let 3 numbers on the scale make you give in because then, you'll definitely not reach your destination. Some people take a bit longer...so what? Sometimes, the longer you take to lose the weight, the more permanent it will be. Anyone here can do a fad diet and lose a bunch of weight, but we'll regain it and then some. You're obviously accomplishing a lot. Just tweak some things around and you'll soon see the results you want to see.
Best of luck to you!
motivation plateau
