[TPA sun]

I just HAVE to vent....

Started my weight loss (again) in October, and did well. Lost 15 lbs. Then I started to get lazy as the holidays rolled around, school finals and all. I still stuck to my healthy eating (not calling it a diet! Its a lifestyle change!) and still got some activity.

Thru the holidays and huge family meals, I maintained. Slightly bummed I hadn't lost, but kinda thrilled I hadn't gained.

So then, I went forward, all out. More time at the gym, really watching calories (I adore myfitnesspal), and yet, I've maintained. The scale hasn't budged a teeny tiny bit.

I'm drinking plenty of water, lots of veggies and some fruits, lean proteins, a variety, minimal prepackaged food, watching sodium sugars and fat, getting fiber and protein, taking in around 2000 calories a dayin several small meals, I've been doing lots of different things at the gym, walking uphill on the treadmil, bike, lifting weights, zumba, water aerobics, getting enough sleep (maybe too much, while I"m on vacation), not stressed out... I can't figure out what's going wrong!

On the plus side, I do feel like I'm getting stronger, but I gottta get rid of the pudge!!!
Any ideas on what I should look at?
Am I missing something?

[lunarsongbird]

Perhaps it's the standby..."Muscle mass weighs more then fat...." Perhaps you are gaining some awesome muscle- you have mentioned that you feel stronger.

You might also want to check your sodium content. My center seems to think that eating lots of salty things can get in the way of weight loss and make you retain water.

[sassyangies]

Whenever this happens to me. I try and do something drastic to get it going again. Have you thought of doing a juice fast for a day or two to get the scale to move? It works for me and I always lose while I'm doing it. Don't give up. We can do this. It can be very frustrating just think of the payoff at the end!!

[TPA sun]

Thanks for the feedback. I do watch sodium, I retain so much water when I dont! If this goes for much longer I may do something like that sassyangies, just to give the body that shock. Just gotta keep at it, and it will only get better!

[dgramie]

For me when I hit it hard my body seems to say...woo hold on here whats going on and hold onto the weight. Just give it a little time and it will get going. Are you strictly measuring your food?? I know if I dont measure its easy to misjudge. Just give it a couple of weeks before you do anything drastic.

[ChristyMarie]

Muscle doesn't weigh MORE than fat...however, since you're working so hard at the gym right now, it's entirely possible that your fat is being replaced with muscle...so you may not be losing weight based on the scale, but you are likely losing inches.

[FrecklesTX]

When I exercise a lot, I retain water. Something about your body having to repair the muscles and needing water to do that.

One of my friend's weight loss completely halts when she exercises because she builds muscle like crazy!

Do you measure yourself? You'll probably see more change there.

[Radiojane]

We're at nearly the same height and weight right now! (I tend to get overly excited about this. I don't run into many other overweight women approaching 6 feet lol).

When I added exercise in to my plan, my weight loss stopped completely for nearly a month. Of course, after nearly 40 pounds gone, I panicked. But it was mainly my muscles adjusting to being used. I really should have gotten the measuring tape out and done measurements. I was still losing fat, but my muscles were swollen. Eventually what I did was take a week off plan eating wise, but still kept swimming, which put on a few pounds of water weight of course, but then when I got back on plan the next week, lost what I'd gained and then resumed a steady course.

Every once in a while you just have to reset yourself, even if it's with a controlled cheat.

[AmberK]

I've had luck going on a "spree" in the past. Maybe eating a slice of cake, some cookies, potatoes etc.. to "shock the system".

[Saracandoit]

This is me exactly right now. I had a horrible christmas ( I thought ) I ate buffets and had huge massive dinners and candy and was so happy I didnt gain weight. First of Jan I cut off all the bad food.. candy.. go to oatmeal, lean foods.. soups.. and I've gained 3 pounds! Im so frustrated. Its not like Im building muscle Ive only been to the gym 4 times since then..

Im just going to keep at it and hopefully it'll start going back down. I'd suggest the juice and or soups for two days to get your body kickstart into losing. Im going to try that today.

[SMSDREAMER2007]

Ditto!!! I exercise and I don't lose PERIOD. I have basically resolved to not exercise until I know I have dropped enough weight to fit in to my B, dress perfectly then I will start adding weights and swim at my school rec center and stay off the scale for a while. Try to work on my inches, I know eventually the weight will come, but not seeing the numbers move while I work so hard discourages me. In short, My advice to you? Stay off the scale for a bit, like a month or so then check, you should have lost SOMETHING by then because your body should have adjusted.