Well, I'm still stalled out at 120 and have been here about six days, I think. I was feeling bummed about this until I went back and really examined my eating plans/weight loss rate, and I'm still losing between a half a pound and a pound a week. It's just the closer I get to goal, the more fidgety I get. I am getting giddy about making myself a maintenance plan! I want to finally pack away my larger clothes and get more new ones! I just know that I didn't gain this weight overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight, and knowing I will probably only have between 5 and 10 more weeks to wait to hit goal isn't horrible.

well i hit 125.8 today. Yes. I was starting to wonder if my body was just happy where it was haha. But before kids i was tenny tiny, sz 0/1 weight 115... etc but i was also 17 lol. So i think 120 is feasible, and also maintainable. we'll see. so 5.8 lbs to go to goal. :) Keep it up ladies! i usually eat 1200-1300 a day... yesterday and today im doing eat smaller items instead of "Meals" with meat, bread, etc. So im eating when im hungry, and feeling more satisfied so im not snacking.

Crystalx4-It's because your metabolism sped up! Are you working out any more than you were before? Especially if you've been doing anything to build muscle mass, it takes a lot more food to maintain than fat. But I appreciate the info, idk I started eating around 1100 because the scale just stopped changing. I am working out (even though in my head its 4-5) 3-4 times a week. i've been pretty strict lately because i am sick of not losing weight, so at 1100 and working out my scale finally moved down a bit. I actually saw for an infinitesimal moment this morning 129.8! but, alas, I cannot rely on that until it sticks for a few days, especially because it's so close to 130.

Well, I hope I can find a way to do this the right way, the healthy way, and get to my goal slowly but surely

Born This Way I haven't worked out at all... Unless you count on occasion lol. I keep saying I am going to start a workout routine. I'll stick to it for a couple of days and then stop for whatever silly reason. I'm seriously going to start a weight lifting routine, and do my darndest to stick to it! Is it even possible for metabolism to speed up? If it has, I like the idea of it though! I guess when I think really hard about it though, I have been more active. We've been doing a lot of reno's around the house, the weather has been a bit nicer, so I've just been able to get out more with the kids.


On a different note, the scale actually moved this morning in my favour!!!!!!!!! Down to 123.6, exactly one pound since last weight posted lol. It better stick, it's been such a long time it seems since I seen the scale move last.

i am not against building muscle, but it doesn't take that much more calories to maintain it. it's about the protein really, but,
"Adding muscle contributes very little to calories burned (even less than I used to believe). Think along the lines of 6 calories per pound of muscle each day. So adding 20-30 pounds of lean muscle is just an extra 120-180 calories burned per day."

As someone who has thick legs, both thighs and calves..and thick arms....I hate weights. If I do anything, it'd be bodyweight exercises and I think for most people (even normal guys) that is enough.

I'm sorry about the confusion, as in weight lifting I meant to try to shape my body up some through the use of weights. Add a bit a definition to my arms would be nice. I still have fat to lose around my belly, but, I also know I could use LOTS of help in that area too and maybe some good ol' fashioned crunches might help me. LOL. My stomach is flabby and terrible. My butt could use some great exercises too!

Sometimes reading these posts makes me laugh a little (let me clarify: not laughing at anyone!) because while most of us have similar goal weights, few of us have the exact same problem areas. I am not too concerned with my stomach or my butt, however, my saddlebag region needs some serious work. I mean SERIOUS work. That is the only spot on my body where I can grab a BIG wad of fat (don't get me wrong, I can grab fat from many other places, but not as big as that particular region). Here's to hoping that all of us have success with our problem areas!

Krampus, glad to hear that you're nowhere near the disaster! I think you have a good plan...correcting the behavior and not really focusing on numbers is a good idea. I think I will do that, because it seems that when I weigh myself too often I am too easily discouraged. I hear you on the shin splints too. I have been running for over half my life and I've never had them, yet last year when training for a marathon I got them bad. It was aggravating because it seems like that should just be a new-runner, too much too soon injury and unfortunately, it can strike anyone. I've been doing up to 40 miles a week for awhile now and I haven't had them come back. Unfortunately I think it just takes some patience and a little bit of backing off for them to get better. Hope things turn out okay for you.

I swear I'm the resident "weight lifting is awesome!" person around here, but I just want to say that I would not be seeing the nice muscle definition I've gotten without some serious weight lifting in addition to my cardio and flexibility routines. When in weight loss mode, I go with a cardio:strength:flexibility ratio of about 2:1:1 or even 3:1:1, but then that gets adjusted every so often for the sake of muscle confusion and to alleviate boredom (so a few weeks I'll do a 1:2:1 or whatever).

I attribute the majority of my first 15 pounds of weight loss to exercise alone, and a significant portion of that was aerobic weight training.

well kat999, I am majorly jealous. :(! i only gained weight, the muscle weight of course...but i was not able to lose enough fat to make it look good. that's why i had to quit lunges, squats, deadlifts, crunches, anything arm related....i don't need anymore inches at all on me. and i am apparently a very easy gainer, because even with light weights..i am just a monster now.

the only place i focus on putting muscle is my butt. because it's flat. white girl butt syndrome, with fat thighs (half genetics/half squats).

and maybe it's me, but i hate any hint of muscle definition? i feel manly. i hate seeing my calf muscles, arm muscles, and that "tear drop" thing in my thigh.

kat I'm TOTALLY with you on strength training- for aesthetic reasons but more importantly because it's so important for women's health. Fights against osteoporosis, etc. I'm really happy that lifting has become a major issue on the radar in the dieting world ("New Rules of Lifting for Women", etc) and why lifting is so important is now widely accepted.

I LOVE muscle definition- I also have fairly big thighs (year of soccer) and upper arms (years of rock climbing) and I wouldn't give them up for anything. It makes me feel capable and independent. My body structure is very similar to Hayden Panetierre with a few more pounds right now, if that helps give an image. Some people don't like that because it isn't the feminine, delicate look, but I love being athletic and toned :D

inteventionn, it sounds like you're after a different body look than I am, which is totally fine. I'm an ectomorph, so maybe I need more weight work than some people. I like an athletic frame, but if you're after a more willowy dancer's body, pilates is probably all the strength training you need. Pair that with a LOT of cardio, and I think you'd see great results. :)

indiblue, I think Hayden looks awesome, very athletic. :) I love that look, especially on petite gals.

kat Yes, go Hayden! I definitely fit that body type- my roommate from college and I decided the best way to describe my shape is not necessarily petite but "compact." A lot of stuff fit into a small amount of space haha.

127.8 for the second day in a row, and going to bed now at 129.6 which is promising for a drop tomorrow. I'd be ecstatic to see any downward movement. Sorry for the obsessive weighing, definitely a vice I have.

Good luck everyone else with your journey down the 120s- I'm rooting for all of us!!

Day 7 of 120. TOM is on its way, so I know I'm going to be stuck here for another couple of days at least, but I'm having this sense there will be a big drop after the inevitable girly bloating subsides. Argh. No wonder I've also been craving chocolate this week. :P

wow, maybe you're just lucky! and yah, your metabolism can definitely speed up. when i've been in really good shape, and had all the nutrients my body needed through vitamins, my metabolism sped up for a while. i could eat more and weigh less!

I was watching some show yesterday and they showed a picture from the Victoria's Secret catalog where the model's thighs were so ridiculously airbrushed that it was not humanly possible to look that way. I don't know why, but that type of thing really p***es me off. It's bad enough these girls are a foot taller than me which I will never achieve but now they airbrush their already super thin legs? Come on. Seriously, it should be illegal.