Losing these last few pounds is starting to feel like looking for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I know I'm not alone so this thread is for anyone facing a long, drawn out plateau or staring down the last 20 (or so) pounds.

Maybe if we share our trials and tribulations with one another we'll find a way to get the scale moving again and finally reach our goals.

Anybody with me?

I'm with you!
I did a bunch of thinking and figuring and self butt kicking and shopping this morning and I think I'm on to something now. With lots of thanks going to you and Frus
I'm not being careful. I lose regard for the quality of my food as the day grows longer. I half heartedly get some minutes of exercise in each day.
So for me it's focus and mindfulness.

Susan, I did the same thing. I sat down this morning and did the same kind of exploration I did when I first started losing weight. I developed a plan and talked myself into a new and improved attitude.

I've decided my problem has been that I've become too content with my current weight. I want to lose another 15-20 pounds but I'm not unhappy with where I am. That makes it a little harder to do what I know has to be done to reach my goal. When I didn't like what was staring back at me in the mirror I had a fire in my belly that kept me on track. Once I began noticing a difference in my shape it was all so exciting and that kept me going. But, now is different. I know I've got to leave my current comfort zone and accept that there will be fewer immediate motivators from here on out.

Anyway, I'm going to continue cycling my calories but try and average 1500 per day rather than the 1800-2000 I'm currently consuming. I'm also going to increase the amount of cardio that I do. When I took a break to maintain I really threw my efforts into weights. I don't plan to back off of my resistance training, just add extra cardio to it.

I don't set hard and fast dates for reaching my goals but I do find that setting my sights on a certain number of pounds to lose each week helps me stay focused. I'm going to shoot for 1.5 pounds to start and I'll adjust that up or down once I see how this week goes. At this stage of the game even 1.5 pounds per week might be a tad ambitious.

Finally, I've got to get back into a routine. I've been snacking much more than usual and I know it is because I've continued a relaxed schedule since the holidays. I used to make an effort not to have any down time during the day which meant I rarely had free time do any unplanned munching. I am a stay at home mom so I have more flexibility with my schedule than is really good for me. I must get back to keeping myself busy with something besides standing in the kitchen an rummaging through the fridge!

we're back girls!
Have a look at my fitday for yesterday! I'm so pumped! My percentages were dead on! And I can see a shadow behind 130 lbs this morning!

Good for you Susan! I'm gradually getting my calorie intake back down to 1500 and I'm almost there. I never like to make any drastic changes in terms of my eating plan because I tend to feel yucky when I do. I did an "official" weigh in this morning and was at 141. Annoying given that a few weeks ago I was 134 but, hey, I'm back on track now with the same excitement I felt when I first got started last year. If having regained a few pounds scared me enough to buckle down and lose these last 15-20 pounds than they were well worth it.

I was thinking last night how strange it was to feel so fat at this size. And it isn't a body image thing. After all, I realize how much healthier and stronger I am than I used to be. Maybe feeling fat isn't the right term. I suppose it is more that a year ago I could have never forseen that being 141 pounds wouldn't be good enough. Funny how our perspectives change as we inch closer to our goal weights. Anyway, thinking about it like that has really given me the kick in the pants that I have been needing lately. I'm trying to remind myself that if it feels THIS good to be 20 pounds out then being at goal is going to feel GREAT. I'll need to be patient because my 2 pound a week days are behind me (although I'm sure I'll dump a decent amount of water weight this first week). That's okay though. I can live with slow and steady.

I am on my way to the gym and when I get back I'm going to figure out an exercise schedule for the coming week. I'd like to get back to going first thing in the morning (5ish) since it is the only way to make certain I get it in before our days get hectic. But I've just started a new weight routine so it takes a little longer to do because I've got to think about the new movements. Going in the morning is great for cardio but I don't like to rush through weights like I have to in order to be back soon enough to get everyone off to school. I may just do my weights in the morning and save cardio for later in the day since I can always walk or jog after the kids are settled into bed.

Here is to a succesful week. Good luck girls!

Oh boy, this rings all-too true with me. For me, it's the last ten pounds. After having yo-yo'd back and forth for several years now, I know exactly what happens: I lost 2 or 3 pounds, feel terrific and am really motivated. Then I lose 5 or 6 pounds, feel terrific and get really complacent. It's always really innocent at first -- an evening of pizza and beer with the girls. Then it's a couple of cookies as an afternoon snack. Then I'm tired after work, so I skip my workout. Before I know it, I'm right back where I started from. It's really frustrating, but I know that I only have myself to blame.

I am going on vacation in 5 weeks and want to eat well and exercise right for those 5 weeks. Having a carrot always helps me. I would love to be a part of this ongoing conversation -- I need the motivation!

Veerie, welcome! You've found the right place. Personal responsibilty seems to be the evil ring here!
Baby carrots are definitely a blessing!

I found you!

Well I was kind to myself this weekend. Had a reasonably clean day on Saturday and a big old kickboxing lesson and a 10 minute jog to warm up beforehand. Then I went shopping and didn't find what I wanted but bought other things! Isn't that always the way??

Yesterday I had a clean-ish day but I had a quarter of cheesey garlic bread thing which wasn't too bad, considering. Then I got REALLY hungry at about 7pm and I had rye bread toast, half a cantaloupe, an apple and a couple of pieces of chocolate, oh and 2 wholewheat crackers. I think I did ok, but it is TOM so I relaxed a tiny bit.

Oh and the scales are being slightly kinder this past couple of days but it might be a fluke! Will have to see at the end of this week!

So I'm proud of my healthy weekend. Oh I did have a slight carb frenzy on Friday night and I really wanted to beat myself up about it, and I did for about half an hour, until I talked myself into looking after myself! I entered the carb fest into fitday and it wasn't too bad, so I adjusted Saturdays calories accordingly.

Today I have NO processed carbs with me. I had oatmeal and an egg for breakfast with about 1/4 cantaloupe! Didn't have time to finish my melon so it's in the fridge for later. Need to go out and buy some squash and Pepsi to keep my fluids up since I have a 5K run today, an hour kickboxing teaching and upper body weights.

Oh and an NSV - I can do side splits! Hurrah! That little NSV got lost in the gloom of Thursday night/Friday morning's scale drama!

THE SPLITS!?! Oh, I haven't done those since, I don't know, 3rd grade or so. They are one of those things I wish I could do but not so much that I work at the stretches that would make it happen. Good for you though! Oh, and I am sure any weight loss you've had is no fluke. I swear I think mind over matter plays a part in how our bodies respond to diet and exercise. Maybe your venting over in the support forum helped relax your brain signals. LOL.

I'm feeling especially motivated. As silly as it sounds I think I needed to gain a few pounds to put things in perspective. Or maybe it is just that those few pounds have brought back the week to week excitment of working towards a pound or two loss? I'm pretty sure I'd just lulled myself into a funk before and just got too darn complacent. I'm really ready to tackle this weight now. I've said that a couple of times in the past few months but this time I really mean it. Before now I think I was just trying to talk myself into do it - no I actually FEEL it. I think finding a handful of other people in the same boat has given me a boost as well. So, thanks to you guys in advance!

I've eased my way back down to 1500 calories a day. I don't intend to go any lower but I am prepared to move down to 1300 if I have to. I'm going back through my fitday account and reviewing some of my old menus. I've been in a food rut lately which, in part, explains the extra snacking I've been doing. When I started losing weight last year I put a lot more effort into my diet plan so I know there are some meal plans from early on that offer a lot more variety than the one I've been stuck on.

Hooray for your mindset lucky!

I just ran 5K in 34 and a half minutes. Hurrah! I couldn't run for toffee 6 weeks ago! DF thinks that my "training aid" is a Mars bar on a stick hanging in front of my nose!

I'm going to whisper like Jenfrus because it was early and I think I had my glasses on but I think I saw 127 lbs. I'm not putting my tracker down that far until I see what tomorrow and Wednesday bring, but I am putting it down.

Kimberly the Calorie Counter tells me it's Emeril who says "Kick it up a notch. Bam!"

I'm pretty happy but I am not using that dancing carrot. We should ask for a dancing something else.

Hope you all don't mind if I join too. I haven't hit a plateau (knock on wood) but I'm only 14 lbs away from goal.


I was thinking the same thing. One year ago I weighed over 200 and thought I'd be happy if I could just fit into a size 18. Now I'm a size 10 (M) which I've never been in my life and I still feel too big. I'm thinking maybe a size 8 or even possibly a 6 for my goal size.

Good for you Susan on having such a great food day! What percentages do you aim for?

2frus Yay on the 5K! Glad you're feeling motivated!

Veerie Your vacation should be the perfect motivation.

Welcome getncontrol. Of course you can join us!

Susan 127 if I could resize the so it was a tiny one, then you'd have it! So I guess you're gonna get a full size one

Everyone!

Feeling like I pushed it to the limit exercise wise yesterday Woke up shaking but didn't last long! It's an easy day today, just one hour of kickboxing training. I love the way this is my easy day now! It used to be all I did all week, now it's my easy day!

Had a good eating day yesterday, fruits and veggies and protein all spot on. I still have a wierd midnight chocolate eating thing going on. I think there's only 3 or 4 choccies left in the box now so it won't be going on for much longer! I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the loo and end up in the kitchen straight after... I think my midnight brain thinks it doesn't count if it's dark!

Got salad for lunch today, not much else to report... Oh yeah I changed my weight routine last night. Not vastly different from before but it adds in stability ball push ups! They're fun... The main challenge is trying to stay on the ball for 8 push ups! I think I'll do my sets of stability ball ones and then two sets of man push ups, since I did 10 knee push ups properly with no discernable effort last night at kickboxing (I forgot my T-shirt and that was my punishment )

Jenfrus ... you need a woodstove. Pies left over at Christmas? into the stove they went!