Hi all! I'm a long time reader of these boards, and figured I'd finally join in on the discussion.

I went from the 180s to high 140s in 2009 through strict calorie counting and exercise. However, I think I was a little too low on my calorie goals and I ended up in this awful plateau I could never get out of. I decided to relax a bit on the food side to see if I could get my metabolism to bounce back a bit, and now here I am, back up to 160 again.

I guess I'm just stuck and not sure where to go from here. I exercise a ton - running / kettlebells / weights - 6 days a week. I think it helps me maintain (assuming I'm keeping my calories at 1500 or lower), but I don't know how to get back to losing weight without getting stuck in the same rut I was in before.

So...that's my story. Looking forward to joining this community and hopefully finding a way to get all this back on track!

Hi Monster, welcome to 3FC! Please feel free to jump in anywhere you like!

Have you considered BFL, or BFL for women? It's a really healthy plan and perfect for more active people. I love the BFL for Women book. Basically the same plan, but included lots of things that were specifically important for women like hormones, osteoporosis, etc.

I'm glad you joined and look forward to seeing more about you!

Welcome Monster, Glad to have you join us. Cute name and great avatar shot! My advice is to look for a Support group, Chat, or Challange to join; small groups make it easier to get connected. Most sub-forums have groups covering almost every need, find one that inspires or motivates you and just post to join.