[Wrongway]

i've been on LAWL for 16 weeks .. and have lost 21.6 lbs on this program. i'm very happy with the weight that i've lost.. but according to COD i should be around 32lb. i bounce up and down about 3-4 lbs (for about a month now) and haven't really lost anything in the last month. i do everything COD tells me to do.. i get all my water in .. i excersize and i weigh and measure everything meticullously (sp?) and i rarely go off plan (if i do .. i write it in my diary and try to count it into my exchanges). i mix up my food choices daily so i'm not eating the same foods all the time.. tons of variety. i'm choosing good whole foods that aren't loaded with bad things (like salt..lol) i stick to lighter protiens like chicken, fish and turkey.. and have beef and pork only on occassion .. i don't use a lot of condiments .. so i don't get a lot of extras... i don't use carb cravers very often.. i don't eat frozen dinners.. i always try to use good starches like steel cut oats and fibre cereals and whole grains... i know its not muscle gain either cause i'm not losing inches either. i did this in the beginning and whoosh.. lost almost 15 lbs like wildfire. but here i am again not losing. i honestly don't know what i'm doing wrong. i'm feeling a little discouraged.. but at the same time trying to stay positive. my husband has started following my plan with me and eats exactly what i eat.. and he's lost 12lbs in two weeks without exersizing. i know men lose weight quicker than women do... but sheesh... i haven't really lost anything in the last month. anybody else going through this?? anybody have any suggestions?? i'm afraid COD is gonna kick me off the program (i get the program for free... because i was chosen by LAWL in a marketing contest they were having) so if i don't start losing soon.. they will drop me from the program.

[Clue0983]

I have not tried this yet because I am only 2 weeks into the program but my COD mentioned that if I were to hit a plateau, that I should do another TakeOff. Maybe ask your COD about that option. In the meantime, keep in the front of your mind all that you are doing to benefit your long-term health!

[Jrny2aNewMe]

Michelle - I recently had a similar situation. I had been on LAWL for about 8 weeks and lost about 30 lbs when I suddently hit a plateau and my weight stayed pretty much the same for about 3 weeks. Although COD was not concerned at my average over the whole time, but I was starting to feel majorly frustrated when I was being so good. But then over the next 2 weeks off came another 12 lbs. So I guess the moral of my story is, Hang in there and you will be rewarded.

[MTdebster921]

Michelle- Val is right. You have just hit a stall or a plateau. I hit one for 5 weeks right at 20 lbs. I was so discouraged I could cry. I stayed strong, did everything that they told me to do and then one day it just started coming off again. It really helps to have counselors that are on the program that know what a plateau feels like. TO could be a possible answer, but I never did one until I was 6 months into the program. So, stay strong, stay on plan and don't, DON'T give up!!!!! I know there are some plateau busters listed here somewhere, Joni has a bunch of them she's saved, I think. Do some searching and try some out.

[Snowdogs]

Yes, hang in there. It will come.

Are you chaning your workout routine? If you do the same thing all the time your body adjusts to it - just like with eating the same foods.
If you're not - maybe try doing intervals with your cardio. 1 min hard intensity, 2 minutes lower intensity. You could increase that too - 2 minutes hard, 3-4 easy etc.
On an eliptical use a cross training program, where it varies in intensity, on the tread mill increase speed for the variation - or incline.
I was told by my personal trainer to always set the treadmill incline at at least 2% - that way it's more like normal walking/running.

[LittleBlueCat]

I was in the same story when I hit 160s... My body remembered that weight that I was in for many years, and was very very comfortable for it to be there. It took me over a month to get over the hump and start losing again. The day will come, be strong!

[RaceGrl]

I hit a long 2 month plateau when I was put on the Gold plan. To break it the corporate dietician had me try the following for 8 weeks:

No peanut butter
No cheese (use FF yogurt or skim for your dairy)
No beef
No carrots
No potatoes
No bananas
No Carb Cravers
No Frozen Entrees
And instead of 2 lite bars per day - have 1 lite drink and 1 lite bar per day.

Hope this helps!

[Wrongway]

thanks everyone! i'm doing TO tomorrow. i didn't know that your body adjusts to a workout routine just the same as with food... funny enough... i never thought of this as a plateau... but i certainly thought of it as me failing somehow... sheesh... talk about being hard on yourself.

i feel less supported by the COD because i don't pay for the program... i certainly feel more stressed because if i don't lose.. i can be booted off (which i'm sure isn't helping) one gal overseeing the project even said to me a couple of weeks ago.. that she has to go to the owner and fight for us (there are 20 of us on this project)... and those who aren't losing or considered to be "abusing" the program will be dropped. i was shocked... i do everthing they tell me to do. i have made drastic changes in my lifestyle and i certainly don't "abuse" the fact that my program is free... talk about insulting. i just thought .. wow... way to be supportive and encouraging.

anyway... thanks for letting me vent... and thanks for your support and encouragement. i know i don't post much .. but i am here everyday... reading and learning. you guys are all such a blessing to me.

[Debbie367]

Michelle - You are doing a GREAT job, 31lbs is awesome! Sometimes your body just wants to play tricks with you and will hang on for dear life but you can beat it at it's own game...don't give up!

Even if the COD gave you the boot don't sweat it...you have us! There are many people on the board who are "unofficially" on the plan.