I have increased my activity, I have incorporated resistance training....I eat mostly 1200 cs/day with some high calories thrown in, but only up to like 1600

All I want is to get out of the frigging 170s! Which I finally got down to 170 in September, and then tried to see 16? for like three weeks and gave up! Gained 10 lbs...and then relost that from September-December! Now, here I am again living between 172-174!!!

This is a sucky merry go round. I wouldn't think that I have accomplished ANYthing, IF i HADN'T posted pictures from September to December....I do see a difference, but it seems fake, like a trick of the lighting....w/out the weight LOSS to back it up!!! Although I did lose 4 inches off my navel measurement...where is the weight loss!

I have been really working hard. I want to see 16?.? by the New Year, and I'm feeling pretty desperate! Somebody talk some sense into me before I jump on the next HOLLYWOOD DIET...or something! Everyone is flying by me in their weight loss! I just don't get it.

a little more of my background, is after my kid was born---I never saw anything below 169 before I started fasting every other day to lose weight! Which worked...and I kept it off for 2 years!!!! Do I REALLY have to do that again???uggggggh!

Here's the kicker. ...I worked MY BUTT OFF yesterday, cleaning moving furniture...I ate like 3-130 cs. egg rolls for the day...then I had a Christmas Dinner to go to ( i DID NOT overdo it) that i had to shop for...so after 7 hours of cleaning and moving furniture...then shopping, the going to the christmas party, then helping clean up the FD after the Christmas party...and being so tired....my pedometer said 36, 724 steps...1800 cs BURNED...so what do I get??? 2 lbs increased this morning...I could JUST SCREAM!!!

Golly Molly I HATE plateau's !!! There are so many theory's about plateau's! Hang in there...keep posting. 3FC is here for your encouragement!
GO JENDIET!

Thanks cathy...for enduring my coniption fit.

I've had lots of times when I've felt BEYOND frustrated and have wanted to just throw in the towel, but where would that get me? You obviously know what to do, since you were able to lose those 10 lbs. and you've lost 24 lbs. already. You and I have the same amount of weight to lose, so I find that interesting. Maybe when your body reaches this point, it stalls a bit? The key is to keep doing, keep pushing and NEVER EVER give up. The scale can be the last thing to show progress. You've lost inches! It's not a trick of lighting! You're getting toned and fit and healthy!!! The scale will move eventually. Maybe you can gauge your progress by your clothes? Pictures are great too, along with the measuring your'e already doing. You can come here and vent anytime, but just stay on that track. Stay on your plan.

One last thing: I have noticed that doing HIIT really makes a difference! Are you familiar with it? If not, you can do a google search. It is really super intense, but it might just be the boost your body needs to know that you mean business! Just hang in there and keep going. You WILL get there!

Well, you didn't each much for breakfast/lunch to fuel an active day yesterday. The 3 egg rolls provided very little protein, some refined carbs and a lot of fat.

I would suggest The Female Body Breakthrough, by Rachel Cosgrove. She has good ideas about nutrition and exercise. Another good book is The New Rules of Lifting for Women, which gives similar guidelines.

Good luck in finding what works for you.

You may be experiencing two very common and very frustrating aspects of weight loss.

One is short term. If you eat properly and exercise one day, the next day the scale may or may not show a good number. There is a lot of daily variation. On top of that, a few things push up the number in the short run. Two of those include sodium and exercise (yes, exercise!). If you ate egg rolls and holiday fare, you probably ate more sodium than usually, and that can add poundage (several pounds if you usually eat low sodium whole foods). On top of that, if you exercised more than usual, your body will retain extra fluid as part of the recovery process. Other non-weight-related sources of short term fluctuation include fiber, hydration, TOM, and hormones.

In the longer run, most people don't lose weight in a clockwork fashion. Many women have to focus on month-over-month figures in order to factor out TOM. There is also a seasonal component to weight loss and most folks will naturally lose less in the fall/winter and lose more in the spring summer. Plus, sometimes your body just seems to decide totake a break from losing weight and stalls out.

So, please don't feel bad about short term blips or even difficult stretches. Think about where you want to be a year from now and focus on the long term goal. Just hang in there and keep doing the things that you know will improve your health in the long run!

Cat...you must have misunderstood what kind of egg rolls, I ate.

I eat the non-fattening type.

I egg roll has the following: From the label.

130 cs. (cs from fat 10)
fat: 3g
Carbs: 21 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Protein: 9g


vit A 16%
Calcium 4%
Vit C 15%
Iron 8%

I ate 1 egg roll, and green tea chai before starting cleaning, 1 after 2 hours, and another after 3 hours of cleaning. I don't think that was a bad choice. I think 9 grams is pretty good, and they are full of healthy veggies.

Thanks yoyo...I think I AM JUST majorly frustrated. I don't add salt to my food usually so the extra sodium..and soreness...probably is a factor.

If you eat below your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), then your weight loss will stall. Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser) is reported to have said this in an interview. BMR is the calories you burn just being alive and breathing, like when you are asleep.

Here is one of many BMR calculators on the web. None of those are as exact as a particular type of treadmill test, but even that is only approximate.

http://health.drgily.com/basal-metab...calculator.php

This one says my basal metabolic rate is 1284. So, I try not to go below 1300 calories.

You may have been pushing too hard for too long... Maybe rethink things?

Good luck!

Jay

AS much as I understand that concept, it still seems foreign to me. I have been trying to alternate my 1200 cs days with 1800 cs days..to see if that is better. Or helps.

It's just the messing with you kiddo!

I know you said that you've been throwing some high cal days, but maybe try increasing your weekly average to 1300?

I haven't been at this dieting thing for long, but I've noticed that I need to eat higher than the suggested diet calories to lose weight. I was losing about 1.5lbs/week on a 1200-cal diet. I figured I'd speed the process up and lowered my weekly cal to 1100cal/day. I only lost .8lbs that week! For the last two weeks, I've been eating an average of about 1350cals. I alternate between 1200-1500. Since I've been doing that, I lost 2lbs and then 2.5lbs this week! If you're constantly feeling hungry, your body is in starvation mode and that means it's holding onto every calorie it can.

Maybe your body has just adjusted to your routine so now it's maintaining. Try mixing it up. Different exercise routine, different foods, eating your biggest meals at different times of the day, etc.

Don't get up, you've done awesome so far. And anyways, isn't it better to maintain for awhile than to gain weight? You'll get there, just stick to it!

the diet

zen and the art of weight loss. pick the food program, calorie level and exercise regime you can maintain and stick with it. don't worry about the blips. I've noticed that changing the diet and/or exercise can take a while, a couple of weeks, to show results on the scale. I can up the exercise and see the scale number go up. If if splurge, it can show up a week or so later instead of immediately. There's so many ups and downs, that's where the zen comes in.

I saw your pics and there's no question you are making progress. 4 inches off your waist is FANTASTIC! so in your heart you know you're losing fat, don't psyche yourself out

Hmmm, where did you get those eggrolls from? Sounds good...

One thing that is hard for me is the knowledge that I should constantly change things up, shift up both my eating and working out, but it is hard to do that. Once you find something that "works" you want to stick with it, but I think that can cause a lot of plateaus.

*HUGS GALORE*

There. I hope that helps.

thanks everyone...you know what...you have all given me great tips...and I really appreciate the advice....I think I will do that. mkendrick. 1300-1500.

I had a big meal for lunch..instead of dinner, today....I have to go work again...i might start off slow with the work...but maybe it will help.

random, I get the egg rolls from our Bi-LO. They are chicken egg rolls and are delicious and filling.

Ez you are right about my attitude in general...I need to focus on the good things God has done for me lately--the negative does feel like the devil on my back.

dragon, thanks for encouragement, that is why I vent...I need encouragement!

random, I jog on my rebounder, do step areobics, or use the hula hoop portion of wii for aerobics. I also have a pull up bar, dip bar, and perfect abs ensemble...should I vary more than that? I do have an exercise bike...I don't like the jarring motion though...I will try alternating my routine too...

red, thanks for the hug. It warmed me up some.