Since January of this year I've lost 40lbs from calorie counting and exercise. I am at the lowest weight in my entire adult life. For the last 2 months or so the scale has not moved, however I've increased the frequency and intensity of my exercise to 5 days a week. A few weeks ago I went through a major life change and relocated to another state. I am now looking for work and living with family while I start over. It's been hard to keep track of all my calories but I am still keeping my exercise program.

With the plateau and all these changes, I feel that I need to make changes with my diet too. I know our body gets used to things and needs a shake up once and awhile. What do you think if I lighten up on the calorie counting (still eat healthy and be cautious of amounts) and keep the 5 days of exercise? If I eat at maintenance level at the very least and exercise 30-60 minutes 5 days a week, would I still burn fat? I am concerned about getting too lax about my calorie counting when I've been so obsessed in the months prior.

Lots on your plate right now, it looks like. A switch up every now and then is good for any diet. Our bodies are very tricky, and they just love to sabotage us, so being sneaky back and confusing them is sometimes the only way to keep that weight dropping. That being said, also be very mindful of your stress levels. With those drastic changes, the stress is bound to be a really big factor or you for a little while. Stress can work either way..it can make us gain, or make us lose. Many years ago, my husband and I went through a bad stretch, and I lost 10 pounds in less than 2 weeks. And I also know people who just gain like maniacs when they get stressed. I assume this is because its harder to control those impulses when you are stressed. When the stress level is that high, it can do some really crazy things to your metabolism. Make sure, above all else, to worry about your mental health as well as your physical. Exercise will definitely help with that stress level, and maybe not obsessing over calories will help as well. Although I find that sitting down and inputting my calories has an almost calming effect for me. Guess it depends on what does and doesnt keep you focused.

On a non diet note. Grats on your move, and grats on the new changes in your life! I am sure you will find something great, and leap into a brave new world!

My experience has been that keeping track of the food is *waaaaay* more important than the exercise. I can miss lots of workouts and still lose as long as I stay on-plan with food, but the reverse is not true. It is difficult to exercise away extra calories.

Maybe you can think of your food as being absolutely KEY to your well-being -- healthy food is so supportive of a healthy emotional life. With all the stress and changes, you need the best possible fuel for your body to help handle it all ... just a different perspective.

Hang in there through this rough time!

Good insight from the above posters.

The exercise is important for your physical AND mental well being...great that you are committed to keeping it up!

As My Michelle pointed out, it seems that for *most* people, it's a lot more about the food than the exercise as far as straight weight loss is concerned. Exercise helps keep your metabolism steady (and as mentioned above, is just so GREAT for your overall well-being), but unless you're a serious athlete training HOURS a day, the amount of calories a "normal" person burns exercising isn't going to make up for careless eating on a daily basis.

Taking a break is OK though! I took a break this summer. Not due to stress, but because I have summers off and I just wanted to slack off a little. I kept monitoring my weight, ate "intuitively" (meaning I didn't count every calorie, but I kept the types and amounts of food I ate in check) and stayed active. Over 3 months I lost about 10 lbs. This was a much slower pace than I had been losing at, but becasue I was taking a break, 10 lbs was more than OK with me. Sure, having taken that break means it will take me a little longer to reach my final goal...but life is about choices and tradeoffs. For me, it was worth it. For someone else it might not have been. But that's OK! We're all different and we all lead different lives. This is NOT a race and I'm not competing with anyone but myself! It's about making a healthier and happier me.

With all that you have going on, perhaps you might want to consider focusing on a slow loss or maintaining your current weight for a while. As long as you don't start going in the wrong direction (and/or falling back into bad habits), there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, sometimes "re-setting" your body and giving it time to adjust to its new weight is actually very GOOD for you! I'm sure you've heard a million times how people who lose slowly are much more likely to KEEP the weight off for the long haul.

You've done a great job so far...just think how much healthier your are now!

Good luck and let us know how things go for you!

I think Northern Exposure had some good ideas there. If your keeping your health in mind and watching your weight semi-regularly there's nothing wrong with taking a break from calorie counting.
At the same time, you don't want to let your journey fall to the way side so you should set a time limit on your diet-Hiatus.

There was an article in some woman's magazine where they did a study of exercise vs. calorie counting. They found that the group that only exercised lost less than the group that only counted calories and did not exercise. I know that personally, I was doing better on my weight loss when I was not going to the gym and doing more intense workouts. I think right now I am going to just stick with walking and yoga and see if the losses start up again. I am also adjusting my eating- I eat way too many carbs, even though they are the whole grain kind. I am trying to add more protein in to see if that makes a difference.

Good luck and congrats on the big move!

Thanks for all the feedback. I took about 4-5 days off from counting and was trying to just eat intuitively, but I was just too afraid too get off track! The fear of letting things get out of control again is greater than the need to relax my counting...

Despite the scale staying the same, my clothes are fitting looser. I'm also exercising a lot more than during the time my weight loss was steady. I have not been as good with the measuring but I think that it's more accurate for me now than the scale.

For the long term I want to be an active person and have exercise a part of my life. I guess I will find my way and keep plugging away!

Hey Kristi -

I am a heavy exerciser - and workout 5-6 days a week for 1-2 or more hours. I was at 184 for about a month and a half - but at my gym we take measurements and skinfold measurements (with those calipers). Though I did not lose on the scale I did lose 2% body fat - and my pictures show a noticeable difference in my shape over the last 2 months. Have you been taking pictures/measurements? (I take my pictures in the same outfit (sports bra and tight (though less tight now) shorts), in the same series of poses.) I find it a huge motivator when I feel like I am going off track. Though I am not losing as fast as I would like - I do constantly notice differences in my body - which is pretty awesome - and is keeping me at this in the long haul!

Good luck to you!

B

I weighed myself this morning after about 2 weeks staying away from the scale and I lost 1.5 lbs! I was not expecting it at all since I've been eating more relaxed lately.

awsome! good work