that just when you feel like you've got this whole weight loss thing figured out, the scale decides not to move anymore?

It's been 5 days holding steady, maybe even creeping up .2 - .4 pounds even with a 1,000 calorie a day deficit, if not more (and yes, I measure everything by weight and get a good amount of protein) - I know this isn't unusual in the slightest, and I know I'm going to have to be prepared to hit muuuuuch longer plateaus along the path, but this morning, it just feels particularly frustrating

And why is it that I feel comfortable being much whinier on these boards than I ever allow myself to be in real life? Aren't you all just the lucky ones

So, I tell myself: I'm doing well; I've found a plan that works; I'm trying to be happy and just celebrate not regaining...repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat

Mini-whiny-rantiness now over

Whine on sister! That's what we are here for. When I have hit plateau's before I would either tweak my diet a bit or increase my exercise.

It will happen it's just incredibly frustrating but we are here for you.

<3 Angela

Whine away!

I have found that if I get "stuck" for about a week, if I up my calories just a tad, it kick starts something. Coincidence I dunno. Maybe. Also, if I up my water that seems to help too. But I weigh and chart everyday, so I can see patterns and I notate things that change (birthday, night out, new work out, no work out etc)

Stick with it. If you're still there in another week, change up your exercise type (if you do primarily cardio, do some strength training) and/or increase your calories by 300-400 for a day.

This is how my body loses weight, and even though the stalls frustrate the heck out of me, I know to expect them now. For me, they usually last 2-3 weeks. Sometimes making a change (as above) helps, but usually they pass on their own and I go back to losing weight for a couple of weeks before getting stuck again (I lose 9-10 pounds in those couple of weeks though). It's always feast or famine for me, in the weight loss sense.

Mine just budged today after a week, too, so I sympathize. Though I have never really managed to feel like I have the weight loss thing figured out! I'm 6 pounds from my healthy weight zone and just petrified that the scale will go "Bwa-ha-ha-ha" and I'll never actually get to see the new decade.

I was stuck for 3 weeks and when I looked at my journal, I realized that even though I was eating within my calories, I was eating too much rice. I simply cut out the rice and replaced it with some complex carbs such as sweet potatoes and yams. It worked!

It's soothing in a way to whine here because so many people are going through the same thing as you..I find comfort in the fact that I'm not alone in this long and tedious journey.

Keep chuggin' along, Chickie.. all your hard work will pay off and you'll appreciate it that much more

One month I lost 4 pounds. Here is what it looked like:

week 1: 0
week 2: 0
week 3: 0
week 4: -4

Do I know why it went that way? No! Did I give up? No! You just keep following your healthy program, making sure you're getting a good mix of nutrients, keeping tabs on what you're eating etc., and TRUST that if you stay with it, your weight will drop.

Jay

Hey Spixiet! I know exactly how you feel. I walk and walk and eat salad with fat free dressing (1 Tbs.), grilled chicken breast (1/4 of it shared with my cat or he attacks me) I get on the scale this morning with great anticipation... and I went from 202.0 to 202.2
So I get out my weight loss chart trying to figure this thing out. I weigh daily or I will get off track...and basically it shows I stay at one number give or take a few ounces for about 10 day's. I guess this means I am losing a pound every 10 days or so. I looked back over the last 3 months and it shows I have lost about 5 lbs. each month. I am 49 years old so I am really happy with those numbers.
Even though it is going slow it is going and not gaining.
But yes it is frustrating hard work! I see though I am not alone in my struggle. Thank you for posting this thread...it lets me know I am normal and my body is not against me

I think our scales are possessed by evil little imps who like to see just how far they can push us before our heads explode. But, that's probably just me, right? So, I just tell myself that even though the scale number isn't moving I'm eating healthier so I have to be healthier which is a large part of the reason I'm doing this.

Oh, yeah. Then I come here and whine.

I think scales are so full of crap. Can I say crap here? I have been weighing myself regularly (most days) and I have been teetering around 205/207 for months. And I know exactly why. I know what I have/haven't done.

So, I have also been meeting with the nutritionist at my work. Just got back. I met with her 2 weeks ago. And 2 weeks b/f that. First appt on the scale in her office, I was 219 ish. Second appt. 217 ish. Today: 214 ish.

Soooo... one scale about the same, the other scale numbers go down. I don't care about the diference in numbers between the 2 scales - but shouldn't I be going down on BOTH of them?

Whatevs. It's crap I tell you!!

I say boycott the scale and measure yourself for awhile, then bring it back out. I did that when I hit my plateau and it felt great not stressing over that evil thing.

After losing 40 pounds, I got stuck at 248 for 3 weeks... sooo frustrating (though I know I was eating a little crappy then too.). The fourth week I ate my normal healthy stuff AND an entire large bag of Lay's potato chips and a 1300cal mini pizza. Not at the same time, but still... And I lost 3 pounds that week. WTF? I don't get it... so I'm gonna just keep trucking on, doing the best I can, without getting too focused on the number.

Congrats on meeting your 10% goal!! That's great!