I know I should be soo glad that I just lost 39 pounds over the summer. I lost it by just changing eating habits and watching carbs. I have not even started working out yet. I was hoping to lose at least 10 more without having to work out..because my issue is that the working out scares me. The scale will go up because muscle weighs more than fat and blah blah blah...and I am sure that everyone will have a plethora of advice as to how I am doing this wrong and yadda yadda yadda...I am just plain pissed that this weight stopped coming off since my last menstrual cycle (a few weeks ago). I want to cry because this food issue has been a huge battle and what I really want to do now is go have a big mac ( I am a food addict). sigh..please offer some support without judging and offer some real solid workout advice without telling me to cut corners. I have several friends who do weight watchers and do the points..but I dont see how some of the stuff they eat is even ALLOWED. like why are you allowed to have a big mac and fries? smh..that was a small side note. And no, I am not going to go and free base a big mac while I await responses but please tell me that the weight will continue to come off! I still have 60 pounds to lose!

First of all, muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle takes up less volume than fat so you will appear thinner than a person who weighs the same but doesn't exercise.

Second, losing weight without exercise means you are losing muscle as well as fat and that is not a healthy thing to do.

There is no good food and bad food. Food is food. There are good choices and poor choices. I'm a lifetime WW at goal since 1977 after losing 200+ pounds. You can't eat a Big Mac every day, but you can plan it into your eating program so you can have one occasionally. I'm a proponent of eating well 90% of the time and indulging 10%.

Walking is great exercise but the important thing is to get moving more. Exercise doesn't have to mean a trip to the gym. You can play more with your kids, dance, walk, bicycle, anything that gets you moving. Resistance exercise can be toning bands and there are tons of sites on the Internet with free routines.

You may need to have a more structured approach to weight loss. If you don't know where to start, take a look at MyPlate.gov to get going.

You have to be at the same weight for 6 weeks to be on a plateau. The way you get off is to exercise a little more and change what you are eating.

Susan already stated great points. For me what keeps me going (and I love burgers--although only the kids' size ones so go figure) is knowing I can indulge if I want and stay on plan, but also educating myself to get the most bang for my buck. I literally eat 2-6 cups of salad a day every day. It's huge, takes awhile to eat (I'm not a fast eater by nature anyway), and by the time my entree is ready--I'm pretty much full (unless I add chicken or fish to the salad then I don't eat an entree). There are all types of low caloric way to add "dressing" to the salad, salsa, different vinegars, lemon juice, and even plain...so it's salad not dressing with a lettuce leaf. Experiment with different veggies and fruits, even in combinations you never thought possible (like mango salsa on fish rocks!). Hopefully your palate will change and you can have the volume you want without the calories and a Big Mac will be a special treat, but maybe you'll start craving other stuff? Just some thoughts. Good luck!

OH MY! This is two posts you've made this year where I COMPLETELY AGREE with almost every single word and I feel like you're dispensing wisdom like buddah on the mountain top. Nice post!

The OP might want to read this post again, and again until the concepts in it sink in. If I had to nick pit a little I would say that you have to be the same weight for 10 weeks for it to be a plateau because some people can retain water for a long long time.

To the OP I would point out that regarding Mcdonalds it is a caloric deficit that causes fat loss - not quality of food or carb intake. For an extreme example google the "twinkie diet"

When you say a few weeks - are you talking 2 or 3? Weight loss isn't linear for most people. I've had spans of 2 or 3 weeks where I've lost nothing and a few weeks where I've lost 4 or 5 lbs. The weeks I tend to lose less or nothing are usually right after TOM like you. It's the AVERAGE weight loss you really need to look at.

I wouldn't worry so much about 2 or 3 weeks at the same weight. I know easier said than done. It's when you're talking about 2 or 3 months at the same weight that you should be exploring changing your plan.

Don't let those times make you quit. I know it's discouraging. Keep going, and if you're still eating at a deficit I'm pretty sure the weight will start to come off again.

Great point.

I also want to say MEASUREMENTS count too. I would rather weigh 20 pounds more and be 2-3 sizes less because of muscle versus fluffy and lighter. I've been there, I'll get there again (and this time stay accountable as I was thin and worked out most of my adult life), and trust me there is NOTHING like having muscle versus being just lighter...nothing.

I had a burger and fries for dinner yesterday and still had a .6 lb drop on my scale this morning...true, that's partially because I'm exercising like a madwoman because I have to go back to work next week and might not have time for it, but it's also because I woke up in the morning and said "You know what sounds really good? Mos Burger." So knowing that I wanted something less-than-healthy for dinner (I looked it up and a Spicy Mos Burger has 346 calories and a small order of fries has 129...so actually not horrendous), I had a small breakfast, drank lots of water to tide me over, had a small-ish lunch, then had my treat for dinner. Throughout the day I used it as motivation to throw in a little extra activity too...When I wanted coffee, I walked past the machine right next to my apartment to go to one a kilometer away because I had greasy goodness waiting for me at the end of the day.

If just counting carbs has stalled out, maybe try switching to counting calories a while. It seems like the best way to break a plateau is to change things up. Thinking that you can't have things is just going to make you fixate on them and resent the fact that they're "off limits." If you set it up as a reward for yourself and plan accordingly, you can have things as long as you practice moderation. Next time you desperately want a Big Mac, don't tell yourself no...tell yourself "Yeah, I can have that for dinner so long as I have a healthy, low-cal breakfast and lunch." A Big Mac has 550 calories, a small order of fries has 230...so keep in mind throughout the day that your dinner will be around 780 calories and divide whatever your remaining calories are among breakfast, lunch, and snacks. If you're close by, maybe walk to the McDonald's to get it. If not, park your car at a different business down the street a piece and get in a few extra steps.

I'm seriously not stupid...these are all things I know..and I'm not on a diet..i made permanent lifestyle change. I do not need to great about ww..i don't care for the program..i have been working with my nutritionist to make lifestyle changes..the big mac.reference was a sarcastic note. I do not eat mcdonalds at all anymore and I don't miss it. I was able to drop nearly 40lbs just by making lifestyle changes..so don't tell me it.can't be done..i choose one battle at a.time..i chose to get the good under control first. To each thier own. I don't need to rethink my strategy..and don't jump down my throat about what I am doing..you have no clue..quick to judge and assume that I'm doing it wrong because im not doing it the way you are..smh

^ So... what is it you want? You just want weight to magically fall off? What is the point of your post if you're not genuinely seeking advice? Just to ***** about things.

Complain all you want to, but don't be rude to others for trying to help you.

I really don't understand.

You're saying your on a plateau, but you don't want to change things, work out, or reassess them? No one can tell you that the weight will come off, no one can tell you without knowing what you are doing that it won't come off. Based on what you posted, seeking advice, people posted advice and opinions.

I think everyone was trying to be helpful, but I didn't see any judgements here at all--just advice and knowledge of what worked for people and/or is working for people, and some food for thought.

katiejames, I'm sorry to read your post and that you took such offense to the advice you got. I would like to offer you some hugs if that's ok and to say a few things. First, it's often times hard to read sarcasm when things are in writing. You said you're seriously not stupid, but I don't think anyone here thinks you are stupid. You did clearly ask for support in your original post and we all have our own ways of giving support. Some of us actually can't help but dispense advice too because we're SO excited about whatever we're doing.

I think it's fantastic that you found a way to drop 39 lbs. just by making some changes. People were just offering other ways to look at the situation since sometimes it's nice to have another point of view. I can understand your frustration (and I also didn't enjoy WeightWatchers) and I have often come here for advice, support, a vent, etc. I also know exactly what you mean about having fear about the scale going up when you start working out. Personally, what I have found is that if I just do cardio, it doesn't make my scale go up but if I add heavy weights, the scale does go up for a bit.

As far as I see it, you've worked really hard and working out isn't necessary for weight loss. You could just hang in there and see if the scale ends up cooperating. Or, you could shake things up by making some changes. Since you said you don't need to rethink your strategy, then I will just wish you the best of luck and hope you end up seeing the changes you want to see.

If you ever do want some advice on what to do, it's nice to post what your'e doing and ask people if they could give some advice on how to shake things up. Or, you could maybe take a little break from weighing in? Just a thought.

Throughout my time here on this board, I have only had one time when I felt offended by someone's post but it turned out she didn't mean to offend me at all, which I found out after I posted about it.

First...i apologize for typos as I'm on my cell. Second..i wanted support and advice on how to approach the exercise. I take offense when some one said I need to rethink my approach..i am not dumb..i know there is no magic ( how do you think I lousy this much right? With a wand? Derr). Anyway..i also know I need to take baby steps in moving forward because I know its time to add.exercise..and no, I'm not lazy..i have 5 children, just did a 5k mud run and ran around the dells with my kids..i also rode bikes with my husband. I need something more structured though..i suppose I should have been more clear...but regardless..all of us are in the same boat..and we should embrace a vent,.support a.truth, and offer acceptance.

The food is no longer an issue..its the exercise..where to start..what to do..for how long? I apologize.

After losing my first 60 pounds (took 7 months), I hit a three month plateau. Part of my plateau problem was burn out and I wasn't being as disciplined as I needed to be. It's very discouraging to see the scale stop moving!! But what I have learned is there is victory outside of the scale! Actually for me, one of the greatest victories was a non scale victory. It was the reality of my clothes moving from a size 24 down to a size 8. Just because the scale doesn't move, it doesn't mean that your body isn't still changing.

I'm not a fitness expert, but can offer my own personal testimony. When I initially joined the gym, I was a fitness nightmare!!! I got on the elliptical and was GASPING for air in less than 3 minutes, literally seeing dark spots about to pass out. I decided to tone it down and ease into it. I walked and did light weight training just to strengthen my body from being so sedentary for so long. Within no time I was back on the elliptical, which I found to be the best bang for my exertion! I was burning over 400 calories in 30 minutes. It was awesome. Now as I dropped weight, it wasn't as easy to get my heart rate up that high nor burn that many calories. Changing up my exercise routine is key. I am currently doing ChaLean Extreme and love it! Her philosophy is 'muscle burns fat'.