Hi all,

I"ve been doing the program for 5 weeks now. And sticking to it hard core, no cheats! Week 1 was 5.4, then 3.2, then 1.6 then 1.8. Today is my fifth weigh in and I'm bummed out that this program has stopped working. My coach is useless. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to get back to those larger weight loss numbers. I started at 175.

I know I should feel happy because losing is still good, I was just expecting better results.

Stay on plan and the plan will work for you! When you don't have a lot to lose, weight loss can occur naturally slower (even though percentage-wise you are losing as fast as your heaftier counterparts). As long as you are 100% OP, you will see results

Hi Ingrid1221 - I'm in the same boat. Just starting week 4. I've lost 7.8, 2.2, then 2. But - rather than relying on weight alone to guage my success - I'm also putting a lot of stock into inches lost. I'm at 9.5 so far which reassures me that my body is headed in the right direction. I didn't put it on in 3, 4 or even 12 weeks so I know I'm sure as heck not going to get it off at that rate. Hang in there! read the boards for support and motivation! YOU GOT THIS!

Hey Ingrid - the program is still working for you. You may never go back to losing the larger numbers again but you dont have that much that you want to lose. My numbers are slowing down too but it isn't that the program isn't working it is just that your body has to have time to adjust to all of the weight it has just lost. I lost 1 lb a week for the past 3 weeks but I have dropped many inches in that same time. I guess since Ive been on it for so long I am used to the "ebbs and flows" of it. If you are following 100% then you will see results. I have found a great coach at my center and she works so hard with me. I have removed any timeline of when I must lose my weight by. Of course I would love to be at goal tomorrow but!!!!

I'm sure you've seen frequently posted here that weight loss is not linear. And the first week is usually the most dramatic. Let's look at a few facts:

- You have lost every single week so far on the program. Your body is headed in the right direction. Are you also taking measurements? Fat loss is measured in inches as well as pounds - the inches are actually MORE important because the tape measure shows when we are losing that fat!

- You have lost a total of 12 lbs in 4 weeks. Your current average is 3lbs per week, which is on the HIGH end of the average weight loss that people experience. The average weight loss on IP is 2-3lbs per week which puts you right on track - remember that is an average, not the exact number you should expect to see every single week.

- You are looking to lose about 30 lbs. Being that close to your goal weight means that your losses will naturally be a little slower because there is a smaller difference between the calories your body needs to function, and the calories you are eating. When a person starts off much bigger, their body needs more calories to function so the difference between what they need and what they are eating on IP is much greater - which means faster losses.

Don't get discouraged - look at the WHOLE picture. Make sure you are setting realistic expectations. Also know that if the scale or the tape measure are moving in the right direction, you are NOT stalled. A stall is defined by WEEKS of no change on the scale or in inches. Keep doing what you're doing and you will get there!

Ingrid...make sure you are drinking MORE than the minimum required. Someone suggested I up my water intake early on...and sure enough that helped.


MY STORY:
Average loss is about 2.5-2.8 lbs a week over about 12 weeks now. Some weeks it was well below that...but other weeks I lost closer to 4lbs.

Also,early on I dropped over 20 inches....BUT I have lost only 1.5 inches over the last 6 weeks...however my pant size continues to drop...thankful for that..I'll TAKE IT!!! I'm barely 1/2 way to my goal...but have people telling me I should stop. .....(NOT!!) BMI won't be normal for another 22 lbs...and that puts me at the top of the BMI range for 4'10" tall. ...so I'll be sticking to this. Other plans have not worked. For sure- this is my best hope! Good Luck to you.

Hey! I am an Ingrid and 5'4 too :-) Stick with it. In the last month I have been losing about a pound a week. I have been losing inches pretty steadily but it is generally a half inch here and a half inch there. Given that you have so little to lose it is not going to come off as fast. I always say Rome was not built in a day nor did I gain all my weight in a day so I expect it to take a while to come off :-)