Okay. I am on a plateau, not a very long one, but for maybe 2 weeks I have not lost any weight. I am so frustrated that I don't even want to eat. I know that if I don't eat I will be doing myself more harm than good.
I will force myself to eat (so far I have only had a banana for breakfast, but I am planning on some oatmeal for lunch). But my throat is even closing up at the thought right now.
I just can't stand the head trip, I feel like no matter how hard I try, I keep getting to a plateau where I don't "see" any success for a couple weeks. I know that my body needs time to adjust, but my mind is racing ahead.
This too shall pass. Just needed to vent I guess.

I know what you mean, but just keep in mind, if you don't eat you will only prolong the plateau because you'll be sending your body straight into starvation mode, and that is not a nice place to be. Just stick with it but try shaking up your routine a bit. Eat a little higher fat (yup, you read that right!) and try alternating between lower calorie and higher calorie days. And try changing up your exercise some. Like doing intervals between slower and faster while walking or running if you do either of those. The point is you are on the home strech now, things are gonna slow down. I promise you will get more frustrated the closer you get to goal. But just try to keep in mind why you set out to do this in the first place, and you will get there sooner or later, as long as you just stick with it. So go eat something and get ready to kick this plateau's ***! Cause you haven't come this far just to let a temporary stall trip you up. Good luck!!

Beverly

Let me ask you this: Are you on a "diet" to "lose weight" or are you on a lifestyle makeover? My feeling is that if you are on a diet, where your only measure of success is the scale, then your frustration is only going to escalate every time the scale doesn't live up to your expectations.

However, if you tell your self every day that you are going to be eating a healthy diet for the rest of your life then it becomes much easier to deal with the ups and downs of the scale. Remember that eating healthy includes eating ENOUGH, eating a good balance of protein/fat/carbohydrate, includes a lot of good fruits and vegetables. Take a life-long view, and from that perspective look at the plateau for what it is -- a blip. Relax. Count your behavioral and lifestyle successes. Forget the scale for a while and just do what you know is the right thing to do. If you stay the same weight for more than 4 or 6 weeks, then it might be time to re-evaluate your strategy and do something like change up or intensify your exercise routine. Until then, just stick to your plan because that's your new lifestyle, not because it's going to make you "lose weight."

Thanks for the suggestions. I went for a nice long walk and had an oatmeal packet. I do feel better now. It is just so easy to freak out when I don't lose any scale weight, but I am really trying not to resort to anything unhealthy. I have come this far in a completely healthy way, no need to get off track now.
I don't see myself as on a diet. I refer to it sometimes as a diet when people ask why I choose not to eat certan things (like cake or chips at a work party for example).
Part of the issue right now is that I have a solid goal. I want to be a certain weight by a certain date, and according to my calculations if I stay on track of losing just under 2 pounds per week, I will be able to make that goal. Every week that goes by and I see no loss on the scale I get more freaked out because it will be that much harder to lose it in time.
My goal is totally reasonable right now (20 lbs by the middle of June) but if I go too much longer without a loss, I will have to just give up that goal. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a drop dead goal, and it wont be the end of the world if I can do it - but since it is a reasonable goal I will be disappointed if I don't make it.

Oooohhhh I am TOTALLY against setting deadlines for weight loss, because it can cause exactly the kind of problem you're experiencing. I also think the expectation of losing 2 pounds per week at your current weight isn't necessarily reasonable. It's not UNreasonable, but maybe not.

I really had to learn to let my body do what it was going to do, and just do my part. It took me 39 years to realize that setting up timetables and expectations about losing x pounds per week or y pounds by z date always set me up for disappointment and loss of determination.

It DOES sound like you have a good healthy perspective. We all lose our way sometimes and need to spend some time re-focusing. Panic is bad. Reflection and re-dedication is good.

Hi KTna, I just wanted to say I totally understand what you're going through. Since January I've only lost four pounds because of plateaus, and I know that at this rate there is no way I will reach my goal by the summer. It can be disappointing, but maybe there are other ways to measure success. In my case, I think the plateau has to do with adding muscle when I'm exercising -- since January I have only lost four pounds, but I have lost almost 3 inches off my waist and almost 3 inches off my hips! Maybe if you are exercising a lot you should start taking your measurements (I measure every two weeks) and you will see progress there.

If you are losing inches, then even though the number on the scale isn't going down, your body is changing and your clothes will fit better (or even get loose!). I know for sure that since my lifestyle makeover started, even though I have lost weight before, I am waaaay healthier this time, and I know the weight I'm losing is coming from FAT, not muscle.

So stick with it! I know you can do it!

Thanks! Just wanted to let everyone know that I kicked that plateau in the butt with a 1.5 lb loss this weekend!!!!

Thanks so much for all the support! I love these boards, they are such a motivator to stay on track and push through in a healthy way.
You guys are great!