I got down to my all time low weight - about 9 lbs ago.

I'm UP 9lbs since then and I'm doing lots to try and lose it again. But I just CAN'T. I'm eating plenty of clean food, and lots of lean protein and generally eating less than I did when I was losing it the first time! I just CAN'T. SHIFT. IT! It's not happening - I don't understand. I can't see any difference in the way I'm eating now and the way I was eating then. I think I'm averaging about 100kcals a day lower than I was eating then AND I WEIGHED LESS!!!

I'm exercising like a trojan, but this past week has been a little lax. However I did run 6 miles on Sunday and took a kickboxing class last night. Today I'm aiming for some running, weights and kickboxing.

I'm feeling desperate. I'm thinking slim-fast and skipping meals even though I KNOW (down to the last horrible muscle-eating detail) how bad skipping meals is and how it slows your metabolism, but I am getting desperate.

Have I messed up my metabolism for good or is it harder to lose regained weight???

HELP!

Oh Jenfrus don't be desperate! Take a few calming breaths.
Have you done some reports at fitday? Do you see any trends?
Calmly have a clear eyed look at everything.
Get out your measuring cups and spoons. Rethink your fitness regimen. Don't be a stranger here.
And lean on us!

My fitday says good things, it says I've been averaging 1800kcals, which is 100kcals below what I was eating when I was a boney ribbed thing.

I need to do some more exercise, but that can't be the whole story since I've BEEN exercising quite a bit - 6 mile run on Sunday and kickboxing last night. I'm going to run today and kickbox.

What about the "other" things? Hormones, sleep, salt, inches??

hormones are under BC control and tend not to interfere if they know what's good for them

Sleep - good (tick)

Salt - low (tick) - but did have a grilled chicken burger with lean bacon yesterday lunch so PERHAPS

Water - GREAT (tick)

Inches - apalling, big fat butt COMING THROUGH! I've even lost the arm definition I had because I've had to rest up on weights because of a slight shoulder niggle

Edit: Checked my exercise journal and I kickboxed for 4 hours and ran 6 miles last week. Most weeks I find time to do a short run, 5 hours kickboxing, a long run and 3 weight sessions. Plus I suppose food wasn't great yesterday since I was out with a friend, but still better than it could've been! And the calories have been ok. The protein is high too. D'you think I need more fibre? I eat LOTS of fruit and veggies

Maybe ... but I sound like an old gramma when I talk about bowel health

I gotta go to work sweetie. I'll catch up when I get home.

When did the weight gain happen? Recently? Could it be water retention? muscle (tho, that wouldn't be 9 pounds!)

I would just add a plea to ignore the scale. You are active, eating well and healthy. Isn't that the most important part? Just keep doing what you're doing and things will right themselves.

And remember, scales are and just one measure!

It came on all of a sudden when I had about a week "off plan" a fair few weeks ago. Ok, May.

I haven't managed to take it off since then.

Yes active, eating well and healthy are all good - however wasting lots of money on a wedding dress that doesn't now fit is bad

I'm doing just what I did before, with the odd tweak here and there and it's just not making any difference. I can't see what's happening. ICK!

Frus - would you consider dropping your calories a little more to push your body back into weight loss mode? It's frustrating, but often what worked before isn't what works now. It seems like losing weight is a game that keeps changing the rules on us.

That's a pretty scary thought - doing all this exercise on lower than 1800 average.

I've had some days at 1400 and they've not produced much effect, plus do I eat 1400 till November? Do I run a half-marathon on 1400kcals a day? I suppose it's worth a try for a week or so to see what happens.

Holy crap, don't run a half marathon on 1800 calories!

What about zigzagging? Between say, 1400 and 1800 calories for a few weeks? Everyone's different in how much they can eat and still lose, but for your weight, I'd say your calories are a little on the high side - even with the amount of exercise you're doing.

Are you lifting at all with your shoulder injury? If you can't hit the weights as hard as you used to, you may have lost some muscle along the way. And that would slow your metabolism a bit.

Bottom line: if what you're doing now isn't working, you need to change it up. You're doing plenty of cardio, your shoulder is limiting your weights ... it kinda leaves calories as the thing to shake up.

Yeah I see about the zig-zagging thing. TBH I was doing that before, but I'm not entirely watching it strictly at the moment - I tend to zig-zag naturally, some days 1400, some 1800 and some 2000.

I have taken a week off lifting - I was going to go today, but I decided it was probably wise not to. I think I am going to go for lighter weights tomorrow.

Plus I'm only beginning Half-Marathon training, last long run was 6.5 miles, so it's probably not too bad on low-ish calories for the time being. I guess I need to decide something and stick to it!

Oh and BTW I'm 172 at the moment - trying to get back to 162.5!!!

So zig-zags with higher calorie days on 2 hour training and long runs. Lower calorie days on short runs and rest days. Could be a plan.

Is taking a 2 week maintenance break a possibility? I remember reading from several, well more than one anyway, successful people that when they stopped focusing on losing they actually did start to lose again and also I would imagine it would help out with the frustration you're feeling. Just a thought.

I don't really have any advice, 2frus, but I will share my experience. I've found (after gaining 15 pounds and losing about half of that again) that it isn't physically harder to lose the second time around but it is most certainly mentally and emotionally exhausting (moreso than the first time). It has been true for me that sometimes it boils down to mind over matter. The more stressed, worried, anxious, etc. I was about losing the extra pounds the firmer a grip the fat held. As soon as I relaxed, thought logically, and stopped freaking out over the fact that these were recycled pounds (thus giving them more attention than they really deserved) they started to come off again.

I absolutely agree that it is wise to re-think your calorie intake, even if for a short time to get things going. And you know I love zig-zagging calories. I tend to do so naturally as well but sometimes a structured attempt is in order. Now might be one of those times for you. In the meantime, tryto stop feeling so desperate and frustrated. As long as you know you are doing all of the right things the right way you can count on your body to do what it is supposed to do - allbeit not on the schedule that is most appealing to you. All of the desperation and frustration in the world isn't going to speed up that process. But, a little positivity and mental relaxation just MIGHT.