I HAD to respond to you because I don't know if I have ever heard of anyone else having that issue! Years ago I was heavier (140 territory) and I would eat properly, exercise a lot, but lose maybe 1 pound. Then, every few months, my weight would drop by 4 pounds, and stay there. It wasn't one of those weight losses that would creep back on, because I was always 4 pounds lighter, until it happened again.
It was the weirdest thing! That still seems to happen to me now as well. I was down to 124 awhile back, then after careless eating and not enough working out I'm back to 129. I'm waiting for that 4 pound drop haha! But, I'm sorry I'm not more helpful, I have no idea why it happens

YAY!!!!! Somebody else out there exists to lose weight just like me haha! It drives me insane a lot of the time, because it makes my efforts seem so fruitless until BAM! and it's gone. Then I'm stuck again for so long and the cycle continues. I never re-gain it though (unless I do so on purpose by not watching what I eat). I tried to google it once or twice before, but nothing seems to come up

pinkrunner and Crystal -- I don't know if I have your problem because my plateau/regain last week was during the lead-up to my TOM. I've just shed 2 lbs overnight and am back down to where I was before the water retention began (124.0). But that's such an interesting/scary metabolic quirk. Do you find your bodies change overnight or is it just a scale thing?

I tend to lose more weight in my waist, so I can say that when I woke up the mornings when I weighed myself and the drop was 4 pounds, it did look a lot flatter. You know when you wake up the morning after you eat really, really well and work out really hard, and you just feel lighter? I would have that feeling. It's really strange. It's not a significant enough loss to make my clothes a lot looser, but I could feel a small difference. Really strange though!

hey ladies! I just got this new little puppy and the weather down here has been AMAZING these past few days, so I have been way less tempted to sit inside and eat and wayy more tempted to go outside and play! The result is a loss of 2 pounds since I last weighed! 2 pounds closer to being out of the 120's!

Hi all,
I am a new member and am trying to lose the last 7-12 lbs - I'm not sure about my goal. I maintained my highschool weight into my 30's. When I hit my 40's, I gained 15lbs and I've been stuck there. Is it realistic to aim for my "skinny weight" now that I am in my 40's or should I adjust my goal 5lbs higher? What do you think out there?

Good morning 120's! I am back in! I was 128 but after a few months of total binging/drinking, I managed to get up to 132. But now, 1 week on plan, back in the 120's! I WILL do it this time and not let my mind or cravings get the best of me. My goal is to be around 117-118 by Cinco De Mayo! Almost 12 weeks! I have decided this time I am not going to weigh every day but once a week. Monday, weight in at 129.8. So hopefully next Monday will show 128.2! Thats the goal!!

We can do this ladies!!

Hi ladies! I am a new member, too.

Shu: I feel the same way you do. I just turned 40 and I am stuck with an extra 15 pounds. I am also on hormone replacement and take a small dose of thyroid meds. I recently lost 6 pounds but am stuck here at 121. I don't think I will ever see my high school or college weight so I have readjusted my goal to be about 5 pounds over that. Although I am short, I carry the weight pretty well so I am thinking 115 is realistic. If I can break out of the 120's sometime this year!!

It looks like we are on the same track. I'm 122 this morning and I think the 115 goal is more realistic than my 110lb weight of the past. This might kill me though - I barely eat as it is to maintain a wieght in the 120's. I can diet and exercise to get to my goal - it is how to maintain that weight when I get there that worries me.

I went back up to 125.2 today. SO angry. Today was my last day of TOM (tapering), so I thought I'd see a whoosh -- how could I not be losing with my calorie intake and exercise? Maybe it's all water retention in my triceps from walking around with crutches -- yes, I was incredibly sore this morning -- but I'm starting to just become frustrated with the 120s. It stinks to be stalling so soon after starting my weight loss journey.

I know exactly how you guys feel. I am so hungry today. I had gotten down to 120 and for some reason went back to 121 where I have remained for what seem like forever. This is crazy. I am eating less than 1000 calories a day. Trying to work out as much as possible. Drinking tons of water. It's like my body is happy here, but I am NOT. I agree about the maintenance. I am scared if I ever do get down to 115 how the heck do I stay there? Exist on water and air molecules????

Lackadaisy,
I know it sounds cliche, but how much are you exercising and eating? I'm not one who thinks that the body goes into "starvation" mode if you do something like skip a meal, but I know that back before my weird 4 pound drops, 1200 calories a day with moderate exercise really didn't do much for me. I then began eating 1400-1500 a day, doing weights twice a week, and running only about 15 miles a week, and the weight started to come off. Maybe you should play around with your calories. If you're eating 1200, bump it up to 1400 or so.
I have a hard time determining calories as well- I generally do about 1.5 hours of cardio, 5 times a week (I do cardio at the gym and I also run about 35 miles a week) but I don't lose much because my diet is terrible. From what I've read from your posts, you have a good diet and you exercise, so that would be my only suggestion (trying different calorie amounts). This is coming from someone who has absolutely no medical or sports training/nutrition experience, so take it with a grain of salt :-)

pinkrunner, I think you're right. I'm trying to up my calories a little starting today -- I even posted here to that effect yesterday, that I was moving my daily goal up from 1150 to 1400 (I'd been actually coming in at 1250-1300 consumed, 300-400 burned), but I'm not exercising as much for a couple of days so that's not such a great thing anyway. I ate >1600 calories on Monday out of mopiness (lol), so I definitely do eat, and cycle, and I don't even know.

I think I'm going to try to eat 1400 for a couple more days and then see what happens. I can't regain on that level, right?

Maybe I'm dramatically undercounting calories... I don't have a food scale :/

Also, Lisa: YOU definitely need to eat more. <1000 is not healthy. As long as you're portioning correctly & not undercounting, I know for sure you'll be happier & healthier with more food.

I'm baaack. 129.6 this morning. I'd like to stay here for more than just a spell. Ate maybe 1600 yesterday including ice cream and still saw a loss this morning. Food and stuff is on track. TOM started today.

lackadaisy Stubborn numbers. It could be anything. Are you constipated? Dehydrated? TOM symptoms?

Lisa What is the breakup of those 1000 calories? Have you tried low-carb or anything like that? Everyone loses differently, and I know some people have very slow thyroid/metabolism and gain on 1300/day.