I realized yesterday that I can do more than I have ever been able to do before. I can actually jog (almost 20minutes now!), I can do 90minutes of cardio a day and I can lift more in strength training than ever before. My work outs are consistent and I seem to be more motivated now than ever before.

Unfortunately, I haven't lost and weight recently mostly due to the fact that I have so many off-eating days, mostly on the weekends. I just don't understand how I can be more 'in shape' than ever before and still be the same size! I think I have been kidding myself by thinking that if I could work out as much as a skinny person I would be skinny.

Actually, I haven`t weighed in several weeks because I'm afraid of what the scale will say about all my hardcore workouts + too many bad eating days. I actually had a nightmare last night that I was forced to get on the scale and I was 218 again.

I guess I know what the problem is here, but I just wanted to share to see if anyone had any advice or motivation to share. Has anyone conquered this kind of self-sabotage?

I understand what you are going through. I really get annoyed by the scale because sometimes I am extra extra healthy and did more exercise than usual and it says I actually GAINED a pound, I swear I could gain weight just from looking at a piece of cake. I am sure if I kept up being healthy for a month or something progress would eventually show, but the problem is at least once a week I will just go on a food binge and eat enough to make me have to lose that weight for the rest of the week instead of getting somewhere in my diet.

If you haven't weighed in weeks, how do you know you haven't lost at all? Besides, the fact that you are in shape physically is (IMO) more important than the number on the scale. Better to be fat and fit than skinny and lazy! Thin people who never get exercise are also at an increased risk for health problems, you know. Any exercise is good for you!

I have no doubt in my mind that I am healthy. I almost always eat healthy food, usually my problem is not my food choice but my food portion, and I work out almost every day. I probably weight myself once a week or something, but if I am very healthy and I gain weight I just get frustrated and go on a major binge, or if I lose weight I will tell myself it's ok to eat a little bit more until that little bit more every day ends up being 5 pounds.

mmmLatte- You and I seem to have the same types of eating patterns. That is one of many reasons I try to stay off the scale. No matter what it says seems like a good reasons to eat.

Papperclippy- I guess I don't know for sure I haven`t lost weight, but my clothes don't feel looser and I don`t feel as though I look any thinner. You`re right though, being fit and chubby is much better than unhealthy and skinny. I have to remind myself of that sometimes.

My official weigh in day is wednesday, and I'm probably going to take some progress type pictures then too. I don`t think I've gained any, at least I seriously hope that I haven`t. No matter what it says though, I'm going to try to use it as motivation to stay right with my eating.

I guess the reason I feel so frumpy is because a lot has been going on lately, specifically I've found myself single for the first time in four years. I have recently cut all contact with my boyfriend of two years because our wishywashy status hurt me every single day. I feel better about that now, but I think attention from him made up about 50% of my self esteem so it is taking a while to rebuild that.

Lizzie~ we have the same problem, during the week it is no problem to stay ontrack, besides my latte and tea addiction in the morning. But once the weekend starts, Im drinking, eating more bad foods, not a ton, but enough for it to take an effect on me. I actually feel guilty that I do it. But you know what? I figured out that I dont have to completly change my life, I have to portion it out , so only one weekend night of drinking. Which is ok, and not 15 beers plus pizza at the end of the night. I dont know anything else to do, its rough because those are my friends thats what we do hang out, go out shop have lunch have a couple of beers. And I ENJOY that, so Im lost. LOL Hope you are doing better then me..

Ok, so I weighed this morning and the scale finally moved..
I'm now 210, down 1.5lbs from my last weigh in! It took me a month (that includes all my vacation time) but it finally did something, so I'm happy for today.

I'm going to stay on plan for the rest of the week with no cheat days and hopefully by next Wednesday I will have lost at least a little bit more. If I haven`t then I think I'm going to give into my mother's requests and go have my thyroid checked.

I've had those days too. My friends say I've simply hit a plateau. They suggest that I mix it up a little. Either eat a little more to jump-start my metabolism (which doesn't seem to be the case for you) or mix up some different types of exercise.