I've been hovering around 141-142 for some time now. Although I don't put too much confidence in the scale (meaning I'm not pushing for a specific number, exactly, nor do I rely on the scale to feel comfortable and happy because I usually only weigh myself once a week, sometimes once every two weeks) and although I'm pretty comfortable where I'm at, I'd really like to get down below 140. At least around the 133-135 mark. Actually, my goal weight isn't a set number for me. What I'm wanting to do is just stay between 130 and 135. I'm not going to kill myself staying at that "magic" number, I'd just like to at least 'hover' around that area because I perfectly understand about normal weight fluctuation.

However, I'm wondering if my body is done before I am. It just doesn't want to let go of anymore weight. Yes, I've tried shaking up my eating and exercise, but it's still right there where it's been for quite a while. It's possible I don't need to lose anymore weight. But what's confusing me is I'm maintaining on 1200-1300 calories a day, but my actual maintenance calories are supposed to be around 1700. So if I'm maintaining at 1200, it concerns me that I may never be able to "up" my calories ever again.

Any thoughts?

Well done on getting nearly to goal. Your body might just want a rest. I have a maintenance week every eight weeks. What I do on that week is eat 1800 one day and 1200 the next. That seems to work for me. Try posting in the maintainers forum too.

Winter is a difficult time to lose, I have a feeling you might maintain through winter then in spring your body might be ready to shed the rest!!!

You could do an experiment and up your calories now and see what happens.....

Mind you, I have no personal experience with this--just a guess!

I hope you're right!

LLV? .... have you gone reading in the Maintainers Forum? You might find some inspiration there.

I'm scared to do that because I've done it before, as sort of an 'experiment', when I went through a loooooooong plateau months ago. And I ended up gaining

How about building some lean body mass through weight training? You will increase your BMR significantly and you will look thinner at a higher weight.

I maintain on far less than what I'm "supposed to" be able to eat, and believe me, I am pretty active and have a hunk o' muscle for a woman. Most women aren't going to be able to build enough additional muscle naturally to eat a whole lot more. That isn't meant to discourage you from weight training- I'm one of the biggest cheerleaders for women lifting weights that you'll find anywhere. But realistically, women are looking at adding 5-10 pounds of muscle, and that's if they are couch potatoes to start with.

Here is a link to a thread written by Meg last year in the maintainers forum. Read this. At first it may seem a bit depressing, but read the whole thread.

Mel

No, not yet, but maybe I'll try that, thanks

I've never been much into weights. I just like toning exercise and walking, I love to walk

Thank you

Hey LLV, I started at 192 with a goal weight of 135. Around March of last year, I reached 140 lbs. And stayed there, and stayed there and stayed there. In May, I decided my body was finished and I would maintain. I increased calories slowly over time from around 1500 to 1800/2000 or so and just lived my life, eating lots of food and enjoying my size 10 140 lb goodness. Imagine my surprise when this fall, a pair of pants got loose and I got on the scale and read 135.

Here is a link to my journal (if you are interested) documenting my struggle to accept 140 as maintenance when my goal was 135 and how mentally hard it was to start eating more (my fear of re-gaining weight). It's been a fairly interesting journey - don't give up, I was 140 for about 5 months before losing again!

http://boards.shape.com/ib/ikonboard...3;t=95261;st=0

I am facing the same situation too. My goal is to be 125 lbs, so I can have fluctuation between 125-130 lbs. I am at 138 lbs, and I've been there over 2 months. I am exercising at least an hour a day, if not two. And I am eating pretty good. I feel like maybe it is where I am suppose to be. It is hard, when you trying really hard and nothing is happening. Like LLV, I've did everything I could with my exercise and eating. I change them around... etc. Everyone says I look good, and I don't need to lose any more. Some days I feel pretty satisfied with where I am at. I feel pretty comfortable with been size 2 and I don't need to be smaller than that, its just that my recommended weight is 141 lbs, and I don't want to fluctuate between 138-14...

Good!

Mel

Me too! Is all I can say really!