I have done lots of research to try and figure out the best way to get over this "bump in the road" with my fat burning/muscle building. I've done weight watchers since fall of 2004 and went from 180lbs down to 110lbs in a very short amount of time (I was about 17 during this time) and due to some family issues, I went on a binge for about 2 months and gained back almost 50 lbs in 60 days. Not healthy, I know. I am now back down to 125 and am 20 years old, however losing the fat isn't as easy as it was before. My goal for the scale is 117 lbs (thats what my WW leader had told me about 2 years ago) but to be honest, I would be perfectly happy at 120 or 123. My main concern is getting rid of this fat over my abs. I know I have some rock hard abs under there somewhere, but I can't seem to get rid of the fat over it! I'm sure my eating plan could use some jazzing up but I'm not sure where. Here is example of a typical day for me including exercise and perhaps you could point out where I need to shake things up abit. (and the exercise I'm listing is what I have been doing only for about a week. Before it was about an 40 minutes to and hour a day , half being weights and toning, the other light cardio)

Breakfast: 8am
coffee, no milk, no sugar
1/2 cup dry oatmeal in 1 cup boiling water with sugar substitue

lunch: 11am - 12pm
2 slices of bread - 90 cal. per slice
1 tbs fat free mayo
3 slices of turkey breast - about 30 calories per 3 slices
Lettuce, pickles, and tomato slice on occation
1/2 - 1 whole baked potato (w/skin/no butter or toppings) or light chips or handful of bran flakes cereal

Snack: 3pm
1 med - large apple

Dinner: 6pm
1/2 a chicken breast or a bocca burger (70 - 100 cal)
2 cups of steamed veggies, no butter
1/4 cup ketchup
1 baked potato/light burger bun (80 cal)/ or other small starch

I try and drink 6 - 10 glasses of water through out the day and on occation have some FF/SF pudding or plain popcorn as a dessert.

As for my workouts, they are 40 minutes of stretch/light cardio/weights/tonning/ interval workout, then 1/2 hr. of heavier tonning and spot specifit worout, alternating body parts between days, about 4 -5 days a week. Then for cardio its about 1/2 hr of some jogging and speed walking on my tred mill. I plan to intcrease my jogging as my heart and lungs are up for it.

That is a typlical day for me... Can anyone help me get back to gaining muscle and losing this layer of fat? Any help would be greatly appreciated! THanks!

Wow I don't know...maybe try posting on the WW site, also
How long have you been "stuck" at the weight you're at? you're just trying to drop another 2 or 3 lbs, right?

I've been stuck for a few weeks. I tryed to up my exercise to see if that would get me "unstuck" but nothing is helping. Yeah, I only want to lose another couple of pounds... heck, i'd even be willing to stay at 124 - 125 if I could just get my fat to burn and muscle to build.

Yeah I would think that the fine-tuning you're trying to do is exercise related (though I really have no idea). Personal trainer, perhaps? New exercises?
Whatever you do, you have made great strides so far -- you're inspiring me!!
S

You might be getting too much starch/carbs with the bread and potatos everyday.. Try cutting them down/out for a week or so, and see if that does anything...

I wish I could tell you... I do know that if you'd be happy at about 120 then that seems like a healthy weight for your height.

I know that you can't spot train. (Don't we all wish...) But if you're interested in building more muscle you may want to post this over in the Weight & Resistance Training area. They might have a few ideas since they're experienced in this area.

My advice is to keep at your current plan and see whether you can maintain at 125. You've done so well thus far.

I agree with redlight. For a 5'4 person 125 pounds sounds ideal. Sometime maintaining weight is harder than losing weight (at least it is for me...) Your meal plan sounds very healthy though. Do you follow that plan on the weekend? Sometimes it's the weekend that kills people.

well... the weekend I do follow the plan until the evenings... usually my hubby and I have a few drink on saturday night, but I have stayed away from alcohol for the last two weekends in a row. I have maintained 125 for a few months now, but just want this saggy/flabby skin around my middle and thighs gone. I got that dimply look to the back of my thighs that I just cant get rid of! lol. I want (probably like all women) to have a flat abs with just a slight definition of a 6 pack... heck, I'd be happy with a 4 pack. lol. I just cant get that tape messure to shrink.... thats what I'm really after. Turning what fat is around my middle to muscle. The exercise plan I listed has only been that intense for about 1 week and a half. Before that it was just 40 minutes of denise austin in the mornings and 20 minutes on the tred mill (enough time to burn 200 calories acording to the tred mill). Do you think my body is just ajusting to the increase in workouts and will begin to tone up later? How long does that usualy take?

Hmm I have been eating healthy and working out I feel like all my life and I have never had definition in my tummy no matter how much I lose. My tummy is where all of my weight goes so no matter how hard I try I would never have any "packs"

Cookie- hello body twin! Seriously, I just don't think it's possible for some women to have a flat stomach with ab definition. That is the only part of my body I have any complaints about (I can't ever recall thinking "oh my thighs are HUGE!"). In fact, I think it's genetic. My grandma who was approx 90-100 lbs (4'11) had a little stomach pooch. Therefore, there is no hope for me LOL.

Girl, I can totally relate to you. It feels like everything *but* my stomach is shrinking. But, I have 3 kids, so that doesn't help.

okay well here are my suggestions


Breakfast: 8am
coffee, no milk, no sugar
1/2 cup dry oatmeal in 1 cup boiling water with sugar substitue
This is all fine but I would also like to recommend some healthy fats in there. You could try mixing in a tablespoon of peanut butter with your oatmeal or eat a handful of almonds.

lunch: 11am - 12pm Your meals should be every 2-3 hrs so try and eat closer to 11.
2 slices of bread - 90 cal. per sliceYou probably dont need this many carbs along with the potato. What I would recommend is one or the other. Obviously you can cut out the fat free mayo, if you find your bread too dry I would suggest putting a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil as a replacement for the mayo as those are healthy fats that you need. You could always try a turkey sandwich with one slice of bread, a hard boiled egg for some healthy fats and some V8 juice or some side of veggies.
1 tbs fat free mayo
3 slices of turkey breast - about 30 calories per 3 slices
Lettuce, pickles, and tomato slice on occation
1/2 - 1 whole baked potato (w/skin/no butter or toppings) or light chips or handful of bran flakes cerealAgain one or the other

Snack: 3pmUh? Not sure what this large apple is gonna do for you other than make you hungrier faster than what you want. Again try eating this meal 2-3 hrs apart so 2:00pm. For a snack I would try 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup cottage cheese with some healthy fats (peanut butter, almonds, etc). The only time you want a simple carb (such as fruits) is when it is coupled with protein right after a workout so that it feeds your muscles faster.
1 med - large apple

Dinner: 6pm This is a great examle of a good meal. However if you incorporate a cup of veggies for your lunch you wont need to consume as many carbs for your dinner
1/2 a chicken breast or a bocca burger (70 - 100 cal)
2 cups of steamed veggies, no butter
1/4 cup ketchup
1 baked potato/light burger bun (80 cal)/ or other small starch

As you can see, you only have 4 meals and you should shoot for 5-6. If it helps any this is basically what I do

breakfast: oatmeal and 1/2 cup milk + handful of almonds
snack: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup yogurt, tablespoon peanutbutter
lunch: 1/2 can tuna, slice of cheese (because I cant stand tuna everyday.. if you use mayo for that reason Id understand), slice WW bread, 1 cup v8 juice and a hard boiled egg
after my workout: protein shake and apple
dinner: 1/2 cup rice, 3-4oz chicken breast, 1/2 cup veggies
before bed: protein shake and almonds

If your going to do anything solid.. the most important meals are the ones post workout and just before bed. The protein and simple carb (apple) after your workout

As for your workouts switch some of your cardio sessons (maybe 1 or 2 per week) to HIIT (look it up on google if you dont know what it is) otherwise I would drop your other cardio to 30 min 4 days a week and lift heavy at the gym 3x week. You are at a very good weight and the only way to look better from here is to build some solid muscle.

Hope that helps

yesitsme- Love the body twin comment! I have my mother's genes, which is a good and bad thing. The bad thing as mentioned is that no matter what I do, even in high school when I was under 90 pounds (talk about unhealthy!) I still had a stomach, as crazy as that sounds. The good thing is I have little limbs. My arms, legs and I guess even my face (although face is debateable...) are on the smaller side. A few problems with that though is A) that's why when I do lose weight people don't really notice because I've always had little limbs and B) when I lose weight my legs don't really look great. Grass is always greener on the other side I guess.

PS wow Crystle can I hire you as my personal nutritionist? Cottage cheese as a snack not a bad idea. I usually do a yogurt and plum, but substituting that for a cottage cheese is about equal. Hmmm