Sorry you are having trouble. I have been in your shoes and it is very frusterating. Try eliminating excessive amounts of sodium from your diet. Don't eat anything overprocessed becasue it hides in there. And try to decrease the amounts of carbs you are eating. That may be the trick, you may be carb sensitive. If your still having trouble I'd make an appointment with your doctor. There are many reasons why we have trouble losing weight and some of them are medical. When was the last time you had your thyroid checked?

FWIW my height is about your height.

I'm 48 I know FOR me that getting below 180 is going to be very very very difficult. I've set my permanent goal at 176....

not saying this high weight is right for everyone... but just maybe is it possible your body is happy where it is?

have you had a body composition done?

I'm not sure what kind of response I'll get for this...but maybe you should try shocking your body temporarily. Go au natural, maybe even Atkins. Fruits, veggies and lean meats only. That might get your metabolism working in weight loss mode again, which could make returning to calorie counting easier.

My advice isn't worth much, though, since, in the past, I give up when I hit a plateau.

You CAN break through it though! Don't give up! *hug*

I don't know how old you are but when I approached menopause I couldn't lose much anymore. After eliminating high GI foods, my weight has plummeted. I'd go with the suggestions about eliminating carbs for a while (Atkins, Southbeach Phase I) and see what happens. I also think that the suggestion to have your thyroid checked is a smart idea and have a body composition done. If you have a lot of muscle maybe your weight is healthier than you think.

Are you drinking enough water? Not drinking enough water can make your body refuse to lose weight, and we all need more water when it is hot out - even if you stay in the (dehydrating) air conditioning.

I'm with Jayell - why not try maintaining for a while? In essence you already are... Giving up is not an option. It'll suck even more if you give up and gain more back.

So sorry about all the injury stuff - I've been there. No FUN.

Oh Beach, you're NOT giving up. No way, no how. Ya hear? I mean what would the alternative be? GAINING weight? I think NOT!!!

Though I can imagine it must be extremely difficult and oh so very frustrating to say the very, very least.

I was also thinking it may be time to use a different approach. Kind of what murphmitch has said. I'm not an Atkins fan, though I know many people are quite successful with it. But it may be something to consider. I was also thinking about the low GI approach.

One other thing, I think you may have to *accept* the fact, make peace with it, that for now, you are a maintainer.

Hang tough, tough lady.

No undereating, missy! It only leads to a neurotic and a very annoying (to yourself and others) mindset which will be counter productive.

Please keep in there!

Aw, Beach. I know you have struggled with medical issues and that you work hard eating healthy food and that your nutrition knowledge is excellent. I know that from your past posts you have tried everything that has worked for most people losing weight and that you must feel like you are beating your head against a brick wall. I know that you long to have that bikini body back and I wish that someone here could have a fabulous idea that you have not already tried that will work perfectly for you.

I admit that I know what you have tried, ruled out, eaten, exercised, etc., from your past posts and I am stumped too. I agree with Gina, Jay & Robin. Maybe focus on maintaining right now. Losing is so hard, sounds like near impossible for you, and gaining is frighteningly easy for you. I know you are working so hard just to stay in the same place. But maybe, for now, until your surgery might give you more exercise options, maybe NOT gaining is an admirable goal. I know you don't have the body you want, and I know you are working so hard, but what is the alternative? Gaining would suck even more.

OK...... so ...I'm thinking that maybe I'm just *TRYING TOO HARD*...? I mean, I KNOW the facts. And these are THE FACTS:

I KNOW I've been eating HEALTHY. I KNOW I haven't gone *astray* with my calories (I record EVERY BITE that goes in my mouth!) and I KNOW I drink plenty of water and I KNOW that swimming for an hour a day & walking a 1/2 hour a day is GOOD exercise. I KNOW that I am taking good vitamins & watching my sodium intake, & eating lean meats & veggies & fruits... and I ditched the junk food & even soda & pretty much all I drink is coffee (2 cups in the a.m. while getting ready for work) and water the rest of the day. Occasionally I have a Diet Dr. Pepper - but that's not everyday & I never have more than one. I am getting plenty of sleep.

I AM IN PERI-MENOPAUSE. (I call it "p-pause".)

The only thing I can think of is that my hormones are really SERIOUSLY kicking my a**. I am taking vitamins & treating my p-pause naturally because of the pulmonary embolism I had last year, I can never take any kind of hormones ever again. But the natural approach seems to be working for me in that I have NO MORE night sweats, NO MORE hot flashes, and the mood swings are practically non-existent. However - my weight is STILL a problem. Hence "my hormones are kicking my a**" idea.

So yesterday I left work, went home, & got in the pool. Instead of swimming my usual laps & concentrating on my form, I just SWAM. I decided to just CHILL OUT. I swam for RELAXATION, not for "exercise". I listened to the quietness. I paid attention to my heartbeat.

Maybe I do need to just *maintain* for a while. Perhaps, after my surgery, once I'm healed, I can get back to an exercise routine that I know has worked for me in the past.

Until then... I MUST GET OVER THE ANXIETY & ANGER & FRUSTRATION & WORRY about *not* losing weight. I think I may even need to forgive myself & somehow learn to let go of the boot-camp mentality.... STOP focusing on weight loss. Just focus on HEALTHY.

That won't be easy for me; I'm results driven.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions & support.

If your hormones are in flux, you are right - they could be the reason you are not losing any weight. Have you talked to your doctor about it?

Yes, I have talked to my doc. She said "Hhhhmmmm. Yes. That COULD be the problem." Ahhhh, medical technology!

Hey Beach,

If hormones are the problem, and you can't do anything about that (because of your medical history), then it has to be c'est la vie...

All you can really say is that right now, under current conditions, you aren't able to lose weight. But you can maintain--you've proven that for months. Make that your new success!

I complain a lot because of my troubles losing more weight, but the fact is, I've stayed the same weight for over a year now. That can't be a bad thing.

Cheer up! Enjoy! Life is precious!

Jay

P.S. I lost all my weight AFTER menopause...

My friend went through menopause at an early age - 42, and she has been trying to lose 20 lbs for over 2 years.
Our hormones really make it difficult to lose weight.

It sounds like you have a good attitiude about it now.
Just focus on eating healthy and doing the exercise that you can do without pain (have you tried cycling or jogging on a mini trampoline?).

Take it one day at a time and enjoy life
Take care

you do know that stress will make you not lose weight right?