I have been struggling to lose this one particular pound for ages, and after a week of doing a Jillian Michaels dvd I got rid of it!

Thing is though, I think I'm over-doing it in general and I've gotten very exhausted and run down. I work a lot, and this week I'm in work 43 hours (10 and 8 hour shifts), plus I make dinner when I get home for me and my housemates, and then have to do the excercise that I can't fit into the day! This morning, I woke up with a sore throat and general feeling of being under the weather. Both my mum and my therapist have told me to take time and rest, but I can't if I want to lose the weight, because weight loss is always so hard for me. I eat right, and don't over-eat at all.

Should I exercise less?? :/ I'm terrified of gaining back that cursed pound!!

I know what you mean. I work 50 hours a week and go to the gym every night after work. Sometimes I get a little burned out. When i feel like that I just do some light walking. Any movement is better than none. When you feel more energized u can kick it up a notch!

It is wise to listen to your body. If you feel to rest, REST. Take a day or two off and then get back into your workouts. Believe me, your body will thank you. I am in tune with my body and at times take a week off from exercise. Whenever I resume, I am so energized and rearing to go!

You might even drop a pound or two....that has been my experience!

I'm not a doctor or anything, but I think that if you're ill, you do need to take it easy for a few days. Part of losing weight is learning to do it over the long haul, and that means being able to make it fit with your life--including bouts with colds or flu.

Or you could compromise: step back your exercise to some lighter level for a few days. If you jog, walk. If you have a stationary bike, don't raise the resistance on it. Take a vacation from Jillian in favor of some light yoga or free-form dancing. Skip the heavy lifting. You'll still stay active, but still get a little bit of a respite from heavy-duty effort.

Look for Eliana's chronicle of her exercise break elsewhere on the forums; she's been tremendously successful and recorded what she did step by step. It'll give you some valuable insight into exercise, taking breaks, and varying routines.

Congratulations on ridding yourself of that annoying pound! May all of its brothers and sisters soon follow it.

Definitely give it a rest until you feel healthy again. If you're body is telling you it can't keep going then listen to it. You've probably lost more weight then you think but you've been working so hard that your body is retaining water. Take a few days off and you will not only feel better but you will probably see a little dip on the scale. Losing weight and exercising is about getting healthy not running yourself ragged.

Definitely switch it up with exercise. Maybe cut it out for a few days, just do a little strength training in the mornings to kick up your metabolism, and cut back your food intake (from I'm assuming 1500-ish down to 1300, perhaps?). You might find that lower calories in/out is more sustainable for you.

Congratulations on finally losing that pound! As for exhaustion, your body is probably telling you to take it easy for a few days. Just start your workouts again when you're not feeling under the weather anymore.

Hi everyone, thanks a lot for the support and advice I did indeed take it easy and have had pretty much two rest days now, and I do feel better. My sore throat is going, and I'm praying that's all it is - I can't deal with a cold right now!!

And you know what, you're right about the scales thing. I weighed myself just now, and I lost another two pounds. @_@ What the ****?! Not complaining, of course!!

thanks guys!