[Nadya]

I'm still sitting at ~160, slightly less if I were to check while undressed but I've always worn clothes on the scale. This means I haven't really lost anything but I haven't gained either which is actually pretty good considering that I was home for a week and surrounded by an ungodly amount of junk food.

The problem is, since I've been back, I haven't been quite as steady as I used to be. I worry about plateauing constantly and my stomach is a continual bother. I feel extra full today and it never seems to get any smaller. This is where I think my concern over plateauing comes from - if my stomach isn't budging can I still be losing anything? I know I need to give it time, maybe weigh myself in two weeks and see where I am, but the fear is always there. It wasn't before I went home...

Going home usually stirs something negative in me, I was just hoping it wouldn't be weight-related this time. I've been walking but maybe I need to go back to heavier strength training? Is there anything that could help my stomach at all? I've heard that you can't target a particular area for fat loss but if anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it.

[4star]

Well stress is supposed to increase cortisol which is supposed to contribute to belly fat storage so destressing is something to work on.

Also, I have just started a CLA supplement, it's supposed to help with belly fat, not so much to lose weight but help balance it somewhat, besides there's lots of benefits to CLA consumption. You might read up on that and see about supplementing it. In animal studies, there seemed to be a marked difference. Just a thought.

But seriously, be kind to yourself. Many people struggle when thrown off their normal routine, it's doesn't have to mean you revert back to your old ways, it can be a learning experience.

[Nadya]

I looked CLA up but didn't really find anything all that great. Livestrong's website seems wishy-washy on it, like "It might help, it might not. It might be okay, it might be unhealthy." What kind of information do you have on it, 4star?

Thanks for the info though, it probably is stress, this past week was so painfully long. That helps a lot, I can try to relax and let my body return to normal.