I need some ideas, it seems I'm spiralling downward. I kick off a new diet with alot of enthusiasm and I'm pumped because I want to succeed and I start to lose weight. All goes well until I derail with a plateau. Then I scour more sites trying to devour more info....to keep motivated during a plateau or yoyo the same 2-3 pounds over and over again. Then the next phase is over obsessing....going from not caring about the scale (because the weight is coming off and I feel it in my clothes) to a weekly weighin and charting the above said yoyo....to NOW the daily weigh in and what is going on? I know right now I'm PMS'ing and I've been having these tremendous MOOD swings....(like a crazy woman) so I'm not thinking clearly right now but tommorow is weigh in and I DO NOT want another gain. I've stayed OP and can't figure out why the stall for over 3 weeks now. I excercise 5 days/week with alternate muscle groups daily (so to give my muscles worked a rest) and also do 30-45 min of cardio after my weight training. Any words of wisdom girls? You've all been there and I would certainly appreciate any help!!
__________________

I plateau ever 20 pounds or so, sometimes for weeks, more often for months. It's just one of those things, and you just have to ride it. There are millions of suggestions that people make, like increasing your calories for a couple of day, then cutting for a few days, etc., changing up your exercise, drinking more water - but in my experience a plateau is just your bodies way of catching up with what is happening to it.

I think the biggest thing for me this time was not to go on a diet. This is a lifestyle change for me, and it is just that, for life. It's not a diet where I will change my eating patterns and get to goal and then stop and return to "normal". What I am doing now is my new "normal" and needs to be forever.

Don't panic or get down hearted, stay strong and positive and it will happen!

Depending on what your weight is and if you are already close to goal, or how much more you have to lose. You cant kick off a new diet. It will be a non stop new thing that you have to go thru unless you see it as a life style change. Diets come and go as fast as new name comes up for them.
Alot depends on whats going on , are you eating enough for the day, are you working out to much or to little, are you getting enough rest.
Are you taking in the wrong kinds of nutrtion that your
body does not need.
How many calories are you taking in.
Theres many diffrent areas that you might need to look into to. But dont let it upset you just really look at what your doing , be honest with yourself at all times and you might already know whats going on.

Thanks for the reply you two....I tried not to let it get to me and just carried on. Today's weighin was alright, down .5 lb but TOM is coming tommorow. I guess if I'm doing all the right things, my body just has a mind of its own!! Everything in due time. Thanks again.

No suggestions here, just wanted to offer some support.Halts in weight loss are devestating. I'm sorry this is happening, but you WILL get through it.

hugs

I know what you are going through. I plateau'd on my 35th lb. I have been there pretty much for the last month. I have lost 3, gained 2...so I am now teetering 1lb less than my original plateau and I just can not seem to break this. I started walking a few times per week, watched my calorie intake SUPER closely, tried jogging my calories up and down....GRRRR they are aggrivating, but I keep trying to remind myself that this is not temporary loss, so my eating styles do not need to go back to where they had been, that eventually something will happen and I will start loosing again (I HOPE), but if not I know I will NOT GAIN it back. GOOD LUCK to you!

Thanks for the reply Gonnaloseit. I know I'm not the only one going through this and its nice to know 'we're' doing all the right things. I'm in total agreement.....I do not want this to be a temporary thing. Good luck to you too! I am shaking things up this week, and adding more protein (via protein powder) and changing my workouts. Somethings gotta give!!!