Yeah I'm always posting about how the scales aren't budging and how depressing it is.

3 months. The scales have NOT moved in 3 months. I'm beyond and into

I know it isn't the scales that should dictate whether you're improving but the tape and the BF% haven't budged either. My clothes aren't fitting differently and I just feel so STUCK.

It's not just my weight that isn't seeing improvement, my kickboxing has stuck at a point where no matter what I do I just seem to fail again. I even got a heel in my kneecap last night which has just made me even more I like to think I'm invincible and when I get reminded that I'm really not Superwoman it annoys me and makes me think why do I bother?

Why should I keep practising stuff when I practise it wrong? Why should I eat fruit and veg and wholegrains when it's not making any noticeable difference? Why shouldn't I just eat cake? I'd still be the same and I'd have cake.

I can see improvement in my running and a little bit in my weight lifting, but these are arbitary things that I do to help improve my overall health and fitness and mainly improve my kickboxing.

I've lost my mojo... has anyone seen it?

Are you close to your "goal" weight? I've read that the closer you get, the slower it is. Maybe you could switch your plan around, try another exercise? Do you have a trainer you could talk to?

I think you are doing great after reading your posts and remember if you ate cake.... you wouldn't have your budding six pack!!!

I am about 14-20lbs away from goal. I know it gets harder... I'm feeling it! I've added running this past few weeks and was really hoping that would make some difference. I don't see it.

No I don't have a trainer, the guys at kickboxing are really only concerned with kickboxing... Actually they are good but the main dude isn't into health and fitness at all. I don't want to drop the kickboxing since I'm on a black-belt fast track and weights help everything, but I do need to change my routine this week. I've got a few races coming up soon so I guess I can't drop the running!

Maybe I should just stop moaning and get on with it!

Oh I'm hoping to add in 30 miles cycling twice a week in a couple of months time when it warms up and Mum and Dad have time to drop the bike off.

I understand completely. I'm in a 2 year stall myself. No matter what I do or eat my weight only flucatates 2-3 pounds.

I went to see a nutritionist last week. I posted about it on a different forum:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74156

I'm slowly trying to adjust my calorie intake down and increase my physical activity. It seems to be working some. I've lost a couple pounds this week...of course it also could be TOM too.


It's time to let my inner athlete bloom. (what inner athlete? I'm an athlete? No, really I'm a couch potato.)

Sarah

I see.. Interesting! Ta. I think if nothing happens next week, shifting my calories down might be the next option.

My inner athlete is out and running free. My resting pulse, however is nearer 70 so perhaps I'm not that athletic!

I plateaued every 10 pounds until I was down to my last 20. Then it was every 5 pounds. Always a soda drinker, I completely cut out caffeine my last 3 months and drank a ton of water (and I'm NOT a water drinker). It seemed to work. Also, as a college student my schedule varies and I could work out at a different time if I needed to. I would definitely try to tweak your routine a little bit (eating and exercize).

I always found it sadly ironic that the closer you get to goal, the harder it is to get there. I know you're frustrated, but don't give up!

You and I seem to be on the same wave-length this morning 2frus.
Do you have a real name?
I did a bunch of thinking and reading reports at fitday and think I'm sort of coming around. Let me know how you're doing. Maybe we can hold each other up a bit as we shuffle through this.

I'm in the EXACT same situation. I'm also down to the last 15-20 pounds and can't seem to do anything but recycle the same 5 pounds over and over. I've changed my workouts, increased the intensity of my cardio, added new foods to my usual rotation, etc. And nothing. So, I've drawn the conclusion that I'll probably have to drop my calories to get the scale moving again but I'm not quite ready to do that yet. I know I've got to leave this comfort zone to finally reach my goal - and I will - but I've got to mentally prepare myself. In the meantime, I'm teaching myself what maintaining is all about.

Maybe be we should start thread in the support groups for those of us who are stuck so close to goal. Surely there are plenty of us out there.

Anyway, you aren't alone. I don't know what it will take but I'm sure we'll all find a way to get to goal. We just have to be patient in the meantime!

Yup yup. I did try a thread for people with the last 10% to go in Support Groups. It kinda died! Maybe we should try again!

I'm not quite ready to change much either.. I will start to drop my cals slowly in a week if I still see no change but I am warey about going toooooo low (I know all the arguments about "starvation mode") because of my major athletic streak at the moment (4 hours kickboxing, 1.5 hours running and 1.5 hours weights a week). Surely just that amount of exercise alone would shift the lbs wouldn't you think????

I'd go for a thread about tweaking for the last few pounds.

Well, 2frustrated, I can only say that I've been hoping I could lose these last pounds through exercise alone and so far it hasn't worked. I've spent the last couple of months maintaining. As it happens, I can maintain my current weight on an average of 1800-2000 calories and moderate exercise. I thought after a while of moderate exercise kicking it back into high gear would make a difference and it has - but not enough to please me. I keep telling myself that I'm not in a hurry to get to goal and that I don't care what the scale says but I do.

So, having admitted all of that, I'm putting my nose to the grindstone as of today. I'm going drop back down to 1500 or so calories a day and put a little more focus on cardio (weights aren't an issue as I've never cut back my efforts in that area) to burn more calories. I have my fingers crossed that I've given my body a long enough break that these changes will jumpstart things again. I'm still not really ready to make these changes but, then again, I wasn't ready to make any changes a year ago at 214 pounds either - but I made them anyway and look how far it got me. Now, if I only had a dollar for each time I said these exact words over the last month or so. But, this time I MEAN it!

I'll go and see if your old thread is still in the support group and if it isn't I'll start another one for all of us struggling with these last few pounds.

I'd go for a thread too about losing the last few pounds.

2frus How many calories are you eating? Maybe with all your exercise you're not eating enough.

I'm averaging 1800kcals a day. I do 4 hours kickboxing, 1.5 hours running and 1.5 hours weights a week. Maybe I'm eating enough, maybe not. I think another week will tell. I don't want to cut my calories too low since I know that will really mess things up!

Thanks for resurecting/starting that thread lucky

I totally can relate even though I'm so far from goal. But I did want to add that if you eat cake you won't be the same. You'll get worse. That kind of thinking is what leads to yo-yoing and I do know (hence the name). Cake (in moderation) is for free days and NOTHING more.

Just so you know, you have been a great inspiration to me my short time on the boards. I used to kickbox (until crazy trainer quit) and now I am going to get some kickboxing tapes. I'm stuck (and I'm not even close to goal) and yes, it's completely annoying! 4 or more hours of cardio and 3 hours of weight training a week should be DOING more than this! Ha!

Anyway, keep on keepin' on. I'm rooting for ya! And I wish I could kickbox with you! I always had to go toe to toe with the guys. The only advantage I had was that I am right/left dyslexic. So when trainer would yell, "RIGHT UPPER" I'd go left and the poor guy paired with me would block right. HA! Needless to say I wasn't the most advanced in the class, but I had heart. (I never did a girl pushup I'll tell ya).

Karma

2Frus, I wonder if you're eating too much. Your body might have gotten too used to the exercise, the weights, and the routine. Exercising a little more might not cut it as your body seems really used to that. I'd say try change something that you're eating. You're eating 1800 calories now? Maybe try cutting it down to 1600 for just 1-2 weeks and see if that does anything. Just be sure to pay even more attention to your nutrients and your protein and you'll be fine. Judging by the starvation mode thread on the maintainer's forum, I am a firm believer that no one is "not eating enough." You work out a lot yes and I'm sure you burn lots of calories from that, but your body is adjusting to it and even though you feel like you are working as hard and reaching the same sweat level, your body might be figuring out ways on the inside to conserve energy. Try a food change for a couple weeks. I think you are a kickboxing inspiration for many of us, I hope you get some good ideas from this thread.