I don't even know where to start, except to say that I am at a very low point right now

I started WW the first week of April, after establishing a good exercise routine at the gym, which I began on Valentine's Day. I am adhering to my 22 pts/day, eating the right foods, and exercising to the point of total exhaustion 5 days a week. I've only racked up a net loss of 3.5 lbs. Am I gaining muscle while losing weight? Don't think so, as my pants still cut into me, and I still have a second set of boobs spilling over my bra. I drink 100 oz. of water a day. One small indulgence during the week can set me back as much as 1.5 to 2 lbs.

The activity points really confuse me. If I go by the slider, it says I worked my butt off, but if I go by the website, I feel like I did a whole lot of something for nothing. So, I don't know how to count any of the exercise I do.

My ego is extremely fragile right now. I want to throw the scale through the window. I desperately need new clothes for summer, because I can't wear the same pair of capri's all week long, but I WILL have a dressing room meltdown if I go now. Both my grandmothers died from complications of Type 2 diabetes. That has been my motivation to get in shape and lose weight, but at this point I feel like I'm getting no better results than if I laid around and ate ice cream and chips all day.

I saw my family physician in November and addressed my concerns with him. His response was to laugh, tell me that the South Beach Diet was the answer to all my problems, and to have fun bikini shopping. No bloodwork, nothing. I need to find a new doctor

My husband just told me this morning that he would pay for liposuction if it would help and make me happy.

Hi Christina! Firstly, I would like to say that don't be down about losing 3.5#, as since the beginning of April that is at least more than an average of .5# per week in the right direction. Also, try not to compare yourself to the weightlosses of others. You will be no doubt aware that some people lose huge amounts of weight in the first few weeks, these people though, usually have a lot more than you to lose in the first place.

You say you are using all your 22pts per day, are you using all your flex points too? If not, particularly with all the exercise you are doing, you just may not still be eating enough.

Are you drinking all your water? It really does make a difference if you can boost your water intake. Its as if your body functions better when its well hydrated, therefore, responding to your weightloss efforts better too.

Do you weigh your food? Particularly things such as rice, pasta, potatoes etc. These food items, and lots of others too are very hard to judge the weight of, until you've had lots of practice, therefore, non weighing can lead to over (and sometimes under) estimating your points.

Journal. Write down every little morsel that passes your lips, that way, even if you think you are following your points to the letter, there are no little bits and bobs slipping through.

Lastly, ditch the doctor and keep hold of those scales! I also had the risk of diabetes as one of my incentives to lose weight, (I got gestational diabetes, that did thankfully pass after giving birth), so I understand you wanting to avoid this at all costs. But don't give up. Sometimes it takes a little longer than we would like. It took me about 16 months to get to goal, yet it felt at times like a life time. At one point it took over 4 months to lose 5 pounds. Sticking with it, planning and patience are the keys to success. Have fun, vary your daily menus so boredom doesn't kick in, and enjoy!

Good luck!

Christina don't despair it will take time... As I can see from your weight tracker you don't have that much to loose. You're kind of like me it takes me forever to loose. Last year I lost 12 in a whole year, that's only .23 pounds/week!! .... But hey at the end of the year it was 12 pounds that I did NOT GAIN !! Have you measured yourself? When I'm down with the scale I measure and low and behold I usually loose a 1/4 or 1/2 inch somewhere, it's not a lot but that's better than a GAIN !!

Keep doing what you are doing... Take the suggestions above from Dawny... There are some great ones there, specially the journaling and the portion control... I know portion control is extremely important in the long run. If it says half a cup of rice let say, don't take a half cup that is overflowing with rice make sure it's a level one...

Also if you've been doing the same workout for the last 4-6 weeks, change things up a bit... Shock your body, make your workouts more intense... if you are walking outside start walking and running for a minute each that'll help the intensity... I running...

Hope this helps... I see that that was your first post, come back and share more often, this is a great place to vent your frustrations and I personally feel that it's a better suport group than any WW meeting I have ever gone to, because 3FC is always on hand and as available as your computer... BTW , I don't follow the WW program, I count calories and a low glycemic plan ... But I did do WW for 10 years on and off, till I found 3FC and dropped WW .... This worked for ME, I'm not dissing WW at all because it does work for many....

TTFN

Are you eating any of your AP's? If you're exercising that much and not using any flex or AP points your body will think it's starving and will start holding on to everything it gets. Even if you don't eat any of your Flex Points, you should still eat your AP's.

I agree with Chrissy Poo you probably need to be eating more than just 22 TPs a day with an exercise routine. Most of the time we need more than just the BARE MINIMUM TPs a day when we are active. While this is not true for everyone it is for most. Try eating all you APs and see if that doesn't help (personally I would try eating all my APs and all if not most of my FPs). Exercise points are based on your intensity level...most of us never achieve a true HIGH INTENSITY workout and usually fall between the mod and high for a good cardio work out. What I do is look at the mod points and the high points and take something that is the average when I do a good cardio workout. Weights are always a low intensity unless you are on a circuit where you run and stuff between sets and exercises. You also have to remember the lower in weight you are the less points you get because you don't burn as much because you don't have as much to carry around.

Secondly you may be starting to build some muscle if you have been exercising (including weights -- weights is what builds muscle not cardio) since February.

As for your doctor I would go back and insist that he do lab work including thyroid and tell him SBD isn't for everyone (however W/W Core is very similar to SBD so you could tell him that you already do something that is very similar).

Finally analyze your program with the following:

1) Where in your points are you eating? Most people find they lose better when eating above their TPs by using APs and FPs to give a higher or moderate day. Especially if you are exercising you need to eat toward the high end and not the low end. The reason is because your body thinks it is starving and slows down your metabolism and holds on to the calories you intake.

2) What are you spending your points on? Review POINTS PIES Also make sure you get in some REAL fat (preferably in healthy fats but also butter, margarine, mayo, real salad dressing, etc). I had subconsciously removed almost all fat from my diet and had plateaued for SIX (count them 6) months. Make sure you get in some fat.

3) Are you drinking your water?

4) Are you eating alot of processed foods (canned, frozen, etc.) which contain alot of sodium which causes water retention. What about diet sodas? They can cause bloating and water rentention.

5) Are you exercising? Have you taken your measurements to see if you are building muscle while losing? Remember muscle weighs 2.2 times more than fat for the same amount of space (that does not mean muscle weighs more than fat pound for pound but volume for volume it will be heavier) however remember it takes many months to build muscle. If you just started exercise or have made a major change to your routine you can be retaining water. If you are exercising remember to eat high in your point range.

6) Are you journaling? This includes every BLT (bite, lick and taste). Those BLTs can add up in 'hidden' points.

7) Are you calculating points correctly? Ninety percent of new members don't count points correctly. I have a favorite muffin and until last week (I've been on program for almost 2 years) I just realized my 3 point muffin is really 6 points because it is 2 servings. Make sure you use the nutritional information rather than the 'generic' list W/W puts out. You'll find alot of differences.

Once you have analyzed these things then you need to start playing with the program to adapt it to you and your body. Like reducing the carbs and increasing the protien and stuff like that.

and review the PointsPies:

Balanced (under 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 8-9 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 6-7 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 0-3 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 2-3 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

20-28 points a day

Higher Protein (under 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 5-6 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 9-11 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 0-1 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 2-4 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

20-28 points a day

Higher Carb (under 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 9-10 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 5-7 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 1-3 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 1-2 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

20-28 points a day

-----

Balanced (over 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 11 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 10 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 3-4 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 2-3 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

30-34 points a day

Higher Protein (over 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 8 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 12 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 2-3 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 4-5 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

30-34 points a day

Higher Carb (over 250 pounds)

Complex Carbs/Grain Based Foods – 13 points a day
Protein-rich Foods – 8 points a day
Fruits and Veggies – 2-4 points a day
Fats, added sugars – 3 points a day
Milk and Milk Products – 4-6 points a day

30-34 points a day