Stuck!!

OK..I went my week without weighing. Stepped on the scale yesterday...Easter..new begginings..has to be good right? No...the scale is stuck at 177... I have been so good lately with my eating...I even exercised an extra day last week..I usually do six days...I did 7! This included three-- hour plus workouts at the gym..water aerobics...walk aerobics and walking! I was so frustrated yesterday...I was eating lots of what I shouldn't have..and felt very ill when I went to bed...woke up with the guilts... I am going to try cutting out the snacks..except for protein drinks..and see what happens this week. We are now working on a nine week plateau..I know all the logic about muscle weighing more than fat..my clothes are fitting but no way are they falling off me... Just bummed... Joanie

Hi Joanie When I get back from my vacation, I will take your weight scale with me to hold for a month without weight on it on April 17th at your party because it droves you crazy , more upset and disappointment with your stubborn Plateau. I do weight myself once a month and is not thinking about how much I lost weight. My advice is to you to keep busy yourself and try to not think about weight on scale, keep your food log and keep excercise. it will pay off this if you takes my advice. I do not eat No Carbs at all and stick with protein drink, meats and some fruits and vetgetables ( mostly green vetgetables) Try to use only SF possible for snacks ify ou need it. I do not eat snack after dinner and just drink nectar protein drink , water sometime I grab SF possible if I need it. Do not give up and I PROMISE you will break that stubborn plateau if you are not thinking about it often!!! HUG, Kathy K

Kathy I actualy think I have been good up until now...not worrying and obsessing about it..but my one yr anniversary grows closer (July)...I can feel the "pressure". Thanks for the encouraging words...it really does help! I promise I will NOT give up...I am going to continue to exercise..and get my eating under control again...after my disasterous day yesterday. Thanks again' XOXO Joanie

Joanie, This is the second time I wrote this, the internet is not my friend today. Kathy gives you good advice, she has done sooo well. I am also stuck. I have posted my problem on another web site, wlsfriends. They are another wonderfully supportive group of people. The old timers advised me to give up all carbs, no rice, no flour, no potatoes, (no bites, licks or tastes), and no sugar. For two days now I have only eaten a bit of dairy, meat, veggies and fruit. Maybe a bit of oil and fats through dressings and dips. And some nuts, which I am now giving up because they are too many calories. Keep up the exercise and water, we can be partners through this. This is such a battle, but we can do this, I refuse to give up also. Good luck with it, Pam

Hey Joanie! Hang in there!! I know where you're coming from. I didn't weigh for 2 months now, and my close HAVE been falling off, but today, I weighed out of curiousity, thinking "man, I've got to be under 200 by now". HA!! I'm still the same exact weight as 2 months ago! I have dropped a size in clothing, but no numbers in weight. HOW does this happen? I haven't been doing any massive exercise, so I know it's not muscle. It's scary though, b/c I think I am done losing, but my goal is so far down the road. Anyhow.. I feel the "pressure" too. My 1 year anniversary is coming up in May and I'm freaking out, hoping to get off 40 more lbs.. somehow. I find that my loss in inches comes after a good week of eating.. ie.. breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, snack. Snacks of jerky and cheese mostly. The more protein, the more the pants fall off that week. So, I'm going to mix things up and try and get 40 lbs. off in the next 2 months. You're doing a great job, definitely don't get discouraged. We're all going through it and I'm pretty sure there's a light at the end of the tunnel for us. Take care, Michelle

Joanie, This happens to me too. Everyone always says its cuz muscle weighs more. But, I have found that if I increase my carbs--either with fruit or plain old pretzels the wgt comes off. In the very beginning I ate little carbs at all and hit my first plateau. Then by chance I added some carbs and the wgt came off. So the same thing happened when I started working out and it continues to happen when I increase my workout and decrease my intake. I think it is the old "hibernation" thing. My body goes into self preservation mode. It can't understand what is going on and holds onto whatever it can. I trick it by increasing the carbs and for me it works. I also agree with Kathy. Get rid of that scale. I found an old one in the basement and I leave it there and only weigh myself monthly. Good luck. Linnie

Linnie I KNOW its the adding carbs that is keeping me from losing ..even a little bit. I cannot seem to get through an entire day without them! I was doing so great when I had a fear of them..I should have never let them back into my life! I cannot tell you how tough it is! I really think the scale is KEEPing me more on track..I am staying off the daily weigh that I had been doing...but I can see me getting so out of control if I didn't keep tabs on myself that way. I have changed my exercise routine several times. I can't imagine that the exercise is even part of this plateau thing now. I know its strictly the carbs..and my night time eating that is doing it. Thanks for the advice...I really appreciate everyone's input! Joanie

Hi, Joanie! Although I haven't really been on a plateau yet myself (writing this had better not jinx me), I can clearly tell how frustrated you must be. I read somewhere (I don't remember if it was on this website or elsewhere) that someone got the scale moving again by varying the number of calories she ate each day...one day higher, the next day lower, the day after higher, and so on. Her theory was that the days her calorie count was higher would convince her body not to be in starvation mode and that the lower-calorie days would offset the higher-calorie days in terms of weight loss. Just a suggestion... Anytime you want to talk, just call me, Angel. Hugs, Debby

Hi Joanie, As the "QUEEN OF THE PLATEAU" I so know how you feel! I was stuck from like December through February!!! I'm still going very slow..only down 67 lbs, and I, too, had my surgery in July. I guess I won't make the 100 lb. mark by my 1 yr. anniversary ....We MUST hang in and try to do the right stuff and pray like mad the !$%^&* scale moves! Good luck, sister, I'm rooting for you! JA PS I'm off to do my 3 mile Walk Away the Pounds Video