THanks for all your responses...

Sadly - I have been off for a while and kind of "gave up" a bit. If I ate 2800 calories or 1400 calories and stayed the same weight - why try?

So after a couple of months of continueing to exersice but not counting calories (Drum roll...) I am exactly the same weight! HOWEVER, I can tell I have exchanged fat for muscle cause my pants are getting tight.

I need to get back on track but every morning I start recording my calories then stop by lunch time. Sigh. I don't want to gain it all back.

I don't have medically noted low blood-sugar but when I don't eat - even for a few hour - I get dizzy and have intense pain in my belly, and severe headache... I don't think fasting would work for me. I may be able to "Slim-Fast-It" for a day...but i don't know...

I don't have medically noted low blood-sugar but when I don't eat - even for a few hour - I get dizzy and have intense pain in my belly, and severe headache... I don't think fasting would work for me. I may be able to "Slim-Fast-It" for a day...but i don't know...

Hi All,

Background: I began with a healthier livestyle back in September. I have had success...dropping from size 14 to size 8. My husband says I look younger (and I got carded this week after just turning 34 so I guess he is right!) I started P90X but had to quit when I found out my spine is out of alignment from a car accident about 18 months ago and tons of nerves are pinched. I am still using the elliptical but I am taking a break from the weights.

Anyway... I am a slave to the number on the scale. I started at 198 and dropped to 166 but then went back up to 168-170 after lifting weights (I have to assume it was muscle gain...) But according to the "charts" I am still considered very overweight and only 10-12 pounds under obese. How can I be a size 8 and still in that catergory? Should I just throw my scale in the trash?

I have tried eating more calories (2700/day for two weeks) to increase my metabolism...I had a 2 pound gain. I ate 2400 cals/day for two weeks - no loss/gain. 2100 cals/day - no loss/gain. I have eaten as few as 1500 cals/day (each experiment lasts about 2 weeks) and I can't seem to lose a pound. I have stayed the same weight since February. I just don't have a clue! I am 5'5", 34 years old, currently 168 pounds, and I have been typically working out 5-6 days a week with a 3000/week calorie burn (according to my HR monitor). I measure/weigh my foods to ensure I am eating a serving size. The numbers tell me I should be losing weight...but as my husband says, "Your scale just doesn't know how HOT you are."

Let's see - NSVs keep me going. My husband's favorite thing to say is "Your scale just doesn't know how HOT you are!"

I am on week 8 of P90X and I have seriously not lost ONE POUND since I started BUT...

1. I have gone from loop 1 to loop 5 on my belt!

2. I bought a size 8 pair of pants (and as my 6-year-old shouted when she heard me telling someone..."And they FIT!"). I have NEVER been in size 8...EVER...(I am down from size 14 since September 09)

3. I started out not being able to finish the P90X videos at all and used only 5-pound weights. I am now able to finish the videos using 12 pounds weights.

4. Several people have told me that I have motivated THEM. Wow! That is awesome.

5. The other day my son (4 years old) was feeling ill and he said, "Maybe if I do some yoga I will feel better..." So he put in the Yoga-Kids video and after he completed it he said, "Yup. I feel better." I AM A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON MY KIDS! My 6-year-old went up to the counter at Wendy's (where we don't go often) and said, "I would like something healthy, please."

The NSVs keep coming. I have to count everyone because my scale just doesn't know how hot I am.

It worked!!!! It has been about 10 days without artificial sweeteners and I am finally seeing results again! I am down to 167.8

We all read it... Artificial sweeteners can make you fat. But how many of us keep eating (and drinking) this aweful chemical stuff? No more diet sodas, light yogurts, crystal light, or any other "light" foods for me!

This whole time I have been wondering what could have been halting my success...and as I tried harder I increased my consumption of artificial sweetened "light" foods and my weight would go up! What a crock!!!

A fabulous NSV is how proud I am of myself for not giving up!

Robin, I always find I bloat when I have any alcohol. Make sure you report back with your results. Good luck!!!


How fit are you? I was thinking about trying the p90x program (or something similar) if I started to plateau again..

Kat- I am not sure how to answer that question... I feel like I am more fit every day - certainly more fit than I was 28 pounds ago! What is the p90x program? I have heard people refer to it but I don't know what it is.

I had a BF like your GF once...only your description make mine sound angelic. He was very controlling, though. It was all gradual. I didn't realize that he was pulling me away from my friends, my family, my religion, my music (I am a classical cellist) and trying to control me. I didn't realize till later that I had stopped smiling. I wasn't in as deep as you since we didn't live together but I felt invested - we had been together three years and I hated to throw it all away. HOWEVER, now I look back and am so glad I didn't spend any more time with him than I did. It was 14 years ago and now I have an amazing husband, kids, job, and a laugh all the time.

It is easier to say, "Get out!" than it is to do it...but you know you have to. If you are actually worried she will hurt you than seek law enforcement help. Women know how to use weapons just as well as men do.

1. Re-direct your check. Immediately.
2. Make arrangements to go to your fathers
3. Don't just leave without a word since you work together but expect crap at work. Do you have any vacation time you could take just to let things settle? If her dad is your boss you should have a talk to him and point out your assets to the company and let him know you plan to continue working hard and hope this break-up doesn't effect your job. Document things since it would be illegal for him to fire you for breaking up with his daughter. If he isn't your boss you should go to whomever is and express your concerns.

Good luck, man.

I know you are right, Chris... but it doesn't stop me from being super-mad at the scale!!!

I decided to try on some jeans that I tried on early in my weight loss...I couldn't even fit them past my thighs at that point. I am actually wearing them now...and they are comfy...

Actually, The scale was at 168 for about three days then went up to 170, then 172, then everywhere in between but never back under 170. I just want to scream!

I am trying to get to the local community center where they offer body composition testing so I can get a more realistic view of my body.

...and here is nature's CRUEL joke... I decided to try a different scale that I have. I stepped on and it said 165. I was so happy! (I had known the scales to be about even before.) Then it said ERROR. I stepped on again and it was 170.6

So I only waited a few days after cutting out all forms of fake sugar and I weighed myself...alas, sadness prevails. I am still at 170.6. I am just super frustrated.

I am cutting out all forms of fake sugar. My scale is still being hidden somewhere but in a week or two I will get it back out and hopefully see some good results. I'll post back then.

Wow! I didn't look at this thread for a while and missed all this great info! You guys are awesome.

Okay - I do not eat the same things every day. I would be miserable with that monotony...but breakfast is sometimes a bowl of oatmeal (I use the crockpot overnight with steal-cut oats so this is serious oatmeal) or a two egg omlette stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, or whatever veggies I have left over from the night before and perhaps a hint of cheese to hold it all together. I might have a yogurt (I love Chobani greek yogurt - 140 calories). I usually keep my breakfast b/w 400-500 calories.

A snack might be string cheese and an apple. Oranges, bananas, carrots, etc...I try to keep it "whole foods"

Lunch could be a grilled chicken breast or tuna salad. Maybe soup, PB&J (WW bread, organic jelly, and organic unsweetened PB.)

Dinner could be anything but I measure portions.

I don't eat out very often (2-3 times a month?).

Since I started this post I have lost s few pounds - I went down to 168 (broke the barrier!!!)...then it bounced back up to 171. Sigh. At least 171 is less than 174.

Last night I was out at a business cocktail party and ate like crap and texted my husband and told him to hide the scale! I think I need to try weekly weigh-ins instead of daily.

Here is another question for you all... does drinking diet soda make you bloat like crazy? I just had this thought...I stopped drinking diet soda for a while but my fridge is currently STOCKED with all sorts of diet soda and I have been having a couple a day. My stomach is a bloated mess (and of course the forementioned jump in the scale) I was also eating yogurt with artificial sweetener, and I switched from raw sugar in my coffee to Splenda, I bought some Crystal light...it seems I have been consuming tons of "fake sugar" when I used to eat very little. Could this be part of my problem?

I have lost about 28 pounds since September '09

Way to go, everybody!

Yes, Matt, I agree...when I weigh myself I think "Oh dear God! This weigh in sucks but I could not have really have gained 5 pounds overnight!"

I also use an iPod app called LoseIt and I use the chart on that one and I only put in a weigh-in if I like it.

Ok - here is another question - (Sorry, Matt - you won't be able to answer this on) - Does anybody else bloat mid-cycle? I seem to bloat at day 14 of my monthly cycle...as well as during the entire TOM. It sucks.

Thanks for that link, Dan! How interesting...

It is also good to hear from you all that what I am seeing is normal. I indulged last night at a Super Bowl party with all sorts of salty stuff, beer, and sugar...I know I simply shouldn't have weighted myself this morning...but I did. Bleck!

I use a ipod app called Track Your Weight that has a "trend" line on the graph that sounds like your "moving averages." I will focus on that, I guess.

Thanks!

Hi All,

I listen to Russ losing weight regularly...even if it is only a few ounces a week. (Way to go, Russ!) Jeff talks about how this is how it should be happening if you are at a 10 for motivation, exercise, and diet. My own weight loss journey is very different...

I lost weight quickly in the beginning and after a couple of months it halted. I started at 197 (I had to nip this in the bud before I tipped 200)and my first plateau was at 174 (after 8 weeks). This plateau held until mid-January. At first, my weight loss was steady. Every day I could see the scale go down .1 or.2 (or even more in the beginning). During this plateau my weight fluctuated up (as much as 2 pounds) and down (as much as 2 pounds) but it always returned to 174. Granted - this was during the holidays but I really was quite dedicated and motivated through the holidays. Now the scale has dropped to 168 (yeah!!!) but it still fluctuates up (like this morning...it was 171).

SO...after all this wordiness... my weight fluctuates by as much as 4-5 pounds on a daily basis (and I have two scales which are in agreement) and I would like to know how much everybody elses weight fluctuates. What are the differences between women and men in water retention etc...

Man your life sounds familiar, Bathany!

I am 33-years old with three kids (6,4, and 2) and I am a musician and private cello teacher. I have students 4 days a week and often gigs on weekends (I own my own wedding trio)...then I cart kids to karate, gymnastics, school, etc...

I really wanted to work out the other day and my 4-year-old really wanted me to play with him. So...I put my heart rate monitor on and played as hard as I could with him...We did jumping jacks and kicks (etc) and I chased him around and after about 15 minutes my monitor said I had burned 160 calories! He said he was tired so I plopped him in front of a movie (I felt better about it since he had just exercised with me) and I finished my workout on the elliptical. I burned 515 calories in total. It was a successful workout and I felt good because I had balanced my needs with his.

I used to try and find time for me to exercise "when the kids weren't around" but I have had better success since I have tried to include them instead. I have a kids yoga video, and as old-school as it is - "Dancing to the Oldies with Richard Simmons" because my kids love to dance around with me.

These things have worked for me...good luck on finding your own balance! ...and congratulations on the success you have had!

This may sound wierd...but I love hot wings with blue cheese but it is sooooo calorie heavy (it is true that the sauce is half butter) so when I go out for dinner I will order a salad with grilled chicken and an order of blue cheese dressing and hot sauce. It only takes a little of both to get a buffalo chicken taste without nearly as many calories. Mmmmmmm.

NSV is a non-scale victory.

Thanks for your input! I guess I just need perspective...25 pounds since September...I guess my body just needs a bit to figure out what the hell is happening here.

Does anybody else put an unealthy amount of pressure on themselves about the daily weigh-in? It can be a huge factor to my mood for the day. It sucks!

Thanks for all your input Kathy! ...and congratulations on your own 8 pounds!

I lost about 10 pounds in September and 10 pounds in October then 5 pounds in November. I was 174.4 on November 13 and since then it has gone down a bit (I thought I had made a break through!) and then it went back up to 174. Sigh.

"Hard" on the elliptical is incline of 14 (as high as it goes) and resistance of 12-15 (I do interval training)for 45 minutes. I sweat quite a lot. We have the elliptical in the basement so it is what I use. I do not have access to a gym and I exercise while the 2-year-old is sleeping so I have to stay home. I am afraid I will fall into a rut so I do a kickboxing video sometimes. I also use 5-pound weights to work my arms. I have abdominal workout videos that I do a few times a week as well.

I have a heart rate monitor but the battery died a while ago. I just bought a new battery and will begin using it again soon.

The last time I was able to wear these jeans was about 3 years ago before I got pregnant with my third child. I tried them on in September and I couldn't even pull them up past my thighs. I can tell that I have made progress since September but it seems no matter how hard I try in the last month I am at a stand still.

Thanks Kathy,

My workouts are usually about 45 -60 minutes and the calorie count on the machine says 450-600-ish but I don't know how reliable that is.

I have a BF scale but it seems unreliable even though I weigh myself the same time each day it fluxes about 4% so it is too much of a variable to count for anything. I have not measured myself (other than the jeans!) so I should try that.

Thanks!

1. I want to teach my kids healthy habits now so they don't spend a lifetime being overweight like I have.

2. Sex with the hubby is better when my belly isn't flapping around!

3. Shopping is considerably more fun when you step out of the "plus" section.

4. I want to be viewed as an athlete.

5. I have more energy now and can't wait to see what kindof energy I have when I reach my goal!

I am new to the forum to be kind!

I have been losing weight (25 pounds since my kids started school in September) at 1-2 pounds/week. However, I hit a plateau back in November and I am having problems overcoming it. I have listened to the Pleateau episode about 10 times! I am a 5'5" - 33 year-old working mother of three very active kids (ages 6,4, and 2). I exercise HARD on the elliptical five times a week and add videos, abs, and light weight training as I can. I eat between 1600-2300 calories a day- depending if I exercise or not. I do not understand why the weight isn't just falling off.

I had a HUGE NSV - I had a pair of jeans (size 10) that I couldn't even pull up past my thighs in September and I wore them in public yesterday and could even sit down and breathe! Should I just plow along and quit weighing myself for a while? In the past that is when I would stop holding myself accountable and gain the weight back.

Should I pay more attention to the NSVs and less attention to the scale? What am I doing wrong?