Getting discouraged...

I've been stuck between 170 and 172 for weeks now, and I don't know what to do! I've lost 12 pounds so far, but it just seems to have stopped. I upped my calories because LoseIt had me at 1200 and that was impossible, and I thought more calories would jumpstart my metabolism, but it doesn't seem to be working. I am pretty bummed.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hmm Ashley... don't discouraged, you can do this.

OK so take my advice with a grain of salt. This was just my experience.

I started using lose it at something like 247 lbs (I know horrible to admit ). I initially lost some weight, 15 lbs or so and then it stopped. Ok it stopped for like a week or something insane, but I got worried. Yup I'm a worrier...

So I sat down and looked at what I was eating. I noticed that a good portion of what I was actually eating was 100 calorie snacks. I could eat my entire budget in those things. I would let myself have one as a snack and then another as a snack. There was one day when I ate a whole box of 100 calories packs of Doritos, not so much 100 calories at that point In my non-nutritionist/doctor mind, I decided that my 100 calorie snacks were not helping. So what did I do...

I threw them all away. (Ok most of them I gave to my sister, but it amounts to the same thing!) Then I cut out refined carbs. I don't eat bread or pasta or rice or anything like that. I pretty much eat chicken breast and veggies. I'm not some crazy low-carb freak. I eat lots of carbs. I just know that I'm getting them from fruits and veggies. I know that sounds drastic, but I do eat really well I figure. And I mostly don't miss them at all now. I haven't missed a week losing since I cut them out.

The point of my whole crazy story is maybe there is something you could change in your diet that would help. Do you eat a lot of refined carbs? Maybe cutting back on some of them would help. (Like I said just my experience!) And just so you know (just in case that seems scary) I have recently started adding back in oatmeal, in pancake form and I'm still losing!

Don't give up! You can do this! Maybe try mixing things up a little more!

I know that there are plenty of things that I can change. I definitely need to put more effort into it. I could be going to the gym more, but it would take getting out of bed at 8am, which is hard for me to do considering my schedule.

As a vegetarian, I do eat lots of refined carbs, and I can totally cut down on those.

My biggest issue is my diet when I'm at work. Some days its good, and some its bad. I think I need to make more of an effort to plan the meals that I will be eating at work (I work 4-12am), and not throw them together at the last minute.

Also, smarter snack decisions.

It is the end of the month, so my food budget is low, but I will definitely need to stock up on the good stuff when I get paid.

I hear ya! It sure is tough. I was a vegetarian for a quite a few years. I'm still amazed that I continued to gain weight...oh yeah french fries and onion rings

For work, I had to stop buying lunch all together! 1) I was spending way too much and 2) I make the worst choices known to man! And there are lots of places where I work to buy healthy things...

I am a total planner. I plan everything down to the nth degree. Maybe you could plan one healthy change to make at work. Say one healthy snack per day and make sure that you buy enough of it to last.

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

Whew. I have been feeling the same Ashleyw. I feel like it's ridiculously hard trying to lose these last 10lbs. Health and food are such a big part of my life, even if I wasn't trying to lose weight. I like experimenting with cooking, watching food network (thank goodness I don't have cable - I'd be super fat AND broke), buying local foods, I'm studying public health... yeah. I think I need to plan plan plan for the next three weeks and maybe try avoid social outings? Or if I do go out, plan for it.

I also don't eat much processed food just like Natasha. I eat grains maybe every other day or once a day at most. That helped me go from 145 to 135. Now I need a hardcore plan for 135 to 125/120. I also don't do much dairy. Peanut butter and chocolate, either together or separately, going out to eat, and meat, is probably what is holding me back. I know I eat healthy in general, but I don't always "eat to lose weight". I could eat a jar of pb in a week. Love that stuff.

I hope you figure out what's best for you in order to keep succeeding and becoming a more healthy you!

Hey Cassandra. Hope all is well!

I know I'm a lot further away from my goal than you are (40 lbs as opposed to 10 sigh...), but once I realized that I was only 40 lbs away, I decided to change things up...shake the shit up as it were. I decided that I wasn't gonna use the scale as my only way of measuring success. Because up until now that's all I've done. So I've joined the gym and I'm trying to go 5 times a week. I had a trainer set up a program blah blah. Now I'm also looking at fittness goals. I know that the last 40 lbs won't come off as fast as the others, but I'm trying to change my mindset yet again to not look for that one validation. I also make lists (I'm a planner) and when I can check off all of the things on that day's list, I know I've been successful at working towards a goal!

I wish that I could give you better advice. I guess I could just sit here and say be patient. Blech if I was patient, I would have succeeded before . Keep your chin up. Keep working hard. Look for the things that make you happy.

PS Cable and a love of food does make you super fat (trust me)! One of the best things I did was stop watching TV! You can do it!