Sorry I didn't get back to your PM's regarding this. I'll have a chat with Sara over the next few days regarding your situation and we will get back to you.

can you post back here as well Steel? I am the almost the same exact stats as her...I'm very curious to see what you come up with.

all i can say is i've been where you are.... and was there for over 2 years. i finally just lowered my calories and let go of a lot of cardio. i still do cardio, but in the form of nice long, hilly walks. occassionally, i've hop of the treadmill for 45 mins or the elliptical. i mainly do vinyasa/power yoga -- 4-6x a week (i am in instructor). for me, the eating more thing resulted in weighing more -- and not all in muscle. i just gained weight and inches overall. i had a BMF, gained 5 lbs. in a couple of months. Fitbit, same thing.

now i don't track my meals/food. i eat intuitively, but lightly. i keep a general running tab of calories in my head and generally don't go over 14-1500 a day...usually end up around 1200. i eat very clean for the most part. i have a MS in Nutrition so i know what i am eating -- even when i shouldn't!

i am now down to 130# and i'm 5'7", medium frame. i'm older...43 years old and have had 4 children. i am a LOT happier with the way i look and feel. i honestly feel amazing and am getting my body back to how i prefer it.

it's been such a long process for me here on MFP. when i first started here, i *gained* with all of the exercise calorie tracking and meticulous food tracking -- trying to meet my 'goal'.

anyhow, i wish you luck.... overall i would suggest keeping your cals on the lower end of healthy for you and see what happens. i may get backlash for this, but its what has worked for me -- and has always worked for me.

norcal we had very similar experiences I think. I would LOVE to be around 130-140. It seems actually impossible at this stage. I feel like short of being unhealthy I can't do any more. It makes me feel very powerless. If I could hold back on the cardio I would...but it's my job. LOL. I did hot yoga last night for some me time and I was so sore this morning! :-)

I saw your post in Steve Troutman's thread but I didn't see your follow-up with him.

I believe he asked you when the last time was that you took a diet break. 1 to 2 weeks at maintenance cals.

This is not my suggestion (yet) as I am just gathering info, but can you let us know on the above.

Thanks

Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?) Yes. For years in an OCD fashion. The only time a meal is missed it when out at a restaurant and I have no idea.

How often do you go out to eat per week and I'm assuming you do not log these meals?

I would say probably 2 times a week. My husband and I will get thai food friday night, and the family will go out for lunch or dinner on Saturday or Sunday. I almost always log it as best I can if no nutritional info is around. I lean towards places that do have their stuff online and I order ahead of time in my head. :-) If we do go out to eat, I still try and keep it right 95% of the time. I'll order a salad with no croutons/cheese etc and just get oil and vinegar for dressing. It's slightly exhausting at times when I don't see any change, and I'm THIS focused on making the right choices. Then RARELY I'll go totally off the grid like last Friday. My family and I went to a new fried chicken and donuts restaurant. LOL. But considering my workouts and diet the entire rest of the week...I would like to think one big meal wouldn't kill it. If wishes were fishes?