Why isn't the pounds coming off?

I've been there! At the beginning of last summer I was doing Curves 5-6 days/week plus another 45-90 minutes of cardio and counting calories for a solid month and lost maybe 1 pound. I did get discouraged, then travelled a lot during the rest of the summer and started dating the man who is now my fiance and put all the weight I had lost before the plateau back on. Now I'm starting over. Don't do that to yourself. I'm not a doctor and I won't pretend to know why some people lose weight differently than others. Maybe put the scale away for a while and only judge your progress by your measurements and how your clothes fit. I've never made it below 161 (I'm 5'8 and my goal is 155) no matter how hard I've tried, but there have been periods when I know I looked good, enjoyed shopping for clothes, and felt like an athlete. I would also suggest adding some strength training (even just a video with hand weights) to the Zumba to add tone and increase your metabolism. I never really felt like I was getting a good enough calorie burn with Zumba, and preferred kickboxing or more intense workouts like that. (But maybe your Zumba is a little more effective than mine was).
Don't give up!!!

"My clothes are fitting better looser now, but the scale isn't budging!!"

That's because the scale alone isn't a practical way to measures success.

First of all NEVER GIVE UP! You only just started. My weight didn't' start to really budge until after the first month. SO try to look at the big picture of overall weight loss, not the short term 2 weeks, etc. Your body if like mine needs time to know that you are serious. My body didn't take this change easily, it took some time and then went about 1 pound per week.

Try your best to eat fresh and whole foods - meaning not cheese, not chemical filled deli meats, and foods from packages and boxes. Shop the produce aisles so you actually know what you are getting. Read labels. Anything you don't know what it is, don't eat it. NO fast food, no 100 calorie packs.

My journey has taken me over five years to really retrain my mind, learn to incorporate exercise of any kind, know how my body works, and to get routines established. I started at 205 pounds and a size 16. I am currently 137.6 and size 4 - 6. It wasn't easy but it is so worth it. The number one advice I have for you is to NEVER GIVE UP. Keep searching, keep trying to see what YOU can live with and what works for YOU. That is what matters. Not what worked for me or your friends. You are the one that has to choose a new healthy lifestyle if you want this to stick, so take your time, there is no deadline and know that it will always be something that you aspire to. Once you "get there" then the work to "stay there" begins. That is what I have learned as I have battled my metabolism from hypothyroid disease since age 19, gone through menopause, and quit my hospital nursing job to sit at a desk at home all day. I still went from a size 16 to a size 4 and 6 and I am turning 55 God willing in April. I went from choosing to lose weight to learning to live a healthy lifestyle. Five years will happen anyway, but I feel I have put the last 5 years to excellent use!

Good luck to you! You can do it. Just NEVER GIVE UP! = D
Susan

Watch added sugar intake, make sure your drinking lots of water, (i go by 1/2 your body weight in oz) it helps motabalize your fat, also since you are working out you could be building lean muscle, so deffinatly take your mesurements! I want to be 125# but as long as I look good and can fit into the size clothes I want I dont care what the # on the scale is!

Susan,
What incredible advice. Great words.

I hear you! I had great start on MFP last Oct...lost 3kgs(7 lbs) by mid Nov. (150 down to 143)
Felt totally in control and able to keep going.....and then....I lost focus....
Come January those 7 lbs are back.....and seem to be attached with Super Glue!

Sheesh....

Am now trying to find my mojo again....have been reading over entries made on MFP in Oct

And....
Have knocked out wine for FebFast. (no alcohol for the month of Feb)
cranked up running to 40 mins a day (approx 4.5 miles)
Knocked off coffee ....only black tea to avoid caffeine headaches
And I know I need to religiously document every bite/ taste/lick of a spatula

Thanks to earlier posters re the KEEP GOING message...

I feel like i'm wading through molasses ...but the effort should show up soon...surely!

ps I am in the midst of a "torrid" perimenopause ....I strongly suspect my lack of success has something to do with this....but I WILL beat this....I have a mantra "57 Heaven" which refers to my goal of getting back to 57 kgs (126lbs)...

Hanging in there with you!