Frustration, mounting.

This sounds EXACTLY like my situation right now. Stopped losing about two weeks ago. But I have this pair of polyester pants that do not give or stretch no matter how often they are worn. They keep getting looser. I have stopped looking at the scale for a while because I figure - even on my worst days, at my worst moments when I really am doing this because of what other people with think, what other people see .... they don't see the number on the scale, they see my silhouette.

On my good days, I do this because I feel great. I feel energetic and strong. I love dressing without the mental and emotional stress of thinking I need to wear a cardigan to cover this or that...

I have a good friend who is obsessed with the scale. Her day is a success or failure even before it starts based on a number she sees each morning. And a couple weeks ago I learned that she dresses now to cover this and that - so people won't notice she looks like a chemo patient.

You did ask for advice, so mine is: remember what a healthy body is and that a number does not reflect that.

Well done on your loss so far!! You could try doing some different exercise so your body gets confused. Maybe try working out at different time of day if you can. Also do you take measurements ?? (I never have and regret it ) you may find you lose inches rather than see movement on the scale. It's harder to get the pounds off when you have less to lose. Some people on here have suggested spike days where you eat above your daily calories to"trick" your body as well. You can use the search button at the top of the message board on the right. You'll find loads if advice from previous threads.

Not sure if that helps.

I decided I didn't mind if the weight stayed fixed as long as cms were still dropping... I switched my cal intake to reflect exercise as an averaged burn across a week, rather than having to "eat it back" every day.

This is what I followed, concept-wise: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477666-eating-for-future-you-method

Some people on here have suggested spike days where you eat above your daily calories to"trick" your body as well.

I have so far resisted that kind of "mind games" with my own mind and my body. I don't want to turn my fitness into a quasi-scientific hobby. I've been tempted, though. But I want slow, steady progress and maintenance that will carry me through mid-life into my 60s, 70s and 80s: a consistently strong body. A health lifestyle that complements the rest of my life, not an obsession with numbers. I don't have the time or energy for that. I don't think it would pay off for me anyway. I don't make my living as a fitness expert or fitness model for that matter

I would say it is important to know your own goals and motivation and be sure not to trick yourself into borrowing anyone else's (even mine

More pictures of great athletes, showing the diversity of healthy body types. They are certainly not all hitting the same numbers on a scale: http://ninamatsumoto.wordpress.com/2010/12/18/athletic-body-diversity-reference-for-artists/

The thing you need to remember is that the scale is NOT your friend. You are doing the right thing by working towards your fitness goals. Focus on them. The weight will come off in time as long as you continue to exercise and eat well, I promise. Just continue to eat a healthy amount of food but still at a moderate deficit and work towards those fitness goals.

:flowerforyou:

^^ That is really beautiful!

Thank you all for responding, these are all things that I need to hear.

Exercise cals.. one of my issues before joining MFP was under-eating, so consuming even 1200 cal was difficult, at first. I do try to eat back my exercise calories, though I admit I often don't net 1200 - just took a look at my nutrition reports and I average 800 a day. Hmm..

renkath -- I just downloaded **** Calories, a book I found via the link you posted- Have you read this? It seems like it will be a real hoot! (And informative too, intriguing!)

It may take a few weeks for your body to acclimate to your new calorie intake. Just be patient and keep working hard doing what you are doing. There will be times if you have a lot to lose where your weight will stall or even go up even if you do everything right. Just be patient and stick with it. You'll get there.

this has happened to me and i work out a lot but i measure myself and im still loosing and iv noticed my body looks more toned and more people are noticing it to so dont feel to down because musle weighs more than fat x