5 lbs to go.......but its just not going anywhere!

[smacky1]

I have been stuck with 5lbs to lose for a year now. It just doesnt want to go anywhere. I know in the end, its my fault.....I start everyday right, counting points or calories, but at some point it goes out the window. I exercise at the gym 5 days a week so I try to remind myself that although Im not losing, Im also not gaining. Anyone else in the same boat? I really want to lose these last few pounds by the 4th of July!

 

[momof2minnies]

Yes I have recently been in the same boat- read my journal, ran a full marathon and did not lose a lb.!!!!!!! Urgh!!!!!!!

I started to count calories and picked up the intensity of my workouts and lost 2.4 lbs this week.I was stuck for about a year too.

Linda

 

[smacky1]

wow! That is so great. I also thought I might try training for a 1/2 marathon. I have tried taking a break from weight watchers and trying out another diet (absdiet for woman) but just today decided that Im going to go back to ww. Im hoping that after my little break from it I will be more motivated to really be strict with it. Good luck to you! Oh, what ways have you changed your exercise habits? I do a combo of weight training and interval cardio work on the stairmaster or treadmill but Im thinking of added more cardio to my routines.

 

[momof2minnies]

Thanks!

I run still but with more intensity than running to train- you need to be 2 minutes slower than race pace.Now I have pumped it up.
I do the elliptical. The newest and best addition is Jillian Michaels dvd 30 Day Shred.Give it a try- you will love it.

Linda

 

[ohMom]

i feel your pain. i think that i sabotage myself, like mentally i am comfotable with 'needing to lose x lbs" and the thought of accepting i've reach goal is uncomfortable. i guess b/c i've never allowed myself to be there. like it's who i am "hello, i'm molli and i'm trying to lose 7 lbs" hopefully that's not your case!

have you tried mixing up your cardio? maybe your body has become efficient with your cardio routine, and a shake up may boost your metabolism. another way is to do cardio-intervals, have you tried that?

 

[smacky1]

i feel your pain. i think that i sabotage myself, like mentally i am comfotable with 'needing to lose x lbs" and the thought of accepting i've reach goal is uncomfortable. i guess b/c i've never allowed myself to be there. like it's who i am "hello, i'm molli and i'm trying to lose 7 lbs" hopefully that's not your case!

have you tried mixing up your cardio? maybe your body has become efficient with your cardio routine, and a shake up may boost your metabolism. another way is to do cardio-intervals, have you tried that?

I think part of my problem is I always want to lose 5lbs, not matter where my weight is. So if this week I lose a pound, instead of thinking, only four more to go, I still think I need to lose 5lbs....I push my goal back for each step I take forward. I do have a really varied workout schedule. I take boxing on Monday mixed with weights at the end, on Tuesday I lift in a lower body interval class, Weds. I take a boot camp class, and on Thursdays and Saturdays I lift for an hour and then do 20-30 minutes of intervals on either the treadmill (level 6 for 90 sec., level 8 for 60 secs) or the stairclimber on level 13. I do think maybe I need to do more high intensity cardio for longer periods. Today I skipped the lifting and did a good solid hour of intervals on the stairmaster and the treadmill plus 10 minutes on the rowing machine. Spring is coming so Im feeling re-motivated, plus all the suggestions from everyone on this board has been very helpful. Good luck to you as well. Thanks for the advice.

 

[momof2minnies]

Ok so reading your last post I would say then your diet has to be changed up a bit- are you eating too many or the wrong carbs? Remember to always couple good carbs with protein, it makes the furnace more efficient when it burns.

Linda

 

[smacky1]

Ok so reading your last post I would say then your diet has to be changed up a bit- are you eating too many or the wrong carbs? Remember to always couple good carbs with protein, it makes the furnace more efficient when it burns.

Linda

*Sigh*....yes, this is the sad fact that I really need to accept. I HAVE to change up my diet. For the most part, I eat pretty well, whole grains, lowfat dairy, lean protein, veggie, and fruit, but I still take bites here and there of my kids meals when they dont finish and often find myself eating goldfish when giving them some, and eating ice cream at night with them. I know the closer we get to our goals the harder it is and the more important it is to track every single calorie. Those extra bites here and there and few goldfish here and there easily add up to 300 calories a day. Someone once told me that exercising was 30% of the battle and your diet was 70%........I really wish it was the other way around.

 

[Cindylou]

Smacky,

I'm in the same boat here too. I was doing really well before Christmas and was actually only 3 lbs away from my goal then the holidays happened and I just have not been able to get back to counting points consistently. I just started trying something this week and so far it's given me a bit of momentum.

I'm allowed 21 WW pts, but I find it's just not enough, it's probably just psychological. I decided to dip into the 35 flex points every day and allow myself 24 pts in a day, plus I shoot to earn at least 4 activity points so that gives me 28. I feel like I can manage with 28 points.

I've stopped buying all the 100 calorie packs of chips and cookies because they "cost" 2 pts, but aren't that filling and don't do anything to improve my health. To satisfy the urge to crunch I bought some whole grain and flax chips in the organic aisle and can have just 6 chips for 1 pt, but they're tasty and somewhat nutritious. I've planned out for the next week what I'll make for dinner along with the pts values so I know to save enough for dinner. I also try to save at least 2 pts so I can have a 1/2 cup of light ice cream. If you find one that has some added fiber it's just 2 pts. Turkey Hill makes 5 or 6 kinds that fall in to that category.

The one thing I've done differently this time is that I've enlisted the help of my 7 yo son. At bedtime each night I show him my notebook where I've listed all the foods I've eaten and the activity pts I've earned and let him decide if I've stayed within my pts. If so, I've earned a bead for the day. If I've gone over there are no beads for me. I bought a small box of glass beads that you'd make a bracelet or necklace from. Some of the beads are small and some are big. He gets to decide which bead I've earned based on a checklist. The items on the checklist are drinking 8 glasses of water, eating 5 veggies, 3 fruits, 2 servings of milk, 4 activity points, taking my multi vitamin. He has really gotten into it, even telling me I should count the points from the taste of yogurt I had from his bowl. It was probably just 10 calories worth, but he made me list it as a point just in case. So far this has helped me stay on track. I really don't want to disappoint my son.

Maybe some of this will help you. If not just stick with it until you find something that clicks. A reward for each lb lost? A shopping trip once you get to goal? Just keep at it. Perserverance will get you there.

Best of luck.
Cindy

 

[smacky1]

cindylou~ That is so very cool that you enlisted the help of your son. Not only does it help you, but it lets him see how important being healthy is to you. I think you are on to something with dividing up your flex points and adding them in everyday. This is basically how the plan worked when I first signed up for WW. I could eat between 18-23 points everyday. Now, trying to limit to 18 points seem difficult....Im barely getting my meals in without going over. Even though I know I can dip into my flex points, I always feel like its not been a good day when I dont stay within my points range. Maybe I should just go back to eating 23 points everyday and forget using the flexpoints. That gives me 5 points for every meal 3, 2point snacks, and an extra 2 points to play around with....maybe that light ice cream you were talking about. Thanks for the input. I did have a 1lb weight loss last week!

 

[lisah0711]

The one thing I've done differently this time is that I've enlisted the help of my 7 yo son . . . I really don't want to disappoint my son.

This is a great idea! People don't realize that disappointing your kids can give you a bigger guilt trip than disappointing your parents ever did!

Smacky, keep up the good work. I know you can do it. Ask yourself why you won't let yourself lose those last few pounds and I know you will come up with the right answer. We are so hard on ourselves some times!

 

[Cindylou]

Smacky,

Congrats on the 1 lb. I've always tried not to use the 35 flex pts either so I could lose wt faster, but it dawned on me that I wasn't losing at all. This has made it much easier for me to stick with for the long haul. Our group leader always says this isn't a diet it's a way of living, but it hasn't really gotten through my head yet.

Keep up the good work.
Cindy