Bleh, doing everything right and still...

Well, I haven't lost an oz. in two weeks despite doing everything right.  I have only been eating this way for 5 weeks, how can I be plateuing so early?   I am playing singles tennis with my DH 5 x a week for 45 min-85 min. (depending on how hot out it is) and eating between 1500-1600 cal. a day (no special diet, just more veggies, lean protein and fruits, almost no processed foods) and nada.  I feel great, I have more energy but I am just not losing and I am getting so discouraged.  I have lost 11 pounds so far but more than half of that was in the first week!  I could even deal with a pound a week, but I feel terrible about this.  Like I am doomed to be fat no matter what.  THe other thing is, even though I have lost 11 pounds, I feel like I am no closer to dropping a clothing size.  I am a size 14 and really thought I'd be heading for a 12 but my jeans don't even feel loose really.  How many pounds did you lose before dropping a size?  And with the weight, it is simple math, isn't it?  It has to come off eventually, DOESN'T IT?!?!  Argh...

It's relatively simple math, but you're working with a very complex living system, so the math doesn't always work out.  If you are exercising more than you did before, chances are you're spending some time exchanging muscle for fat.  Muscle is denser than fat and people putting on a lot of muscle may not lose weight even though they feel good and are losing size.

I'd ask if you were eating enough, but chances are you are, if you feel so good.  People eating under their BMR typically complain of lack of energy.

I lost 15 pounds before my clothes started feeling really loose, but I'm a lot bigger than you (size 28 to start) and I like my clothes baggy to begin with, so I'm not sure my experience helps with that.

Remember that the goal should be your health, and that you're obviously making progress there.

Lastly, most of the weight you lost to begin with may have been water weight, but do you realize that your average weight loss has been a little more than 2 lbs a week?  Keep your long term goals in mind.  Go another two weeks and see if you don't start to drift downward.  Enjoy the journey, because no matter how little you have to lose, it's not going to be a quick trip.

ive lost 11lbs and have only just started to notice my clothes being a little bit bagger, not alot.. Im a size 14 too just like you and hope to reach size 10/12 by the end of September

You are doing great dont give up!

That is true, it is going to be a long haul, a lifetime really.  The thing is, I am really happy eating this way and excercising, and I feel really good so I don't dread the length of my journey. I don't feel deprived or hungry, I am becoming a great healthy cook and having a blast creating new recipes etc. I guess I have just conditioned myself to believe that the "proof" that I am doing right is on the scale.  I don't know how to break that habit.  Maybe I should throw it out.  But the thought makes me feel panicky! 

And I am definitely excercising more than before.  I  went from not at all to daily excercise (tennis 2 days and then the eliptical machine the other days, we hope to add in yoga next).  But whenever I hear someone say it is muscle gain I feel like it is just a line.  Does muscle develop in only a couple of weeks?  That would be great if that were the case.  That is what DH is always saying because I get hot more qucikly now, he says "Your body is burning more fat because you have more muscle now" but I think he is just trying to make me feel better!  I guess I just need to refocus on how I feel and not the numbers.  This was a change of life for the whole family and my son (who is twelve and was about 25 pounds overweight, he has lost 10 of that) has also stalled for the past couple weeks.  But he has grown two inches (growth spurt!). I keep telling him, "It's about feeling better getting healthy and feeling good in your skin.  Don't even weight yourself."  I guess I need to take my own advice!!! 

Thanks fruitcake, I won't!

You'll get there. In the meantime remember that Marilyn Monroe was a size 14.

I'm totally feelin ya...HOWEVER - be patient. I'm a 14, too. I ex'd and cc'd for 6 WEEKS before anything started to happen. I was TOTALLY discouraged, sore, and hungry! Honestly, I almost gave up, except that I noticed walking was getting a little easier (I have CP). I''m now down 5 lbs, and hope to make it 8 by next weekend (I only weigh 1/wk). I can now walk almost a mile without resting. So, though I'd love to be able to fit into my "cute clothes" right now, I'm happy for reasons that have nothing to do with weight. Focusing on that has really helped me persevere. Good luck!