i am so frustrated i could cry right now. no joke.

so i stepped on the scale tonight and i was 142. ok, i am literally two pounds away from my goal. but instead of jumping for joy, i almost cried.

i dont look ANY different!!! my measurements are the EXACT same as they were back in FEBRUARY when i was 160!! 160!!! i knew when i was in the 150s i wouldnt see that much of a difference. 'just wait until you get to the 140s' i thought. but no. i am almost 20 pounds lighter then i used to be but there is absolutely no measurement changes. my face is still as flabby (and no, its not a trick of the mirror. i look the same in photos too). my thighs are still exactly the same as back when i was 20 pounds heavier. exactly the same. my pants fit the same, my shirts, everything.

i look no different. i feel no different. i dont feel any better now eating fruit all the time then when i was junking out.

i just feel like i put all this effort and i lost POUNDS but i dont even get anything to show for it.

my mom and me are going out for ice cream now, and even though i plan on not ordering anything, maybe i should. its not like im getting anywhere.

I am so sorry! I wish i knew how to really help you or what to say :(

but I DO want to say...don't give up. Keep going. it's SO important! You can do it!

I am curious, how many calories do you eat on average, and do you work out?  If so how much do you burn on average?

that's really weird losing 20 pounds and not having your clothes fit differently.

Dont quit!!!!!!! Obviously you are losing it somewhere!!! Our bodies are weird, they loose it in places that it needs to. You almost lost 20 pounds!!!!!!!! Be proud of that and keep going!!!!!!

i know! it is weird! its abnormal! what is my problem ?? :((

well i usually exercise 45 minutes per day. i usually run and lift weights but that got so boring i started rollerblading. today i rollerbladed 6 miles and tomorrow im going to do weight training for 45 minutes. like split it up.

im usually pretty sedentary besides that though, with the occasional bike ride to a friends house. but i definately am eating ok, i mean i have lost weight! i just have absolutely nothing to show for it which makes me want to just give up.

dont get discouraged. how long did it take you to lose this much weight? and the thing is, your goal is to feel great and look great, right (generally speaking at least)? then youve yet to reach your goal. dont stop now! this is great progress and im happy that you made it this far already. these kind of things take time, and its important to keep striving for what you want.

i used to have the same problem, and i still sort of do.. but im going to keep going until i get the results showing.

I just don't see.. how. Unless your scale might be broken or you measured wrong the first time around?

{{{hugs}}}

well... i really really started counting my calories on june 4th, when i joined here. but ive been watching my food (more loosely before) since february.

but the thing is, i dont even feel any different. like not more energized or anything. in fact, im more tired then i used to be. ive made so many food sacrifices and it feels like for nothing now.

i mean, now i have a totally healthy bmi, but before i was slightly overweight. im just so mad now because, looks-wise, i havent changed at all!

my mom tells me to try on a size five today. she cant believe i dont look any different. but i dont. my sevens still fit the same, so i know if im forced to try on a five im going to just cry from the frustration of it all.

i mean im only 14! i should be allowed to pig out! my metabolism isnt supposed to freak out until later :[

im just so so so so mad!

So then, how many calories are you averaging daily?

Your reluctance to post this has raised my eyebrow.

i usually eat 1400 calories per day, give or take a few. sometimes i binge and have a 1500 or 1600 day, but nothing too excessive.

put your eyebrow down :)

Hmm I see.

This does seem strange indeed, my eyebrow is not back down just yet...

Have you considered talking to your doctor?  Maybe you have some kind of strange water retention going on.  My brain is racked.

it may also depend on  your exercise routines. if you have only been doing cardio then maybe you need to incorporate some strength training into your day.

you haven't noticed any new muscles or anything?

sizes don't mean anything! brands and styles are all so different! listen to this i have a size 11 pair of pants from before that are a little big but look decent, i could still pull them off, yet all my other pants are a size 5 and I have a skirt that is a 3.

I bet you are a 5 in some pants.

yeah i noticed that sizes also depend on the stores, too. try a few different places!

for example...at hollister, I am a 9 or 11, depending on the style and at american eagle, i am a 6. frustrating. so i don't REALLY know my true size.

I would say be true to working out and do both cardio and strength training excercises and do those regularly.  I don't really change that much from just reducing calories until I put a big effort in my working out.. THEN my body changes!  But you are young yet so I wouldn't worry too much... Just stay active and keep the right lifestyle starting now and you won't have to worry about later.   Don't worry you should be proud of your weightloss!  And maybe you did measure wrong the first time............

Are you POSITIVE you have lost 20 pounds? I don't see how it's POSSIBLE that you don't look any different. It doesn't matter that you're wearing the same clothes -- it's possible they would still fit. But has ANYONE else besides you and your family noticed? They see you everyday; YOU see you everyday -- makes sense you would look the same to them and yourself.

If you are not exercising enough, you may have redistributed fat -- that's the only answer I can think of. Have you measured yourself w/a tape measure? (If you already covered this, I missed it.)

By the way, whatever "diet" plan you choose, you should be able to live with it for life, not "quit" -- if you feel like quitting then maybe you need a new plan.

Lets not forget that different times of the month we can be a bit more bloated, give yourself a couple more weeks and see if that helps.

Also I don't fit into my clothes as well when I'm hot and sweaty (maybe caused by anxioty of weighing and measuring). So maybe relaxing and being ok with whatever happens will help.

Regardless, don't give up. Maybe tweak your routine a bit and see if that helps. I also liked the idea of checking in with your dr.

good luck

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And what about sodium too... that can make you more bloated and swolen too... could that be it...

no, im positive i lost about 20 pounds. well 18, but still. i used a measuring tape too. and my period isnt for another 3 weeks. i dont usually get very bloated during that time anyway.

i dont know. maybe my scale is off. but that would mean i haven't lost any weight, which is even worse. but im pretty sure its not off. its been showing gradual loss.

i dont know. i just got back from the store and my mom gave me these size 5 shorts. she said 'i just KNOW these will fit, honey! you HAVE to have gone down a size!'

i tried them on and they were, of course, too tight. which made me feel even worse.

im just stuck in this puddle of frustrated misery right now. i dont know what the problem could possibly be. i see pictures of myself in april when i was 155 and pictures now and i look the same...i just feel so...defeated.

its pretty bad.

but thanks for responding. i dont know. maybe i just can never be back to how i used to be. thats the scariest thought.