I'm pretty much ready to call it quits, Help!!!

Ok I'm trying to lose this last 60 lbs. and I weigh myself once a week (every Friday) and nothing! I haven't really lost anything not even inches, I've been doing this for the last 1 yr 6 months and I just want to lose the last weight.  I eat healthy and alloted calories, usually between 600-1000 deficit.  But nothing! :( I don't want ot look like this I don't want to maintain.  I've been working out 2-3days/wk. for 60 min and 2 days/wk. for 80 min.  circuit training, and just straight cardio/abs.  I work nights so being tired doesn't help but still! I just feel like whats the point?  I'm so upset.  it seems impossible.  Is their something I'm doing wrong, any advice is greatly appreciated.  Thanks :)

Meagang

I hope others can chime in because I'm suggesting things that work for me specifically, my personality.

I get angry and more determined when things like this don't work so I kinda take it out on myself - don't know if that is healthy

but specifically

Exercise - Do you use a Heart Rate monitor to target your Maximum Heart Rate (I like the Polar Watches at www.Polarusa.com)

Weighing OneSelf: I weight myself once every day, 1st thing in the morning and I keep records helps me not to get too excited/depressed  if I gain/lose one lb

Meal Planning: this is the biggie, hope you are using the Calorie-Counter tool

Lastly

Spiritual: Keep the Faith, and your Eyes on the Prize

Best wishes.

How much calories do you eat in a day?

Why dont you try increasing your calorie intake?

So I suppose that just about everybody is going to say that you aren't eating enough so I will get it over with from me too.

You can try eating more calories, but cutting back carbs for a week.  That means, no refined sugars, no bread, no pasta, ect. (you can look up carbs on everything at this site).  Say you aim for 40 carbs for a week.  Then go back to a reasonable diet of carbs say around 100.  (you should not be so rigid that it cant flex a litte)

This helped me to start loosing again.  I didn't even want to record things after a while because I was stuck at 167, then 166.

I don't eat enough either sometimes.  Nobodys perfect. 

Just try mixing it up a bit.  Maybe you need to mix up your workout too as you body can become accustomed to that too.

Keep trying.  It is so frustrating, but being healthy is worth it.

Meagang, I'm right there with you! I've been trying for over a year to lose the weight as well, and I've tried every combination of things... minimum of 500 calorie deficits each day, working out 5-6 days a week and burning 300-500 calories each time, always eating at least my BMR, adding calories when I have a really good workout, allowing myself a day a month (average) when I can go over on calories and not worry about it, drink plenty of water, tons of fruits/veggies, few processed sugars, plenty of sleep... it doesn't seem to work for me either. Maybe there are just people in the world who are resistant to the "healthy" way towards weights loss.

Meagang - how long has it been since the scale moved?  I see from past posts and you profile that you have had a great deal of success - 75lbs!  That is incredible.  You've just hit a point where your body has gotten very efficient with what you are doing and maybe it needs to be "shocked" and made to work harder.  What if you changed up your exercise routine a bit?  Maybe you should look into doing something like "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" to help get your fat loss roaring again.  I get stuck in an elliptical machine rut (because it is easy!) but if I hit the treadmill for the same amount of time that I would normally spend on the ellptical, I get a much harder workout.

Original Post by meagang:

Ok I'm trying to lose this last 60 lbs. and I weigh myself once a week (every Friday) and nothing! I haven't really lost anything not even inches, I've been doing this for the last 1 yr 6 months and I just want to lose the last weight.  I eat healthy and allotted calories, usually between 600-1000 deficit.  But nothing! :( I don't want to look like this I don't want to maintain.  I've been working out 2-3days/wk. for 60 min and 2 days/wk. for 80 min.  circuit training, and just straight cardio/abs.  I work nights so being tired doesn't help but still! I just feel like whats the point?  I'm so upset.  it seems impossible.  Is their something I'm doing wrong, any advice is greatly appreciated.  Thanks :)

I so feel your pain. I was not loosing and I was training really hard and then a friend suggested I eat more calories.  It seems to be working.  I think you have too high a deficit and your body is protecting what it has in order to keep going at the rate you want to go.  I have been reading up on this!!! Try increasing your calories and maybe add an exercise that is new and different from what you have grown accustomed to. I would like to suggest that maybe you go with a 250 to 300 calories deficit and make up the difference with exercise.  Be sure not to go for the sugar and the junk.  Another thing that has worked for me in the past to bust through a plateau - I went crazy for a Saturday and ate everything but the kitchen sink.  Maybe Super bowl Sunday would be a good night to splurge a little.  But from what you have said I would guess that you need to eat more.  Crazy isn't that if you want to loose weight you have to eat???

Relax!

It sounds like your routine is too old. Change it. Whatever you were doing before for exercise, do something else. As a previous poster mentioned, your body has adapted to this routine and stabilized at a comfortable weight. The solution is to change the routine to force more adaptation.

Cutting more calories proably won't be as beneficial as overhauling your workouts at this point.

Oh yeah, don't be too hard on yourself. if it were easy (or even possible!) we would all look like movie stars.

Thanks everyone! I eat about 1800 calories/day give or take a few sometimes maybe 1900.  I'm scared to eat more than that in fear of gaining weight!  I should be eating around 2100 calories to lose without exercise) so obviously more than that when I do.  But I'm so confused, seems like so much food.  and i want to lose not gain!!!  This whole calorie thing confuses me profoundly!  Ugh. why must this be so hard. LOL! Usually during the day I eat cereal or oatmeal with raisins or banana for breakfast, eggs and toast or soup and bagel, or just soup or wrap for lunch and then whatever i Have for dinner.  Than I bring a snack for work ( I work nights)  and its usually fruit.  I eat tons of fruit during the day I haven't eaten any crap.  I drink about 5-6 bottles of water too.  Also In response to "tuffnuff" for the past 4 weeks I have been doing a new workout the circuit training I htought this would really boost it. but I guess I shouldn't be so scared of food and just eat more ? I 'm just scared too. I should aim for the 2100 cals at least, do you think this is appropriate or way too much.  I'm 22 female, 5\6 230lbs.  Also I have lost 90lbs now in response to "lev2". Thanks for all your help everyone, please give me suggestions about the calorie amount I should aim for and not be worried.

Have you been recalculating your Burn as you've lost weight?  It changes as you get smaller. 

The other suggestion I have is to go to the Advice section, to Ask Mary.  Scroll down to the Archive Search and search for your question.  Also, read the expert articles, especially the basic Q&A to see if the answer is there.

Claire is right. Check the Ask Mary articles...There is some great information on how to get off a"plateau".

I have heard that swimming is quite the way to blast some pounds. It is on my list of things to do this month--I used to swim quite often but got out of it the past 10 years or so. That might jump-start things for you.