I need support!!!! I AM A TEEN THAT HAS BEEN ON A PLATEAU FOR TEN MONTHS!!!!!!

OMG. I feel like crying right now. Last summer I lost 20 pounds, but I have been at a plateau since September 2006! I have tried dieting numerous times and exercising and everything, but nothing is working! I want to lose 15 pounds by the end of August, but I don't have motivation because I have been disappointed so many f***ing times! I'm sorry for the language, but I AM SO UNBELIEVEABLY UPSET ABOUT THIS! If I don't lose this weight by the end of the summer, I am sure to become severely depressed! I would NEVER kill myself or anything because I am a diehard Catholic, but I don't want to live the rest of my life FAT! My goal is 115 by the end of the summer. Please. I am begging you to help!

How tall are you because weighing between 120 and 130 is nothing to get depressed about. Weight is secondary at this point I think (I mean it's not the cause of your depression). You might not be losing weight because it's VERY HARD to fight Mother Nature. The body likes to be healthy.

You could try: Drinking more water, eating more fiber, drinking more caffeine, eating less, eating more, changing your workout routine, taking a multivitamin, eating smaller amounts more often, sleeping more, doing more drugs (not recommended), doing less drugs, drinking green tea...

Damn that's all I can think of right now. Bottom line: shake things up.

Depression is one cause that can make you keep weight on, another is stress.... so never take what you weigh so seriously, be proud that you have been able to keep the weight off (one of the hardest parts of losing it).   Also, as a teenager, deliberately dieting can mess up your metabolism permenently, and set you up for eating disorders as an adult, so just eat helthy, and smart, but never go overboard.

I know I didn't really give you a direct answer, but I don't think you should be so upset when you are only 120-130lbs.  That sounds like an awesome weight, and would only be overweight if you were well under 5' tall.

i feel your pain. i lost 35 lbs last summer and havent been able to lose the last 10 and i wanna be 100 by the end of august. its sooo frustrating 

That is the story of my life if you want support you can email me at cashorcredit@hotmail.com, I am 16 and last year lost fifteen pounds, but since then I have gained 20. At the least I would like to lose 10 by the end of summer. Anyways email me if you like, I am knowledgable on dieting and nutrition, but just need support. Thanks

"........but I don't want to live the rest of my life FAT!"

Excuse me, but first of all you hurt a lot of people feelings here when you say that 130 pounds is FAT...(what's 150, 180, 200 then??). Many have been working hard getting down to this weight and even more are dreaming of it.
- And second thing is that maybe your body is happy with this weight you're at and you should just stop worrying about it....How old r u?

I just  found your problem on your profile hun: "I think what might be wrong is I am not eating enough (I'm trying to stick to a 1200 calorie diet), but I don't want to eat more just in case I gain more weight."

Go to the Allowace/expenditure tools and plug in your info....And out comes: The solution to your problem.....

im sure you're at a perfect weight for your age, but you may become underweight carrying on like this. im a teen, and I weight alot more than that, so dont think you're any worse.

;aybe you're on a plateau for so long because your body is changing with you? I mean, if you're a teen, maybe you're still growing or rounding the edges.

:-)

I think it's harder for you to lose weight as a teen because your body is still growing and adjusting to all the changes you are putting it through. When I was 12 I weighed 170, and then when I was 14 I weight 150 and the scale moved down to 140 and WOULD NOT BUDGE. I was carrying excess fat, sure, but that was because my body needed to find its balance after me dieting and excerising to lose all that excess weight. Now that I'm a little older, the scale is moving down again. Plateaus happen because our body and the metabolism are regulating itself because of all the dieting we put ourselves through, in other words, it's used to the changes. You need to think about the fact that a. you are a teen and are still growing, b. having a killer model body isn't attainable for everyone [it's all in the genes], and c. losing weight for body image is totally different than lose weight for health. I'm not trying to judge you, because I used to think I was really fat, even at 140, but that's not the case, because everyone tells me how good I look. It all depends on your body shape and height that determines the best weight for your body, not what you think it is. If you really want to lose weight, you should start eating a little more and incorporate some exercise [esp. strength training to build muscle, which will in turn burn fat.] in your diet to 'wake up' your metabolism. That's what I did, and it works! Good luck to you!

Thank you all for your support. I wrote this yesterday before I read this motivational entry and I feel much better now. To bdkty3 I didn't mean that everyone that weighed that was fat. I just mean, for me, I don't look as good as I could. I am really really really sorry if I offended anyone because I get offended when 1000 pound people are called fat. I will follow all of your guys's advice. Thank you sooo much!

Hi! I'm a trainer with 16 years experience in the fitness industry. Please take a deep breath. Your body likes status quo, and you just have to convince it that it needs a change. I'm new on this site, so I'm not sure of its rules regarding professional advice. (Please forgive me if I'm breaking any rules!) I'll have my own personal training site soon. In the mean time, you can contact me at my e-mail. If you are eating healthy, and everyone knows what to avoid these days ~ it's not a mystery (junk food, fast food, fried food, processed sugar, soda).. (and without me knowing your current level of health, you should always consult a doctor if you're not sure about my suggestions being right for you) I suggest 15 to 30 mins of brisk cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, only drink water (before and during). (only 5 days per week) Then have only protein and veggies for breakfast (I love egg white omelets with salsa (use at least three egg whites, I have a teen client who has chicken breast and broccli for breakfast)... then have up to 5 more snacks and meals that include protein, veggies, and fresh fruit (at least 4 pieces of fruit ~ do you like apples and grapefruit?) Add a sweet potatoe and/or brown rice and oatmeal every third day (veggies are all you can eat, and eat a lot! ~ but remember I don't know if you have allergies or not). If you can run, walk, dance, skip rope (whatever you love or enjoy) for another 15 mins in the evening ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.. that may accelerate your fat loss (don't do too much cardio (only 5 days per week (remember to play!) and don't undereat and if you have a trainer to help you lift weights that's great, if not you do need to also focus on strength building exercises. For more info on how I assist people read a little known book called "the Body Restoration plan" The books not perfect, but the info on "chemical calories" is something EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW! Stay focused! A new healthy lifestyle will create a new healthy body! If you want to keep the new shape you create you have to keep your new way of being. Focus on health and the body almost always knows how to get to its healthy weight and stay there. Respectfully your friend in fitness, Kam Parker, A.A., B.A., C.P.T. (kamthetrainer@yahoo.com)

Aha!!!  I have found the culprit, wannabehott!  The problem is that you need to eat more than 1200 calories.  Especially if you are a young teen.  your body is still developing and you, as a teen, are burning way more calories than us older folks.

I'd say your body is rebelling against you because it doesn't think your eating enough.  I know it sounds strange, but look around.  Take some time to check out this site.  Use the tools.  I'd say 1200 is too low for you.

hey i'm a teen girl and weigh about the same as you.  I gained about 25 pounds in about a year.  I'm at a "healthy" weight, but I know it's not athletic.  I'm 130 and 5'7" ish.  I'm pretty small framed and everything, but my body changed a ton from when I graduated in hs last year and my first year of college.  Plus I went from playing varsity sports to just work and school.  The combination of those made me gain weight and lemme tell you nothing feels worse than gaining 25 pounds in 9 months.  I did get down to about 115 in the spring after 4 weeks of working on it and after reading a lot and kept it off till summer(I got a full time job and moved from school to home for the summer and gained it back but here's what i did, hope it helps) 

I cut out everything but water and unsweetened tea.  This was hard for me because I was addicted to soda all through hs, but the fact that i played sports (10 hours a week) it never mattered before.  I had to do it gradually.  I switched from soda to juice/lemonade/ gatorade...for a lil bit, and then the full transition to water only.  It's hard when eating out, but that's why I drink unsweetened tea w/ the meal deal.  Drink water all the time. I've read up on it and sometimes your body is dehydrated and signals it wants food if it's used to not getting it.

I stuck to a 2,000 calorie diet, more than I ate before, but did the whole food pyramid thing.  You need vegetables and fruit because of the fiber.  Fiber helps you loose weight and flush our your system!  Your body needs calcium and all those other things.  This eating healthy thing is really really hard, you have to stick to it.  This was hard because I eat in a college cafeteria or eat out.  You need to take the time to pack a lunch and talk to your parents about planning dinner.  Start off with fruit, vegetables, cottage cheese or something healthy for an appetizer.  I just had to eat things in a different order.  Steamed vegetables before lasagna, cottage cheese before sandwiches, etc.  This way you can eat what your family/ school already has, but instead of eating a ton of pasta, and a piece of broccoli, you had a glass of skim milk, a half cup of vegetables, and a small serving of lasagna.  If you hardcore diet...you'll give in because your body will have cravings.  But this will help portion control, of the right foods, and keep you healthy and not on "starvation mode"  Drinking lots of fluids and chewing thoroughly will help too. 

The myth about carbs: Carbs are very good for you, and necessary, but here's the kicker.  I learned this from doing a speech about diabetes.  As long as you eat carbs periodically throughout the day, your fine.  If you eat too many at one time, you're screwed.  Carbs convert to blood sugar, giving you energy for the day...if you don't need that energy it converts to fat.  So having 1 serving (which is small, check the label) of cereal..that's got whole grains in it and low cal... in the morning isn't bad... accompanied with fruit and maybe skim milk and a galss of water.  Eating just low cal cereal or crackers the whole day won't work...because of what that food is? get it? That's why if you eat a normal 2,000 cal diet, if it's part fruit, vegies, and carbs last...you'll be fine.  This was hard for me cuz I LOVE italian food.  But at a restaurant, that's hard because you get the basket of BREAD, and then you get SPAGETTI...that's more carbs at one meal than you should have in a day.  Eat a side salad, and then eat a serving of spagetti...you're good.  It's changing your whole eating lifestyle for good.  You just gotta figure out how.

Exercise: 10 min warm up, 20+ min of cardio.  Because of my schedule, I could only do this at night, even though it's most effective in the morning, but hey cardio is better than no cardio, right?  You have to get ur heartrate up for more than 20 min for it to really burn any stored fat.  I used a cross trainer in a gym, but you can jog a couple miles (8-10 min pace if you can).  I can do 6 min splits, and die after 1-2 miles, but i found if I slow my pace down I can jog for about an hour and cover 5 miles comfortably if I wanted to.  Work up to that though, or you'll bust your knees or ankles or something.  At school I switched off on a stationary bike (both kinds), a stair stepper, a cross trainer, and a track depending on the day of the week.  Swimming works too.  Whatever you can do for 20 min to an hour.

Build Strength: go to a YMCA and learn about the equipment.  I played sports through HS, my friends play football for our college, so I pretty much knew what I was doing, but I know 60% of people use equipment wrong, and especially using free weights (slow, controlled movements, # reps to sets..etc)  Trainers in gyms can help you set up a program that you can do on your own and properly.  You'll burn a ton of fat by toning your body and building muscle.  It's sucks at first cuz you gain weight, muscle weighs more than fat...but I encouraged myself with a measuring tape and a body fat scale.  After the initial weight gain (1-2 weeks), the weight starts dropping drastically.  I switched to an hour of pilates, because I needed more flexible muscles, and I look foward to it lol...but whatever works for you.  At least you can do a video for an hour at home or a cheap local junior college class, and save money used on a gym membership.

Cardio (switched up) and strength training (alternate upper and lower body every other day) 6 days a week, plus eating proper servings of proper food groups, drinking water and watching how you space carbs throughout the day...I guarantee you you will loose the weight and keep it off.  I gained it back because I went from having everything figured out at school (gym, track, cafeteria and a solid schedule) to a going home and having different resources etc. I lost the routine, I ate out, I had no gym or track, etc.  Honestly.. the first 15 days are the hardest...eating right and exercising regularly.  But once you get in that routine... you won't be able to skip a day, or eat in a restaurant the same.  Here's some encouragement too...because of the weight we're at, it's harder for us to loose five pounds than a heavier person because we have less weight to loose (if that makes any sense at all; 15 pounds is a greater percentage of a 130 pould girl than a 180 pound girl)  That's why it takes 4-6 weeks to get rid of that last lil bit, compared to a heavier person who could loose 5 pounds in the first week w/ the same routine.  O..and sleep. at LEAST 6- 8 hours a day... it relieves stress and helps a ton!!!  It's very important!

Doing all this I got down to 118...completely toned where I wanted to be, my skin cleared up and I had more energy durning the day.  Hope this helps...

I think you're just at a weight that your body is satisfied with. If you're in healthy BMI range, which it sounds like you are, you shouldn't be concerned.
In the end, isn't it more important that you're healthy rather than just thin looking?
Unless the only reason you dieted was for aesthetic reasons, in which case no one will be able to help you.
But if it for health reasons you lost weight, then I say stop where you're at and exercise. Your body is being stubborn because it's probably happy where it's at.
And if you're still eating 1200 calories a day, that is probably another reason you're not losing, you're body's metabolism has slowed to accomodate an unhealthy calorie level. Try increasing it to break the plateau if you really do want to lose more.

OMG COLLEGEKIDDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am totally going to follow this! Right now, on the command of my father, I am doing a demo of the SOuth Beach diet because I need to regulate my blood sugar (stupid delicious carbs!!!!). After I finish, which should be today, I am going to follow what you said. My problem was that i took WAY to many carbs.

I do about an hour of cardio hiit everyday or so and about 45 minutes of strength training with this book that i got but I haven't really got much results.... i guess it's because I've only been doing it for about a week or so.....

Thank you so so so so so so so much! My goal is 115 by Halloween. It's going to be my last goal day because I am going to work my flabby butt off until it comes off!

Avgpunk- I really don't think that my body should be this way. And also, I am eating about 1500-1600 calories a day. Thanks though!

you should not give yourself a short time limit. instead of saying lose 15 lbs by the end of the summer, say in 6 months.

making slow changes is the key. If you change everything you eat and start exercising like crazy, your body gets shocked because it is not used to it. By changing little things in your diet, like drinking water instead of soda, and giving it time to adjust, then your body wont be shocked. It may be annoying to wait so long, but there is no rush to lose weight. You have your whole life ahead of you and you should change your whole eating and exercise lifestyle and keep doing it even if you lose weight. Just keep going with it and live it.

cleanses are very good for the body a couple of times a year and they really help to get the crap out of the body so that you feel lighter and healthier.

As for the exercising, strength training is so important. When you build muscle, if continues to burn fat throughout the day when you work it. But if depends on how you want to be. Do you want to be thin and skinny? or toned? if you want to be skinny then just do cardio workouts. But if you want to build muscle, then you should be doing weight training 2-3 times a week for 1/2 hr. Make sure you give your body time to rest. stretching is also very important because it loosens your muscles and prevents injury so make sure to stretch alot too.

losing weight takes time, and if you are patient and make those little changes, after months go by, you will be glad you did it.