I am starting to get frustrated again. I have gone up about 2 lbs and have not lost any inches in forever. All I lost was 1 inch around my luv handle area. I really want to lose weight on my legs, but have not even lost a centimeter. They are usually the last thing to slim down, but I am worried that with all the protein and exercising that they are not going to. I just upped my fat and cals a little less than a week ago, but maybe I should take them back down. I don't know what to do, I'm getting so frustrated trying to find what works for me.

Well, I have no practical advice, I just want to say I'm sorry you're having a tough time. I'm sure it is frustrating.

I do think it gets really hard, and lbs come off much slower, when you get close to an ideal body weight. And sometimes what YOU think is ideal is not what your BODY thinks is ideal. I also bet you look beautiful just as you are now.

Hang in there. Do you do alot of weight training? I've heard that can help when getting down to the nitty gritty.

*hugs*

*poof*

At 5'5", your body is trying to tell you that it doesn't want to lose any more weight. And that it is putting on muscle.

As you note yourself, the legs are the LAST things to change shape. I think you need to be more patient. Nobody ever said that Atkins plan was for fast weight loss. And the body keeps on changing for 6 months and more after you have lost the weight. You are very close to your goal and that last few pounds to a reasonable 125 will take a longer time. Use the months to learn to eat LC so you won't regain by stopping this way of eating.

But you are't putting on fat. If you are gaining, you are probably holding some water right now - TOM or salty food or weather or infection or stress (including stressing about making yourself lose pounds). You don't put on 2 pounds of fat overnight, but you can put on 5 pounds of water from one day to the next.

Patience. You didn't gain in a few months, and you won't lose and be a "finished product" in a few months. Keep on LCinguntil next December and see how things have changed. Or you could just continue to drive yourself nuts by making unreasonable demands of your body.

I have been weight training twice a week for 5 months and I recently noticed some changes in the shape of my legs. Change in my arms appeared after only a month or so.

Thank you cheesy poof and tofi, you too are so sweet. I can't tell you how much better your responses made me feel. I would love to try weight lifting and things but I bulk up the a guy so easily and I don't want to get any larger than I am now, I don't care if it is muscle. I'm trying to just stick with cardio for now and I just recently got serious about that. I run about 3-4 miles a day 6 days a week. Maybe that is why I am frustrated, I feel like that with working out so hard the lbs should be flying off. That combined with all these people constantly asking how much weight I have lost and when I say I haven't lost anything in a couple weeks, or just half a lb they lay into me like I should weight 115 lbs by now. Makes things difficult sometimes. Thanks again ladies!

Pandora, stick with it. If you want to start seeing lean muscles try pilates. After doing it almost every day for about a month now I am really seeing some slimming results.

I am like you ... my legs/thighs are the last to slim. But I really see a difference doing pilates.

I have gone up and down on this last 10 lbs. for a year now. I have stopped worrying so much about the scale and am concentrating on how my clothes fit and my measurements.

Let me know if you want the name of the tape I do ... I would be happy to share.

If you don't want to bulk up you can weight train with lighter weights and more reps!