I have been on this WOE since Sept. 11, 2002. I lost 50 lbs within the first 7 or 8 months. I have not lost anything in the last 7 or 8 months. My food intake has not changed. I am walking now 4 days a week. My clothes size is stable. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME? I am getting discouraged to the max as I approach my 2 year aniversary to this WOE. Any encouraging words or tips out there?

Thanks,
Nanci

Nanci- I really wish I had some great advise for you to help you here. The only thing that raised a red flag for me in your post was this..."My food intake has not changed." Now I'm not sure here if you're talking about the "type" of intake or the "amount" of intake. If you're talking about "amount", then I'm thinking with losing 50 pounds, it would have to change, as you're supporting much less weight. ( A big CONGRATS on that BTW). I know for myself that in order to lose, I have to watch calories. There are many that don't, but unfortunately, that's not me. It might be helpful to post some menus so that others may be able to see some potential trouble spots! Also..look for things that are different in your life..such as hormonal changes that may be going on, medications or supplements that may have been added. It might not have anything to do with this WOE or exercise!

You're not alone! Here is a link to a thread Diane (Quest) started a couple of weeks ago on the 50 Pound Stall. It references a thread I started previously on a similar topic.

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=164447

I don't have the answer for why we suddenly stall out or turn into turtles. I think it is more complicated than simply the fact that our bodies are smaller and need more calories. Some of my thoughts on this are in the thread.

However, I have been experimenting with low calorie, low carb dieting and I lost three pounds last week. If you want to see what I am doing, read the last week of posts in my journal. Quest also is following a similar strategy and has some posts about it in her journal.

Good luck!

Thanks Char and Liz for listening to me whine. I think Char may be right, and you too, Liz, about the calories that I am taking in. That may be it. I was eating the same as the first 50 lbs...........quantity too. I think that I need to cut back the amount of food that I am eating. I can count on one hand the number of times that I have cheated in the last 18 months, at least my carb intake is low. Just have to throttle back on portion size and fat, I guess.

Thanks,
Nanci

Nanci, I don't have any answers for you, just wanted to let you know I feel for you. It's frustrating to be doing everything right and to not lose. I can't imagine how you've done it over the last 7 months. I admire your perseverance!

Valerie

I will chime in too, both about sharing the frustration AND the uncertainty about what will work. One thing I do believe in is that the progress is there, however sometimes at a pace so slow it cannot easily be observed. Nanci, you have gone a very long time with no loss, but you also have the knowledge that you maintained a 50 pound drop over 7+ months, without hunger or "suffering" (or so I hope).
I wish we knew more about why the WOE slows to a crawl for many of us, which some lucky ones keep dropping 3-4 pounds a week until they are within 10 pounds of goal.

Just wanted you to know I feel for you....I know it's got to be so frustrating...so many great things have been said already...I hope you are able to see the scales move again soon!!!! There is a lot to be said for maintaining!!!!

I have maintained the 50 lb loss over the last 7 months or so, effortlessly. When I reach my goal, at least I know that I can maintain the loss. I guess I havent really been watching the calendar much, as these months have flown by. I do really want to see some progress, tho. I do hate to count calories!!!

Nanci- I just spent a good chunk of time here reading the link that Liz posted. If you haven't done so already, it really contains alot of information. I do think that this whole thing is an experiment we do on ourselves. What works for one person is not going to work for the next and we just have to keep searching for what works for us! I really enjoyed the discussion on that thread!

If you haven't already, try adding L-Carnitine supplements to your plan. A lot of people feel it helps speed up weight loss. Also, Oil of Oregano is good.

Nanci, I did a little reading in your journal and saw that you eat just one meal a day. I think that you might do better by eating a little more frequently. You say that you do better if you don't start eating but you really need to spread the calories out. Maybe not to the extreme of six small meals--I know I couldn't do that--but maybe at least breakfast and dinner and a snack or two. An overload of food at night might be the problem even if you did eat this way when you lost weight (Congrats on that!)

When you've been doing the same thing and not getting results it is time to change. Stay with this WOE but shake it up a little! Try eating some of the foods that have been connected weight loss like almonds and fish. There are some supplements have been connected with weight loss, you could look into those, too. You might even try a different exercise routine like swimming or weight resistance.

When what you have been doing isn't getting results it's time to change something. Good luck!

Connie

I also read the link that liz posted. Very informative. I am not sure that there are answers there that I havent already tried. I am only eating one meal per day now. I know, I know, This is not doctrine. once I start putting food into the hopper, I have a hard time controling the ammount that goes in. For me, If I just eat once a day, I can control the input better. However, counting calories again, makes this WOE .........NO FUN!

Nanci, even though I am suggesting some lower calorie days, I don't actually count calories. I go by portion size and just the general feeling in my body (NOt necessarily hunger!) that comes when I am eating lighter.

I want to thank everyone for their input here. I am getting discouraged with no results. I started the fat fast today. I have tried this before and was miserable but I am miserable anyway, so why not try it again. I don't want to get so discouraged that I quit this WOE. On the whole, my life has improved and I am down 50 lbs, so there is a bright side.

Nanci

Warm hugs {{{{{}}}}}
You have a long road behind you as well as a long road ahead. But consider how far it looks backwards-you are different now then when you started.
Hope the fat fast cleans the slate and lets you move on.