This has been on my mind a lot lately. I ran a fitness challenge first 3 months of the year, I lost one whole pound. I smiled as I cheered others on, when whole time I was kicking myself.

I started teaching Zumba 2 x a week and still no loss on the scale.

I added two more classes a week, not to mention the practicing I have to do to learn new songs. Scale still has no responce.

I am wearing same clothes I wore the beginning of year. I have clothes from last year that I can't fit into.

I have been a yoyo dieter as long as I can recall. I have been in tight tight tight 16 and some nice fitting 6's.(one or two 4's)

I'm 48 all year the scale has stayed between 158-162. I can't recall ever having numbers that close for so long. I know I am fit but I want to wear my smaller clothes. I don't want to give up and say I guess this is the size I will be.

I can stay strict lowcarb or go off lowcarb and the scale is still in that range.
I know I'm a pear and I know my lower body will always be out of proportion. But it's fustrating. Since I can't wear my 8's or 6's I feel fat, mentally.

I did see a few pictures of my on my stepdaughters camera and I thought wow, nice upper body. I was wearing a bathing suit and really surprised at how toned I was.
I went to a new lady for a pedicure yesterday and while she was massaging my calves, she was shocked at how muscular they were. I was shocked that she said that, I have big calves. (so large they overflowed a pair of cowboy boots I tried on last week)

Typing this I am as confussed as ever. How can I look toned in pictures, be told I have muscular calves( I have NEVER in my life been told that) and still be unhappy with my body because of what the scale says? and because last year I wore smaller clothes?

Anyone have any good suggestions on how to turn this mental image around?
Thanks

How TONED is your midsection? Is it as toned as your calves and upper body?

It really could just be getting those muscles stronger to keep the midsection flatter.

BTW, I am a bit older than you, just a smidge taller, and a few pounds heavier. I've got toned calves and working on that upper body, too... and my midsection is weak. I am working on abdominals and obliques. Kids can wreck your midsection. PLUS, that's where perimenopause/menopause does its dirty work, too.

core is strong. but yep TOM does reak havoc on my body more now then it ever has. hope this means it is all coming to an end soon. This month it had me aching and swollen as never before. Thanks for the insite. I do apprecate it. Still plugging along.