I've been loosing weight since the beginning of last year. Most of that weight I lost in Nov & Dec. The biggest reason for the difference is a significant change in my diet. Prior to Nov 99 I thought I was managing my diet by making smart menu picks.

You see I was eating out at least 14 times per week. Starting in Nov, I changed that by eating healthy foods and preparing my meals. At first the weight change was significant, for example 5 lbs in the first week. But ever since that first week, I've been loosing about 0.7 lbs/week and it seems like it's slowed down even more.

My training in the last 6 months has also increased to the point that my wife is starting to think I'm getting obsessive. Here's what a typical week looks like for more now.

Mon - 1 hour on weights, 45 min spin class
Tue - 50 min of cardio - typically running on the treadmill
Wed - 1.5 hour on weights, 45 min spin class
Thu - 30-45 min running interval speed training, 20 min elliptical
Fri - 1.5 hours on weights
Sat - long run (5-6 miles) or 5k race
Sun - 3-4 mile casual run

I believe my workouts are burning the calories and I'm eat lean low fat foods. So the question might be, why isn't the weight dropping. I guess I need to go back to calorie counting to check what I'm eating.

Here's my typical diet:

Breakfast (one of the following items)
- Oatmeal (1 serving made with water)
- shredded wheat (one bowl (1.5-2 cups of cereal, 1 cup skim milk)
- french toast (sugar free syrup, egg beaters and 6 slices of bread)
- poached eggs (3 whole eggs, two slices of bread)
- protein meal replacement shake (i.e. All The Whey - light)

Snake (one of the following, skip about 50% of the time)
- piece of fruit
- oatmeal
- protein shake - (Dymatize Elite Gourmet protein or Optimum 100% Whey protein - mixed with water)

Lunch
- Low fat meal around 400 calories typically includes brown rice, lean meat & vegetables.

Afternoon snack
- maybe another low fat meal like lunch or..
- like morning snack

Dinner
- Low fat meal around 500 calories like lunch but may be larger portion, eating more fish lately 8-12 oz. and sweet potato or brown rice, or whole grain pasta, veggies.

Evening Snake
- Protein shake - mixed with 8oz Very Vanilla Soy Silk, scope of Protein mix, fruit (banana, strawberry or other) and 8oz of ice.

Note: I'm eating Natures Own Whole Wheat light bread, it has 40 calories per slice.

I'd like to be dropping the weight faster and I do realize the challenge of trying to build muscle size and loose weight at the same time. Also, I'll be 55 in a couple of weeks so increasing the intensity of the workouts may not happen.

So that's it, any comments or suggestions good or bad are welcome.

Rick