Well, you should eat, starving yourself is not the answer. Eat lots and lots of veggies, as well as fruit and WHOLE grains. Is that light tea sugar free with nutrasweet? If it is, give that up too. Check out the site below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aspartame Danger Articles

I think that Paul misread the original post. Peach didn't say that she was starving herself, she said she didn't eat alot (meaning over eat). Aspartame dangers are very contraversal. So far, the real research has not proven any more danger than saccharin.
As for the weight change. Muscle weighs more than fat.If you increase the muscle tone that would explain a weight exchange. So, if you have changed your eating habits to decrease the calorie intake and increase exercise, you are reducing fat cells. Unfortunately, reducing fat cannot always be determined with a scale. It's best to measure your body. Take a measurement of hips, abs, thighs and see if they are shrinking. Are your clothes fitting you better, looser than before. If they are, good. It's working. Another thing to keep in mind, as our bodies age, it is important to increase water intake. You should be drinking 8 8oz. Glasses a day to flush the impurities from your system. If you exercise, drink more. As we get older, it is more difficult for our bodies to tell us when we are dehydrated. If we are dehydrated, our bodies go into conservation mode, and won't flush impurities out. Our skin loses elasticity, our organs respond be not working efficiently, and we loose energy. Drinking more water will help you shed those pounds as well.
I hope I was helpful,
Jainie

Janie, she said " I have regular meal for supper." Combined with her other statement, it led me to believe that she maybe was starving herself. As far as the "real research" on aspartame, your probably referring to industry sponsered short term tests, which are garbage. I'd urge you to do some research from people who don't profit from aspartame. That site has 50+ doctors opinions.

Paul,
You are making assumptions. When doing your research on clinical trials based on Aspartame, which journals are you referencing? Are these trials that have been reviewed but not published? I have never based an opinion on any non-credible analytics. I reserve my opinions for real data, real results, real methodology, and publishability. If a journal wouldn't publish it, how credible is it? Just tell me which journals to look in in Medline, I will would be happy to review them. I have seen so many hoax articles on the WEB, I can't count. Don't believe every you read just because so one wrote Dr.'s names on it.
Jainie

I agree with Jainie, don't pay attention to your scale, just measure yourself. What I do is I pick a particular article of clothing that would be realistic for me to fit into (like a size 10, I wear a 12 now). Then about once a week I try it on to see if it fits. I have fit into many of my goal outfits before not having lost a pound. This is because I have been doing a lot of weight training. I suggest that you integrate some weight training into your aerobics. I have found pretty quick results doing this, as it raises your resting metabolism.

Sorry folks. May be I haven't made myself clear about my diet. During breakfast and lunch, I stick with high protein food: milk, cheese and yogurt (for protein and calcium) and veggie salad. During supper, I have "regular" meal which is steak, veggie and pasta. During the day I have fruit as snack and I drink lot of water and some tea without sugar. Not sure if my diet is balance but I cannot not eat any less than these.

The high-protein is your problem. Protein is 'fat', and since we do need proteins get them from beans and a whole grains instead. Find a health food store that carried bulk items and stock up on grains there. Meats, dairy unless it's lo/no/fat cheese/yogurts are 'fats'. Eliminate them except for a couple of meals a week and you will lose. Stick with whole grains and try to eliminate white flours and processed sugars. You will lose and your cholestrol will plummet!! Let us know your progress and good luck. If you have any questions regrding this way of eating go to www.drmirkin.com and do asearch of 'fats', 'carbs' and 'sugars' and you will understand why these items cause weight gain.
Salena

A lot of people can fit into cloths that arn't their size. I wouldn't use that as a guide.

Or atleast don't try going around in public with it on.

say, zeit, why are you so bitter? every post i see from you is so mean!!!! you just sound like a lonely, lonely person just looking for some attention, no matter what kind.

Peach--Head over to the Diet Club. You will have a lot of different eating plans to choose from there. You can read old post and see who is having more success! Everyone there is VERY supportive and encouraging. I personally like low cal but many others are losing on other diets.

I have an idea how you feel peach, I have a problem like that too . . I can't seem to lose any weight, but I eat no more than 1300 calories a day and excercise for 45 minutes 6 days a week. I haven't lost any inches either so it's not like I'm just gaining muscle.

Peach:

I empathize - I too am having a hard time losing even 5 pds - makes me wonder why. With all the exercise and the low fat, low carb foods - I don't even lose an inch.

Protein DOES NOT = FAT. Carbohydrates are sugars, which if not used up, convert to sugar and store as fat.

I hope that things turn around quickly for you - sort of boots the moral. Let me know if you find something that works.

Laurie

Peach, try changing your exercises. Your body is used to your doing aerobics and kick boxing. I read somewhere that you need to "trick" your body with a different set of exercises doing each 2 times a week. When you do the new exercises your body reacts by working harder because it is not used to it.

Thank you very much folks. These are very helpful hints and encouraging words. I will try to modify my diet and exercise pattern.

3,500 calories equals 1 pound...just to let you know :)

More muscle tone is good. Congratulations. You have lowered your body fat and now need to lose less weight than you did before.

Therefore, your estimate of needing to lose 5lbs is either inaccurate for 7 months ago or for now. But whatever.

Continue what your doing until all fat is turned to muscle, or increase your level of excercise and/or reduce your caloric intake, which will make you lose weight.