Sorry for my absence, but all the 9//11 anniversary and Fashion Week preparations have been kicking my butt.

Now, back to weight loss, or in my case, the absence of it. My weight loss has ground to a halt lately, after27 pounds. It seems no matter what I do, I am stuck at a certain number (Wouldn't you like to know what that is?? Psyche!)

I have been exercising five or six times a week, either swimming or walking and running and I have stayed true to my diet since Labor Day. Heck, on Thursday, I even ran in the morning and went to my swim class in the evening.
Still nothing. Each day, the scale just laughs at me.

The one bright spot has been that I am back in regular sizes again. I managed to buy a really cool sweater at the Gap and a suit at Anne Taylor Loft.

But even still, those numbers on the scale definitely impact how I feel about my body. With that in mind, I decided to search the Net to see what help I could fine.

About.com suggests changing my training routine with interval training and composite training to bust through a plateau.

Duke University's School of Medicine, which has a well-renowned obesity program, suggests weighing myself no more than once a week, lowering my expectations and not exercising too much.

And the Atkins Diet & Low Carbohydrate Weight-Loss Support suggests measuring my body to make sure there is a stall, keeping close track of my diet and drinking tons of water among their many ideas.

I'll let you know how it goes.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com