Crash exercising won't help you lose flab. That's a huge problem that we as Americans and Brits have - short term solutions. We should look more to the continent on ways to lose weight. YES, they have fat people in France and Italy, et al but I am speaking of their foods and the way they fit exercise into every day life. 'French Women Don't Get Fat' is an excellent book (and yes, I know this is a fallacy - they'd rather drink and chain-smoke to death... j/k). My favorite book of all time is 'Skinny b*tch'. It's a pro-vegan book in disguise but since being here in the UK, I find it hard to maintain my former vegan life style and it's gone to pot. I just eat what I want (albeit smaller proportions) and grocery shop at M&S.
I for one am not going to throw stones at you - I live in a glass house. I have done all your tricks of the trade and have even (gasp!!!) gone to pro-ana websites for tips when I was feeling low or looked at myself in the mirror and thought, God, you are FAT! Mind you, I am 9 stone, 6lbs and 5'3". According to the NHS BMI chart, my BMI is 23.5 and I feel like a giant blob. I can admit that I suffer from body dysmorphic disorder and so it doesn't matter if people tell me I look nice and slim - I still FEEL fat.
I had a nasty case of tonsilitis earlier this month and lost 4lbs in the process. That jump started me to going to the gym (I'd joined Fitness First last month). I now go 3 times a week because I do 85 minutes worth of exercise each visit and I think if I go more than 3 times a week then that could be stretching it and I could end up injuring myself. I do admit taking the tram to get there because it isn't walking distance (I'm in Salford near Eccles and it's in Manchester city centre). I try to walk every place else though and I do try to stay fit but like the OP, I am trying to get down to 8 stone 6lbs - not because I need to but because I'd like to get into all my clothes and look nice - not like I'm squeezing into something.
I will say it is a bit easier to have a better body image over here than in the States. I lived in L.A., so normal to me is a size 0 (UK size 4) and being a size 6 (UK size 10) does not make me feel thin. Then again, my sister and mother have also battled weight their whole life and I just feel like if I don't get a handle on it now that I have turned 30 then I never will.
I think the most important thing I can tell the OP is to make exercise a way of life (especially in times of stress, I find I feel much better after I exercise when I am stressed out). Remember, if you want to stay this weight for good then there are no quick fixes. Just be sure that you can get to a weight you can maintain long term through good nutrition and exercise. I also can NOT stress how important breakfast is! I used to avoid it like the plague but it kick-starts your metabolism and you'll actually find yourself less hungry throughout the day. Just my 2p. I am not trying to condemn you, OP, just adding my thoughts and hope they will help.
ETA: My daughter went to her pediatrician the other day and she was deemed to be overweight. She is 5 years old (will be 6 this October), tall for her age and 2 stone 9 pounds.
I think the pediatrician (bless him but he is quite old and will be retiring any day now) needs his head examined!
