Have to vent...feel like I've been at this forever.

Hi there! I get how you feel - and it's going to be ok. You are doing all the right stuff - and it will happen. Forgive yourself and take a deep breath.

If you have started doing weights - you may put on a couple of pounds as your muscle density increases. This is a hard mental adjustment - but something I've tried is to focus on how I feel & look in my clothes. I do weigh myself - but I would rather be healthy & fit and not have an eating disorder to reach some unattainable number on the scale for my body.

I have done Chalene Johnson's Turbo Fire - and her Chalene Xtreme with weights - and LOVED them! I'm glad that you are doing both as for women the muscles can really help keep us looking younger & keep our bones strong.

I would encourage you to read Jillian Michaels book, Master your Metabolism. There is so much to our bodies - we all have a unique body that requires it's own set of nutrients. She talks about how she has to be more restrictive in calories when she eats 1,200 calories a day - but if she eats "whole foods" she can eat way more calories. It's because our bodies need the nutrients that aren't in the 100 calorie packs of chips.

One other tip is to trick your body with your caloric intake. Figure out how many calories you need per week to lose the weight (1-2 pounds usually). Then one day do 1,200 calories - the next 1,800, the next 1,300 the next 1,500 - so your body doesn't think you are starving yourself & start hoarding the fat.

Sounds like you know your stuff pretty well - sometimes it's just a mental shift to realign what you really want from this - a certain number or to look & feel good. From your picture I can tell you are a beautiful woman. Focus on what you love about yourself.

I'm also into natural healing - and have found meditation to be a real key in keeping me focused & not overwhelmed. MeditationOasis.com is on itunes & online - and they have some great guided meditations.

I have also read from Dr. Edward Bach's "Heal Thyself" that to really heal a negative virtue - focus on the opposing positive virtue. We can successfully suppress our negative thoughts & behaviors - but someday our willpower won't be strong enough & they will rise up again. To focus on the opposite behavior & thought will realign that in yourself & the negative will be washed away.

I'm also tired of putting in a lot of effort and not seeing any results. That's why I'm going to kick it up a notch for the next 12 weeks and really commit to a program (Jamie Eason's Live Fit). I know I should be happy that I am making my long term health better, and I'm not gaining weight, but I want to see better results. Keep at it and good luck - I'm sure you'll see some progress soon as long as you are consistent!

I checked out your diet for a few days, going back just to see what the average is (I've had a bad weekend of cocktails and fun ), just seems like a lot but I agree that 1200 isn't very realistic for some people especially active ones.

I liked your day on August 9th, but if you cut out some of the added snacks you'd get a lower calorie amount and hopefully more weight loss since some of the snacks are probably not filling.

You also have a lot of meat and dairy but no filling vegetables or fruit. I added a cup of frozen veggies to my lunch and I'm so much more full and satisfied for a few calories. You seem like you like wine, like I do, and I try to make my breakfasts have around 300 or so calories because I know I will have empty calories from drinks at the end of the day and try to make up for it earlier in the day. Don't give up though because you're doing really well!

^^^^^^ yeah, right.... ^^^^^

Butterfli7o, keep up your hard work! 1200 calories IS too restrictive, especially if you are having a hard time sticking to it. I have been through at least 3 plateaus (and I am sort of in one now) when no matter what I am doing, nothing happens. I will tell you though that it WILL! Keep working!

Good morning! I've been at this for a while, too, and have had to make some adjustments. And, at first, I kept gaining and I was like, "WTH??" So, I really started tracking what I ate. I was at 1200, and it wasn't enough for me. I went up to 1600 and dropped 4lbs in one week. That's not necessarily the best for everyone, but it worked for me. I'm down a total of 27 pounds (from even before I joined MFP), and I've adjust to 1400. Just recently, I've been trying to eat 1400. Doesn't matter what exercise I do, when I track my calories, as long as I have CONSUMED 1400, that's where I stay. The whole "eating back exercise calories" business is a mystery to me, so I stopped worrying about it.

But, to me, the most important part? TIME AND PATIENCE!! People say it all the time, but it REALLY rings true for me: you didn't gain the weight overnight, and so you won't lose it overnight. Give youself time, patience, and keep at it!! Make adjustments where you see necessary (or where you think it might help), and be flexible with trying new tips and tricks. You're going to do GREAT, and rock this journey! Just keep going forward!

Consistency is the number one thing that worked for me, logging every single thing I ate when I first started, not here but at another calorie site. Although don't look at my diary because I've been lazy for two days and didn't finish logging..oops But I've been at this for a while so a few days not logging doesn't throw me off track anymore.

Secondly, eating more..1200 is too low for me to maintain and its counter productive, aim now for 1550-1750 and I'm losing again.