Weight Loss Plateau

Try going to maintenance calories for a while. You might again a few pounds right at first but it will come off. You need to shock your system and and make sure all of the hormones in your body are in balance. If you diet too long at such a low number you may produce less of the hormones you need. Try maintenance for a few weeks and then drop down to eating either -20% tdee or between Tdee and bmr. This will make it so you are more likely to lose fat rather than muscle. Eating at such a low number causes serious muscle destruction from what I have learned. This ends up with people being "skinny fat:" where they look good with clothes on but not without. Remember: Weight loss is a journey not a race.

Hi, I'm a 21 year old female. I'm 5'5" and weigh 150 lbs (approximately). When I started (two years ago) I weighed about 170. It's now been a year since I lost any weight. I eat about 1200 calories per day (sometimes less sometimes more), and I was exercising regularly (about 5 or 6 times a week, for an average of about 70 minutes, sometimes less, sometimes more, never longer than 2 1/2 hours total in a day) for about six months, but a few weeks ago I stopped. I know I should continue working out, but the thing is, after spending all this time at the gym and STILL not losing weight I began to get these really horrible feelings of sadness, self-loathing, and worthlessness. I would often, while working out, thinking, "Why do I even bother? Looks like I'll always be fat no matter what I do." It feels as though I'm constantly studying for a test and consistently getting a C-. Several times I had to stop in the middle of the workout b/c these feelings would get so overwhelming I'd start to cry. I tried going back to the gym a few more times but I would just get so depressed every single time, I would cry for hours afterward. I know, it sounds really stupid.
I really just want to lose a little bit more weight. I originally wanted to weigh 135 lbs. but at this point I would be happy with any weight loss at all, even just 5 lbs. All the research I've done suggests I should cut calories or extend my workout, but I kept adding on more and more exercise and still couldn't get the scale below 150 lbs. I also bought a body tape measure and I haven't gotten any smaller, either. I've cut a LOT of stuff out of my diet, too. I drink only water and herbal tea now, and I'm almost entirely vegan. I rarely even crave junk food anymore, and if I'm pretty sure my appetite has shrunk because I feel full really easily now. What I'm saying is, I've developed pretty good self-control with food, even when surrounded by junk food, out to eat, or at my parents' house for the holidays. What else should I do? I'd like to go back to exercising but I just can't deal with how depressed it makes me. I really hate my body and it makes me very unhappy with myself. I could really use some advice. Thanks very much.