Frustrated and want to GIVE UP

Also, how many minutes on average are you doing cardio?Also, how much weight do you want to lose? Just curious. Don't give up though!!!

Are you watching your portions? I have such a hard time with keeping portions in check

I went nearly 3 months at a plateau. But I did notice that my clothes were feeling looser during that time so the same may be happening to you. Just your body readjusting a bit. Whatever you do don't give in.

Can we peek at your diary? My guess is that if you are eating mostly vegetarian, you might not be getting enough protein & fat. Believe it or not, eating the right fats will make you LOSE fat. I promise I'm not making it up. I lost 2.9% body fat in 26 days and 65% of my calories are from FAT! Do you like avocados? Do you butter your veggies (with real butter, not that fake weirdo frankenfood stuff)? Also, nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashews & macadamias are great protein/fat snacks.

Have you done your measurements? You could be replacing fat with muscle.

so here is my normal fitness routine:

morning: treadmill - walking 50 minutes working up to 15% incline at speed of 3.7

evening: 40-50 minutes of pilates

I try to take Sat/Sun off but may work out on Sunday.

You might try reducing cardio and adding strength. Maybe 20-30 minutes of cardio and then sit-ups, push-ups, squats, lunges.

Breakfast - usually oatmeal, steel cut oats or sometimes as a treat a bagel ( no, I do not eat of all these at once. )

Lunch: salad with tuna or sandwich with egg salad or sandwich w tuna/ fruit

Dinner: vegetarian dish - maybe quinoa dish or omelete - changes all the time
fruit with yogourt.

your meals look pretty balanced (fat/protein/carbs) except for breakfast. Perhaps some eggs (if you eat them) or nut butter or whatever sources of protein & fat that you like! Avocado is good for fat!

What you eat isn't as important as how many calories you eat (and how many calories you burn). Weight-loss is simple math but you have to know the numbers. You're giving us information but you're giving us the numbers.

You have your goal to lose 53 pounds. If you really have that much to lose, you should see the scale move. When you get closer to your goal weight, you might do better to look at how your clothes fit, etc. but for now, the scale should show progress.

Learn your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is the calories your body needs to function. To stay healthy, you should always eat more than this number.

Learn your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). This is the amount of calories your body burns in a typical day based on your size and activity level. Eat less than this number, you'll lose weight. Eat more, and you'll gain weight. Simple math.

There are a bunch of calculators out there. I like this one.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

I work a desk job with little exercise outside of my workout, so I use that for my calculations and then add my workout calories in. ***But I didn't eat those calories back when I was trying to lose. So for me, my BMR was 1900, my TDEE was 2500 outside of exercise. I burned 500 calories at the gym. MFP would put my goal at 2150... when I put my workout in, it would change that to 2650. But I didn't eat 2650, I stayed under my original goal of 2150. Obviously sometimes I'd net under my BMR but I didn't suffer any ill effects from that (fatigue, hair-loss, no weight-loss) - but I watched it carefully since I was definitely on the low side.

As others have said, be very careful about your quantities. Try measuring stuff out initially until you understand what "1 Cup" or "4 ounces" of something looks like.

For your workouts, walking is great. I would challenge you to work up your speed a little as you get into shape (assuming you're healthy, doctor's ok, etc). Getting your heart-rate up will help you burn calories and help get your metabolism up.

Don't get discouraged. I worked out for TWO YEARS and actually gained weight until I finally took a hard look at how many calories I was eating (HONESTLY EATING) and discovered I was over a thousand calories high every day. When I made the adjustments I lost over 40 pounds in 4 months.

Good luck!

What you eat isn't as important as how many calories you eat (and how many calories you burn). Weight-loss is simple math but you have to know the numbers. You're giving us information but you're giving us the numbers.

I have to disagree with this statement. While calories ARE important, the type of calories that you eat are much more important. Your statement is like saying that a race car would run just fine on the same fuel that you put in your station wagon. You cannot ignore your macro nutrients. 100 cals of carbs will affect your body totally different than 100 calories of steak or butter will. It's like fueling your fire with a slow-burning hardwood or just pouring gas on it. Do you want your body to burn through the calories that you put in it record time, or do you want your food to sustain you for a period of time? So, don't JUST look at your calorie intake and output, but also pay attention to your macros. You'll want to be balanced to avoid inflammation and lose fat.

Could you be building muscle? Muscle weights more than fat, right? Are you firming up? Are your clothes fitting differently? Weight loss also hits plateaus...don't give up, remember it is not just about losing weight...it is about health. If you are eating right and exercising you are getting healthier! Hang in there!

1lb of muscle is equal to 1lb of fat only it looks much different....more dense.
Just as 1lb of feathers is equal to 1lb of concrete. density

I went veggie for 2 years and gained 20 lbs. So, went back to eating meat....which isn't my favorite and have become more dense. If you stay a veggie...be sure to take a very good multivitamin...I sure my iron and B's were terribly low. Vitamin deficiency can hinder the bodies natural processes pretty easily.

Whatever you do, don't give up!

I've been maintaining (when I want to be loosing) for the better part of a year. I was exercising 5 to 6 days a week too. Turned out, it was my calorie intake. I was eating more than I thought and didn't realize it until I started counting calories again. And, when I say counting calories, I mean each and every tator tot. That, and I've started to ignore my exercise calories. Low and behold, the scale is moving again.

You'll figure it out what works for you, and you'll start losing again.

Hang in there! All the comments I read are right on. Believe it or not Vegetarian doesnt always mean you are getting the right balance. What is your water intake? Sometimes it takes awhile for the body to kick in. Mix-up the cardio. Pilates is great for toning and flexibility but doesnt burn the calories that other exercises will Maybe weights and/or circuit training will. Dont give up. Im also in a similar spot trying not to get frustrated but I also know I need to make some adjustments.

I have to disagree with this statement. While calories ARE important, the type of calories that you eat are much more important.

I hear you, and I'm actually a huge believer in protein, complex carbs, etc.

My point is that she needs to track calories - you have to establish a deficit in order to lose weight. If you don't have a deficit, you won't lose weight no matter what you eat.

Once you have a deficit then yes - choosing your foods wisely can make a big difference.