Help please? Ready to give up :(

11 pounds is fabulous! Sometimes we hit bumps in the road. I think it's good to have a good vent/cry/b*tch session about it, then start again the next day.

Maybe try a new form of exercise, or add in some different foods to your routine. Maybe don't get on the scale for a bit. Focus on how you feel -- do you feel stronger, lighter, better? Do your clothes fit you better? Do you have more energy? All those are victories that can't be measured on the scale.

Also reevaluate how much you're eating and drinking. I had to UP my calories to get to a place where I was losing at all. I'm only 5 pounds down since the beginning of the year, but that's 5 pounds -- and almost all of it came after I reassessed my activity and upped my calories. I don't know if this is true for you, but it could be.

Quitting smoking is probably also freaking your body out, but it's AWESOME that you quit. You just added years to your life even if you don't lose another ounce!

Hang in there. Tomorrow is a new day.

Definitely try different foods. It makes it sort of fun -- new recipes are a fun challenge. Maybe try finding healthier versions of foods you like to eat when you go out, or stuff the whole family will like. Stir fries and big salads offer you lots of room to play with ingredients, and everyone can customize their own so you don't have to cook two meals. (Children who are exposed to a variety of foods end up being less picky in the long run, too.) We eat vegetarian in our house the majority of the time, and we've made swaps such as using soy/veggie crumbles to make tacos and chilis -- you can't tell that it's not beef once it's seasoned all to heck anyway. Lentils are much the same, though they do have a different texture. I'm not sure what you can get where you are, but it's worth looking. It would open up your options a bit and probably be kid-friendly too if you could find some healthy but undetectable swaps .

We also pack up leftovers immediately for lunch the next day or for the freezer. Helps to cut down on waste, which we loathe in our house.

You increased your exercise and when we do that our bodies often retain water, which can add several pounds to the scale. It will go away eventually (might take a few weeks). Sometimes it happens all at once and you step on the scale and go, 'oh wow!' and sometimes it just drops gradually, but it's just water.

Keep doing what you're doing, don't stop the work outs and you can do this. Never completely trust the scale it will drive you mad. Go by how clothes fit, measure with a tape, go by how you feel. And don't give up because you can do it!

I have thought about trying non meat versions of things, but was worried about taste especially as it costs more, lol. I do cook the kids stuff that I wont eat just so they dont become as fussy as me, but Ive never done them a full salad to pick at what they want. My mum does me a lentil curry which is fat free and full of flavour Thank you I will def be giving this a try

I feed one ovo-lacto vegetarian and one flexitarian (me) on about $50 (US) every week. It can be expensive, and of course I don't know what food prices are in your area, but it doesn't have to be. I find that not buying as much meat balances out. I get a 12 oz block of tofu for $1 (US) and it stands in for a much more expensive pound of meat. Or I buy a 12 oz bag of soy crumbles for $2.50 (US) on sale, and it stands in for a pound of meat. You just have to shop around and try things. You can also buy dehydrated textured vegetable protein and rehydrate it at home -- it takes a bit to get the hang of, but can be very affordable.

...Want to get a serving size lesson? Go pour yourself a bowl of cereal. Don't read on until you pour the bowl of cereal - or choose any other simple meal you eat.

Got it poured?

Here's the lesson. Now measure it. How many cups of cereal did you pour? (or other food) Now check the box. How many servings did you pour that you are recording as one? Try this with any / all your recurring meals. You will learn where these hidden calories are coming from and your weaknesses lie.

Want another lesson? Now take the cereal you measured out with the cup and go weigh it. Many times it's way off. To get a truly accurate measurement, weigh your food with a scale. For example, I measured out some cereal the other day. The serving size was 3/4 of a cup or 55g. It turns out 3/4 cup was closer to 82g. If I'd eaten the full 3/4 cup I'd have got 1.5 servings worth of calories. (Cheese can be like that too.) All those extra calories add up!

Thinking long term scares the crap outta me, I cant do it.

Then stop thinking "long term"...think "just this second"...can you do that? Of course you can. "Just this second I'll go pick up my walking shoes" "Just this second I'll put my left shoe on" "Just this second I'll put my right shoe on" "Just this second I'll stand up" "Just this second I'll walk to the door" "Just this second I'll open the door and go outside" "Just this second I'll close the door" "Just this second I'll put my right foot in front of my left" "Just this second I'll put my left foot in front of my right" etc, etc Congratulations, you just started your walk for the day. How do you eat a (low calorie) elephant? One bite at a time.

If you don't eat most of the exercise calories back then you are making it too hard on yourself to stick to this long term. MFP is set up that way so you should try to do it. If you are finding it hard to eat your calories don't eat low fat diet foods, eat real foods that are full fat as fat is not bad for you. Nuts/seeds, peanut butter, whole eggs, avocado, salmon or other oily fish, healthy oils to cook with or put on salads will all help you reach you goal. Best of luck achieving them!

I am feeling down and I have been to the doctors before but because it only lasts a few days, week tops, and I can kick myself out of it Im all good

Wow 100lb lost, well done to you!! The water thing does sound like it could be part ofthe problem, I also dont really pay attention to my sodium and I think that effects water aswell? I tend to live in leggings and t-shirt so I dont feel a difference in them but I might go out and buy a size or 2 smaller fittedish dress and every few weeks try it on and see maybe, thank you

Thank you! With many ups and downs on the scale, I assure you. It used to drive me bonkers, now it just makes me slightly crazy.

Sodium does indeed affect water weight as well. And of course every month the scale will mess with most women. And that one will screw with our waistbands, too, so just gotta walk it off. Literally if you feel like walking!