Please take a peek at my Food Diary...

I'd be interested to know what your sodium intake is, that can cause water weight, do you drink the recommended amount of water at least?

I generally concur with what has already been said. Personally, I also use some protein powder to help meet my relatively high protein targets without breaking the bank or stuffing myself silly, but I try to be sure that my other protein sources are whole foods. Before eliminating the protein powder (if it is helping you meet your macronutrient goals), I would say try to replace the prepared foods like the Hormel chili and, indeed, watch the sodium intake -- especially on the processed foods because it tends to be crazy high.

The Red Bull I could probably do without - and suffer the headaches for a few days.

Yes, I do the protein powder to get it up without torturing myself by being too full. I'm not a huge meat eater.

Caffeine withdrawl lasted a few days for me, then I felt much better without it (for about 50 days). Was sleeping much better and the natural energy from that was much better than the jittery feeling I get from caffeine. Just recently start having coffee again occationally because it is delicious and I missed the taste.

You could add other foods instead of meat to up your protien (beans, tofu, meat replacements products, nuts, dairy, etc).

This article on Protien Shakes and the resulting thread was interesting:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/99410-consumer-reports-on-protein-shakes?hl=consumer+reports+protien#posts-1372995

I concur with the advice to give up Red Bull!

Besides that... you eat healthier than I do as well. The only thing I can think of is that it seems like you eat a lot of the same foods. Maybe switch to some different healthy foods and see if that helps?

You diet looks excellent! You are just in a slump and my advice that has worked for me and this is only by my own experience is...
Eat more 1 day a week. Have a day where you eat all of your calories and even go over. no high protein shake that day just a lot of good healthy food at least 2000-2500 cals. It has kicked my metabolism in gear when I do this. then I drop my calories back down to 1200 for the day after then jump back up to the 1500-1700 the next few days, I then roller coaster it between low 1200's then back up to 15-1700's.
Again this is what has worked for me when I get into a rut. And I agree with everyone else x out the red bull you don't need that if you really want a good over all supplement try Organo Ganoderma tea or coffee. Do a search on Ganoderma it is excellent for you and your body and after 3 days you will feel like a million bucks! :-)

Your diet looks awesome...great combo of protein/carbs/fat - you're eating a good amount of protein which is essential. Most everything is coming from whole/real foods so another in the plus column.

I would not cut out the Red Bull - a little caffeine isn't going to kill ya.

Hate to say it but the people who are commenting have a ways to go themselves and shouldn't be picking on you for a little minor thing like a Sugar Free Red Bull...take it from me everything (with minor exceptions of course) is fine in moderation...I have a red bull here and there, I also drink alcohol now and then, and I sometimes have ice cream! Gasp!

Well, I hope I didn't come off as a nit-picker. I do think that most everything looks really great and yeah, the occasional Red Bull or glass of wine or ice cream or canned chili isn't going to make a big difference in the long run. I hadn't scrolled too far back in the diary to get a full assessment and was making my comments assuming that one or two days were pretty representative.

But moving on....

To the OP, how long have you been trying the zig-zag method and how much are you "zigging and zagging"? What sorts of exercise are you doing?

I've been hovering around 125 for about a month now myself and I've recently downloaded Tom Venuto's book "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" which does describe calorie and carb cycling as a way to break through a plateau, so it is something that I'm going to try (along with getting quite a bit more strict about things just for a bit).

Lose the Red Bull.. the fake sweetener isn't any good for you. Try to eat most of your calories and add lots more fruits and veggies.

Calories burned are calculated by my HRM. I do have a SUPER hard time eating back my exercise calories. Not because I think I'll lose faster if I don't - I get the principal behind it all. I'm just not hungry.

Thoughts on that part?

I would keep with trying the zig zag thing and see if that works for you.

Another thing is that your 14lbs away from your goal weight.
Depending on what your RMR is, you might have to adjust your caloric intake higher.

A lot of people get stuck at a plateau after a certain time, and most people see to break through by adding more calories, or changing up the exercise routine. (myself, I upped my calories from 1700-2000 after 1 month plateau)


The Red Bull.
Give it a break people. OP asked for advice. People saw that she was eating very clean and noticed that she was having a red bull every day.........Not every now and then, but EVERY DAY.

Does it harm weight loss, maybe, maybe not, but it's an easy thing to remove.
For a lot of people, it can be trial and error.
What does it hurt if she went with out the red bull for a few weeks to see if anything changes.