ugggg.. can't lose weight. now trying no carbs..

Based on your info I'm guessing that your TDEE (the calories you need to maintain weight) are around 2300! To lose weight you must go on a deficit, yes, but that's usually 10% if you want to do it healthily. Eating around 1000 calories is racing against your metabolism: you slow down, your metabolism slows down, your energy level slows down, your weight loss stalls.

My suggestion: re-feed yourself for a month or so and slow down on exercise. Yes you'll gain weight.
Then - on a 10%-15% deficit (track every calorie honestly) with 3 workouts/week and some healthy walks (that you need to eat back) now and then, you'll be on your way to a slow but steady loss.

Nothing to do with low carbs or whatever. Just with patience and have a healthy pattern!

Low carb can be pretty great, but it's not for everybody. It sorta teaches you how to eat better.
Low carb can consist of protein and lots of veggies. Protein and veggie calories go a long ways, so you'll find you can feel more full for less calories. Also, adding in 1/2 piece fruit here and there can spice things up if you start getting bored.

I wouldn't try going way to low though on the carbs. Try setting your carbs at 15%-20% of your diet.

I went back and perused your diary- and your food selections are reasonable,
and you do a WONDERFUL job @ portion control.
You are making this a do-able lifestyle that you can easily maintain long after you lose the desired weight.
That's a big factor.

You do, however, go over OFTEN in the sodium dep't....and you don't log water.
If you aren't hydrating yourself with enough WATER, it could VERY well be water retention.


And, having your thyroid out of whack messes up your metabolism quite a bit.
Once they got me on the right dosage, I saw much more positive results.
Up until then, I was like spinning my wheels...wasn't losing or gaining < (which that part was good)

You should aim to consume 1/2 your current weight in ounces- Ex. 120 pounds- 60 oz of water ( 7.5 cups)

BEST wishes to you- and feel free to friend me-
I'd love to offer you encouragement along the way

I'm a very-low-carb/high-fat (ketogenic) dieter myself - but I do it to control my Type II diabetes.

I'll be the first to support a choice for very-low-carb diets under certain conditions... But really, unless you're SURE you have a metabolic condition such as diabetes or insulin-resistance from metabolic syndrome/PCOS/Hashimoto's thyroiditis, etc., there is usually no need for most dieters to choose low-carb.

... and there is NEVER a good reason to choose no-carb. Restricting carbohydrate totally could rob you of important nutrients, fiber and antioxidants that come from things like leafy greens (and other non-starchy vegetables) and berries, etc.

Even for those getting into ketosis and working toward keto-adapation, you can easily get there with 5% of your calories from carbohydrate. (Typically fat/protein are 75% / 20% with most recommendations.) On a 1500 calorie diet, for example, that's 75 calories, or just under 20g of carbohydrate.

Once actually keto-adapted, many people who are dieting for weight-loss can maintain ketosis with 10% of their calories from carbohydrate. Those not-dieting, but at 'maintenance' usually do best maintaining ketosis at about 5-8%.

*IF* you truly want to go low-carb for weight-loss, research it and do it right. Here's a few good recommendations:

* Eat moderate protein - enough for your needs, but not to excess. 20% of calories from protein is usually enough for most women, unless they're incredibly active in the gym. Excess protein is detrimental to being/staying in ketosis, as through gluconeogenesis it's converted into glucose.

* Eat a high amount of healthy fats. Natural fats, even saturated, are quite healthy. Avoid refined oils and trans-fats.

* Get the majority of your carbohydrate intake from non-starchy vegetables and, if you like, a little lower-GI fruit.

* Eat a variety of foods to get your nutrients.

* Drink plenty of water. Being in ketosis means you're 'flushing' water. Also important is watching your electrolytes if you're doing endurance exercise - because your water levels are lower. If you're into distance running, or something similar, ensure you're drinking something like powerade zero, or a similar low-carb electrolyte replacement drink.

* Eat above your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). There is no good reason to eat below your true BMR, ever. A good rule of thumb for many is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - 20%, but that varies among individuals.

* Exercise. There are many people that suggest that weight "just drops off!" on a low-carb diet without exercise, which just isn't the case for the VAST majority of people, especially those with only 20 or 30 pounds to lose. I always recommend strength-training (unless you have a cardiovascular reason to avoid the exercise) as it will help retain your lean mass (ie: muscle) while dieting. And HIIT (high-intensity-interval-training) is a great workout to mix in there too that takes little time and research shows will help fat-loss as much as long-duration steady-state cardio, but in a much shorter time.

I've probably forgotten something - but this is a good place to start.

Don't worry, I don't disbelieve you.

I think cutting any refined carbs and high sodium foods from your diet is a really good idea. Also track your water.

I'm struggling to get back into the habit of logging so that I have hard data to help me figure out what's going on with my own attempts to lose more fat.

Ditch the high sodium items (cheese, salted nuts, bacon)

Replace with more detoxing items: Cucumbers, fruits--fruits and veggies with high water content.
You will feel lighter and the weight will come off too!

:-D