Hi ladies! I've been on MFP for years but just got into it in January, trying to get in better shape and lead a healthier lifestyle overall. I have had a tough time losing weight, I got caught up in the 1200 calories a day crap and have literally been trying variations of that since January. I also was working out 5-6 days a week and usually not eating back any of my exercise calories, so usually netting around 800-900. But honestly, it led to overeating on weekends, being cranky and devastated every time I would step on the scale and haven't lost anything. There were even weeks when I followed it religiously and nothing came of it. It got to the point where the "diet" literally ruled me, it governed everything I did and I got really crazy about it, to the point where it was not healthy for my mind! I've taken the last couple weeks to forget the diet, just eat and not thinking about counting calories and do some research to figure out where to go from here. I would like to get back on the horse next week, as summer is coming soon and that has been my goal since January, to lose weight and tone up for the weeklong trip I take every year to Lake Powell and spend a week in a swimsuit!

So here's my info:

5'8''
158 lbs
25 years old
lightly active (I work a desk job but exercise 5 times a week, 20 mins of cardio and lifting so I'd say that's pretty accurate for my activity level, since I was saying that I was "sedentary")
My goal weight is around 130, but honestly, the number doesn't matter as much to me as losing the fat around my belly (where I carry ALL of my body fat it seems!) and thighs. (most of my excess fat I have actually toned off of my arms and some off of my legs so there has been SOME progress!)

I calculated my BMR as 1538, TDEE 2115. With a 20% deficit this puts me at 1692 calories a day.

I could really use some advice of people who have gone through similar situations or people who have more knowledge on this. I hate feeling so discouraged and really want to make sure that this time I am making the right decisions. Thanks for the support!

I have lived in Colorado since I was 11, in Colorado Springs, then Fort Collins for College and now Denver. I LOVE it here.

Have you lost any inches even though you haven't lost any weight? I do know that since I've started I haven't lost any scale weight but I've definitely lost inches in places. I guess our goal is more to lose fat than anything! Before you were eating 1700 calories how many were you eating? The two weeks that I took and just ate whatever (I was really bad) I gained about 5 lbs give or take, whether it was water weight or just my body being stoked for some actual food intake! But this first week that I have been set at my 1675 I dropped that 5 lbs so that's a good sign? I also had that question about exercise because I know that TDEE takes into account your exercise. I'm pretty sure that you aim to hit the same number everyday, but I guess that if you didn't that you would create just a little bit more of a calorie defecit? You could potentially try eating just your BMR on those days and see what that does, especially if you find that you're not really losing. What is your body fat %? I know they say that the less fat you have to lose the more you're supposed to eat but it definitely is all subjective.

Hi
I wonder if the 800-900 isn't too low so then you physically and mentally throw in the towel on the weekend. Try for something more reasonable. I am doing 1200/day and it seems very reasonable.