Need serious help!!

When you increased your workouts your body very likely started to hoard some water to help cushion and repair your muscles, causing a small jump on the scale. This is pretty common when you start exercising for the first time or increase your regular routine.

I always think it's easier to give advice to someone with an open diary. It's tough when we can't see what you're already doing and where you may be going wrong.

How many calories are you currently eating?
Are you weighing your portions with a food scale, using measuring cups, or eyeballing portion sizes?
Are you currently exercising?
Are you eating back the earned calories after exercise?
If so, how are you estimating your burn? Heart rate monitor or MFP/machine estimates?

I would look up calorie shifting, I heard that can help break a plateau. Also you should definitely find veggies that you like and eat a lot of them!

When you increased your workouts your body very likely started to hoard some water to help cushion and repair your muscles, causing a small jump on the scale. This is pretty common when you start exercising for the first time or increase your regular routine.

I always think it's easier to give advice to someone with an open diary. It's tough when we can't see what you're already doing and where you may be going wrong.

How many calories are you currently eating?
Are you weighing your portions with a food scale, using measuring cups, or eyeballing portion sizes?
Are you currently exercising?
Are you eating back the earned calories after exercise?
If so, how are you estimating your burn? Heart rate monitor or MFP/machine estimates?

Hi Anna! ^^^ this.

I just took a look at your diary and have many of the same questions. How are you calculating your portion sizes and calorie count? I would encourage you to verify every pre-loaded entry that you may be using on MFP. I have found many items in the food resource lists that are under valued when compared to the label. this results in you eating more calories than you realize. Assuming all your food values are correct, many days you are noteably under 1200 calories. 1200 should be your minimum per day (it takes energy to burn energy).

I also wonder how you are estimating your calorie burn. Some of your entries seem rather high (i.e. 800+ calories for a 60 minute Zumba class) resulting in you getting a false comfort in being able to eat more calories because you think you have burned more calories. Lose-lose situation.

A couple of things I'd like to see you do for at least two weeks and then re-evaluate:
1) weigh.measure everything and verify the calorie count from the label or the company website to be sure your calorie entries are the most accurate.
2) Make sure you are consuming at least 1200 calories each day. Many days of your diary show you are not eating enough calories to maintain healthy weight loss. Your body will not let go of what it has until you prove you will give it more when it needs it.
3) start increasing your exercise intensity. Don't log things like house cleaning, and start increasing your minutes for other more traditional exercise. I am not saying that housecleaning does not burn calories. I am saying, don't log it and push yourself to do other things. Let's see what happens. HRM is probably most accurate measure of exercise expenditure. Many entries in MFP are falsely elevated. Figure a more reasonable estimate of 100 calories for each 10-12 minutes of high intensity exercise, or for each one mile of foot-based cardio like walking, jogging, etc.
4) AT LEAST 2 liters of water every day. Some of your food is high sodium content. you need to be flushing that out of your body on a regular basis.

Weight loss is simple math. Calculate your daily energy expenditure (TDEE) then use this number to calculate a reasonable calorie deficit. Reinforce this deficit with daily exercise. Then be consistent with this formula and you WILL see progress. Besides, it is still too soon after the holidays and so more patience is needed. Commit to the long -term and focus on healthy living and good choices on a consistent basis and it will happen.

Thank you all for your kind words and advice.

Mamacoates- I guess I was thinking that the 1200 calories was the max calories I could eat in a day. I really need a lesson how all this works. So basically, I should be eating a minimum 1200 calories? Logging house cleaning. I thought I was supposed to log everything. I try to only log when I clean for a long time and sweating up a storm. Zumba- I log the minutes and my weight into MFP and it calculates the calories. Is that not correct? I always thought it was a little high, but I am no expert. I thought MFP would know better than I would. When exercising and eating. I try to not eat all my calories back but sometimes I am just so freaking hungry. And now I know why. I am not eating enough. What is TDEE?

This link is a really good starting point with a lot of your questions answered: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Just stick with it and calorie jumping should help you. It tricks your body. See, after you stick with the same thing all the time your body gets used to it and starts to drag butt. Kind of like how your mind does too after a while. So you gotta trick it. Jump up the cals, bring them back down, and jump them up again and then back down. Keep doing that every day for about a week and see if that helps. When you end, end it on the cals you want set to lose the weight. ALSO, you may be retaining water if you're not drinking enough and if you're weight lifting or anything, you may be losing fat, and gaining muscle, WHICH IS GREAT!

Thank you all for your kind words and advice.

Mamacoates- I guess I was thinking that the 1200 calories was the max calories I could eat in a day. I really need a lesson how all this works. So basically, I should be eating a minimum 1200 calories? Logging house cleaning. I thought I was supposed to log everything. I try to only log when I clean for a long time and sweating up a storm. Zumba- I log the minutes and my weight into MFP and it calculates the calories. Is that not correct? I always thought it was a little high, but I am no expert. I thought MFP would know better than I would. When exercising and eating. I try to not eat all my calories back but sometimes I am just so freaking hungry. And now I know why. I am not eating enough. What is TDEE?

This link is a really good starting point with a lot of your questions answered: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

YES! ^^^^^ This is the same article I posted in our group forum. Read and then let me know what additional questions you may have ... Plus the Scooby's Workshop link is a good webpage for more info. http://scoobysworkshop.com

** But I notice you are kicking into gear so I am thinking you are changing up the things you needed to address! Way to go!!