Weeks of calorie defecit and STILL gaining? HELP!

1200 calories seems low! Are you eating your exercise calories?

I am assuming you have set the weight loss at 2 lbs per week, so MFP todl you to eat 1200 calories, like it does with everyone. As this is just a random number, try approaching this more rationally. Find a TDEE calculator, like this one: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/, calculate your TDEE, then subtract something between 10 and 20%, depending on how much you have to lose, and have this number in mind when counting calories. You can still use the MFP way, but aiming for a weight loss rate that brings you close to this number fo rnet calories. It will be more realistic.
Second, unless you have a serious health issue, unfortunately something is wrong with your math. Opening your diary would help get more precise advice, but some general tips below (not things you do wrong, things anyone in general could do wrong):
- log everything you eat. The dressing in the salad, the coffee with milk and so on.
- use a food scale
- when looking for calories per food, double check the numbers. There are several entries for the same things on MFP, and some are set ridiculously low. If e.g. an egg appears to have 40 calories in some entries 80 in some others (random numbers I am making up), chances are the highest is the correct, so double check, or use the highest number
- it is very possible you are overestimating calories burned. MFP has a tendency to overcalculate these anyway.

Quite a few things come into play, 1200 does seem low, but so I can help better, what do you have your weight loss set at per week? Sometimes with just the low amount that you have said you have to lose, 2lbs per week can be drastic, try setting it lower, it will boost the amount of calories you need to eat, which can sometimes jumpstart your loss. Don't starve yourself, it tends to backfire as you're seeing now.

I did set my weight loss at 2 lbs per week. I really am not starving myself, as what I eat now is pretty close to what I ate before I started trying to lose weight. I didn't change my eating habits much, other than to cut out most of the chips and cookies I snacked on at night. I hadn't changed my eating habits when I gained the 20 pounds...all I did was quit smoking! I have added exercise 3 days a week as I said, and it doesn't make sense to me that if I increase my activity, don't change my eating habits, that I would still gain weight. I actually eat fairly healthy. I can't stand processed foods or "fast food".

reduce your weekly loss goal to 1.5 to up your cals a bit and enter your exercise - eat back some of those calories - you totally cut out the unhealthy snacks - add some healthy ones like yogurt, fruit, veg, nuts - make sure you weigh everthing properly and drink lots of water - even with a slight gain, quitting smoking will surely be beneficial - quitting smoking is a major step so accept the slight gain and move forward. Congrats on your success so far - quitting smoking is a major + !!! :flowerforyou:

Maybe its hormonal??:)

This is going to echo a lot of advice you've already gotten here, but:

- reduce your weight loss goal to 1lb per week max.

- eat more lean protein and healthy fats, and treat your fat and protein macro figures as targets for the day.

- drink more water rather than juices or diet sodas

- keep a close eye on your sodium intake, as high sodium can lead to water retention

- replace simple carbs (white bread, pasta, etc) with complex carbs (wholegrain alternatives, etc.) where possible

- eat back at least half of your exercise calories

- weigh everything rather than using cups. Cups are the worst measurement system after eyeballing

- have patience, if you can consistently hit a calorie deficit you will lose weight

Good luck!

My advice, do not replace anything you cannot stick to long term. Someone said to replace simple carbs, i do not agree with his opinion. Eat what you have been eating so far but in moderation. Yes, rice and pasta might seem like a lot of carb for nothing but if you cannot see yourself without it in 12mths, then i suggest you keep eating it but cut down.

Quite a few things come into play, 1200 does seem low, but so I can help better, what do you have your weight loss set at per week? Sometimes with just the low amount that you have said you have to lose, 2lbs per week can be drastic, try setting it lower, it will boost the amount of calories you need to eat, which can sometimes jumpstart your loss. Don't starve yourself, it tends to backfire as you're seeing now.

I did set my weight loss at 2 lbs per week. I really am not starving myself, as what I eat now is pretty close to what I ate before I started trying to lose weight. I didn't change my eating habits much, other than to cut out most of the chips and cookies I snacked on at night. I hadn't changed my eating habits when I gained the 20 pounds...all I did was quit smoking! I have added exercise 3 days a week as I said, and it doesn't make sense to me that if I increase my activity, don't change my eating habits, that I would still gain weight. I actually eat fairly healthy. I can't stand processed foods or "fast food".

2lbs a week...that is for those who have 100lbs or more to lose.

And you say you eat now is pretty close to what you ate before...that's why you are gaining then.

I looked at your diary and you don't weigh portions and you choose entries that really

half a rack of ribs 269 calories???? 2 ribs have 280 calories

It's pretty simple really if you aren't losing you are not in a deficet...if you are gaining you are in a surplus.

Firstly, set your goal loss to 0.5lb - 1lb per week. You only have a small amount to lose, 2lb a week loss is for people with more than 75lb to go!

Secondly, your diary is a bit of a mess. You regularly eat under 1000 calories which is far too low, however, your diary entries seem way off to me - half a rack of ribs for 269 cals? You could be eating too little or too much - it's hard to tell.

Drop your goal per week, weigh and measure all your food and don't use generic entries made by another MFP member. And eat back your exercise calories - MFP doesn't tell you to do this to try and sabotage your weight loss. If you are using MFPs calorie burns, eat back 50%, as they can overestimate.