*sigh* ugh, weight loss is hard!

13 pounds is awesome!

Remember, you can eat whatever you want, as long as it fits into your calories for the day. If you have a high calorie treat and use most of your calories, exercise, and log it. That can be as simple as walking!

Keep at it. We are all here for you. Friend me, I will support you. Log your food and drink - ALL of it. Yep, I even log my Starbucks drinks. Drink calories add up quickly. Log your exercise and watch for that green number at the end of every day. But most importantly remember you can eat anything you want as long as it fits into your calorie goals. And if you screw up - log it and do better the next day.

Today is my lazy day. I got 4 hours sleep, have had a rough day and didn't feel like even walking. But I had to force myself to eat my calories today too.

And like someone else mentioned, I like to put all my food into the log in the morning. It keeps me from obsessing about food all day and worrying about whether or not I exercised enough. I know exactly how much exercise I need to do before noon each day. Try that if you are having problems staying within your calorie goals.

Good luck!

I think for me, the trick has been exercise.

Exercise = more food = happier me = sticking to the diet.

Is there any exercise you like?

It's hard, you need to make the choice though, more food, or no exercise..

I'm not a big fan of walking, but with my headphones on it's so much better I also play squash a lot now with friends, I snowboard and I've got an elliptical coming to my home this week.

I don't like gyms, swimming is great but crowded in the pools here, not keen on doing club activities because of my weight.. so I've just been doing things I can deal with for now.

Good luck!

I do love walking. Its been so cold though its hard to get out and do it. I think you are right maybe exercise will help! Thanks

Keep in mind that you can't out-exercise a poor diet. Also...

Here:

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants