Why still nothing? Help me!

I only read the first page of comments, so please forgive me if this has already been said. You say you're logging correctly, and you want to lose 50 pounds, but you've stopped at 10. Could it be that you don't really need to lose 50 pounds? I know in the past for me, as much as I wanted to get down to 145, my body just refused to go lower than 175. It was like my body said, "nope, skinnier than that is unhealthy, that's all you get." So now that I've gained the weight back, 175 is my new goal. Good luck!

Just FYI. Food labeling laws in the US allow companies to label any food with less than 5 calories as zero calories. Pickles do have calories. And you should be logging them anyway to track the rest of the nutritional information (vitamins, carbs, sodium, etc) This is exactly the kind of thing people mean when they say you aren't logging 100% accurately.

And some food companies have responded to this ruling (like the one on trans fats) to adjust their portion sizes down so they are still complying with the laws, but can still show the "calories per serving" (or nutrients, i.e. lack of trans fats) they want to make their foods look desirable.

You are right .... so true
Look at the hershey's chocolate ingredients: they have partially hydrogenated mineral oil which is trans fat... but 0 trans fat on a label and I've seen a lot of chocolate like this...

I've looked into your diary
pastry, chocolate, coffee, cream and sugar.....
And all this under 1000 cal + going to the gym every day

You dont wanna lose weight, you wanna kill yourself! sorry I don't wanna be mean, I'm worried about your health...
All those foods are "emty" carbs and it doesent matter how smart manufactures label them as "low fat", "sugar free" your body is not getting enought nutrients!

And what about protein? Why are you going to the gym? Who's gonna build your muscles if there is not enough protein? Who's gonna burn your fat if there is not enough muscles?

Read this article: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/another-look-at-metabolic-damage.html#more-9313

Read this discussion: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1254955-metabolic-damage-alan-aragon-interviews-lyle-mcdonald

Weigh all your food, log everything you eat, and make sure calories in/out are as accurate as possible.

If you diary is truly accurate of what you are eating, then eat more.

Also, your exercise calories are WAY OVERESTIMATED. There is no way you burned almost 450 calories for 40 minutes of circuit training, 253 calorie for 20 minutes of eliptical, or 105 calories for 25 minutes of weight lifting. If you get these estimates from the MFP database, they are notorious for being overestimated, as are readouts from the exercise machines.

The best of luck to you.

Also, your exercise calories are WAY OVERESTIMATED. There is no way you burned almost 450 calories for 40 minutes of circuit training, 253 calorie for 20 minutes of eliptical, or 105 calories for 25 minutes of weight lifting. If you get these estimates from the MFP database, they are notorious for being overestimated, as are readouts from the exercise machines.

Yeah, I can imagine how they created that database by taking data from muscular people with a low % of fat mass

I don't really know, but that's the only explanation of such high calorie burn that I can think of

Only 1000 calories, its slow down your metabolism process and this decrease your weight loss process. Take some more calories in a form of green vegetables and fresh fruits it really helpful for fat loss.

Yeah, eat more.

There is a diet for obese people where they restrict calories to under 800, guess I was just trying my own version. I function just fine, I work 2 jobs and raise my 2 kids and also care for my boyfriend who is disabled.
It sounds lower than I think it is.

Yes and those are done under doctor's supervision and usually because it must be done immediately. We're talking people who need to drop weight in order for it to be safe to perform surgery on them, not "I'm relatively healthy, ambulatory, and need to drop 50 pounds".

You definitely need to log everything and NOT just the calories. Would you be okay if you're kids came to you and said that while they were away for the weekend at a friend's house the ONLY thing they ate was Twizzlers and Kool-Aid but it's okay because there was no fat and they came under their daily calories? You need to look at all your numbers (and remove your focus from your calories for a few days). Look at protein, health fats, fiber, calcium, iron. Your food is fuel for your engine. You need to see if you are putting together the right mix. Even log your multivitamin if you are taking one. Every thing you eat or drink, measure it and log it. Look and see if you are getting your full number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

You really should get some professional guidance. Of course you can lose weight and still eat healthy but there are specifics to your situation that a professional needs to help with, both with how you think about it as well as logistics of how to eat and exercise. This site is not equipped to provide that level of support.

No, of course not. But I am so far from that, the thought doesn't even deter me! Right now all I am is fat and unhappy.

Here's the honest to God truth- in junior high I wanted to lose weight so I took laxatives and ended up dehydrated and passing out in choir. As a teenager I tried to eat less and better but nothing worked so I joined a pro-ana site. With their advice (horrible, awful, yes) I lost all the weight. Fast forward 9 years and I have had kids and gained it back. I have tried and am still trying to do it the right way but it isn't working! This is like my last attempt of doing it the right way. It's in the back of my mind that I have a plan B that I already know works and I am trying to get help before I resort to the pro-ana sites again. I am extremely picky and won't eat 80% of the things people suggest I eat to lose weight so I just started eating less of what I do like and I can't figure out why that's not working. If I ate 200 calories a day I know I would lose because I've done it before. But I'd rather figure out how to do it with more.
That's about as honest as I can be.

A history of disordered eating changes things. Professional advice might be a good idea. Either a doctor, registered dietitian, or counselor of some kind. Preferably one with experience working with disordered eating.

You say that this is your last attempt to do this the healthy way but you've already slipped into unhealthy territory. If you cannot see that after 4 pages of posts then I'm not sure what any of us could say to help you. Speak to a professional and get personalized advice for your situation.

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/find-help-support

It amazes me how on a website where we ought to be able to assume that the people who have joined would be very sympathetic and empathetic to each other, there are still a lot of quick, knee-jerk criticisms and reactions flying around.

You are all right, to an extent, with the dangers of extremely low-calorie diets, but can't we all take a step back and look at the bigger picture here: chances are, ALL of us have, at some point (or maybe many points), felt that desperation where "nothing works" and have been willing to try anything, *anything*, to shift the weight. What we needed at that point was not a snap judgement - many of us probably knew that what we were doing wasn't "healthy" - but understanding. Because let's face it, there's probably been at least one point for most of us where, if someone had offered us the option of being skinny + unhealthy or fat + healthy, we would have chosen skinny without a second glance.

I'm not saying this to be condemnatory; probably most if not all of the people who reacted so quickly to point out how "foolish" amieosia was being probably did it because they've taken the hard path of finding it out for themselves, learnt from their mistakes, and have the natural, quick reaction we all have to "evangelise" the next person and spare them some pain. But please, take a minute to think about how you might feel if you read some of the responses - in light of how you feel about yourself and your weight.

Amieosia, they are, however, right. Eventually, being on a microscopically low calorie diet *will* shift the weight; but at great, great expense to your body - which may mean a lot more than weight gain in the future. The key is when you said that these low diets are what are prescribed for obese people, and you've just adjusted it for yourself a little: therein lies the problem. The "adjustment". These ultra-low calorie diets are no walk in the part and chances are, for someone who is obese, they consists in the almost complete absence of many of the foods that that person wants. For instance, persons who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, for months and maybe even years after the surgery, are often made/told to avoid all fast food or fried foods. Period. It's not just that they're on a low-calorie diet, but that the 500 or 800 calories can be made up of any old thing - unfortunately, they can't.

I totally sympathise (as I'm sure many people here do) with your feeling that you just can't stand the taste of some of the foods that people recommend to you. Unfortunately - again; substitution just doesn't work. The key is, we have to help you find a way to enjoy those foods - or others like them; and by those foods I mean things like fruits, legumes, and vegetables.

The problem isn't just empty calories, it's the chemical reaction that some of those foods cause in our bodies. Meat and dairy have been proven again and again to provoke a very high response in inflammatory markers, which means what it says - there is inflammation in the body (I can give the super-science explanation of it all here, but I'm giving the tl;dr version for now!). The reaction of this? High levels of cortisol, which promote the formation of abdominal fat (as well as fat in general), which in turn promotes the production of more cortisol...and the inflammation (and lots of other chemical reactions) keeps on feeding the same vicious cycle. The same is true of refined foods and refined sugars, such as one would find in your average muffin, for instance.

Additionally, for healthy gastro-intenstinal function, a diet high in fibre is essential - and healthy GI function is intrinsically, deeply twined with the body's metabolic function and ability to lose weight. There are hormones and chemicals secreted by your intestinal tract which influence metabolic function, which are in turn not secreted - or are suppressed, at any rate - when not stimulated by the right foods and fibres (and/or by the wrong ones).

The bottom line of this is that 100% intrinsically linked the a lowering of calorie intake is the KIND of calories you're taking in. You have to start adding fresh fruits, fresh veggies, cooked veggies, cooked legumes; and getting rid of muffins, coffees, milks, sugars, etc etc.

Channel your desperation which is making you drop your daily calorie goals into an eradication of empty, fat-promoting foods and find ways to enjoy unprocessed, healthy ones - I promise you, it IS doable, and there is no question you could find lots of advice, recipes, and suggestions here on easy recipes, tricks, and even treats. It is NOT bland and I guarantee that there will be something you can enjoy -and then just slowly expand on that.

Even an 1000 calorie a day diet which consists of vegetables, legumes, fruits and unprocessed grains will be infinitely more satisfying than the diet your journal currently shows you eating: it will fill you up, make you feel satiated, and the weight WILL start to come off. The fact that you are having to snack on pickles - regardless of their sodium or calorie intake - indicates that your body is craving more food than it is getting, and really, you need more. The less-than-1000 calorie line is true mathematically, but as other posters have said, math is only part of the picture. Your body's *basic* caloric needs includes an amount of food which will give it enough minerals and - broken down - chemicals to literally make your body function. After one (incidentally, medically-supervised) fast, my potassium levels plummeted and believe me, you don't want to feel that - potassium keeps your heart beating. It was frightening, apart from everything else. So we're not just trying to placate you or feed you the party line by saying you "need" more calories. 1200 is enough to keep your organs and body functioning, and *nothing* more than that; it's certainly not enough to give your body extra energy to put weight on with.

As other posters said - that 200 makes a difference, for the above reason.

I believe that you have the self-will and the strength to, quite possibly, stick to that low figure; that honestly isn't the issue. Yes, there are definitely concerns with "adherence" too, to a diet that low - as in, how possible it really is to sustain it; but as every anorexic knows, (and I do *not* mean that in an insulting way, in case anybody misinterprets it) -- it is *definitely* possible to starve, and have the feeling of starving, for a long time without giving in. So as big of a danger as that is, it's not the best reason, alone, to not go that low.

After all, sticking to a diet is hard, period!

There are bigger reasons. The long-term effects on your body AND the long-term chance of you losing weight. It would be entirely possible for you to lose a certain amount of weight and then, as a consequence of the extremely negative calorie intake, become too ill to continue. That's the last thing you want, as unbelievable as it might seem - and it's only one scenario.

Go back up to 1200 calories. Believe the thousands of people on here that that is an absolutely doable, "safe" low number - as other posters have said, there are people losing weight on higher daily calorie allowances - a negative intake is a negative intake, no matter by how much or how little. Concentrate not on the speed, but on the changes - they will start to gather momentum. Start adding in fruit, start adding in salads, and start weaning yourself off the unhealthy food choices. THAT is a hard battle, but you'll find the support for it here. Keep up the exercise - daily, as little as it is, you're developing the habit.

You've got the right reasons to do it; you've got your children, your boyfriend, and yourself. You can definitely do this! Just trust the science of the right way to do it.

You're not a failure for eating more than 1000 calories; it is *not* a reflection on your "inability" or "failure" if you go above 1000 calories. It means you're showing the strength to rise above the feelings of desperation and fear - and they are NOTHING to be sneezed at. You can conquer.

That's kinda low, bringing my kids into it. Again, I work 2 jobs so sometimes I am just making them dinner and serving it and leaving. They are woken up every morning with omelets or french toast and fruit and juice. You can't call my parenting into question when you don't know what kind of parent I am. Please don't do it again.

I didn't say anything about your parenting, it was meant that you are their example. If you have a daughter do you want her restricting her calories to an unhealthy level? Don't your kids need a healthy mother with energy to keep up with them and be fit? I didn't realize you had a history of eating disorders. Saying you are trying to do it healthy this time is wrong when all you eat is a cupcake and expect to have energy for your day. I suggest you see a doctor and an eating disorder specialist.

Girl, for the sake of your health and for being there for your kids, you've really got to try. If you're 5'2 and 180, you are at an unhealthy weight and it's awesome that you've taken the step to recognize that and do something about it. But starvation diets (pro-ana) are not sustainable. We both know that--so please don't start down that road for the quick fix. By being here, you're on the right track for long term health.

I was where you are. At 5'3, I was 195 after my thyroid went all wacky bo-bo. Down to 137 the last time I weighed myself--will be a little less on Friday. I haven't been this weight in 8 years. It's taken time, effort and tears, but I'm working at it and I never gave up. Even when I wanted to. Even when I thought it was hopeless.

I hate cooking. I can do basics, but that's about it. I usually store my pans in my oven 'cause I don't really use either. I either microwave everything or sautee it with olive oil (Trader Joe's has a GREAT garlic infused olive oil). I have a steamer that goes in the microwave for veggies (by Tupperware). Often, I just throw them in the frying pan frozen and cook them that way. Or, I throw them in my blender and make a smoothie.

I buy mostly frozen fruits and veggies, eggs, egg whites, tofu, chicken, shrimp and bison. I do buy some "chicken" (soy products) and chicken sausage (have to watch the sodium with that, though). I have an array of protein powders, depending on what nutritional need I'm trying to fill. I avoid added sugar, get a lot of fiber and usually keep my sodium below 2300. I am a picky eater because I want the most nutritional bang for my calorie buck.

My macros are set to 40-35-25 (protein-carbs-fat) because that's what works best for me. Finding that out has been trial and error. And I LOVELOVELOVE carbs. I weigh/measure things in the am and pack my foods into little pyrex dishes to take to work. I drink a vat of green (iced) tea every day. And I don't make my macros every day, and I don't beat myself up if I don't (any more). But then tomorrow is another day to try.

Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated. Even for us picky people. Even for us picky people cooking for other picky people. It takes time and patience. My best advice is to not change everything all at once. Try adding a cup of veggies or fruit a day for a week. Once you've got that down, swap out a simpler carb for a more complex one. Next, get another serving of lean protein each day for a week. Then try spices for flavor instead of sauces. If the concoction is icky, laugh and try again! If you're eating with your kids, make some funny faces and then make a PB&J (with no sugar added PB and jelly and whole grain bread). Then start the cycle again.

If you're not already, enter your gender, age and weight into the cardio machines. This will give you a more accurate burn. Then lop off another 20%. Enter the calories manually into MFP. If you can afford it, think about getting a HRM. They are great for measuring intensity and training progress. Can you work out with a trainer? Or look at Fitness RX for Women or Muscle an Fitness Hers magazines. Strength training is important. Yoga is great!

You've got to give yourself grace and patience. Keep moving forward and don't give up! The weight's not going to come off in an instant, but it will come off. You're building life-long habits. Think 15 years down the road. If one of your kids is a daughter and she is struggling with her weight, would you want her to consider a pro-ana site to drop the pounds? I'm guessing no. So please treat yourself with the same love, kindness and respect that I know you would extend to her. It really is a journey and there are lots of us on the road with you--so please don't give up!

You do not have to starve yourself to get down to a normal weight. Two words: bone loss. Bone loss is bad.