Starting to get pretty discouraged...

Don't be discouraged! You're making great progress. I've been on here and working at it since January 3rd and am finally at 18 pounds lost... You and I have almost the same amount of weight to lose and it is MUCH better for it to come off slowly and surely so it'll stay off. As far as stuff you crave, I say give in a little. I actually give myself 1-2 cheat days a week (usually friday - my weigh in day and saturday). Keep telling yourself that you can do it! :flowerforyou: Good luck!!

Your doing great!! Right on track! A healthy loss is 1-2 pounds a week...it seems that you are losing a pound a week! Unfortunately, weighl loss is really loss when its done the right way...If you want to see a large loss in a small amount of time at this point you will probably have to live in the gym because your calories are in the right range. I would stay the course...

Hey - I am not an expert by any means either...but I have lost 44 lbs and have 10 lbs to go myself, so I know where you are at. It gets more and more likely that food/diet is the culprit as you start to plateau.
8 lbs is nothing to sneeze at, and it's important to remember that this didn't get there all at once, it WILL take some time to get it back off.
I looked at your food log and it appears that you do eat out often...that's my downfall too.
The problem with eating out, even at Subway, is that it's not "fresh" food. And chances are that is why your sodium seems so high too.
If you have the options, pick items that are fresh - particularly for your snacks.
You seem to do really well with balancing 5 small meals a day. Keep up with that!
Use old fashioned oats, not instant, spreadable fruit on your toast, not anything filled with sugar.
Read labels. It's important. If it has high fructose corn syrup - don't even go there.
I allow myself one cheat a week...that is the advice of my personal trainer...and trust me, I fall off consistently - which is why I have been the same weight for a while. I work out every day - so I know this is the proof I need that it's the food that I am putting in my body that is stopping me from my goals.
Good luck and keep up the great work! You will get there.
Holly

I'm stuck in yo-yo mode myself, but here's what I'd suggest:
Change up BREAKFAST. Start off your day with a PROTIEN. It'll help you crave less carbs. I had the MOST consistant success with weight loss when I was eating a protien for breakfast. My most effctive carb fighting tool is breakfast. (It really IS the most important meal of the day!) I have a nasty sweet tooth and if I start off with carbs, I crave them all day long. So I'm starting off with GOOD carbs now. Instead of oatmeal and sugar, or cream of wheat and sugar, try getting some Chobani yogurt instead, if you need a quick breakfast. Ideally, getting up to scramble a couple of eggs (2 max) is a great hot way to start the day. (You can also scramble eggs in the microwave if you need it fast).

If you cut out 1 carb/day, you'll be just fine. You're LOSING - and that's a good thing.
BTW - I have a problem with Sandwiches. I find that every time I eat them, I have trouble losing. I'm not sure if it's too much bread or what, but if you can replace your sandwich with a hearty soup or salad and just 1 peice of bread/toast, it'll fulfilled that carb craving, but without giving you so much bread. Just choose a low sodium soup.

Feel free to friend me and comment on my calories! Always great to keep each other in check! Ever since I moved in with my DH (who's military, and can eat whatever he wants basically), it's been impossible to stay within my calories. He gets like 3k, I get like 1200. But we decided tonight that we're going to cut dinner in 1/2 for me and I'm going to spread out breakfast so I eat every 2-3 hrs, instead of 3 big meals.

Hang in there!

For what you have to lose, you're actually losing right on schedule. You didn't gain the weight overnight, and you won't lose it overnight. When you are fairly close to a healthy weight, you WILL lose slower. Patience.

I've been at this since the third week of March and have only just hit 8.5 lbs lost. I have a feeling at least a pound of that came from being sick last week, when I lived off saltines and Vernors for a few days. I stay within my 1320 calorie goal nearly every day, with only the occasional splurge or slip-up now and then, and drink at least 8 oz of water every day (it may not be logged perfectly, but I drink a TON of water). I did have to cut down on my exercise about a month ago, though - my knee is screwed up from a past injury, which really limits what I can do.

I have a huge sweet tooth, which can make things difficult, but I fight to keep everything in moderation. I've always been told it's better to allow yourself a little of what you crave instead of cutting it out completely so you don't feel deprived, but maybe it's time to start cutting things out? I've opened my diary, so any help or suggestions would be most welcome. I was always too self-conscious to do it before, but something's gotta give.

First I would start with your sodium. It is on the high side. Avoid anything made with white flour. That will help save a few calories for better things. Try to get most of your carbs from fruit and veggies. As for a sweet tooth, do give in sometimes if not you end up over doing the sweets. I keep dark chocolate 70 % or better around at all times. As for you knee injury, find a gym with a lap pool and learn to love to swim! It's easy on the joints plus it burns loads of calories. Also, have a cheat day once every 5 days where you have a meal that could easy cover calories for the day. Sounds crazy but eating alot of calories keep your metabolism in check. Makes it work with calorie confusion. Your doing great though. You shouldn't be losing more then 1-2 lbs per week.

"Confusion is the first step toward understanding"