This is starting to get old!

Sugar is the Devil!

well, I should say....it was my Kryptonite!

I just looked at your diary too. I can understand your frustration. Even though you are eating processed foods, you generally aren't going over in sodium. The nurse that suggested that you have your thyroid checked out offered great advice, but before you see your general practitioner, take a look at your potassium. Potassium is a vital nutrient needed to help maintain water balance. It is the natural counter to sodium. Sodium has really caught a bad rap because of its potential for water retention, but it is a necessary nutrient, and nature offers us a counter to its water retention effects with potassium. One thing I have learned since using MFP is that you have to have potassium. Otherwise, it won't matter how little sodium you consume, the balance will still be off. If you are potassium deficient, regardless of your sodium intake, you will still retain water. When I started I developed severe edema, and I almost had to go to the doctor when I realized that potassium was the problem. By chance, are your feet swelling? If so, you should use the reports section of the site and examine your potassium levels. You just might find a deficiency there.

I really don't know if this is your problem or not, but when my friend was eating all processed foods, she couldn't lose at all. When she slowed down, she started losing. Some of things have a lot more sodium in them then you realize, and that can prevent you from losing weight. That doesn't mean you have to go organic by the way. I would LOVE to go organic, but I can't right now. There is a difference, however, between non-organic fresh foods and processed foods. Also, I know if I eat too few calories, or even just slightly too much, I won't budge. I'll stay stabilized around a certain range and will not leave it until I eat just the right amount of calories, and a bit extra if I exercise a lot. I am steadily losing as a result. The last couple weeks I was going over by 200-500 a night--still not NEARLY as much as I used to eat, but still more than MFP suggests, and I didn't lose an ounce. I went back to eating the right amount and immediately dropped 2, so perhaps this is part of your problem if you do that as well?

I am eating depending on my calories on my homepage (which includes exercising). Is that right?

I was blown away by the sodium in chickfila recently. Since I quit eating processed stuff, you can actually taste the salt in their chicken. It doesn't taste that good either lol.... And i used to live off of that stuff.

I just took a look at your food diary, and at least for the last week or so you've actually been doing everything you should be, you're sodium was only over one day and most of the time it is well under the 2500 mg and you're calories are right where they should be.. i would suggest talking to a Dr. I just found out I have a low-active Thyroid and problems with my pancreas, wich explains why I have been stuck between 194 and 185 FOR EVER despite doing everything right, i exercise 3-5 times a week (very vigorously i might add) and even on a bad day don't go over 2000 calories. Right now I'm taking some natural supplements from Standard Process that I got from my Chiropractor that really seem to be helping. Hang in there, you will figure it out

STOP or at least reduce the processed foods. You don't have to eat purely organic to eat healthy. Increase your greens (peppers, spinach, celery, cucumbers, etc.) and fruit. Stay to the outside of the market - fruits, veggies, meat, cheese/dairy. The only aisles I ususally go down are for juice and beans!

REDUCE carb intake and up protein intake. Try to keep your carbs under 100 per day. Basically get rid of bread and rice for a while! Also reduce your sugar (added sugar) intake.

Eat or drink protein after every workout (apx 15-20g w/in 2hrs of working out)

INCREASE your water intake. At the bare minimum you should be drinking 90oz of water a day.

To jump start - you may think about a cleanse. If you can't afford to "juice" you can buy 100% juice and V-8, make your own blend and only drink for 1-3 days!! Then slowly start eating (meaning 2 drinks and lunch; then breakfast, lunch and juice drink) and very very slowly bring back in carbs. I cleanse once a month and I usually lose 3-5lbs, 2-3 of which is water....but I can usually net a pound or two loss!

Good luck. Don't get discouraged. You can do it!!

This
Your sodium is extremely high most days. Try eating more protein and get your carbs from green leafy vegetables.
If I take in more then 150 carbs per day I will gain weight!!
Maybe you need to watch your carb intake or at least make sure most of your carbs come from vegetables .

Hope this helps

I haven't read everyone else's responses, but may I make a suggestion? I'd look back to the last week in which I had a significant loss, and then I'd try to mimic it exactly - try to eat the same foods in the same quantities and do the same level of activity. Even if the calorie and nutrient goals were different then, try doing that week over. It worked once, right? Maybe it will jump start your loss.

Good luck. I've been where you are. I was doing WW and "plateaued" to where I stayed within the same 3 pounds for 15 months. It was so ridiculous looking at the scale, but I dropped almost 2 sizes in that time!! I was exercising a lot and just got to be so much more toned, especially in my hips and thighs since I was walking and/or running 3x/week.

Hang in there!

Stop eating processed foods. Eat the outside of the grocery store. Most things if you eat this way will not have coupons but it is totally worth it.

I have found if you contact some companies they will give coupons. I had a coupon for Olivia Organics packaged salad and I didn't know where they carried them, so I emailed the company, the customer service agent emailed me back immediately told me the grocery stores in my area that carried their brand and she sent me 4 coupons for the salads with no expiration date. Also, Dole sent coupons for bananas. You just have to ask. So if money is tight (I got laid off in August so I know how that feels) try to get coupons when you can. Also I'm not sure where you live, but Shop N Save sends out coupons for weeks if you get put on their mailing list and they always have coupons for meat and produce on there.

I took a look at your food diary, ... I'm no pro (but it has worked for me) have you thought about snacking more though out the day? as well, I would remove the pop and beer and substitute it for water or something healthier

My routine:
I eat breakfast when I get to work around 8-830am, Roughly 110- 175 Calories, Plus a coffee or tea.(50-100 Calories, maybe half an hour after breakfast) I have been eating Quaker Oatmeal and I put Kellogg's All Bran Buds with Psyllium Fiber. (160 cals to 275 Cals total)

I have a morning snack around 10-11am - Usually fruit (apple/banana or 100 Cal Almond Nuts) (Usually under 100-130 cals)

Lunch at 1230pm - Usually left over’s from a Crockpot recipe I made the night before, (anywhere from 250-350 Cals)Ps. I hate cooking, I used to suck at it…UNTIL I got a Crockpot!! You can’t go wrong!

Afternoon snack around 3-330pm, - Usually fruit (apple/banana or 100 Cal Almond Nuts) (Usually under 100-130 cals)

Dinner - is After workouts - can range from 350-400+ calories, and Recently I have incorporated a protein shake with Almond Milk - (232 calories)

Make sure you are being 100% True to your food Diary, anything that touches your lips needs to be logged. As well, what worked really well for me in the past, is Zig Zagging your calories.... BUT don’t go under your daily calories for the Zig, just eat more calories on the Zag.

Best of luck to you... Dont get discouraged, Keep pushing hard every day, and you will see results!! :flowerforyou:

I took a look at your food diary, ... I'm no pro (but it has worked for me) have you thought about snacking more though out the day? as well, I would remove the pop and beer and substitute it for water or something healthier

My routine:
I eat breakfast when I get to work around 8-830am, Roughly 110- 175 Calories, Plus a coffee or tea.(50-100 Calories, maybe half an hour after breakfast) I have been eating Quaker Oatmeal and I put Kellogg's All Bran Buds with Psyllium Fiber. (160 cals to 275 Cals total)

I have a morning snack around 10-11am - Usually fruit (apple/banana or 100 Cal Almond Nuts) (Usually under 100-130 cals)

Lunch at 1230pm - Usually left over’s from a Crockpot recipe I made the night before, (anywhere from 250-350 Cals)Ps. I hate cooking, I used to suck at it…UNTIL I got a Crockpot!! You can’t go wrong!

Afternoon snack around 3-330pm, - Usually fruit (apple/banana or 100 Cal Almond Nuts) (Usually under 100-130 cals)

Dinner - is After workouts - can range from 350-400+ calories, and Recently I have incorporated a protein shake with Almond Milk - (232 calories)

Make sure you are being 100% True to your food Diary, anything that touches your lips needs to be logged. As well, what worked really well for me in the past, is Zig Zagging your calories.... BUT don’t go under your daily calories for the Zig, just eat more calories on the Zag.

Best of luck to you... Dont get discouraged, Keep pushing hard every day, and you will see results!! :flowerforyou:

Do you include the extra calories tha MFP allows for exercising?

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I dont have a rule for eating back calories burned, I just go by how my body is feeling that day. I recently increased my daily calories from 1200-1400. When I was at 1200 Calories, I usually ate 30-70% of my extra calories burned from working out... Now that I have increased my daily calories to 1400, I am having a tough time eating my extra calories burned.
this past week I have been trying to drink 2 protein shakes a day to add more calories.