why

Here's what works for me - controlled sodium intake, increased water intake, sugar (I'm diabetic so this is very important to me) from any source is restricted, less carbs and more protein. I stall out when my carb to protein ratio isn't about equal and when my salt in-take exceeds the 2500 for more than 2 days in a row.

Well, you may be eating too much. I don't know your stats, but it doesn't look like you log much exercise, so a lower intake may be appropriate. Have you tracked your ups and downs over the past year? What are you doing different if there are any weeks you do see a decrease?

What have you done in the past year to change any bad habits? Just gettin on this site is a small step, you have to make changes for yourself..

Your bio states that you overeat and like junk food? Have you worked to change that? There are numerous people on here that (I am sure) would love to support and help you out, I am one, but change happens when you decide it will...I sent a FR

It looks like you have your calories set to 2000. Make it smaller, maybe.
Don't go too small, even lowering it to 1700 or 1800 could do something.
Make sure when you're logging exercise to do it honestly and accurately as possible. Same with your lifestyle - when they ask for sedentary, active etc.

Keep working on it.
If all else fails you should go to a doctor and see if there's an underlying issue preventing weight loss.
Or a nutritionist to help you get on a plan that will help you better.

If all else fails you should go to a doctor and see if there's an underlying issue preventing weight loss.
Or a nutritionist to help you get on a plan that will help you better.

If you happen to be lucky enough to have health insurance, and even better, a doctor who will also refer you to a nutritionist, this advice seems like the best you're going to get.

You can also contact your local hospital's Physician Referral side to find a physician's office that works with a sliding fee scale, or if you live close to a Health Dept in your area, they offer many programs available that can either help you, or direct you to those who can help....

Kodi, do you actually weigh/measure your food or are you just guesstimating most of the time? That is where I found I began to slip when I was logging and stopped losing. I figured I knew "roughly how much" I was eating but I was SO WRONG. Go to the dollar store, get measuring cups and spoons and invest $10 in a food scale. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED, I guarantee it.

I also think, having watched your diary over time because you've been my friend, that you need to change the WHAT you eat, not just the how much. Because at the end of the day, 2000 calories of GOOD food is WAY better than 2000 calories of pan fried potatoes and cheese stuffed chicken, sorry. Perhaps invest in a heart rate monitor to measure how many calories you are actually burning at Zumba because I know that is one of your favourite exercises (I am not brave enough to try it yet, I am SOOO uncoordinated!).

At the end of the day, if you're doing everything right and things STILL aren't moving, don't give up. It is NEVER a waste of time to treat your body the way that it deserves to be treated by fueling it with CLEAN fuel and moving it in the way it was designed to be moved. Best of luck!

kodijhill, you seemed pretty defensive in your response. I'm not trying to pick. You know best what your habbits are like. But the fact of the matter is, if you haven't lost anything in the year you've been here, you need to be honest with yourself, and ask yourself what it is you could be doing differently. The only way we can all help you through the forum is if you tell us exactly what it is you've been doing, what you're diet and habbits have been like, and what areas you feel you might need improvement or help. By viewing your food diary, there's a lot I could tell you, but if you know you're eating exactly the way you're supposed to be eating, and you're exercising like you say you are, then I guess nobody really has anything useful to offer that would help you. I wish you the best of luck.

In looking at just your diary....it is all over the place. In looking at the past 3 weeks, you only have this last week consistently tracked. Basing it off of this, you are not drinking enough water as your diet is high in sodium. Additionally, you have a few days over your goals on calories and your sugars appear to be too high. I did not look to see how much was fruit, but if its next to nothing, your feeding your body an easier means of storing the excess calories.


Simply put...eat up to 100% of the calorie goal, drink a crap load of water, and you will see results. Just know it takes time

EDIT: In seeing your comments about the doctor...his numbers could be incorrect. Here is a great link to find your BMR (Although, MFP has this built in). I do suggest for the BMR, using MFP's goals.
http://health.discovery.com/centers/heart/basal/basal.html

Make sure to consume less than your BMR. Cardio won't hurt either.

Junk food is not only McDonald and Burger King. All the frozen meals like lean cuisine and such have so many preservatives, sodium, added sugar in them. They are not healthy.
Stop eating pasta, it's way too easy to overeat. Stop drinking sweet teas and STOP EATING PROCESSED SUGAR!


I also agree with the poster who mentioned PCOS and diabetes. You should be checked out for those conditions.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with a good chunk of this. Stop eating past, McDonalds...yada yada ydad. So much bull****. It's about caloric intake. Please see my post above. You can "cap" foods in moderation. I know...because I do and I've love 50 pounds...

Is it overall healthier to abstain from fast food and frozen meals...yes.but you dont HAVE to.

first off,
i dont eat junk food i went to many doctors and they told me to eat 2000 calories a day because its woud be a natural deficit of 700 calories a day alone second i measure my food on a scale digital so yea i do measure everything. i was diagnosed with hypothyroism when i was a child now apparently its normal ive done a lot of changes i do not eat junk food you read the profile wrong i cook everything i eat and some things i put on my diary arent not what they ar pan friend potatoes is not what it seems but fits the decription so ive changed tons of things i also am on my feet 90 percent of the day i dont sit on my *kitten*

Actually, I don't care if you want to eat junk food. Eating healthy or not is totally up to you. I say this as a junk food eater. I'm more interesting in losing weight right now than eating healthy. I can eat Oreos all day, but as long as I eat less Oreos than I used to eat, I'll lose weight. (But my teeth will be terrible and we won't get into the constipation).

I'd start with your totally calories consumed. 2000 is an awfully high number for a female of virtually any size. I'm not a doctor, and even if I was I'm not *your* doctor, but I find it difficult to believe that 2700 calories is your maintenance allowance. That's MY maintenance allowance, when I started I was a 276 pound male. I went to 1800 calories at first, and now it's down to a shade under 1600.

I move around quite a bit at work too, but I started with my settings as "active" and then changed them down to "sedentary". That seemed to help, even tho I go over on calories pretty much every day. Unless you're lifting 40 lb boxes all day or chopping wood, you're probably not as active as you may think. Or you may be, but your body long ago adapted to the daily level of walking or standing that you do.

Try setting your calorie goal to 1400-1500 or so and seeing how you do. Or eat the same but add 500-600 worth of exercise so that you're net is around 1500.

Good luck!

Can you add protein in your diary? It is essential to get enough protein in your diet. I would CUT BACK -(not cut out) on the carbs if I were you. Breads, pastas, rice etc. It's way to easy to over eat on those things. I also agree that frozen meals are junk, and they do have too many preservatives in them. Drink a lot of water during and between meals, to help curb your appetite. Be happy and move. I'm not saying you should cut out all the tasty stuff, you should still enjoy a treat here and there. Eating more carbs and fiber in the morning will help. You will feel satisfied longer and it gives you and energy boost to. Good luck! I hope you find some answers and are able to get to your goal. I always say being positive is key, because we all have negative things happen to us life, but choosing to stay focused and positive about ourselves is the one thing we can control. :-)

If you have been here a YEAR and haven't lost anything, you don't have a right to get defensive when people answer you. Eat less, move more. I have never heard of anyone doing what they're supposed to and not losing weight over an entire year.

I think people pretty much have this covered, but I will add my 2 cents.

I started a little while ago at 6'3" and about 218 lbs. This wasn't my first go-around at trying to lose some weight. All the other times basically did nothing but add a couple pounds here and there, and a whole bunch of frustration. I decided this time was different and got VERY serious about all of the decisions I was making--how much food I was eating, what kind of food I was eating, how much exercise I was getting, and the way in which I was getting it. In a nutshell, I had to change my life.

I started at 1600 calories and made sure I didn't surpass that number--ever. I drank more water. I bought, cooked, and ate more healthy food options. I started exercising and pushing myself more than I had before. Basically, once again, I changed my life.

The theme here is that it is not necessarily easy, and old habits can't necessarily be kept (if losing is your goal). That meant no more doritos, nothing fried, skipping the 5 chocolate chunk cookies, etc...all of which I've seen in your diary. My advice is pretty simple. TRACK EVERYTHING--the creamer you put in coffee, the small handful of chips you grab from a bag, the few peanuts you eat when you're hungry...everything! Next, be honest with yourself. Are you really only having 12 doritos? Really only having one serving of toppings, cheese, etc..?? Did you really burn 500 calories lightly cleaning and folding clothes?

Please know that nobody is trying to be hard on you. We are simply using our experiences and taking what has worked for us and trying to provide some insight. There are a LOT of very helpful people on here that have accomplished more in their weight loss ventures than some people would have in 3 lifetimes. I know I haven't done everything perfectly, and still am working towards my goal and getting healthier. However, I have noticed a little bit of success and wanted to help if I could. Good luck and keep us posted!