Don't know what to try?

Are you logging every single peice of food you put in your mouth? Are you exercising at least 3 x's a week? If your sticking to your reccommeded calories and getting exercise, and have not seen results for this long, maybe talk to your doctor. Thyroid maybe?

Oh and how much a week are you trying to lose?

Also I have learned that not all carbs are created equal. I would stick to what Dr Oz has suggested and toss all 'white' carbs meaning any refined ones. That included white breads. Switch to whole grains. Also no fatty foods. I switched to all lean meats (white chicken and turkey) and also eat more fish. It is a good idea to check the glycemic index of anything your eating and toss all high number ones out.

If you have tried all this I would go see a doctor and have your thyroid checked. See if it is not something medical.

I have lost 14 lbs in 3 weeks and for me who has struggled all my life I am quite happy with MFP as a tool that has helped me stay on the path.

I'm having the same problem, although not for one year (think I'd go mad~). Mine has been for 3 months.

What I've done is eat at maintenance for 3 weeks (1900 calories is my guesstimate) and took 2 weeks off working out. For the last 2 days, I'm back eating at a deficit, but only 400 deducted, and the scale is showing a 1lb loss. It's only 2 days, so who knows....? But I've been at exactly the same weight with only increases during time of month, then back to same weight for a long time now.

Maybe you need to eat more? Maybe you could have your BMR tested professionally? Wish I could...might take some of the guess work out of this!

What are you doing for exercise?
Do you give yourself days of eating maintenance (of healthy food)?
I second what rtmama said too--more fruits and vegetables. Fewer processed snack-type foods.

exercise wise - when im at home i go to the gym about 3-4times a week and burn around 900cals (eating back at least 1/2 the exercise cals)

whilst at uni i walk everywhere, do wii fit, dvd's, exercise plans from magazines and i live up 4flights of stairs which im constantly up and down

i went this morning and got some shopping for the week ahead and it was mostly fruit and veg

900 Calories according to what?

900 Calories according to what?

my HRM - i have the polar F6

Those are pretty accurate. Have you been subtracting your BMR calories--the calories you burn without any activity? For instance, my BMR was tested in a lab at 1310 kcal/day, or about 55kcal/hr. So if I exercise for an hour and burn 555kcal, I really only burnt 500, because the 55 are included in my BMR calories. Another thing you might want to try is to factor the thermic effect of food into your BMR. So I eat about 1400kcal/day right now (usually more but I am literally destitute right now, ugh), and the TEF is about 10% of that, or 140 calories. So I normally make sure to eat at least 1310+140 = 1450 kcal/day. Eating that leads me to lose 1.5 lbs a week (and feel like *kitten*) with exercise. But I had to play with my calories and nutrient ratios a LOT. I am currently eating 40% carbs, 35% protein, and 25% fat. The carbs are moderately low and the protein is fairly high. I'm doing this because a lower-carb diet will lead to lower insulin levels and more fat-burning hormones being released. The protein takes the place of the lost carbs because it can fairly easily be converted to glucose if necessary, and also keeps me full.

So try playing with your calories and nutrient ratios. You might find that fewer carbohydrates help.

Are you doing resistance training? How much cardio?

900 Calories according to what?

my HRM - i have the polar F6

Those are pretty accurate. Have you been subtracting your BMR calories--the calories you burn without any activity? For instance, my BMR was tested in a lab at 1310 kcal/day, or about 55kcal/hr. So if I exercise for an hour and burn 555kcal, I really only burnt 500, because the 55 are included in my BMR calories. Another thing you might want to try is to factor the thermic effect of food into your BMR. So I eat about 1400kcal/day right now (usually more but I am literally destitute right now, ugh), and the TEF is about 10% of that, or 140 calories. So I normally make sure to eat at least 1310+140 = 1450 kcal/day. Eating that leads me to lose 1.5 lbs a week (and feel like *kitten*) with exercise. But I had to play with my calories and nutrient ratios a LOT. I am currently eating 40% carbs, 35% protein, and 25% fat. The carbs are moderately low and the protein is fairly high. I'm doing this because a lower-carb diet will lead to lower insulin levels and more fat-burning hormones being released. The protein takes the place of the lost carbs because it can fairly easily be converted to glucose if necessary, and also keeps me full.

So try playing with your calories and nutrient ratios. You might find that fewer carbohydrates help.

Are you doing resistance training? How much cardio?

thank you, no i havnt been subtracting the BMR cals - ive never heard of doing that before.

:embarassed: i do very little resistance training, when im at uni its nothing as i dont have access to a gym and i never know what to do at home that would be classed as resistance training, its mostly cardio that i do because i enjoy that more and know what im doing with that

Oh, the resistance training will make a big difference in how much muscle mass you retain, which in turn determines how well you can maintain your BMR. Your BMR will always decrease in response to caloric restriction, especially long-term. There is a lot you can do in your own home--just google 'home workouts' and you'll find plenty. Chronic cardio will cause the release of cortisol, which makes it much harder to lose fat. You have to work just enough to waste some calories so you can eat more, but not so much that you're constantly stressing your body.

Oh, the resistance training will make a big difference in how much muscle mass you retain, which in turn determines how well you can maintain your BMR. Your BMR will always decrease in response to caloric restriction, especially long-term. There is a lot you can do in your own home--just google 'home workouts' and you'll find plenty. Chronic cardio will cause the release of cortisol, which makes it much harder to lose fat. You have to work just enough to waste some calories so you can eat more, but not so much that you're constantly stressing your body.

thank you! i didnt know that about loads of cardio releasing cortisol, this might sound really stupid but would yoga be resistance training? i want to try getting into yoga more

Yoga is great for balance and flexibility, but it isn't considered resistance training for the most part. REally advanced yoga moves that require you to rest a majority of your bodyweight on just a couple limbs might be, but it's still not going to train your muscles like overloading them with excess weight.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

On the right hand side is a listing of all sorts of training exercises for each muscle/group. If you do not have a gym, check out the body weight exercises or dumbbell ones (you can use jugs of sand instead).