Well, I started dieting on Jan. 10, or changing my eating, and excersizing during lunch.

about 2 weeks later, i was down 5 pounds. then the next day back up 3. then by this past friday, i had gotten back down those 3 pounds and the next day, 2 were back. today, i am back down one. so, i went from 186, 181, 184, 181, 183, 182 today. I'm sure there was some 184's and 183's before i hit that 181 the first time, but i didn't really write them down like i did that 181. Maybe i am worried for nothing. I could be down to 181 for good by the end of this week which would technically make it one month. which would be my 5 pound a month weight loss. which is my goal. my reasonable goal. i was hoping for the two pound a week but i'll settle for 5 pounds a month. but by fitday, i should be dropping about 2 pounds a week.

Five pounds a month? That's good! Okay so lets see 5 lbs is 17,500 cals .... figured over 30 days??? is 583 cals per day right? a deficit of 583?
Please math folks pitch in here!
So you should fiddle with your fitday until it averages out to a 580 cal/day deficit.
Does that make sense? I'll be around. We'll figure this thing out.

lumifan.....Hope you don't mind my 2 cents...(you did ask though? ) I went to your fitday journals and to me, it looks like you don't eat enough food. A few days were 1350-1450 calories, but most the days I saw were.....900-1200. I'm no expert, but if you were excercising to the tune of 300-500 calories/workout....wouldn't that put your body into starvation mode? Most of the books/information I've read suggests a minimum of at LEAST 1200 calories. Personally, I do better with days of 1500-1700 calories and with alot more protein. Have you thought about raising your protein levels? Just a thought, you could mix your own protein shakes. Good luck and I hope your 5lb yo-yo stops soon!!

thats what i figured. i like the 'times 12' better anyway! puts me at 1512 to maintain which seems about right as far as i have noticed!

thanks for the insite angel eyes. i was just noticing today also that i am in need of about 200 more calories just to get up to 1200. and i don't want it to be junk food. maybe i should look into some protein shakes. but i don't know what to get. what would taste good. any suggestions??

Whoa! before you have any more thoughts about starvation mode please read this entire thread.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...tarvation+mode

oh no no no. i am not thinking of going into starvation mode, it just so happens that my calories were only 959 and i need to find some more. it's not that i don't want to eat, i just am looking for things that are healthy for me to eat. i want to at least be up to 1200 calories. I don't really have a big appetite these days, so that is good. but when my calories do get up past 1200, they usually are from foods that really aren't that good for me. like pizza, and stuff. carbs with dinner. like mash potatoes.

so, can you suggest maybe a good protein shake?? should i try for convience the new slim fast protein shakes??

I have a permanent dislike for how easily the term starvation mode gets kicked around weight loss sites. Sorry, I kind blew my stack there. Besides that Lumifan ... I'm pretty sure you're too bright to buy into that ... stuff.

I am cheap and therefore buy protein powder at the bulk food store and mix it with fruit. Have a scroll through the nutrition section and maybe the Ladies Who Lift if they have a food thread. Lots of folks use prepacked ones. I'll look too and let you know if I find anything.

I had a little potato for supper with some no fat cottage cheese on it. A very yummy use of some carbs!

Did you fiddle with fitdday to see if you could get your deficit down to what's really happened in the past month?

I found one Lumi ....
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73898

lumi.....I also make mine. I got this HUGE canister at Costco for $20 and its lasted me already 2 months and I'm only half way through it. I use a ff carb countdown milk, 1 scoop of protein whey powder and put it through the blender and I get a 3 C whipped milkshake type drink. Much more economical that the typical canned shakes. Sometimes I add partially frozen peaches or a half tsp of baking cocoa powder. To each their own. The one thing that I have noticed BIG TIME....is that more protein keeps me from being hungry. Some other quirks I am doing.....I try NOT to eat white flour or white starchy foods. If I must have bread or pasta....its whole wheat. I also try to ALWAYS eat a protein and a carb together. It is my understanding that, due to most carbohydrates having a higher gylcemic index (faster rate of absorption into the blood stream), that when combined with a protein.....it slows down the process and evens out your blood sugar. An even blood sugar distribution means you are less likely to be famished and gorge on foods when you just have to eat RIGHT NOW and are getting very shakey. Make sense?.....so have an apple with p.butter......have a toasted cheese sandwich......egg and toast......

Amen to what angel-eyes said about protein! All in all that's very good and informative post. That's angel-eyes!

thanks guys. ya'll have been very helpful.

and susan, I have already been down that starvation road a long time ago when i was in high school. and the effects from it sucked. blackouts when i stood up, lack of energy, more easily able to get sick....and other symptons i probably don't even remember. i did lose 40 pounds and kept it off until i got pregnant at 18 and gained 60 pounds with my pregnancy and only lost 20 of it afterwards. so, i don't want to go down that road again. I am now trying to incorporate as much activity into my days as i can.

I tend to dislike fitday on most occasions as well. This website is a tad more difficult to understand, but I think it's a lot better: www.mypyramidtracker.gov

I agree with Susan angel-eyes. If you find yourself hungry at 900 calories, than sure eat more (and make it protein, whole-wheat, etc) but don't worry too much about being too low on some days. There will be just as many or more days where you will end up a little too high, so just make sure you watch yourself, eat good nutrients, and avoid getting too famished at any time of day. FitDay is good for tracking, but you will have to figure out your body's rhythm for yourself.