I exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week (w. TurboJam).

I have a Carnation Instant Breakfast with a small plate of fruit for breakfast. (400 calories)

A slimfast or another CIB for lunch. (250 calories/max)

A small dinner (I give myself as much as I give my 4 year old). (500 calories/max)

I'll have snacks when I'm hungry : generally a few saltine crackers, maybe a soda or a handful of m&ms. This is two times a day. (150 cals x2 = 300 cals)

Even if I do more some days, I don't think I'm breaking 1700 calories a day. What I listed is pretty typical.

The scale will NOT move. I lost a few inches, but I think that was cycle/bloating related

I feel like not matter what I do I don't lose weight. I'm very...upset. I'm disgusted with how I look. I'm disgusted with everything. I've been to doctors - they told me to eat less and exercise more. I said 'How? That's all I've been doing! I obsess over everything I put in my mouth!' They said, 'Just do it.'

Are you calculating calories or just 'guesstimating'? I ask because sometimes you can way under-guesstimate, kwim? If you're not counting using labels/looking up specific information, try that. Honestly, you may not like my advice. You need to EAT! If you live off of liquid meals, you may very well gain back weight when you go back to eating real food. And honestly, you need just that - real food! I don't see anything wrong with meal replacements when you're in a pinch, but you need to fuel your body with whole foods. Why not try some scrambled egg whites, low-sodium bacon and a piece of toast for breakfast.. or a low-carb/cal wrap with lean meat and veggies and some steamed veggies or fresh fruit for lunch.. and some lean grilled chicken or fish, sauteed fresh veggies and a whole grain rice for dinner? Try nuts, fresh fruit, raw veggies, dry healthy cereals, and yogurt for snacks? You're getting most of your calories from liquid, and supplementing with 'snacks' like soda and M & M's, and I just don't think that's a healthy way to lose weight. I feel like I am eating all day long AND I am losing weight, so I would be starving if I made myself get two meals from liquids and then one toddler-size portion. Aren't you hungry? A toddler's stomach is about the size of his/her fist.. and yours isn't.. so you need to eat adult portions of healthy foods. Also, you may want to add some more exercise after you have the food part down. If you weigh 233, then I am going to guess that you need to be eating 1500-1800 calories of healthy food and protein to lose. I see a lot of carbs and cheese in your food log, and not very much in the way of natural foods.. so your body could easily be holding on to those carbs and that fat.

Hi there. Don't give up - just tweak things a bit.

Maybe it is time to add in some more exercise. 3 X a week is not all that much. Maybe another 20- 30 minute session of something different 4 or 5 times a week in addition to the turbo jam.

Also as far as your menu goes - are you tracking your calories? They have a real sneaky way of adding up.

Of course we all have to do what's best for ourselves, but I don't think I would be satisfied on your plan. I like to eat 3 nice meals a day, loaded with fiber and protein and 3 nice snacks a day.

Breakfast could be some oatmeal and an egg white omlette - less calories, more nutrients. Or some high fiber cereal with milk.

Lunch, how about a nice grilled chicken cutlet cut up into a yummy, big salad. Or a veggie burger type product with lots of cooked vegetables. Some protein filled tuna in a flat out wrap with onions, tomatoes and baby spinach. Turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat with veggies.

I also don't think those M&M's or saltines are very conducive to weigtloss. How about some fat free yogurt with some berries. Some cottage cheese with berries. Some nice cut up veggies with some hummus. A sliced apple with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a few almonds.

I also obsess about food. I spend LOTS of time thinking about it. I spend lots of time planning, shopping, preparing, looking up nutrition info, checking out new recipes, coming here to 3FC. I think I will always obsess about food. But now I'm doing it in a positive manner. I don't think it's all that terrible. I would surely just love to eat without putting too much thought into it, but that doesn't seem to work for me. Obsession CAN be used to our advantage here.

Hang in there. There is a good plan for you out there. You just need to experiment a bit and find out what works for you - and what doesn't.

That is wonderful that you are reaching out. Your doctor should have sent you to a nutritionist or explained some nutrition facts to you. Everyone knows to eat less and exercise, but there is SO much more to it than that.

Maybe your calories are in check, but your choices are not the best. I really agree with KJ. The eating plan you describe sounds like a person who wants to lose 10 pounds for a class reunion. Not a person you wants to live a healthy lifestyle and lose weight for the long term.

I see by your bkf and lunch that those are poor choices, as KJ already went over. So what is dinner? Do you have any real protien in your program? Fiber? Vegtables? Even your snacks seem like empty calories. Soda, crackers, or M&M's. Honestly, i wondered if you were even serious or just kidding.

A calorie is a calorie, is a calorie, but all calories are not created equally. Different foods do different things for your body. What are M&Ms and sodas or crackers doing for your body? Adding a bunch of sugar is all they are doing. Pick something healthy. Cheese, fruit, yogurt, or add some peanut butter to those crackers. You really need to get to the library or a book store and empower yourself with some nutritional education.

The BEST tips i have learned along the way are:
1. Protien does not turn to sugar, your body will use protein, your body will not use m&ms or soda. And it keeps you fuller for longer than any carb can.
2. Fiber keeps you fuller.
3. Whole foods make a HUGE difference in how i feel and my progress with losing weight. (i.e., NO more carnation or drinks as meals, unless you are having a meal emergency). If you have to have a smoothie or something at least make it healthy and natural (fruits or veggies). Give your body something to digest, something it can use.

All your food sounds processed and empty of real benifit. Crack open a book or so some surfing to find out how much protien you need, how much fiber, and how little fat and carbs you actually need. I am not low carb, but i can tell you from experience, you cant lose weight eating mostly carbs. Get some substance to your meals and i think you will see a HUGE change as soon as your next weigh in. Keep your chin up, dont get frustrated. Just make some changes and you will be well on your way to a new body.

p.s. I was posting at the same time robin was. Ditto everything she said as well.

I agree! My dear.... this is probably why you are losing hope. Your diet is pretty drastic! The way to look at it is that this is going to be a life change! So make changes that you feel like you can do for the rest of your life.... I don't think you can eat like that forever!! You will eventually give up completly and gain even more! Find veggies that you like that you can snack on during the day. I like soy beans. Eat lean Protien! It's great that you work out!! Maybe you should up it a little. Maybe go for walks- even a short one- daily. that'll add on excersie minutes to your week. I'm not really a calorie counter so I can't really give any advice on that- but I have heard that if you eat too little it will slow down weight loss. Don't give up!! Message me if you need some support and to talk to some one! We are around the same height/weight and have the same goals!!

I think everyone here has given you great advice. My only question is: how long have you been dieting? You won't see a change overnight, you know. Say you were sustaining yourself on 2100 calories before you started dieting and are now eating 1700 ... you'll lose weight, at about the rate of 1 lb a week. Sometimes it's hard to notice 1 lb weight loss because of water fluctuations!

I'm with the rest here - you need to eat more! Saltines are high in carbs and sodium, and M&M's are just high in carbs. I understand wanting to eat things you like (but in moderation), though, so I'm not advising you one way or the other about what you should or should not do there.

I commend you for having the willpower to eat all those nasty liquid meals - I know I never could! Eat some "real" food and watch the pounds come off. Seriously. I took some drastic diet measures and didn't lose an ounce, but then once I stopped, the pounds started coming off.

Don't lose hope. As the others have said, think of it as a lifestyle change. You don't want to be eating liquid meals and toddler-sized portions for the rest of your life, do you?

Altari -

Turbo Jam is awsome isn't it?

I have to agree with the others that your food choices really aren't the best that's a lot of empty calories and your body is probably clinging onto whatever it can get for dear life in return. I have a sweet tooth too and if it were upto me I'd be eatting very similar to what you do, but that is what has been my problem in the past I think that those kinda choices just set up for failure because you never really lose the drive for that kinda food.

What has been working for me this time is to really cut out as much of the empty stuff as I can convince myself to and add in whole grains, more protein. I do have a treat now and then, but without my blood sugar going all wonky the mad sugar cravings have died down, and my body is getting a heck of a lot more vitamins.

While those instant drinks do have vitamans and what-not I hear that your body just can't use those vitmans from pills nearly as well as it can from food sources.

Plus like the others say it takes time.

I'm going to agree with the advice to up the exercise and to change your diet. I'm of the opinion that "Carnation Instant Breakfast" and "slimfast" are NOT diets. They're meal REPLACEMENTS. And I don't agree with replacing meals.

I had one scrambled egg and a slice of wheat toast for breakfast. Less than half the calories you had, and probably a lot more filling. I'm on a kick these days and have started eating my whole wheat lo carb tortillas with fat free ranch dressing, grilled chicken, shredded lowfat mozarella and lettuce in them. I usually go for ham and light veggie garden cream cheese rolled up in them. And I have fruit with that, or some carrots/peppers and hummus. I have fruit for snacks, and I usually have turkey, chicken or fish (grilled) with a veggie and either rice, whole wheat pasta, or a slice of wheat bread for dinner. And I stay under 1500 calories usually.

I also exercise at LEAST 5 times a week. I always do at LEAST 30 minutes, but usually longer. If you're going to exercise just 3 days a week, I'd suggest upping your time to an hour. And I'd suggest trying to eat some real food and get rid of those replacements. They do nothing but leave you feeling disatisfied and hungry to the point that you eventually give up hope. And you don't want to give up hope.

Oh! I remembered.... I bought a big bag of M&Ms a while back, and my boyfriend looked at me and shook his head!! haha. He grabbed the bag and said that 1/4 c of M&Ms have 240 calories!! yowzers. That's like 8 M&MS! The peanut ones! so you might want to re calculate your calories.... That could be where you are messing up yourself too!

I agree with the rest of the advice. You need to eat. Don't replace meals with liquids. Get rid of the soda it's not good for you or your family. Keep cut up veggies in the fridge as a quick snack for you and your toddler. I also have the sweat tooth, I buy grapes and freeze them, a couple of frozen grapes curb my sweet tooth. Add another day of exercise to your routine and mix it up a little. Turbojam is great but your body gets used to the same movements. Put the baby in a stroller and go for a walk if you can. Take the stairs, park at the end of the parking lot, add weights to your exercise, gallon jugs of water good. Remember if you can learn healthy habits now you will be teaching your little one healthy habits. Don't give up and don't lose hope. You did'nt gain this weight over night and you won't lose it over night. If you're not in a size 16 by july 4 then shoot for august 4 but never say die.

Altari,

You must be hungry girl!! For 1700 calories you really aren't eating all that much. Do you know how much (volume) healthy food you could be eating with those 1700 calories? If you follow some of the advice that has already been given you can easily be eating twice the amount of food while consuming the same calories if not fewer.

I would also add a few more days of exercise which should really help kick start your metabolism. Good luck!

I've been dieting for 4+ years, which is why I'm barely eating. I think I have a thyroid problem, but my doc(s) won't listen. The only one who will is my OBGYN, but she can't run any of the tests for me.

Here's the skinny on my dieting history :
2002 : Had my first daughter. Gained 100 pounds. I was previously anorexic.
2003 : Lost 40 pounds
2004 : Had my second daughter, stayed where I was. Shortly after, gallbladder failure, near liver failure, gallbladder removal. Lost 20 pounds. I think this is where my metabolism problem started.
2005 - 2006 : Had my third daughter. Ate mostly clean. Lost five, gained five. Never budged. Started exercising, got my muscle tone back, lost 2 sizes.

For the longest time, my diet was a cup of cereal with half a cup of milk, some berries and maybe an egg for breakfast. 1 medium tortilla with some kind of protein for lunch. Chicken or fish, and steamed veggies for dinner. I had my treats, but they were infrequent. I never touched pop.

Now, though, I'm pretty desperate. I DO count calories and watch portions. I'll eat 10 peanut butter m&ms, and factor in the calories. But, I'm also hypoglycemic, which is why I got for the high sugar. In between meals, my blood sugar drops, and I need something to pick me up fast, which whole grains never did. They took a while to metabolize and give me the boost. And running after 3 kids, I just can't wait to get that energy back. I usually have protein at dinner (chicken or fish).

I know that they are bad food choices, and I'm not going to get insulted that I'm being told that. I just...I dunno. I feel like nothing is going to get better unless I go on a strictly liquid diet or stop eating all together. I've considered getting that Alli stuff, but I can't afford it. I've thought about lap band, but I'm not heavy enough, and, honestly, I'm in better health than my skinny friends. My blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are perfect. I could never justify to a doctor (and my insurance company) needing it.

Altari, my obgyn is actually the one who discovered I'm hypothyroid. It's a very simple blood test -- TSH -- and any doctor can order it. Many doctors routinely screen women because hypothyroidism is so common.

If you suspect that you're hypo, please find a doctor who will have you tested. It's such a routine test -- I can't imagine why you're having such a hard time getting it. Please take good care of yourself and find a way to check it out. It's an easy problem to fix -- one little pill a day.

Best of luck to you in getting your thyroid figured out.

Altari, My Ob-gyn was also the one who diagnosed me. In fact, she's the only person I see about it. It was just one of the tests that was ran as part of my annual check-up, but any doctor can do it. Definitely push to have this done. It's a simple test and if that is your problem, it can be easily solved.

I think the advice you have received has been good. I have to admit that when I first saw your food it looked like "punishment diet" foods to me. I couldn't handle liquid diets for two of my meals. I know everyone is different, and that it's possible you actually like it.

I'm sure there is a lot about hypoglycemia that I don't know, but some of the reading that I have done talks about preventing insulin ups and downs by avoiding simple carbs like those found in some cereals, instant breakfast drinks, saltine crackers and M&Ms. Have you tried eating good carbs or even lower carbs in the past?

Good luck. This can definitely be done, without surgery or drugs, so don't give up hope. You just have to find what works for you.