Alrighty so it's been two weeks, 1200 calories/day, exercising for 1.5 hours at the gym usually 1hr on elliptical 15-20 min with weights. I haven't lost ANYTHING.

I actually checked the other morning 192, today 192.5. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm eating wayyy better than before, I have an occasional splurge but it's always within my 1200 calories. One thing I noticed on myfitnesspal, my sugar intake is always in the negative zone at the end of every day, but I figured everything was calories in vs calories out??

When I work out I have an average heart rate of 145, high of 173, and burn about 600 cals during that time frame. I'm assuming this number isn't accurate and go by distance so 5miles~ 500 calories instead.

I'm not even hungry half the time, I'm quite content with the amount of calories I'm taking in, have snacks etc etc. I'm drinking a lot of water, I *think* I look smaller but my measurements are the same. I just don't get it, it's really frustrating. I always assume it's water weight and move on (I know I'm not eating some 3500 extra calories everyday)

Sample meals for the day

Morning
-apple
-1 cup light soymilk

Lunch
-Tuna salad (this is with light mayo that's 15 cals per tbs)
-some diet soda
-2 wasa crackers

Snack
-Market pantry granola bar (usually 90 cals)

Dinner
-boiled vegetables and 4 oz of whatever meat I have
-lots of water
-if I want something sweet after wasa cracker with pb and jam

I feel like I could stick to this plan forever. Before I used to eat heavy pasta for dinner, subway for lunch, and cereal in the morning. I feel like I've cut as much as I could in terms of not feeling hungry and not craving certain foods, but it doesn't seem to be showing on the scale.

Help please!

I would imagine that it's water retention. When you first start working out, your body holds on to lots of water which helps repair the muscles. I also noticed you're eating some tuna and maybe some lunch meat? Those foods are fairly high in sodium, which contributes to the excess water. If you think you can stick to this plan long term, then why not just follow your plan and weigh yourself in a few weeks instead? Give yourself a chance. Also, if you don't mind me saying, I think your plan lacks nutrition and on so few calories, it's hard enough to get the proper nutrition. I would increase veggies....even if it means increasing calories a bit. Just my opinion. You sound like you have a great attitude and that will help you a lot in the long run.

Thanks for the reply!

I actually just looked at the sodium and there is a lot in the tuna =( I guess I'll try swapping it for some other meat every now and then.

I will def try increasing my vegetables too! (and I don't mind you telling me at all! ), I will literally try anything to get these digits lower lol. Are there any other glaring deficiencies with this plan?

I'm so antsy to see some results, its really what keeps me going. When I first started dieting I dropped 9 lbs like nothing and now it's so hard to budge at all.
Also, I know everyone says the first few lbs are water weight, how much weight off is water weight? Like do I assume those 9lbs were water weight?

How are you tracking your calories? Weighing vs eyeballing vs measuring? Weighing is the best way to insure acuracy.

Regardless the simple answer is you're retaining water. I'd be willing to bet your measurements have changed in the two weeks you've been at it.

Just stick to the plan and the weight will do down.

I'd also suggest more protein and more veggies in your diet but that has nothing to do with your lack of weight loss.

Thanks JohnP!

I actually have a food scale and have been using measuring spoons for everything. I used to eyeball but I was forgetting a good 3-500 cals that way.

I've been measuring myself with those measuring tapes from Michaels made for dressmaking or whatever, is there something out there made for taking body measurements?

So I'm putting on water weight? Is there anything I can do about that, so I will reduce the sodium laden meats and up the vegetables?

And should I also make sure I don't go over my limit for sugar? or should I just pay attention to the calories in calories out?

Limiting sugar will help you maintain a steady blood sugar, so you'll be less likely to get hungry. I'm so glad you will limit the tuna and high sodium meats. I highly recommend using something like baked chicken breast for filling up. For lunch, I usually have a big salad (spinach, other greens, green onions, cilantro, etc. and I cut up the chicken breast which I have pre-measured. You could squeeze lemon juice on it as well as some vinegar. You could do something similar for dinner and use wild salmon instead of chicken. For snacks, you could use raw pistachios or almonds that are measured out. Things like asparagus and bananas are high in potassium which helps rid the body of sodium, to put it simply. I have no way of knowing how much of the initial loss is water. But, there's definitely an adjustment period in which you seem to stall....but just keep at it and you WILL lose weight. I think you're doing fantastic actually!

I"d like to add that each morning, I squeeze half of a fresh lemon into some hot water and I drink that on an empty stomach and have nothing after that for a few hours. I feel like that has helped me shed some water weight, but I don't have any research to back it up. I will say that my husband's weight had also plateaued and as soon as he started doing the same, he started to drop the weight too.

That's so funny that you mention the hot water lemon thing! My mom has been telling me to do that for ages maybe I'll give it shot now! and thanks for the tips! I will def make those changes and give you an update on how things are going!

You've done fantastic on your diet btw! I can't wait until I'm at that point!

I go over my sugar and sodium a lot, but yet I'm still losing weight, so I don't really worry about it. However, for you, you might try lowering your sodium and sugar intakes to see if that does anything. But ****, I try doing that and it never works for me cause I can't stick to it -- but maybe you can work it out to a way that works.

You will absolutely get there! Just stick to your plan like glue, regardless of motivation...it's about commitment. If you ever wanna private message me, I'd be happy to hear how you're doing!

This has happened to me...actually it is happening for the 2nd time right now. The first time...I was stuck even though I was like you eating 1200 cals and working out for an hour to an hour and a half every day with cardio. I was at 222 for a week and a half...actually climbed back up to 224 but knew it wasn't possible. So I just waited and one day fell 6 pounds. The next I dropped another one. Now I am stuck at 216- have been here for over a week...waiting again.

I agree with much of the above, especially the comments on commitment. I've been at this for a very, very long time now. I've lost and gained and maintained and lost again only to gain it all back and lose it again. The one thing that I've noticed, no matter the plan I was on at the time (and boy, I've been on just about every one!) that as long as I stuck to it, it ended up working.

It took me forever to figure it out, but now that I'm here I want to shout it from the roof tops! Just stick to it. The time is going to pass anyway and if you are sticking to plan, the weight will come off!

You mentioned you ate 1200 but burned 500 to 600. Are you eating up to 1200 after you burn? Or are you at 600 or 700 for the day total? You may want to eat more..some gals swear by that success......I mean eat more as in eat up to 1200 WITH exercise. You won't gain for sure at 1200, and if you aren't losing it is worth a try at least!

I agree with everyone's suggestions. I think it's probably water retention. It happens to me when I work out a lot, but if I stick with it, it always catches up and comes off.

Would you be willing to vary your calories slightly? Like give yourself a range of 1200 to 1400 or 1500? It may help.

Also I just had a question about your sample meals for a typical day of yours. It doesn't seem like that could be even close to 1200 calories with those sample foods. Am I just totally miscalculating the estimate?

I've read exercise articles that say don't rely on the machine to tell you calorie counts. It may say 500 calories but you may only be burning 400. This is because everyon'es metabolism is different. Also you may be getting too used to your routine. If you've been going for an hour on the treadmill at 2 mph (as an example I know you do elliptical) at some point it no longer becomes a challenge for you. You might be better off going for a half an hour instead of an hour but going 3 mph instead. You need to get your heartrate up. (This is all, btw, a example of do as I say not as I do since I've only manged to lose 4 pounds LOL)

Exercise is great and necessary part of weightloss but exercising till you drop will be for not if you don't adjust your diet accordingly.

I agree - it doesn't seem like 1200 calories to me. It seems very low! I tend to eat about 1100 calories or so on average and I'm eating a lot more than you are.

Cereal in the morning, subway (depending on what you choose) and 2oz (dry) pasta for dinner can fit into your rotation too. Just measure it, and bulk it out with vegetables if you don't feel like it's enough food.