My starting weight was 200lbs and I lost 9 pounds in about a 2 week period before my spring break. While I was on my break, I gained 3 lbs back; but I've lose 1lb. I'm stuck at 193 and I've been here for weeks. I'm not gaining or losing weight... I don't understand what's wrong with me. I use myfitnesspal, eat smaller portions, and I go by the nutrition intake on food items (i.e. if a bag of chips says 12 chips is 160 calories I follow that). I go to Zumba classes twice a week and workout at home or with my dad 4 times a week.

Why haven't I lost anything? I'm making better choices with bread by eating pita bread. I'm drinking water constantly, too. I just don't know... I'm on the verge of just giving up but I know I will feel worse about myself.

I'm a college student and I can't afford Weight Watchers. I really want to join it because I may need to try something different. What are some alternatives to Weight Watchers? Is there a company that has similar offerings that is free or has a smaller payment?

Any advice you guys have will be appreciative!

Bethany

Hey Bthgrl09,

Congrats for taking the first steps and good job on asking for help! That's seriously one of the biggest hurdles of weight loss in my opinion...just getting started in general. As far as advice, there's of course the fact that every plan works differently for everybody. I've done practically every plan under the sun and have had success on all of them, though more on some than others. The plan that I've followed that has had the weight fall off the easiest has been a Paleo/Primal lifestyle, which is what I'm currently doing. Some might consider it extreme because it's a drastic lifestyle/diet change, but it made a lot of sense to me and you don't have to pay anyone to follow it.
Do a little research online if you're interested (marksdailyapple.com and balancedbites.com are just a few of the sites with great information) but the basics are that you cut out all grains, legumes (peanuts, soy, beans), and processed foods. So basically you only eat from the perimeter of the grocery store with a few exceptions like certain oils and vinegar. Any 'diet' that creates a calorie deficit each week will have you losing weight eventually, but this one made me conscious of exactly what I put in my body and why. While you can lose weight by only eating a donut a day, it's not going to make you feel really good and you'll be starving all the time.
I do cook most every meal, so that is a necessity on this plan, but I make some really really good stuff. Lots of meats and veggies in things like stir-fry's, chicken thighs, homemade BBQ ribs...good hearty meals. Again, there are TONS of recipes out there and even substitutions for things like pancakes and sweets that you might be afraid to miss out on.
The key is to make a commitment with yourself that you won't give up. You can kick and scream when the weight doesn't fall off like you want (lord knows I have), but you just have to keep going. If you do that, then you're bound to succeed no matter what healthy plan you follow.
No matter what you choose, I wish you the best of luck!

Well, you haven't mentioned how many calories you're consuming every day. ("Smaller portions" is a relative term.) That's where I'd start.

If you make a commitment to a reasonable plan (say, 1,500 cals per day to start), there's no reason you have to spend ANY money on weight loss. In my experience, the do-it-yourself approach is every bit as effective as a formal paid program -- as long as the commitment is there.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Freelance

This^^.