I had lost a total of 80 pounds over 3 years but was having a lot of problems losing that last 5lbs. So I continued to eat 1200-1250 calories a day and just about no fat whatsoever.

Over the past 7 months I've had a lot of health problems: hair was thinning, no energy, skin and nail problems; water retention, a heart attack scare etc. I went to a nutritionist and all my issues including not losing the last 5 lbs was due to not getting enough calories and not enough of the good fats (olive oil etc.).

She put me on the following eating plan:

Breakfast:

1/4 part skim ricotta or low fat cottage cheese
2 slices of whole grain bread
banana

Lunch:

3 oz of protein (fish, chicken, meat, tofu)
2tsp of a fat (salad dressing, olive oil etc)
2 cups vegetables


Dinner:

4oz protein
1/2 cup starch
2tsp of a fat (salad dressing, olive oil etc)
3 cups raw veggies or 2c cooked veggies or 1c raw and 1c cooked veggies
protein smoothie (I used the Right Size smoothie mix with 1c of soy milk)
Low Fat ice cream or WW dessert

bedtime:

1c of milk or a piece of fruit

Total calories: 1450 - 1500/day

I just started this 4 days ago and I have lost those 5lbs, as well as feeling terrific.

The nutritionist said my body was in starvation mode (like an anorexic) and that's why it wasn't letting go of any fat I would ingest whatsoever.

Let that be a lesson -- still eat right- the correct foods and you can have a healthy and productive weight loss

Yep, sometimes the body is in such starvation mode! Changing the food works when that happens...and sometimes you just need the extra nutrients.

I prepare really low-fat meals, so I try to make sure I get some lean red meat, lots of dairy (mostly yogurt) and fatty fish in my diet every week.

And another trick I have is adding a tablespoon or two of walnut pieces to my salads...it's a good plant source of those oils we need, boosts the protein, and helps keep things lubricated.

This is a typical diet when I am eating on my "good days" when I reach my target calories:

My favorite breakfast is one carb delight smoothie (non-fat cultured milk smoothie at 60 calories), a Jennie-O's turkey burger on two slices of Orowheat light bread with some yellow mustard.

A nice salad for lunch...mixed greens with either some salmon (about a quarter cup) or feta cheese, and a tablespoon of walnut pieces, some chopped olives, maybe some onion, and a non-fat vinegrette. Another one of those smoothies. A chewable calcium supplement.

Dinner might be a small piece of steak broiled, with steamed green veggies, rice or potatoes, or perhaps spaghetti with some jennie-O turkey italian sausage, or just marinara with a thin piece of roast beef and a salad. Always a carb dish. Preferably a high fiber veggie, like brocolli. Usually meat, but sometimes beans. I like to buy the Barilla plus pasta because it has extra protein and is multigrain. Fruit for dessert - berries, perhaps, or light canned pears, or something.

And then there are days this is just too much for me, and I eat less. I'll only have the smoothie and coffee for breakfast, for instance, and a small salad for lunch. I'll go all day on 500 calories and then eat 400 calories at dinner or less. If I eat less too many days in a row, I feel it. Then back to the higher counts, at least once or twice a week, even if I have to make myself. And frequently, it's the day after I do that that I drop the weight.

It surely gets hard juggling wanting to lose with eating well...for me it can be a real struggle, especially getting fruit in my diet. Right now, I should be eating lunch. So what am I doing? Posting! But I did have my big breakfast.

Congratulations on making your goal! Be sure and visit our maintainers forum!

I totally know what you mean!! For as long as I can remember I've had an impossible time growing out my hair and nails. Like impossible. Especially my nails were brittle and would break every week or so. For once I know Im on a good "diet" because my nails are really strong- that was the first thing I noticed!

btw way to go on your 5lb loss!!!

congrats on those five stubborn pounds!

Yay on those five pounds! Please do pop on down and check out the Maintainers Forum -- we'd love to hear more from you.