Hi. I"ve started this thread to track what I eat daily. It's not enough to track it in my phone app. I think I need to write it down so others can take a look. Number one, it will help to keep me honest!! do I really put EVERYTHING I eat in the app.. I thought I did. Number two someone can take a look and see where I might be going wrong. I know for the first week when I faithfully track I will lose a few pounds. You'll see I eat the same thing practically every week. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to cooking. I cook for my family, Hubby of 30 years, 26 year old daughter (she and I watch our weight together), my 22 year old son (he's 6"2 rail and swears he's fat very healthy eater), and my 2 year old grandson. We eat , like everyone else I'm sure, mainly baked protein chicken ( lots of that ), pork, beef and fish. Today isa Friday ( 3am here in Cincinnati ), I can't sleep. I'm starting day 3 fast for this week. Last meal was before bed snack of Edammae and diet green tea. The plan for today, not eat anything until lunch time, I'll have salad, then diner.. small steak and spinach.

Georgia.. thanks for checking on me. I think you and FYE are right. I"ve been looking at my calories lately and working to stay below 1200.. It would be easy if I didn't eat snacks.. that's my area of focus right now.. Once I get that under control then I'll focus on moving. This past week my days were much closer to 1200 and fast days closer to 600 so I have some work to do in the area of control

Georgia.. thanks for checking on me. I think you and FYE are right. I"ve been looking at my calories lately and working to stay below 1200.. It would be easy if I didn't eat snacks.. that's my area of focus right now.. Once I get that under control then I'll focus on moving. This past week my days were much closer to 1200 and fast days closer to 600 so I have some work to do in the area of control[/QUOTe]

Oh, I eat snacks!!. My go to is Popsicle brand no sugar added 40 cal bars. And I don't do Protein Bars because they become addictive for me but I have A Fiber One 90 cal chocolate PB bar. And I LOVE the big juicy green grapes!

I also keep SF Jello and squirt whip cream on hand. I just make sure I have enough cals worked in to have them cause I HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING SWEET! Lol

I have a theory. I. Think my body loses best with no carbs. I used to be type 2 diabetic during which I. Cut out sugar and carbs. Of course with the sleeve there was zero to very low carbs I lost weight. I think when I start introducing carbs my weight loss stops. Yes I know not rocket science. But is the delemia. I am so up and down cause carb intake is so up and down. I am always low carb but my. Body likes zero carbs and I can not live real life on zero carbs. URGH very frustrating !!

Still tripping 5:2 is not helping getting the scale down. I have a great week go down 3 pounds get to a new low then the followinw week (eating the same things) I gain it all back. I have started riding my bike almost daily find I am too committed to other stuff (my daughter. And grandson) to get to the Y or a Zumba. Class. Really bumbed out !! URGH!! URGH!!

Have you measured? You might be losing inches?

nope didn't take initial measurements or I don't remember them. FEed. What are your thoughts on my carb comments? I only seeem to lose on zero carbs the minute I eat any I gain. So up and down and never a steady down

I do best with lower carbs, but luckily for my sorry will power, I can eat some. I try to mostly keep it whole grains. I skip the sugar most of the time. I know some really can't eat much at all. There was a post on here someplace that talks about why carbs make you gain... your body needs lots more Water to maintain the glucose in the muscles or something like that... so when you eat carbs, you gain water weight, cut the carbs, lose water weight. Each of us is a little or a lot different in what works for us, like the 5:2 just seems to really work for me, even if I slip up now and then, and I am not one who loses easily, or quickly as a rule. I would say, just give each change you make time to work, then, only move on when you know for sure its just not for you. You have done soooo well and 78 pounds is really amazing. I think sometimes the body just takes a break from losing, and if you are doing everything else you can, keeping track, moving, drinking water, getting enough rest... then ether that is how you ned to behave to maintain where you at, and to lose the rest/more you still need to act as the detective, and keep working on those ingredients that might get the scale to move past current maintenance and into lower numbers/sizes. Best of luck with that.

....maybe your body wants to be an athlete, but your mind does not....?

K. here's my new plan. Fasting Monday and Thursday.. eating the 500 calories. My fast days remain. Hot chocolate Protein for Breakfast ( 80 cals ).. salad only during lunch mainly lettuce and small amount of protein. sometimes I even skip that for lunch or this time of the year I'll switch it up and have some 100 cal soup. Green tea, cold and hot through the day, gets me out of the office with 180 calories. Then diner is typically a 300 cal meal. Normal stuff adding more veggies and cutting back on my protein portion. I think I've been adding the calories by eating more meat than I should. So smaller protein portions and increase the veggies. I'm adding more fresh stuff, fresh spinach, zucchini, fresh broccoli. Normally I'm a canned or frozen gal. Then a 100 calorie snack. That should get me to 500. Then on non fast days. trying to stick to 1200 calories. The only difference in fast and non fast days is breakfast and lunch. I might add an egg or yogart. for breakfast, for lunch I might add half sandwich with the salad. 200 calories for Breakfast ( normally less I typically don't eat breakfast during the week), 300 cals for lunch, typically salad and protein, 400 calories for diner, typically adding two veggies and 300 calories left.. will add a piece of fruit on non fast days , and a 100 calorie planned snack. I have to stop the power crunch bars cold turkey. they are 200 calories and I was having 1 a day. adding to this is the exercise. I ride the recumbent for about 30 minutes most days ( being honest here ).. and home Zumba with the Wii in the evening. At least 10,000 steps a day. I wear my pedometer daily, I have to or I lose a $300 subsidy to my company health care plan. My goal is to do my eating and exercise plan with as little deviation as possible, for this time of the year, for at least a month before I give up or change again. Admittedly I'm not going to go a month without a slip.. but if my good days out weigh my bad days should I not see the stupid scale go down!!.. URGH . Still looking for help.. What are your typical days like?

Use your MFP... that fast day adds up to 580... I used to not count my light veggies, cabbage, greens, and such, but now I do... they hardly have any calories, but Im seeing how even they can add up! Just make those fast days tight as a drum for a while if your not already doing it Brown. I let the calories slip upwards all too often. I like your plan! And you walk way more than I do! 10,000! Im luck if I get in 7000, and I walk quite a bit (I thought) I guess I sit quite a bit too! I have a party tonight and its a fast day.... so fingers crossed... Protein Drink in the am, then nothing until the party...

Diner at Cheeders had to estimated and use different cause Cheeder's wasnin my fatsceret. Tracker and I know food prepared at resturant is more than at home came up with 674 for main meal plus appitizer and 175 for spOonfuls of apple pie and ice cream. Total for the day including lunch chicken breast no skin from kfc was 1209. Seems like more it should be more. Don't know if that was good for me to see or bad. I am askinf for help and taking it. Back to tracking every day.

Its just something I have been doing to keep it real with myself.

Sounds like tracking will be good to get you where you want to be.

I don't write down everything I eat and count calories. I do keep track in my head. The last couple of weeks I have added more Snacks than usual so I know my calorie count is up on regular days. Fast days I am doing just fine. I know after the holidays I will tighten things up once again. It's usually all of the little things that add up...a little bite of something here and there. I also work out a lot so I can get away with eating a little more and having more carbs in my daily diet.

Great job on the steps! That is a start! Good incentive to keep at it, too...$300...I'll wear anything they want me to wear!

During the past year when I typically eat the same things during the week would track for a while then would stop cause it was always the same meals and around the same cal-protien-carb count. The weekends are when I usually have to track. I eat at fast food places. Not fries and burgers but fish no bun. Wendy's chili. Nuggets stuff like that.I was able to maintain my weight loss. When I started 5:2 I tracked faithfully. But with the lack of success I don't track faithfully during the week cause it doesn't seem to matter. For now I am holding on by the skin of my teeth. Weighing daily eating smaller portions increasing veggies and trying not to snack. When I get back to 5:2 I will track faithfuuly again. For now I am trying to get past the holiday. I never realized before Thanskgiving was just a Day. But December is the holiDAYS and I am mustering the strenght to skip the treats and not gain. How do u track the bite of cake from hubby plate? The few chips and dip at the party? U get the point. For now I am counting steps and clean days. Those are days when I have been able to get through a day having only eaten my planned snack for the day. When I can count 5 clean days in a row then I will know I am in control and ready to start 5:2 again. Please don't take my comments as defensive and if it sounds like I am tell me. I am asking for help and advise and I sincerely here u especially Kim who reads and posts here with me. Know that I am trying to be honest and explain where my head is at right now. I know diet wise I am not in a good place but desperately trying to get there.

Honestly Wanda, I am in about the same place as you! I don't eat much fast food, (used to!) but the treats and parties are abundant. I say no sometimes and yes others. I do write it down on weekdays, because my weekdays are much like my weekends right now! My plan at this time is TRY to fast two days, and if not that then one day a week until new years when things should calm down. So far this has worked pretty well... I went on hikes the last two days. I am in the high side of my current bounce range right now... dont know if its real gain or just bounce from all the salt and sugar and alcohol! My cals a between ok and a little high. It is really hard to eat clean and sober..... but Im trying to use the 5:2 as a shield. This week will be one of the crazyest.... 4 parties! All eating parties, snacky, foodie, you know how that is... like you have said how do you count 4 potatoe chips and french onion dip! I actually try... spend the time on MFP and estimate. Its not perfect by any means, I just try to figure the best I can... Yesterday I went on the road with a foodie friend.... first stop? donuts and starbuck! That was just the start! I packed a lunch which was OK stuff.... walked 3 1/2 miles, stopped for Mexican on the way home... (thanks you sleeve for keeping me from eating the whole plate!) Came home, fed the leftovers to hubby, had Cookies and tea then a 1/2 cup of "trail mix" nuts, raisins, marshmallows, chocolate chips.... Any one of those things could have been ok, but all of them! HOLIDAYS! And that wasn't even a party! ( I came out at around (1647 cals- in the old days that would be a diet day!) ) Anyway, I am a bad influence here.....(devil face!) but I am trying to write it all down, weigh in the AM, drink all my Water, not freak out, and enjoy the days with the idea that it will mellow out pretty soon, and I can lessen the damage by saying NO sometimes, and fasting 1-2 days a week until then. I am fasting today....probably the only day I can officially fast this week if I want to go to the parties and such. I might fast in the AM on evening party day ... I did this once last week and the cals came out around 900... not a real fast, but not serious damage at all. Best of luck.

Wanda, have you had your thyroid checked? Not sure if I asked you that before or not, I know I thought about asking you.