I think you are doing very well, if like you say, you are eating 1200 a day and exercising regularly and losing 1-2 pounds weekly.
If you want to lose more like 2 pounds consistently per week:
I think you are going to have to tighten up a bit. Right now you are doing pure calorie counting and to get to two pounds consistently, you might have to just tweek things.
Also, you might try to lower it to 1150 or even 1100 a day (that would be a bare minimum though). There are studies that say calorie counters usually make something like 10% errors relatively often. 10 per cent on 1200 calories is 120= 1320.
Drink lots of water and eliminate soda (diet or otherwise), and record your food/calorie intake very strictly. I see you are going to use a pone app and that is excellent!
Also, personally, I think you should weighseveral times a week....like M, W, F (and probably one consistent day over the weekend) and record your weight on a special calendar ONLY for this purpose. Have a digital scale and the calendar in the bathroom. Studies show that weighing often, for MOST PEOPLE, is helpful.
Eat LARGELY FRESH/HEALTHY FOODS. If you are not doing so already, take a multi vitamin/mineral. Again, there is a study that shows people who take a multi vitamin tend to lose weight ever so slightly faster.
Even though you should eat mostly fresh/healthy foods, keep a FEW (like two) WW Dinners or Lean Cuisines around. Do not have them often (chemicals/salt,etc.) but have them once in a while. Studies show this helps. The reason behind it is twofold:
1. It teaches us portion size/portion control.
2. It is a safe guard in case of emergency/if you come home starving, you can eat something that is portion controlled in a hurry and you wont be tempted to eat something STOOOOPID.
Other things you could try would be to greatly lower your intake on any obvious sugars (see below), and reduce your intake of flour items. Don't necessarily eliminate them, but eat sugar rarely and flour only once in awhile. I say don't eliminate them, because I have seen (and done) strict low carb and then when you eat a carb...you balloon up. We also need healthy carbs for energy. And you don't want to feel deprived. But, really pay attention when you go to eat a sugar (in particular) or a flour item.
Pay attention to any potential allergies like to wheat, corn or dairy. If you strongly suspect something...get rid of it! Consider talking to your doctor about it too.
Hang out with folks who are positive and happy about you losing weight...not always easy to find. People who will encourage you and you do the same for them (if they are struggling too).
All of the above + exercise, recording, water .... should very well help you lose two pounds consistenly per week, which means things will go a little faster and that might make you feel better about it all.
But, I personally think Weight Watchers can be very good. The support is wonderful!!!
I never fully understood why people knock it. I believe the price is reasonable. Although times are a bit tough now, it is not crazy expensive given the support and literature you receive. You usually get lots of ideas...honestly, I do not think it is that bad financially.
I have heard the newest program is particularly good. I never never wanted to say here, but I will tell you now, that I use to be a WW Leader a long time ago. I paid attention to the folks who did very well. I DID notice the following consistently at that time:
1. People who attended the meetings regularly did better. If they honestly had a conflict and just came in to weigh in, that really helped. Support HELPED. Losing weight, like raising a difficult child, is HARD.
2. People who drank a lot of water and either eliminated or practically eliminated soda (including diet soda) did better.
3. People who exercised, even a little, did better.
4. People who greatly reduced sugar (I mean obvious desserts like cookies, cakes, candy, etc.) did better. It is not that they never had something like this, it is just that they didn't have them often. Similar with bread. Again, it is NOT like they eliminated bread, but just reduced their intake. Pasta, again, once in awhile and 1/2 cup serving. (Hound Dog is right...some of the portion sizes are fooling and surprising!) Hard to do...but it can be done. Enjoy these things, but definately in moderation.
5. People who immediately forgave themselves when they messed up and immediately got back into a good routine did better.
For women, this usually meant several pounds of loss the first week (for some folks like six pounds!), but then averaging 1.5 to two pounds each week after that. That is a very appropriate amount of weight to lose. Young people, men and people who were very disciplined often lost 2 pounds a week (average).
Some women, like those with bad hypothyroidism, who were on certain medications, had a difficult menopause, etc. didn't do quite as well, but if they stuck to the above list, they absolutely did lose weight, just slightly slower. When these women were steadfast and patient, they met their goal weight. If they were honest about following their program and were not losing weight, it usually meant that they needed to see a doctor...perhaps needing to get on thyroid medication. Also, it sometimes meant that they had to do better at recording their food intake...sometimes they were forgetting something that they were eating. Honesty, consistency and patience are key.
Hope this helps. I am serioiusly thinking of going back, doing what you are doing and/or checking into that Volumetrics. Stress, difficult child and other things, got the better of me.
Oh well. Goooooood luck! You will feel GREAT when you get to your goal weight (whatever program you use).
Hang in there!!!
