Need some Re-assurance

OK so I have read a ga-gillion of these posts about STALLS and I'm sure mine will just be added to them, but now that I am the one going through it I'm freaking out and sad about it.  I have never had a stall this early!  So now I am wondering if it's just normal and I need to not worry about it, or if I need to change something up because I am doing myself a disservice in how I am eating/exercising and could be doing better.  I've done really well overall (I think) so I'm trying to tell myself I just need to chill.

I went from eating out pretty much every night (sometimes for lunch too) and snacking all the time, with no exercise (well, planned anyway) to cooking healthier at home, not eating out, no fast food, and walking on the treadmill most every night, along with some free weights exercises.  I've been keeping track of my intake somewhat but I've mostly been trying to watch how much I eat to start with and be mindful of the types of food I am eating.  When I put my food in on thedailyplate.com, I find that most days I consume anywhere from 800-1200 calories a day and anywhere from 18-25 grams of fat per day -- protein is around 40-50g. I officially started on January 2nd and I got down about 10 pounds, then up 2, then down 3, and another 2, and then today up another 2.  So it's like I got down 13 pounds, but now I'm back up to 11.  In the past, I haven't really 'stalled' until I was down at least 20-25 pounds.  So does anyone have any suggestions or ideas here?  I know I am going to lose more slowly this time but I guess I just want it to keep moving DOWN!!!!!  I hate when I'm working so hard and it moves in the other direction!  It doesn't help my motivation!

I'm no expert, but 11lb in 15 days sounds good to me!!  Congratulations for making all those changes for the positive in your life. I'm not a nutritionist, but I would guess you're probably eating too little.  I'm doing WW and I know if I eat below my points I lose slower than if I eat all of them plus the flex points.  I think when we make such a concentrated effort, we expect to just see it melt away.  Wouldn't that be nice?  I know I feel that way when I've had a good week of food choices. As long as you keep eating healthy food and upping your exercise level, you will continue to lose.  I would also suggest just picking a day and getting on that scale only once/week.  Daily weigh-ins can drive you crazy and your water weight can fluctuate greatly depending on how much salt you're having.  I can easily show a 2-4lb gain if I've had a day of very salty food. Keep up the good work and be proud of your accomplishments!  Start thinking of yourself as a success...not a failure!  Only those of us who have been fighting this battle forever, can look at a 11lb weight loss and complain....LOL!  (I'm not putting you down...I do it all the time myself...I just think it's so strange how skewed our thinking is.) You go, girl!!!

Thank you for your response Sherrie!  I have wondered about the eating too little thing.  The thing is -- I am not starving myself or anything.  I really made a concerted effort this time to eat in a way that I didn't feel deprived so that I knew I could stick with it for the long haul.  I almost feel like I would be sabotaging myself by eating MORE -- but I have read that so many times -- eating more to lose more.  I am wondering if I need to eat more for breakfast --I've been eating yogurt or a grapefruit on work days, and then on the weekend I have had whole grain waffles or cereal with fruit.

I do think you are right about the weighing.  I don't know how to STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE.  I feel controlled by it!  Sounds crazy I know, but it's almost like it can make or break my day....why I let it do that is beyond me -- I guess like you said -- I've done this so many times and been fighting it forever.  I am very happy about what I have lost, I just want it to keep going DOWN!!!!

By the way -- you mentioned eating too much salt -- do you know what is considered a good amount of salt?  Obviously  less is better but what is a good guideline?

Thank you!

Just looked it up, cause I wasn't sure..... The recommendation for salt in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the American Heart Association is 2,400 milligrams (mg) daily for adults. This is the amount in 1 teaspoon of salt (2,300 mg to be exact). The average American consumes 5,000 mg of salt daily -- twice the necessary amount. The recommendation for salt in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the American Heart Association is 2,400 milligrams (mg) daily for adults. This is the amount in 1 teaspoon of salt (2,300 mg to be exact). The average American consumes 5,000 mg of salt daily -- twice the necessary amount.  I find I really need to stay away from the canned soups, canned veggies, and a lot of the prepared foods...check the labels and they're really high in sodium.  I am very fluid retentive and have a problem with it. I think some protein in the morning helps you last better...or a protein snack mid morning.  I'm in a rut with my low sugar oatmeal and a banana (have to have that potassium) every morning.  I like to have 3 meals/day plus two snacks...and try to get some yogurt, hard boiled egg, raw veggies, string cheese, fruit in for snacks.  I get too hungry if I don't snack in between meals and then make poor food choices cause I'm starving (or wolf it down before I know I'm full).   I think if you have a plan that fits your lifestyle and you can live with ongoing is the important thing.  Everyone is different and everybody's  body responds differently.  Whatever works for you!! Good Luck!

Yeah, 11# in that short of a time is pretty fast, so now you have slowed down...it is evening out, I think.  I would likewise suggest that you are low on calories.  Try going up to 1100-1400 daily at least, and spike one day to 1800 just to tease your metabolism.  If possible, also try to do one marathon-type day of moving - hiking, or biking or a couple of theings you don't normally do for a couple hours. Eat well that day especially, not too low. You are very early in your program. I would make sure that what you eat seems like something you can do for a long while.

It's hard, and we think we need immediate payoff - well there is not that, except for increased energy and stamina! Look for nuggets of payoff, the scale is a taskmaster!

Thanks for your reply Neecee.... when you say marathon-type moving that is out of the norm -- do you think the things I do on the weekend would count?  I normally walk on the treadmill and do the weights during the week when I get home from work, but on the weekends, I do home remodels, yard work, landscaping, pretty much anything to keep me busy -- I know I get a pretty good workout from that stuff -- surely that helps?!?!  The bad thing is that I guess I do the contrary to what you are saying -- you mentioned eating plenty those days -- I usually get so busy that I don't eat as much those days.  Are you saying I should eat MORE those days when I am exerting more energy?