Calories and carbs

Since I've started just looking at my calorie limit and not so much my macronutrient limits (carbs, sugar, etc), I haven't been losing the weight steadily as when I was making sure not to go over those limits.  Of course trying to stay within the macronutrient limits also meant that I had a hard time meeting the calorie limit (was short anywhere from 100-300 below 1200).  

Consistently going over (especially the Carb limit of 30%)....is this what is causing more difficulty in losing the pounds?  I thought calorie was a calorie no matter what.

it is likely that you were losing because you were severely restricting carbs which usually cause the body to retain more water. since you have increased your carbohydrate intake your body is holding on to more water, which is natural. So, while it may appear that you aren't losing as much weight, it is likely because you have added water weight which would otherwise not be there if you were restricting carbs.

It is not recommended to severely restrict any macronutrient since a balanced diet is most conducive to sustainable weight loss. Keep your carbs around a minimum of 50% and fats between 20-30% proteins can range from 10-15% for most people and that's perfectly fine. Too many people severely restrict fats and carbs when dieting which is counterproductive since fats keep you satisfied and carbs provide energy. Don't worry about the slowed loss, it is to be expected and if you're making healthy choices then the loss is more likely to stay off. 

I hope this eases some of your worries and makes sense!! if you have questions don't hesitate to message me or just respond on the thread! congrats on choosing to be healthy!

30% is really low for your carbs... Most people need about 50%, or that's what's "normal" and not a low-carb diet. Personally I do like 50% carb and 25% protein and fat, approximently, and it works for me.

And yes a calorie is a calorie but food is a lot more than just calories. It may contain things that help or hinder weight loss. So 3 apples and one cookie might have the same number of calories but your body would also react to the sugar, white flour, etc in the cookie causing you to gain weight, even tho it's the same cals as the apples. That's the best example I could think of so I hope it makes sense lol

Thanks.  I understand where you're coming from.  My daily menu contains what I believe is pretty healthy.  At worst, I snack on Galaxy granolas and Starbucks soy lattes.  I would say the bulk of my carbs come from daily oatmeal breakfast (27g), double fiber slices of bread (38g)...for my daily pb and banana lunch..........and granola snacks (38g) - 2 servings at 19g per serving.  The rest come from fruits, veggies and Starbucks drinks (13g) which I enjoy 2 or 3 times a week.  

I'm thinking that I'm making choices that aren't terrible unless my thinking is totally screwed up.  It's okay if it takes a bit longer to get to my goal (another 8 lbs) but I just want to make sure that this carb intake is not working against me.  I thought that if I stuck with a 1200 cal limit, that I'd lose 1/2 to 1 lb per week per CC.  But that hasn't been the case.

You should be fine then if that's where your carbs are coming from. Everone's weight loss comes differently. The less weight you have to lose the slower it will come off. So if you just have 8 pounds to lose it may come off slower but you may notice your clothes keep fitting better from less bloating, more muscle, fat loss, etc.