really need help- ive been trying for so long

hi so im new here but i reallllllllly need some advice... im nineteen years old. i am 5'3 and have always averaged a constant weight of 115 lbs. but over the course of 2 years i gained 15 pounds!! my doctor told me it would really be beneficial to my health and self esteem to lose weight.... BUT I NEED HELP!!! i have two options:

1) starve- quick results!!!

2) have 1000-1200 calories a day and exercise

so i have been trying option two for soo long and its just not working!!!!! i know losing one to two pounds a week is the "healthy" way of going at it but it makes me feel so unmotivated!!!! i have been doing this for a week already and the scale has not bunged!!!! my diet includes yogurt for breakfast, apple for snack, salad for lunch, vegetable for snack, chicken salad for dinner, and fruit for dessert.(i heard that filling up my day with carbs makes you lose weight slower- true or false??) and i really dont have time to burn more than 100 calories a day on the treadmill. i neeeeeed to lose this weight i feel so bad about myself and i dont want to lose faith in myself- slow rate is so anti-motivating!!!!!!!!! please please pleasee- ANYY input would be soo helpful!!!!!

oh honey, you haven't got it bad at all. you really have no idea. but i think that, in order to lose the fifteen pounds and keep it off you want to make a diet a lifestyle. not something where you plan on just losing it forever, because you will put it back on. try eating a big breakfast, and make sure to get at least 1500 calories a day at least. you're doing fine, really. you're not gonna hit a higher mark, 15 lbs in two years. just take it slow and make moderate changes to your diet and remember to burn more than you take in.

Well, I have to say that the food you listed doesn't seem to add up to 1200 if I am estimating right. In all reality, the lowest you should go as far as calories go is 1200 if you are a woman. Eating less just messes up your metabolism (I speak from experience) so I would never go below 1200 if I were you, especially if you exercise on top of lowering your calorie intake.

I see that you just set up an account here. If you use the tools that the site provides, it will tell you about how many calories in a day you really burn. (Whether you exercise or not, your body will burn more than 1200 calories a day.) Once you have a better idea of how many calories you really burn in a day, you will have a better idea of where to start as far as calorie intake goes.

Don't give up, 15 pounds isn't much and it will go faster than you think! :)

I am trying the new calorie cycling diet.  I am new also and only started it yesterday. 

You eat a different number of calories everyday so your body won't adjust and platue.  I eat on Mon, Wed, Friday 1200 cal.  Tues, Thurs, and Sat. 1600 cal. Sunday 1000.  I hope it works. No food restrictions.

It's possible that you are in starvation mode from eating so few calories.  I agree with you that carbs are not really the way to go.  You need to get a MINIMUM of 1200 calories a day.  If you feel guilty about eating anything with fat in it, what I do is take fish oil capsules (4-6 per day with food).  This way, your body is getting the "good fat" (essential fatty acids) that it needs, but without the calories of eating a huge salmon steak.  You also need to find more time to be active.  It doesn't have to be at the gym, but you need to find a way to get your heart rate up for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, 5-6 times per week.  Make sure you are also drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water every single day.  Also, watch your sodium intake and be sure that you are not retaining water due to too much salt.  Good Luck!

You are not losing weight because you diet is not adequate. You need AT LEAST 1200 per day for your metabolism to function properly. Under this amount will stall any weight loss.

Your diet is also lacking in protein, fat and fiber. Cut down on your carb intake and eat more of other macronutrients.

You also need to exercise more. You are going to have to make it happen.