Maybe you should spread your calories out more. Add some protien to your breakfast (eggbeaters are low calorie and quick to make) Add some healthy snacks in the mid afternoon, and try to eat a smaller dinner.

On the days where you eat only 500 calorie dinner are you only consuming like 1000 calories for the day? That is too low. YOur body will go into starvation mode and  you won't lose any wieght.

If a nutritionist isn't an option try finding a book to help with your dietary needs.

Good luck, It SUCKS working hard and not being able to shed those last few pounds.

It looks like you're taking in 1000 to 2000 cal per day, for a couple of years while regularly exercising -  good, calorie burners too. You should be losing the weight you want. I'm hoping you've ruled out thyroid problems, diabetes, and drugs that cause weight gain. Maybe it's genetic, but lets consider one more thing:

There are a lot "unconscious calories" that we consume. For instance, a "snack pak" of KFC or a "small sandwich" to hold us over til the next meal. A while back, a women was showing me her new house, and every time we passed through the kitchen, she grabbed a couple Oreos. Til the whole pack was gone. I bet she had no idea who ate them.

That's where counseling with a nutritionist helps. They ask the hard questions, like, do you carry candy bars in your purse or have them in your desk?  When you carefully go over the whole day, you can often find where those unconscious calories are causing problems. We all do it, to some extent.

If you write down everything you eat, just for a day or two, it'll show you if this is something you weren't aware of.

1200 cals/d is the standard amount that nutritionists will assign as a baseline need for calories. It's textbook style. However -

The need for calories for metabolic functions are immediate. There's no physiologic reason to store fat for the future considering that you need the calories to keep breathing, keep your heart beating, maintain body temp.  If she ate fewer calories than needed, she would lose weight. 1200 - 900 = 300 deficit per day.  But if her BMR is 800, then ...

I totally agree about seeing a nutiritonist. They can set up a plan of keeping a food diary and will follow up on questions like, when you got iced tea, what size was it? Was it sweetened? How many packs of sugar did you add?   Show me how much mayonnaise you put on your sandwich.

It's worth it because you learn so much about the routine and unconscious things you do when you eat. And an exercise plan that builds muscles and cardio is a win/win formula.

seerate, that is ingenious. You are absolutely right. A slow run equals a slow burn of fat. And running long and slow is so relaxing. Good call.