I'm hoping that in your inifinite wisdom, you all can give me a little input into this question.

I started Atkins October 1st of last year (2003). I didn't lose the best on Induction (7 pounds) but did lose, and kept losing at a satisfactory level through the end of December. The last weight I know for sure was 214 pounds on December 9th, and I believe it was between then and the first to middle of January I dropped another 5 pounds--so see, not bad at all.

Unfortunately, though, I've been having the worst time trying to lose anything at all since that time. I came down with the flu in January, and for the longest time afterward felt just plum cruddy, so I made sure to just eat wholesome, low-carb foods with plenty of vitamins. Between feeling bad and the weather I wasn't getting a lot of exercise during that time, so was fairly sedentary. This went on until about the first part of May or so when I decided it was high time to at least start tracking my food to see if what I was eating could be causing a lack of weight loss.

In tracking my food I found that I'm normally eating around 1600-1800 calories a day (break down into 30-40 carbs per day, 65-75% fat, and at least 100 grams of protein a day). Based on the 10-12x rule, I should be eating in the neighborhood of 2,000-2,400 calories a day. Based on the BMR rule I should be consuming around 2,400 calories a day.

During the first part of May, my weight kept yo-yoing between 209 and 212. I finally managed to get it down to where now it's yo-yoing between 207 and 210.5, so I'm figuring roughly a 2-pound weight loss since mid-April or the first of May, and I'm fighting like the dickens to keep it off.

So.....this brings me to my question(s). Doesn't it stand to reason that at a caloric deficit or as much as 700 calories a day I should be losing weight? Or am I not eating enough calories? I'm very comfortable with the amount of food I eat, and if I eat more I feel like I'm over-eating.

As mentioned above, my fat intake is between 65-70% daily, I drink at least 4 32-ounce mugs full of water every day (and more when the weather's hot), plus a Diet Rite and added a little green tea about a week ago.

As far as exercise goes, I am trying to work up to more. I am not in good shape at all, because of some health problems over the past few years and getting back to speed is painfully slow at times.

I really do appreciate all of your help, and while I'm waiting for answers I'm going to go take a hilly walk.