Struggling to lose weight and actually feel like crying!!!!

Sophannah2017

I'm so down in the dumps, and becoming really frustrated.
Eating between 1200 and 1500 calories per day, exercising 5 days per week and still not losing weight.
I have thyroid problems and I'm on carbimazole, I'm assuming this has something to do with it.
I have managed to lose a few pounds over the last 6 weeks but this morning I've gained 2 pounds. I haven't changed anything and i realise with my medication things may be slow....but to actually gain weight is now making me think what's the point of trying anymore??
It clearly isn't making the slightest bit of a difference.

Sorry to moan and complain but I really feel like crawling under a stone right now :0(

Not sure what stats you need, I'm 5,3 and 162 pounds ....was 160 !!!!!

TavistockToad

Weight fluctuates. Are you due to get your period?

Sophannah2017

No, not due just now.
Can't believe how down I'm feeling now, wish I hadn't weighed myself now!

KateTii

How are you measuring your calorie intake? A lot of people who struggle to lose weight while calorie counting are only "estimating" calorie intake and are way off in their numbers.

Sophannah2017

I bought little kitchen scales and have been using those. I've been very honest with my recordings on my fitness app, due to my meds and condition it's not helpful if I don't record accurately.

MichelleSilverleaf

You're exercising a lot, are you sure it's not a muscle gain? Muscle weighs more than fat. I weigh myself every morning but I measure myself at least once a week on top of that. My weight lost fluctuates a bit but inches around my waist have definitely started coming off without going back up. Perhaps doing that as well as weighing yourself, it might help you get a better idea of what your body is doing and if your gains are muscle.

pennygm72

I sometimes gain over ovulation as well as TOM, is that a possibility? I use the Happy Scale app to track my weight daily, this helps me to spot fluctuations and not get too concerned if I gain a little.

Nony_Mouse

Weight loss isn't linear, and our weight fluctuates a fair bit due to a number of things, which can easily mask fat loss. As the poster above said, some women retain fluid with ovulation as well (raises hand). Did you eat something high sodium yesterday? Not drink as much water? Eat a higher volume of food (even if calorie intake was fine, higher volume = more food weight in your system). Higher carbs than you normally do (= increased water weight)? Point being, if you know your calorie intake is on track, this is almost certainly not fat gain, just a temporary blip . I know it's really disheartening, but understanding these fluctuations and why they happen is an important part of weight loss, cos otherwise you are gonna drive yourself nuts.

And seconding the recommendation for a tracking app.

s3rialthrill3r

What do you see in the mirror? Any changes there? Despite bring the popular method, I've a mind to think that the numbers on a scale aren't that great for judging progress in fat loss. They can fluctuate so much depending on how much water you have, whether or not you took a dump, and so on.

Are you sure that you are aware of the amount that you need to eat for you to maintain your weight? Did you account for how sedentary your daily life is (excluding exercise sessions)?

If it's a real struggle, maybe reserving your eating time for later in the day might help. It's been working for me and I wasn't even overfat when I started; I'm just losing a bit more until I can see my abs, which will form a solid base for me to work from as I gain muscle.

As for thyroid problems, well it's probably still possible for you to lose fat. My mother had half of hers removed (or something along those lines) and she's not overfat. Her situation is not the same as yours, but I think it just goes to show that it is still possible to have a healthy level of body fat when your thyroid is not what it should be.

Carolev17

Hi. I logged on as I was feeling the same! Not a thyroid problem for me but just being older seems to make weight loss hard. Keep plugging away - you and me are going to beat this.

TavistockToad

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

You're exercising a lot, are you sure it's not a muscle gain? Muscle weighs more than fat. I weigh myself every morning but I measure myself at least once a week on top of that. My weight lost fluctuates a bit but inches around my waist have definitely started coming off without going back up. Perhaps doing that as well as weighing yourself, it might help you get a better idea of what your body is doing and if your gains are muscle.

its not muscle in that space of time and eating in a deficit...

snowflake954

Sometimes it takes awhile to find your "groove". Be sure you are weighing and measuring everything you eat and drink. Check your calorie burns--are they as accurate as possible? How much do you want to lose? If it's 20-30 lbs it goes slower and you have to be really accurate. I agree with measurements--they can pick you up on a bad scale day. Everybody hits snags but there are ways around them. Be sure you get enough sleep, that helps alot. You can do it, never give up.

tinkerbellang83

You've noted that you've lost a few pounds in 6 weeks, 2lbs ovenight is a fairly normal daily fluctuation, it can be the result of how hydrated you are in general, how much sodium is in your diet, changes to macros in your diet, changes to exercise or new exercise, food and drink in your system, hormonal water retention (not just around your period, it can occur before your period and during ovulation), constipation, alcohol, medication, all sorts of things.

Water weight is temporary and it's important to understand that's what it is likely to be. To gain 2lbs of fat you would have needed to eat 7000 calories above your maintenance calorie intake. So what you're doing is working, you said yourself you are logging accurately with a scale, and you need to work on your expectations.

This is an example of how the scale looks even when sticking to a consistent deficit, as you can see there are plenty of ups and downs:

Silentpadna

Sophannah2017 wrote: »

I'm so down in the dumps, and becoming really frustrated.
Eating between 1200 and 1500 calories per day, exercising 5 days per week and still not losing weight.
I have thyroid problems and I'm on carbimazole, I'm assuming this has something to do with it.
I have managed to lose a few pounds over the last 6 weeks but this morning I've gained 2 pounds. I haven't changed anything and i realise with my medication things may be slow....but to actually gain weight is now making me think what's the point of trying anymore??
It clearly isn't making the slightest bit of a difference.

Sorry to moan and complain but I really feel like crawling under a stone right now :0(

Not sure what stats you need, I'm 5,3 and 162 pounds ....was 160 !!!!!

My weight fluctuates as much as 5 pounds in a day. I'm a guy, no TOM to affect me.

Your weight will fluctuate. Your body will retain water when it needs to. Many of those times it needs to are for very good reasons, such as muscle repair. (You have not "gained muscle" as a previous poster has said, but most likely retained fluid).

Your daily fluctuations can be more than double your weekly weight (fat) loss goal. Your body weight has always fluctuated and always will.

I recently had a 3-week stretch where I had "gained" 3 pounds. Strangely enough it coincided with a change in exercise program and a reduction in weight loss goal (from 2lbs/wk to 1.5). Friday I weighed 206.0. Saturday I weighed in at 200.2. Did I lose almost 6 pounds? Technically yes. But I did NOT lose 6 pounds of fat overnight. It was the "whoosh effect" in action. Google that.

Don't be down in the dumps based on feelings that are not based on anything factual. Patience and trend are your friends. Looks to me like you are doing fine.

jemhh

My weight is updownupdownupdown every day. It varies based on the volume of food I've recently eaten, hydration, sodium and carb content of my food, hormone fluctuations throughout my cycle (women's hormones fluctuate constantly, not only around our periods), etc.

Two pounds is nothing to fret about.

Lounmoun

Don't feel bad over one weigh in. Look at weight changes over time.
You are probably just retaining water for some reason. Period, ovulation, sodium, exercise are common causes.
If you stick to your calorie deficit you will eventually lose weight.

If you are not losing at the rate you are supposed to, check the accuracy of your logging. Check that the entries from the database that you use are correct. If you are logging exercise and eating those calories maybe eat only half.

postchi1

Enjoy the journey, dont just seek the results and become frustrated if it isnt a linear weight loss. It takes time, be patient and you will learn how you body adapts to the variations of cals, macros, vitamins etc you are providing it with.

Slow and steady always wins this race

haviegirl

I hope you're feeling a bit better after reading the first responses. I also recommend using a trending app. Keep tracking your calories carefully, keep moving, get enough sleep. Drink plenty of water. If your CI are less than your CO, you will lose weight.

I, too, am hypothyroid (for 30 years, since I was 24 years old). I lost 35 pounds once I started using MFP and a Fitbit. The weight came off steadily and I've been in maintenance for a year. You can do this! Don't give up when you've barely begun.

animatorswearbras

unless you ate 7000cals above maintenance the night before it is 100% water weight fluctuations, this can be hormonal, digestive, sodium intake, anything! Don't sweat it, weight loss isn't linear and the scales can't tell the difference between water and fat you have to look at month by month trends. xxx Keep on going you're doing great, you'll get use to these unexpected ups and downs as time goes on. x Remember water weight can both exaggerate and mask real fat loss. x

clicketykeys

If you're exercising more, it's probably not muscle gain yet, but it may very well be increased water retention as your body deals with the additional strain. This is NOT A BAD THING! Before I knew about this I got frustrated every time I started adding exercise in and would, within a matter of days, start putting on weight!

It's okay to feel down in the dumps. Not fun, but perfectly natural sometimes. It happens. But trust what you KNOW, not what you FEEL, because feelings are deceitful little buggers. Keep going, even when you're frustrated, have patience, and progress WILL happen. You can do this!

Sophannah2017

Aww you guys are lovely, I really appreciate all your words of wisdom.
My husband is on his mission as I type to get a new battery for my kitchen scales (you never know!) haha.
You have without a doubt cheered me up, this morning I was ready for throwing the towel in...!
I'll keep at it, I appreciate my meds will make things slow....but didn't actually expect a gain.

I don't think it's muscle. I do cardio 5 days per week with three days in between with weights. I'm not that great with the free weights yet (still learning) so I'm not even convinced I'm getting any benefit from the weights yet.

After reading your posts, I've downloaded happy scales app. Had never heard of it before...I'll have a wee nosy once it finishes installing.

Thank you all again :0)