HELP!!!!!

Archerychickge

without reading all the posts it looks like you use a LOT of sugar free creamer. the artificial sugars in that can wreak havoc in your body including hair loss. you also need to drink more water you havent logged that at all, and you arent eating enough like a bunch of other people stated.you are also only having coffee for breakfast a lot of the time and seem to be eating a lot of processed foods.you also go from 1500 calories one day to 1200 another then back and forth. why is that?

I would stick to the 1500 calories and stop the sugar free creamer to see if that makes a difference. most Drs I have talked too have said to make sure you get at least 1200(for those not very active) calories BUT the more active you are the more your body needs. its not rocket science.I may not be the healthiest eater myself but a lot of processed foods can cause health issues.why would you eat sugary foods yet make your creamer sugar free? why not just use regular creamer?

on the creamer issue... one seving per day is alot? Sorry, but not giving up my coffee. that one is non-negotiable. I've never been a big breakfast eater either. Just not hungry until later in the morning.

I don't log water, but I do drink alot of it. LOTS.

on the days I am closer to 1500... well some days I just want more food. most days I don't. Seriously guys, I'm just not that hungry. I know, I know.... eat more, eat more, eat more.... sigh.

PaytraB

Considering most days you barely eat 1200 calories, i suspect you have some malnutrition occurring. Since you dont have much weight to lose, you should be increasing your intake, especially foods that are high in fats and nutrients. It's very common to have skin or hair issues when you arent getting adequate fatty acids. So bump up your intake by another 300 calories and make it come from fats, veggies and fruits.

This. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss goals should slow down. Aim to lose 1/2 lb per week for these last few pounds. It'll give you better nutrition and will help your body adjust to maintenance. Maybe slowly increase your calories to reach this goal within a few weeks (ie: set goals to lose 1.5 lbs/wk for a week, then 1 lb/wk for a week, then to 0.5 lb/week for the rest of the time).

CaitlinW19

You poor thing. Well at the very least, it sounds like you are stessing about the stress related hair loss (not that I blame you) but that proabably isn't helping. Easier said than done, I know, but try not to get worked up about it.

It seems to me cutting hair short (like pixie cut short) can help thinning hair not appear as thin. I know of a couple women that lost quite a bit of their hair (not from weightloss but still) and this seemed to work a lot better for them. I'd ask a stylist about it and see what they think.

I'd also probably get a baby comb or something...trying to be as gentle on my hair as possible. In the past, I've really liked using a rinse out conditioner in the shower and then a leave in conditioner after to help loosen tangles. It didn't make my hair oily at all and really reduced resistance when brushing through. I hope you find something that works for you.

Archerychickge

Considering most days you barely eat 1200 calories, i suspect you have some malnutrition occurring. Since you dont have much weight to lose, you should be increasing your intake, especially foods that are high in fats and nutrients. It's very common to have skin or hair issues when you arent getting adequate fatty acids. So bump up your intake by another 300 calories and make it come from fats, veggies and fruits.

I think you need to loo at my logs a little closer. I'm usually alot closer to my goal than that.

I did look, i am suggesting your goal is low. As you become smaller, you need to have a smaller goal. If you exercise, you need to eat more calories. If you want, post your height, weight, age, workout routine and if you have medical issues and we can help evaluate your goal.

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


Also, I see your edits, how much education has your dr. had in nutrition? I have had several friends that are doctors and none of them have the knowledge i do.

Sorry dearie, but until you have an MD after your name, I'm going to keep trusting my Dr... Actually, I have been seeing a team of Dr's over the past few years over some health issues (now almost completley resolved) and they all say I'm doing exactly what I should. My primary care physician DOES have plenty of education in nutrition. Thats part of the reason I see him. My oldest sister also saw him before she had gastric bypass surgery, and she chose him based partly on his education in nutrition. She had heard all kinds of horror stories about Drs that were not well versed in nutrition attempting to treat GB patients post surgery and they had no clue about the pre and post op requirements of said patients. So yeah, I'm on that.

As for your request for more info... I'm 5'6", 176.8 (as of this morning), active (I golf, shoot archery competitively, hike, canoe, and am generally quite active, but I LOATHE going to the gym. Too many lunks), I do have PCOS (a mild case) and endometriosos (both of which are managed quite nicely with an IUD). Anything else I missed?

Just wondering why you came to the forums for advice when you have all these doctors you trust?

For the sole purpose of making people like you have epic mental breakdowns... LOL just kidding. Read all the posts, it won't seem like such an unreasonable question.

deksgrl

without reading all the posts it looks like you use a LOT of sugar free creamer. the artificial sugars in that can wreak havoc in your body including hair loss. you also need to drink more water you havent logged that at all, and you arent eating enough like a bunch of other people stated.you are also only having coffee for breakfast a lot of the time and seem to be eating a lot of processed foods.you also go from 1500 calories one day to 1200 another then back and forth. why is that?

I would stick to the 1500 calories and stop the sugar free creamer to see if that makes a difference. most Drs I have talked too have said to make sure you get at least 1200(for those not very active) calories BUT the more active you are the more your body needs. its not rocket science.I may not be the healthiest eater myself but a lot of processed foods can cause health issues.why would you eat sugary foods yet make your creamer sugar free? why not just use regular creamer?

What? Artificial sugar does not cause you to lose hair.

She eats 1200-1500 depending on her exercise. That is what you are supposed to do on MFP because it does not include exercise in its calculation for the calories you need.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

well then I guess you arent willing to try to see what the problem may be with the hairloss .the artificial sugars IN the creamer can cause hair loss. they were causing stomach issues in my hubby. once he stopped it cleared up.I NEVER said give up coffee I just said use regular creamer something without the artificial sugar in it. whats the point of eating/drinking something sugar free if you are consuming regular sugar?

without reading all the posts it looks like you use a LOT of sugar free creamer. the artificial sugars in that can wreak havoc in your body including hair loss. you also need to drink more water you havent logged that at all, and you arent eating enough like a bunch of other people stated.you are also only having coffee for breakfast a lot of the time and seem to be eating a lot of processed foods.you also go from 1500 calories one day to 1200 another then back and forth. why is that?

I would stick to the 1500 calories and stop the sugar free creamer to see if that makes a difference. most Drs I have talked too have said to make sure you get at least 1200(for those not very active) calories BUT the more active you are the more your body needs. its not rocket science.I may not be the healthiest eater myself but a lot of processed foods can cause health issues.why would you eat sugary foods yet make your creamer sugar free? why not just use regular creamer? if your diary is correct yesterday you didnt even eat 300 calories.a lot of what you logged is off too. say the carolina bacon-2 slices its more than 20 calories its 60 for 2 slices. most days you are under 1,000 calories. you arent even maintaining 1200 a day. that is dangerous
and which is probably why your hair is falling out.you seem to want to negate everything everyone is saying here.Drs arent always right .to be honest I would go with more non processed foods and cut down on the processed foods.I never said you had to give up anything but something is causing this problem if your blood work is fine. *I dont think its from the weight loss alone

on the creamer issue... one seving per day is alot? Sorry, but not giving up my coffee. that one is non-negotiable. I've never been a big breakfast eater either. Just not hungry until later in the morning.

I don't log water, but I do drink alot of it. LOTS.

on the days I am closer to 1500... well some days I just want more food. most days I don't. Seriously guys, I'm just not that hungry. I know, I know.... eat more, eat more, eat more.... sigh.

Archerychickge

Cuz it was on sale and I got it cheaper than the regular stuff. Sorry but I refuse to believe that the artificial sweetener is causing the problem.... Especially since my hair was falling out BEFORE i bought the creamer.... sigh.

next

well then I guess you arent willing to try to see what the problem may be with the hairloss .the artificial sugars IN the creamer can cause hair loss. they were causing stomach issues in my hubby. once he stopped it cleared up.I NEVER said give up coffee I just said use regular creamer something without the artificial sugar in it. whats the point of eating/drinking something sugar free if you are consuming regular sugar?

Archerychickge

without reading all the posts it looks like you use a LOT of sugar free creamer. the artificial sugars in that can wreak havoc in your body including hair loss. you also need to drink more water you havent logged that at all, and you arent eating enough like a bunch of other people stated.you are also only having coffee for breakfast a lot of the time and seem to be eating a lot of processed foods.you also go from 1500 calories one day to 1200 another then back and forth. why is that?

I would stick to the 1500 calories and stop the sugar free creamer to see if that makes a difference. most Drs I have talked too have said to make sure you get at least 1200(for those not very active) calories BUT the more active you are the more your body needs. its not rocket science.I may not be the healthiest eater myself but a lot of processed foods can cause health issues.why would you eat sugary foods yet make your creamer sugar free? why not just use regular creamer?

What? Artificial sugar does not cause you to lose hair.

She eats 1200-1500 depending on her exercise. That is what you are supposed to do on MFP because it does not include exercise in its calculation for the calories you need.

THANK YOU!

2BeHappy2

I am a hair dresser and my best suggestions would be to continue taking the biotin. Do weekly sclap massages. Use either coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil and warm it just a touch then massage into scalp with fingertips, you can let this sit for a while before washing out. Also I do recommend Nioxin. I work with some ladies that have lost hair for various reasons and the nioxin treatment definitely works. It will cost about $45 and thats for the shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment. Make sure you use all 3 steps.

Nioxin came to mind too!
This is what was suggested by a hairdresser to a friend who had lost a fair amount of weight.
Also, her dr told her to up her protein because she was lacking quite a bit (showed up in her lab work).
Doing a search may help you conclude your own decision on your desired outcome...
Heres a couple;
http://www.bing.com/search?FORM=U146DF&PC=U146&q=womans+products+for+hair+loss&src=IE-SearchBox
http://www.bing.com/search?FORM=U146DF&PC=U146&q=how+to+regrow+womans+hair+after+weight+loss&src=IE-SearchBox

CharlieBeansmomTracey

for those who say artificial sweeteners CANT cause hair loss DO SOME RESEARCH. Artificial sweeteners can cause MANY health issues.I NEVER said that was the only reason she was losing her hair,Im pretty sure I also said her eating under 1200 calories most days was possibly the reason as well.Some of you need to COMPREHEND what you read

Archerychickge

for those who say artificial sweeteners CANT cause hair loss DO SOME RESEARCH. Artificial sweeteners can cause MANY health issues.I NEVER said that was the only reason she was losing her hair,Im pretty sure I also said her eating under 1200 calories most days was possibly the reason as well.Some of you need to COMPREHEND what you read

As do you sweetheart! Hugs to you!

CharlieBeansmomTracey

I comprehend everything I read. but If you want to argue/be snarky with someone, find someone else to do it with.have a good day.

Liftng4Lis

Seriously, I forgot it was Friday and would miss all these.
OP, add a couple hundred calories to your day incorporating more fat for awhile. It will still be under maintenance so you will still lose, only not as quickly and hopefully it can help slow down this business.

Archerychickge

I comprehend everything I read. but If you want to argue/be snarky with someone, find someone else to do it with.have a good day.

Well if that ain't the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is...

You have a WONDERFUL day now!!!!!

Archerychickge

Seriously, I forgot it was Friday and would miss all these.
OP, add a couple hundred calories to your day incorporating more fat for awhile. It will still be under maintenance so you will still lose, only not as quickly and hopefully it can help slow down this business.

See, here is someone who understands how to be civil. I appreciate your post, and even if I don't follow the advice given in it, I appreciate the way it was given.Not preachy or coming across as having a "I'm more knowledgable than you are so listen to me" attitude.

thank you.

amusedmonkey

If health reasons were ruled out you need to stop worrying. I went through such a phase. It does regrow (prepare for huge amounts of unruly baby hairs for months to come)

psuLemon

No. my Dr's have not suggested a break from my dietary changes. (I don't really like calling what i'm doing a "diet" per se because it gives the conotation that I'm cutting out foods, or using some fad diet... I'm not. I'm just learning how to have a healthier relationship with food and not to overindulge. It's a process, not a "diet".) Honestly, when people start talking in acronyms, I kind of tune out. What the heck is a TDEE, and why can't we just spell it out so people who aren't "in the know" can understand? Kind of a pet peeve of mine I guess... It's kind of like the old Charlie Brown cartoons when the grown ups start speaking, all you hear is "wah wah wah wah..."

I don't know the "average" women you know. How average are they? Have they ever been 250+ pounds? Also, what do you consider to be active? Perhaps my activity level isn't the same as theirs, maybe it's more, I don't know... we may be comparing apples to kumquats... if we are, then how do I decide, if I should be at 1200, 1500, 2000 or whatever, other than following the advice of my Dr's?

Actually I'm quite open to other ideas about what may or may not be causing it. But I'm pretty confident in the fact that my Dr's have considered the possiblility since we discussed alopecia and it's different forms during my last apppointment.

What this all boils down to is I really don't want to resort to wearing my old clown wig... (yes, I really was a clown for a living years ago. I'd rather be bald. lol)

TDEE = Total daily energy expended (aka maintenance calories). TDEE = basal/resting metabolic needs (number of calories burned if you slept 24 hours through metabolic functions) + daily activity (bathroom, walking, digestion, etc..) + calories burned through exercise.

In terms of the average, i work with women as big as 300 lbs and as small as 110 lbs. I have worked with people on losing weight, gaining weight, recomps and even recovery from extreme diets (HCG). My wife has several medical conditions (borderline PCOS and has Postural Orthostatitc Tachycardia Syndrome) and I have also worked with people who are PCOS, hypothyroidism, etc.. I do it out of a passion. Most of the people I work with have desk jobs and exercise from 0 hours a week to 6 hours a week (averaging around 5 hours). So it's a variety.

I asked about diet breaks because some literature I have seen would suggest that increases in stress levels and adjustments in hormone levels can cause your body to adapt, burn less calories and cause temporary plateaus. It is suggested that every 6 months that you reverse diet essentially by adding more calories to reach your maintenance levels, at which you would eat there for 2 weeks. Once you finish that, you would slowly reduce your deficit to a more appropriate level. Not only can this be beneficial from a hormone perspective, it can also help mentally. I personally do this a few times a year (mainly during holidays where food is a big thing). Belong is one such article that discussed some issues caused by dieting.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html/

slucki01

Considering most days you barely eat 1200 calories, i suspect you have some malnutrition occurring. Since you dont have much weight to lose, you should be increasing your intake, especially foods that are high in fats and nutrients. It's very common to have skin or hair issues when you arent getting adequate fatty acids. So bump up your intake by another 300 calories and make it come from fats, veggies and fruits.

looking at your diary, I had a similar reaction. Although you're keeping your total calories low (too low, in my opinion), you eat a lot of processed food and often exceed your sugar and sodium targets and often don't meet your protein target. There are very few fruits and vegetables recorded. I recommend eating less processed food, eat more food in general and include a lot more fruits and vegetables and eat some more protein.

Archerychickge

No. my Dr's have not suggested a break from my dietary changes. (I don't really like calling what i'm doing a "diet" per se because it gives the conotation that I'm cutting out foods, or using some fad diet... I'm not. I'm just learning how to have a healthier relationship with food and not to overindulge. It's a process, not a "diet".) Honestly, when people start talking in acronyms, I kind of tune out. What the heck is a TDEE, and why can't we just spell it out so people who aren't "in the know" can understand? Kind of a pet peeve of mine I guess... It's kind of like the old Charlie Brown cartoons when the grown ups start speaking, all you hear is "wah wah wah wah..."

I don't know the "average" women you know. How average are they? Have they ever been 250+ pounds? Also, what do you consider to be active? Perhaps my activity level isn't the same as theirs, maybe it's more, I don't know... we may be comparing apples to kumquats... if we are, then how do I decide, if I should be at 1200, 1500, 2000 or whatever, other than following the advice of my Dr's?

Actually I'm quite open to other ideas about what may or may not be causing it. But I'm pretty confident in the fact that my Dr's have considered the possiblility since we discussed alopecia and it's different forms during my last apppointment.

What this all boils down to is I really don't want to resort to wearing my old clown wig... (yes, I really was a clown for a living years ago. I'd rather be bald. lol)

TDEE = Total daily energy expended (aka maintenance calories). TDEE = basal/resting metabolic needs (number of calories burned if you slept 24 hours through metabolic functions) + daily activity (bathroom, walking, digestion, etc..) + calories burned through exercise.

In terms of the average, i work with women as big as 300 lbs and as small as 110 lbs. I have worked with people on losing weight, gaining weight, recomps and even recovery from extreme diets (HCG). My wife has several medical conditions (borderline PCOS and has Postural Orthostatitc Tachycardia Syndrome) and I have also worked with people who are PCOS, hypothyroidism, etc.. I do it out of a passion. Most of the people I work with have desk jobs and exercise from 0 hours a week to 6 hours a week (averaging around 5 hours). So it's a variety.

I asked about diet breaks because some literature I have seen would suggest that increases in stress levels and adjustments in hormone levels can cause your body to adapt, burn less calories and cause temporary plateaus. It is suggested that every 6 months that you reverse diet essentially by adding more calories to reach your maintenance levels, at which you would eat there for 2 weeks. Once you finish that, you would slowly reduce your deficit to a more appropriate level. Not only can this be beneficial from a hormone perspective, it can also help mentally. I personally do this a few times a year (mainly during holidays where food is a big thing). Belong is one such article that discussed some issues caused by dieting.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html/

Interesting... and well written. Thank you. I'll consider that, as well as look at your link.

As for fiddling with TDEE, if it's so important and such a vital part of the weight equation, why doesn't MFP just include it as part of the app/website?

Shirotora88

I have had this issue in March of 2013 I lost a LOT of hair, I also lost over 50 pounds in one month, a few months before. I was going through a rough time. a huge break up, so I coped with it by not eating but I exercised so I could leave the house and be on my own.

Luckily the pounds never came back, usually if you starve yourself the pounds come back on.

anyways there could be a number of reasons why you are losing hair, lack of nutrition in someway shape or form could be the cause. Or something medical could be the cause