New to weight loss, working around some problems.

Erzsabet

Hi everyone! I'm new to weight loss, as I spent most of my life being active and skinny (sometimes underweight!)
Growing up I had a high metabolism and was very active since I lived in a small town in a beautiful valley in Canada. I now live in the US in an area where the public transit system doesn't reach my apartment building, and walking anywhere (other than around the block) is basically limited to walking down a highway with no side walks.
I've been off my feet mostly for the last three years since moving to the US because of a foot problem (which is still minorly persistant) and a lack of anywhere to go while my husband is at work.
This and the fact that I have hypothyroidism and am unable currently to get on my medication again (complicated situation) for a while has led me to gain about 30 lbs. I'd like to lose about 15-20 of it and turn the rest of it into muscle, but mostly I'd like to lose my gut and the weight in my face and under my chin. Family from back home and in-laws have started asking if I'm pregnant -_-
I've started eating healthier and even getting more exercise since I now live somewhere with a free gym I can access, but I haven't lost more than 3 lbs since I started in January, and I think it's because of my thyroid, so it's frustrating. I haven't lost any inches off my waist either (I went from 27" to 31") which is how I've been doing most of my tracking up until recently.

I'm hoping that with the help of this site and the food tracking, as well as exercise and hopefully soon getting back on my medication I'll be back to a better looking me. Any advice I can get in the mean time is greatly appreciated!

denisekh88

Welcome!

linnyrhea

Welcome to MFP! Feel free to add me

LPCoder

A few of questions: What is your age? and... Have you had your saliva tested for your hormonal levels? and... Do you know the cause of your hypothyroidism?

PadiDive2

I use to be thin and worked out all the time until I was in a car accident and between all the medications and not being able to work out and the multiple back operations I went from 128 lbs size 2 to 163 lbs size 6. I am off the medications but one that made me gain 10 lbs in one week. So I understand how frustrating it can be. I started this program a while back lost about 10 lbs but could not loose any more so I gave up. Then I bumped into someone who is using the same app and she is looking out at my meals daily and checking up to make sure Im eating right. I think that is the key, make sure you have someone who is watching your plan.

With the medication that I am on it makes it harder to loose the weight but it just means I have to really watch what I eat and make sure I walk or do the bike at least 3 times a week. I use to run 7 to 10 miles per day and work out for 1 1/2 hours on top of that 6 days a week, now I am limited to what I can do with my back and the medication does not help, BUT what does help is friends that are supportive and watching my daily entry's. Just the thought of knowing someone is watching makes me want to do better. Maybe that will work for you?

I am so sorry about your medical condition and the issues with the weight but I know that you can reach your goal and that you will be able to work hard at it and it will pay off in the end. You can do it!

Erzsabet

Thanks for the welcome guys

Erzsabet

Forgot to add, I'm 28 years old and 5'7. I currently weigh 140 lbs or so right now.

Erzsabet

A few of questions: What is your age? and... Have you had your saliva tested for your hormonal levels? and... Do you know the cause of your hypothyroidism?

I'm 28. I haven't had that tested, I didn't even know they did that. I don't know the cause of my hypothyroidism, not sure if my doctors back home do, or if they just know it's there. Actually, we had originally tested me because we thought I had hyperthyroidism since I was always so skinny and was having a lot of anxiety problems and heart palpitations (just from anxiety) and that's when they found out I was hypo. I do know that I was on 75 mcg of synthroid for a long time when I still had access to medication.

Erzsabet

I use to be thin and worked out all the time until I was in a car accident and between all the medications and not being able to work out and the multiple back operations I went from 128 lbs size 2 to 163 lbs size 6. I am off the medications but one that made me gain 10 lbs in one week. So I understand how frustrating it can be. I started this program a while back lost about 10 lbs but could not loose any more so I gave up. Then I bumped into someone who is using the same app and she is looking out at my meals daily and checking up to make sure Im eating right. I think that is the key, make sure you have someone who is watching your plan.

With the medication that I am on it makes it harder to loose the weight but it just means I have to really watch what I eat and make sure I walk or do the bike at least 3 times a week. I use to run 7 to 10 miles per day and work out for 1 1/2 hours on top of that 6 days a week, now I am limited to what I can do with my back and the medication does not help, BUT what does help is friends that are supportive and watching my daily entry's. Just the thought of knowing someone is watching makes me want to do better. Maybe that will work for you?

I am so sorry about your medical condition and the issues with the weight but I know that you can reach your goal and that you will be able to work hard at it and it will pay off in the end. You can do it!

Thanks for the motivation and support My husband is trying to lose weight too, though he just started. He actually has more to lose than I do, he is probably 100lbs heavier than I am. He gets more exercise than me though, just going through airports to catch planes. He usually travels every week, but has been home for a few weeks this time, which is nice. When he's home I can at least go with him to his office and walk around downtown for a few hours while he's at work. He has been insisting on buying healthier food now for both of us, and I've started using a crock pot and have a few things to try out with that.

We also have friends who live in the same neighborhood (my husband and the guy work together) so we're all trying to lose weight together, which is also helpful, since our weekends used to be spent drinking...a LOT.

LPCoder

You might want to have your saliva tested for your hormone levels to discover if that is the reason for your hypothyroidism. If your estrogen is too high, and not enough progesterone in your system, that can lead to hypothyroidism. This is one of the reasons people can gain weight while on birth control meds. If this is the case, there is a progesterone cream that is very homeopathic and is absorbed through the skin. But you need to talk with a doctor and get tested to see what your hormones are doing.

Just offering a possibility...

Erzsabet

You might want to have your saliva tested for your hormone levels to discover if that is the reason for your hypothyroidism. If your estrogen is too high, and not enough progesterone in your system, that can lead to hypothyroidism. This is one of the reasons people can gain weight while on birth control meds. If this is the case, there is a progesterone cream that is very homeopathic and is absorbed through the skin. But you need to talk with a doctor and get tested to see what your hormones are doing.

Just offering a possibility...

Thanks, I'll have to remember that when I am able to get in to see a doctor. I always like knowing the why behind the what, as well as the full solution, not just treating the symptoms. I'm not on bc right now, though when I was I had to go with low progesterone ones. I think I've had a problem with my hormones recently, my breasts have gotten bigger, and one of them leaked in the middle of the night and it freaked me out. But yeah, I'll add it to my list of things to discuss with a doctor =D

LPCoder

Based on some of the other symptoms you just wrote about, High, unopposed estrogen is a possibility. The progesterone cream is not expensive ($40.00) if your should test low on progesterone.