Serious Ques That Sounds "Unbelievable"...

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cepark137
cepark137 Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
... I have read, listened, done trial & error, read some more, (on top of being under the supervision of my primary care doctor)...

If I eat a NET of more than 800-1000 calories, I gain.

I started this journey in July 2011 at 287 pounds. I reached a low in April 2012 of 235. This morning, I was 247. Since then, we have gone on our anniversary vacation (2 weeks in Hawaii in May), we've had 2 birthday parties, and quite a few cookouts with friends. I will openly admit that I didn't do much in the way of "keeping tabs" on my consumption during those times.

When we got back from Hawaii, I was 240. And in between all the parties, I *have* done due diligence in monitoring my intake.

However, I have been stuck in the 235-245 range since the end of February.

I went back to the doctor in June, after struggling to find my "groove" - those initial 40 pounds went away and stayed away - but its been a struggle ever since. I have read that I should increase calories, decrease working out (I do 5 days a week, MOST of the time),/change my workouts (which I've done), and that my program which was NET 750 calories wasn't healthy.

I changed it to NET 1200 (based on some Fat 2 Fit, I believe? calculations I saw posted on this site) and whenever I go OVER 800 calories, no matter what KIND of calories they are, I experience a gain. It absolutely never fails.

So, I apologize for being long winded, but I am hoping that SOMEONE here has experienced this, and can help me understand, which is why I wanted to be as detailed as possible.

ANYone understand this?????

I'm beyond -- I mean REALLLLLLY beyond -- frustrated.

TIA!
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Replies

  • AllisonST
    AllisonST Posts: 24 Member
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    what is your physician telling you?
  • Jesse_Hunter
    Jesse_Hunter Posts: 162 Member
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    Have you considered raw foods?


    http://www.icallthisliving.com
  • cepark137
    cepark137 Posts: 27
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    Sorry, I left that part out:

    My doctor had me on Phentermine (appetite suppressant) July/Aug/Sept 2011, off in Oct and Nov, on again in Dec. Off in Jan. On in Feb. Then off for good.

    When I went back in June, he gave me another prescription for Phentermine (it worked before, right?).

    But my issue (and I'll bring this up next time I see him) isn't that I'm eating "too much" - it's that, from what I've read, eating even HALF of what I should (to maintain) shows me gaining.

    Before I talk about THAT with him, I was hoping someone HERE had actually EXPERIENCED it, so I can try to better understand it myself, y'know?

    Thx!

    Raw foods: I haven't considered that at all, it's hard enough doing this with a husband and 2 kids to cook for, shop for, etc... I try to eat what everyone else eats - just less of it, prepared with better ingredients - (after all, I can't eat "my own way" forever -- the point of all this, or so my doctor said, was to be able to eat anything and everything, just as long as it's within the boundaries of maintenance (whatever that happens to be for me when I get to that point)).

    Sorry again for being long winded. I hope that helps!
  • hairsprayhon
    hairsprayhon Posts: 334 Member
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    Tia, Congrats on the anniversary and the anniversary trip to Hawaii, I am sure it was awesome! I have been and am very close to where you are right now. From past experience losing 100 pounds and then regaining 70 because of broken ankles I know that there are times when nothing seems to make sense. Number one thing is DO NOT GIVE UP!
    Our normal response is to eat less and that is not always the answer. Think of your body as a car. If your car is running sluggish, would your response be to give it less gas? It might just need a tune up. And it sounds like your routine needs a tuneup. I think our bodies are programmed to hold on to fat as much as possible because one day we might be starving. And our bodies are so efficient that if they see that we are doing the same things over and over again, they will adjust and figure out how to go back to saving the fat!
    Instead of cutting calories, try to figure out how to speed up the metabolism.
    Try switching things up, exercise every day but do something different and always include strength training each week. As Jesse said what about raw foods? Calories don't equal nutrition. Less processed foods move through you and make energy more efficiently. Janet
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    Read this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    ... for some insight. I think your problem may be similar.
  • lauraniwa
    lauraniwa Posts: 131 Member
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    Has your doc referred you to a dietician? I was also struggling with weight gain in the face of lowered intake/increased exercise, and she gave me some great tips on macronutrient timing. It also never hurts to get a second opinion of your food log, a new set of eyes to spot something you've missed?
    Good luck. Laura.
  • Roanokejoe2
    Roanokejoe2 Posts: 14
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    Are you using a heart rate monitor when you work out?
  • cepark137
    cepark137 Posts: 27
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    Read this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    ... for some insight. I think your problem may be similar.


    Hi!

    Thanks for the reply!

    This is similar to what I had read before. Which is what lead me to that Fat 2 Fit calculator, where I got my BMR, etc.. My calorie goal was 1900. I did that for several weeks, and gained. I dropped it (which was advised by the same calculator) and still gained. It was SLOW gaining, but it was a gain just the same.

    Consider, in 8 weeks or so, I'm basically up a pound a week.

    Before, I was down 1-2 a week, which was considered a healthy-loss by my doc.

    But that only happened at NET <1000 calories a day (usually 750-800, but sometimes I did hit 1000).

    I should only have taken 2 weeks to "readjust" to the new consumption, right?

    *sigh*
  • cepark137
    cepark137 Posts: 27
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    Are you using a heart rate monitor when you work out?

    Yes I am, as suggested by my doctor.
  • cepark137
    cepark137 Posts: 27
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    Has your doc referred you to a dietician? I was also struggling with weight gain in the face of lowered intake/increased exercise, and she gave me some great tips on macronutrient timing. It also never hurts to get a second opinion of your food log, a new set of eyes to spot something you've missed?
    Good luck. Laura.

    Hi Laura,

    My doctor is basically my dietician (he specializes in this sort of thing, even though he's a primary care physician).

    He has/had been so pleased (despite me weighing in 4 pounds heavier last visit) with my success, he's not really advised me to do anything different. It's only through this LONG period of struggle that I've tried to fix it myself. Last visit, he told me to stop and go back to what I was doing, and gave me more Phen.

    That was in the beginning of June, and it's mid-July, and I've only gained 3 more pounds and can't figure out why, but I just want to cry. :(
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I don't think it's scientifically possible to gain mass at a true caloric deficit. So either your estimate of what you burn is wrong, or of what you intake, or both (most of us it's both). Or water weight is messing with you. But a pound a week of water weight for 8 weeks sounds fishy.

    I'm not a believer in "not eating enough to lose weight" because it's not something you see in any studies or in the medical community. You see 3500 calories = 1 pound.

    Could it possibly be your tracking? Do you track all days, even holidays? Do you have cheat meals or days that don't get tracked? Can you try a week without exercising or without 'eating back' to remove that estimate from the equation?
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I should only have taken 2 weeks to "readjust" to the new consumption, right?

    *sigh*

    I don't think that's true. I think it can take quite a few more weeks... if you check out the group "Eat More to Weight Less" (click the "groups" heading up above) and read about the metabolic reset, it's suggested you do it for 8 full weeks before resuming a cut.

    Just check out the group and read the stickies. It may not be for you, but it may be just what you need. Some weight gain is to be expected during the process though.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    How long have tried the increased calories? It can take 4-6 weeks for your body to adjust to the increased calories, and sometimes you just have to suck it up and let your body get used to being fed again.
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
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    Can you make your food diary public so we may see it and offer helpful suggestions?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    sounds like you beat up your metabolism (usually done from chronic under eating) or you have a thyroid issue).

    Other possible issues:
    -You may be eating more than you think you are (are you weighing all solids and measuring liquids)?
    -You may be burning less than you think you are (what type of HRM and are you only using it for cardio activity, will over estimate other activities, and are you backing out your maintenance cals from the total as you HRM gives you total cals burned, which includes what you would have burned had you not worked out which is included in MFP daily caloric allowance.)
    -Are you under a lot of stress?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Chances are that there are inaccuracies in the way you're measuring food and/or exercise.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    Since you reference net calories, what is your average gross intake and what is your average energy expenditure from exercise? What activities do you count towards exercise and is there anything that you leave out (both for food and activity)?
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Wow, this is a hard one. I have seen metabolism reset done that could take up tp 6 months.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    How accurately have you been measuring/weighing food?

    Has you doctor tested you for thyroid or other medical issues?
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    I'm not a doctor or an expert. That being said my only idea about this is that after netting 750 for a long time, your metabolism got screwed up. Now when you eat a healthy amount of calories, you're gaining. It is fixable but it will definitely take some patience. Read this post:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

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