frustration!!

tawisdom

Hey everyone!!
I have had weight problems all of my life. Before working in the health care field, 2 and a half years ago, I was 158, size 6, worked out everyday and was good with my weight. I kept my weight off for about the first 8 months working in a hospital then in 3 months I gained 45 pounds out of the blue!! WTH?! Six months later I lost 30 pounds of that. When I started back in school this past fall I gain the 30 pounds back in 1 month, another WTH?!?!
I went to my Doctor with thisin January, he said my thyroid was "fine" (I have a HUGE family history of hypothroidism) and he gave me adipex. I lost 10 pounds in the first 2 weeks with adipex. The next month and a half while eating 1200 calories, I lost NOTHING!!

For the past month I have been trying to get back on the diet. I work 4 12 hour shifts a week at the 8th buisest ER in the nation(I walk and average of 10-15 miles a day at work), I try to walk the neighborhood and lift free weights on my days off from work.

My day usually is filled with this
Breakfast
Plain Oatmeal with 1 tsp of raisins

Lunch
Roman with 2 tbsp of less sugar craisins and 2 tbsp of feta chesse
toped with walden farms salad dressing (zero calories, fat, carbs, or sugars)
and I will usually throw 4 oz of left over protien from the night before (usually chicken)

or

a lean cuisine or a steamer bag when I am rushed

Snack
2 tbsp Hummas with celery and a smart pocket or 1 serving of special k chips

Dinner
usually baked chicken and green beans
and will sometimes have half a glass of red wine with dinner

I am 200 pounds and eating like this and have not lost a pound in a month
Please help!!!!!!!!! :explode:

ktblue67

I have a similar story and identical frustrations. I am a teacher (much like nursing when it comes to stress). I think stress from my job makes me hang on to weight. In addition to maintaining good eating habits, be sure to find outlets for your stress. Yoga, walking, meditation and breathing exercises are all good, fast ways to reduce the stress bug that might be packing on the pounds. I feel ya sister!

Reeceybaby1988

classic example of what "crash dieting" does to ones body over the years...

lose large amounts of weight on a VLCD, gain it all back when eating normally

read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

tawisdom

I have never "crashed diet." I eated around 1200 calories a day and exercise. Maybe you should look at medical history before you judge someone.

prettigirl01

"eated"is NOT a word

RobynLB83

That is bull**** that you aren't losing any weight. Did you figure out the 10-15 miles from a pedometer? Get another dr.'s opinion. Really does sound like something's up.

emilydiehl08

MAybe you are consuming to few calories. Many people on here state they could not lose anything at 1200 but once they up their daily goal to maybe 1500 they lose pounds.

Reeceybaby1988

I have never "crashed diet." I eated around 1200 calories a day and exercise. Maybe you should look at medical history before you judge someone.

so you think eating less than 1200 calories a day while also doing excercise is not a crash diet?

my statement still stands true

spirytwynd

It is also possible that your caloric intake is a bit too low. If your body is in starvation/famine mode, your body will cling to every fat cell like it is hooked on with a chain.

dpollet2

Do you log what you are eating? I'm going to be honest...it's difficult to believe that you are eating like you say every day and not closer to a healthy weight. It's not impossible, but MOST people who are overweight are there because they ate too much. You need to be really, really honest to yourself about exactly what and how much you are eating. That is the first place you should start.

If you log everything you eat for a couple of months or so, stay within your calorie goals, and still aren't losing, that's when I think you should explore other issues. I think when people do this they find that they aren't "usually" eating as well as they thought they were. I think it's really helpful to do MFP with a real life buddy that's around you a lot. A spouse or a friend at work. Somebody who when they catch you with a bag of chips from the vending machine (cause I've worked in a hospital too! lol) will say, "Did you LOG that??"

tawisdom

ktblue67

I have done yoga at home (the closest gym to my house is forever away) and I have recently even gone and gotten a massage to see if that helps (with relaxation and water retention since I drink a TON of water).

Gramps251

For most people it's hard to gain 40 pounds while eating 1200 calories.

Lisah8969

Well first off, two things really pop out at me reading this...

If you gained 30 pounds in a month and don't really know why (which would be that you know you were eating over 6,000 calories A DAY) then there is a medical problem. Maybe get another opinion.

And if you are only eating 1,200 calories a day now and exercising plus the 10 - 15 miles you walk just on the job, you are not eating nearly enough. Walking 10 miles even at a slow pace with 1,200 calories of food would net you somewhere around zero calories for the day.

Jerrypeoples

i know after a massage i lose a few milliliters

Sjenny5891

Bump it up to around 1600 calories for a week or two and see what happens. Sometimes you just need to change things up a little to see a change.

meredith1123

Well first off, two things really pop out at me reading this...

If you gained 30 pounds in a month and don't really know why (which would be that you know you were eating over 6,000 calories A DAY) then there is a medical problem. Maybe get another opinion.

And if you are only eating 1,200 calories a day now and exercising plus the 10 - 15 miles you walk just on the job, you are not eating nearly enough. Walking 10 miles even at a slow pace with 1,200 calories of food would net you somewhere around zero calories for the day.

IF you are telling the truth, it's obviously a medical issue. I agree with ^^^. I think perhaps a second opinion by another doctor would do you some justice.
Otherwise you may need to bump your calorie intake to about 1400-1500 and start over. 1200 calories at your weight is not enough. Im not being critical at all here, speaking softly with no harsh tone, but you need to understand 1200 cal at your weight is not enough food. If you are eating 1400 to 1500 a day and walking FAST for 45 minutes, four days a week then you would be better off. It's going to take your body a few weeks to adjust, you may even say a pound or two gain, BUT once your metabolim and body adjusts, youll start losing more... and at a healthier level. As you lose weight, then you can start to lower your calories but 1200 should be your ultimate minimum once you are down quite a few pounds.

cindybowcut

My suggestion would be to change up your diet a little. My dietican told me to change up what I eat. I used to just eat oatmeal everyday for breakfast. Make sure you are having protein and carbs together. Try adding some boiled eggs to your diet and a little more protein. Also beware of the sodium in the pre-packaged meals, it is usually high. Also make sure that you are drinking your water.

cdefries

Try changing out the raisins and craisins for blueberries or even almonds. I have a tendency to hold on to weight with dried fruit. Also, do get a second opinion. Drs are human and sometimes just miss the obvious. How are you sleeping? Are you working nights?

tawisdom

Wow I thought this was for support not to be ridiculed.
Thought I could ask for different diet ideas
If yall were nice people that suported one another you would see that
first off my doctor is a cooke and my thyroid is screwed up (from looking ay my lab values myself)

and eating 1200 calories is not crash dieting it is actually what this website recommened for me.
also, why would I be lying about this? I would look like an idoit. I did this for help to see if anyone else has had this problem and what thier doctor has said about it.

Bekahmardis

Well first off, two things really pop out at me reading this...

If you gained 30 pounds in a month and don't really know why (which would be that you know you were eating over 6,000 calories A DAY) then there is a medical problem. Maybe get another opinion.

And if you are only eating 1,200 calories a day now and exercising plus the 10 - 15 miles you walk just on the job, you are not eating nearly enough. Walking 10 miles even at a slow pace with 1,200 calories of food would net you somewhere around zero calories for the day.

^^This^^

tawisdom

Try changing out the raisins and craisins for blueberries or even almonds. I have a tendency to hold on to weight with dried fruit. Also, do get a second opinion. Drs are human and sometimes just miss the obvious. How are you sleeping? Are you working nights?

In school sleep like crap
I dont work nights but I can work from anywhere from 36-60 hours a week

Bekahmardis

and eating 1200 calories is not crash dieting it is actually what this website recommened for me.

The website nearly always recommends this, but it's not necessarily the correct way to do it. However, that said, and not knowing your full stats, I would start by eating at the 1200 calories as recommended *and* eating back all of your exercise calories. It sounds counter-intutive, I know, but if you are truly walking 10-15 miles per day (which is entirely possible in an ER!!!), your body is not getting enough nutrition to feed itself and keep itself going so it's hoarding those energy calories for normal functions rather than burning them.

I'm not saying it quite right, but take a look at the forum post called "in Place of a Road map" and start reading.....there's a LOT of information out there.

And there's also a lot of jerks out here who forgot that they, too, needed help at one time.

ladynevertells

I have been drinking lemon water for over a month and eating relatively well. I have the odd 'slip' I have only joined myfitnesspal 1 week ago but I have lost seven & half pounds drinking 2 litres of lemon water each day starting with a mug of warm lemon in the morning when I get out of bed.

here is the link tio the lemon diet (I don't follow) but I drink the lemon water and it has proved results. More of the girls in my office have started it to with results also.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-501148/Lose-weight-Christmas-Lemon-Juice-Diet.html


Good luck x

nexangelus

and eating 1200 calories is not crash dieting it is actually what this website recommened for me.

It recommends 1200 to almost everybody...does not mean it works...

sapphies

30 lbs is a lot to gain in a single month. that is over 7 lbs a week! I am not saying you are lying; what I think is you need a full medical work up. Your thyroid tested okay, but when is the last time you went to GYN? Maybe you developed PCOS that makes losing weight really difficult and will put weight on you. Also, has your thyroid been tested recently? My thyroid was fine one year and 2 years later we are trying to work on a dosage to regulate it. Which even though I average a calorie deficit which should have me losing 2+ lbs a week I am averaging about 1.7 a week still good but the thyroid is slowing things down.

crystalflame

Wow I thought this was for support not to be ridiculed.
Thought I could ask for different diet ideas
If yall were nice people that suported one another you would see that
first off my doctor is a cooke and my thyroid is screwed up (from looking ay my lab values myself)

and eating 1200 calories is not crash dieting it is actually what this website recommened for me.
also, why would I be lying about this? I would look like an idoit. I did this for help to see if anyone else has had this problem and what thier doctor has said about it.

No one's ridiculing you, they're just trying to work with the information you gave them. First off, in your OP you didn't say your thyroid was actually messed up, you said it was fine. Information like that matters a lot. If you saw the labs and you know something's wrong, go find another doctor who will help you.

Second, 1200 calories is too few for 95% of the people on this site. Unless you're short, older and sedentary, or have a medical issue, you need to be eating more. You MAY have a medical issue and therefore need to eat 1200 (or less) calories to lose, but you need to have that confirmed first. If, as your current doctor said, everything is fine, read the IPOARM thread and read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/865024-1200-and-why-it-won-t-work

Third, do your best to get more sleep. Not sleeping can greatly hinder weight loss. Get more healthy fats in your diet too... A low-fat diet combined with no sleep means wacky hormones.

Good luck.

Reeceybaby1988

Wow I thought this was for support not to be ridiculed.
Thought I could ask for different diet ideas
If yall were nice people that suported one another you would see that
first off my doctor is a cooke and my thyroid is screwed up (from looking ay my lab values myself)

and eating 1200 calories is not crash dieting it is actually what this website recommened for me.
also, why would I be lying about this? I would look like an idoit. I did this for help to see if anyone else has had this problem and what thier doctor has said about it.

who has ridiculed you?

if you dont want the opinions of sucessful dieters who have lost weight and KEPT it off in a healthy way, dont ask...
if you would have bothered to read the link i posted, maybe you would be more informed on said "1200" calories

obviously you know best....

Bekahmardis

Second, 1200 calories is too few for 95% of the people on this site. Unless you're short, older and sedentary,

At 5'2" (5'3" on a Good Day), 42 years old, menopausal, and with a highly sedentary desk job, even *I* have to eat 1300 plus calories per day to lose weight....and I am only a pound away from my 110 pound goal weight.

So yeah...eat back those exercise calories. And see a new doctor.

klappeh

A friend of mine has insulin resistance which makes her gain weight and almost impossible to lose if not on meds. Have you had that checked?

sgtlee13

Stress and poor sleep have a HUGE affect on your ability to lose weight. Cortisol levels (and other hormones) will be all over the place which is going to sabotage any good intentioned diet and exercise plan. Have you had your blood glucose or A1C checked? That could also be a factor.
Also, I'm with lots of the others on here; sounds like you need more calories, especially expending as many calories as you will walking each day. Try an extra few hundred calories for a week or two and see if anything changes; GOOD calories. I'd ditch the processed frozen dinners and veggies, they are loaded with sodium and chemicals even if the calories and fat are low. It sounds like you have a bit of a time crunch so if you want quick, easy but healthier meals, make a bunch of something on the weekend and freeze it yourself. Portion it into separate containers and reheat quickly. Make a bunch of brown rice, cut up veggies and fruit to get you through the week with easy access to healthy foods so you won't be tempted to grab something quick.
Good luck!

tawisdom

So for everyone that said I was "lying" and I was not doing to right thing. I just go diagnosed with hypothyroidism, PCOS and possibly could have cushings syndrome too. I originally posted this before my diagnosis to see if anyone else had this issue. So for some of you to say that I should not post something if I don't want a response GO F YOURSELF. This website is suppose to be for support.

YA, I FEEL THE SUPPORT OUT THERE

For people that have a diagnosis it is not fair to tell them that they are doing something wrong when they have a disease that affects their endocrine system. FOR those DAs out there that's the thing that makes you lose weight.

On the other hand thank you for the people giving me input on some people they know that had the same issue. Like being insulin resistant and telling me about PCOS.