What's the point?

Have you had your thyroid tested? Have you been tested for PCOS? Both of these can and do cause weight gain.

Have you had your thyroid tested? Have you been tested for PCOS? Both of these can and do cause weight gain.

I agree. It sounds like it's not you, but something hormonal Don't give up and even if you don't lose the weight, you know the healthier lifestyle is going to help in the long run in combatting heart disease, cancer, etc.

Have you not lost ANYTHING since the very first moment you started dieting or have you been on a plateau for a 1.5 years?

because if you have lost weight then something has changed since then, and if you have NEVER lost weight - there is definitely a medical condition or something else going on.

Start by filling in your About Me and putting some kind of pic in the pic box :flowerforyou:

Well, I don't know, other than health. But in general, it can be done. I started at your weight and at twice your age (granted, I've got that testosterone thing going in my favor, but still) and have gotten in the neighborhood of where I want to be after nine months. For me, this 10 point plan worked:

1. Record everything, even that stick of gum or that one spoonful of ice cream or that stalk of celery. Record it all, immediately (nothing like whipping out your Droid while having a beer). If it's not in the data base, search-engine the item and the word calories. Or find a surrogate in the database (Chick-fil-s southwest salad for a roast chicken salad you had at the local, non-chain eatery) and when in doubt, always estimate higher.

2. See #1.

3. Exercise to the best of your abilities and DO NOT eat all your calories back (half, okay; all, not so hot). When in confronted with conflicting data (elliptical trainer says one value, MFP says another) choose the lower value to record.

4. Do not "cheat" on your way down, it can get habit forming. See #2.

5. Have your settings, at least till you reach your half-way point, to lose (not loose, that's what you clothes are supposed to become) 1.5 lb per week. Then maybe bump it to 1 lb/week.

6. See #2.

7. Mildly obsessing over your diary is a good thing. An obsessive-compulsive personality (what the slobs call "anal") works in your favor here. Let your inner OC run wild on MFP diary recording.

8. Note what foods/eating habits tend to slow you down (salty foods and fluid retention, for example). Work your diet to work for your goal.

9. Only check the scale once a week. Do not hop on every day.

10. Obey the limits. When the calorie max is reached, that's it, you're done. No more. Best to plan out what you're going to eat and pre-load your diary whenever you can. That way, you see where you're going for the day and can make modifications on the fly that work within your limits ("If I have this mocha at lunch, I can't have my Capt. Morgan and Coke Zero tonight,,,hasta la vista Starbucks").

^^^ this exactly


Dont lose hope. You may be getting healthier on the inside to although its not happening on the outside yet. I agree with everyone who says log every single item of food.
Log your exercise last thing that way you dont think youve got extra calories to eat.
Have you been checked for diabetes as well? And id def get checked for PCOS too

Gosh, I'm really sorry you are having such a hard time. If your post is acurate, then the problem has to be medical. Keep searching for the answer. In the meantime, keep eating healthy and exercising. If you are maintaing on your current low calorie, then you will likely just gain more if you give up. The point is your health, and even if you don't lose weight the healthy food and exercise will likely improve your overall health.

I know a lot of people on MFP cringe (to put it mildly) at the thought, but has your doctor talked to you about weight loss surgery?

I feel for you! Weight loss hasn't be in my cards either. I know my diet isn't perfect, but my calories aren't obscene and my exercise level is decent. My doctor would only do the TSH test at my last physical and that came back normal, so all she says is keep at it. And I'm thinking, is that all you can offer for advice? If I hadn't been thin before my kids came, I don't know if I'd still be trying.

I have recently started doing yoga and meditation, thinking maybe my stress levels are interfering with weight loss. May be a long shot, but it's something easy to try.

My doc did one of the two thyroid tests. It was normal. She won't do the other, though. I need to see an endocrinologist. I haven't been tested for PCOS. I've brought that possibility up to her, though.

Also, as an aside, I am currently on Metformin and Wellbutrin.

Metformin AND Welbutrin?!?!?!?!

No wonder you aren't losing weight! You are lucky to have not gained weight! My spouse is on both of those drugs as well and while the MOST COMMON side effects are increased libido and weight loss ... there are negative side effects like an inability to "orgasm" and weight GAIN on both of those drugs. Have you talked to the Doc about changing scripts? getting something to counteract the side effects?

<<HUGS>>

After going through that very issue, with those very same drugs ... I wish you all the luck in the world. Talk to your doctor. Tell them this combination is causing more problems that it helps. You can't get upset and cause stress on yourself, your relationship and your body over a prescription. Make the doc find something that works for YOU.

Good luck!

How long have you tried something for? Consistency and trying something for long enough (about a month or two, at least), is important. An example - if you were eating 1200 calories or less consistently for a long period of time, increasing your calories for a week isn't go to do much. There are plenty of other things that could affect the stall in weight loss. I understand the frustration, since my weight loss stalled for about a year, but the key is to be consistent, positive, and when you try something new, don't expect it to make a difference overnight.

Some things that might help -

1. Eat. Go on a diet break. If you've been eating a deficit for over a year, and eating 1200 calories or less for a long period of time, you might need to eat at maintenance for a while. And by a while I mean 6-8 weeks, at least.
2. Lift weights. Strength training is important on a calorie deficit, and can often produce non-scale changes in appearance that are much more rewarding.
3. Track everything. Weigh everything you can to be as accurate as possible. Stick to your calorie goal most of the time, whether that is a maintenance goal for a while or a calorie deficit.
4. Stop "trying" certain diets and fads, and know that your doctor is not always right.
5. Focus on your health and fitness first. Weight loss second. This will keep you sane, I swear.

I agree with those who think it's hormonal...I took welbutrin to stop smoking and take metformin, they, in regards weight gain/loss, should cancel each other out, metformin has been shown to help people lose weight, not a lot of it, but some.

Also, as another posted, Log EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth and walk, walk walk...I know, I hate walking, but I walk at least an hour a day/5 days/week, start by walking away from your house for 5 mins then walk back...that's ten minutes...then go a minute farther each day. It doesn't even have to be fast, just walk.

Print out your diets, exercise, etc and show your doctor how you've been trying. I would beg for more tests!

Those ten points are very valid, appreciate that, being strict and just doing it!

Just saying.... Metformin and Wellbutrin are awful for me. I don't take either. I would get off that crap and work on eating clean, lower carb for your obvious insulin issue (since you're on Metformin) and lower sodium. See what happens.

I didn't lose, in fact I gained, and I tried for 15 years. We are all different. I had thyroid and adrenal fatigue issues and once those were addressed there was still no magic pill. For me it was taking a good look at what I was eating, AN HONEST LOOK, people do play mental accounting games and incorrect estimates in logging, all people do. For me it didn't seem fair, but I needed to eat less. It was hard. It still took two years. But once you find the right amount of calories for a true calorie deficit and stick with it long enough the weight will drop. This is what I finally had to do ==> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/740340-i-lost-60-lbs-at-age-51-anyone-can-any-workout

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

It's human nature to want to feel like a snow flake, but it really comes down to a simple calorie deficit for everyone.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)