I've Tried Almost Everything For 8 Months

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  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    I wish I could reply directly to everyone. I appreciate each of your suggestions so much and am considering them all! Thanks for all the replies, and feel free to continue to reply if you have anything to add. It can only help.

    I think what I'm going to do is eat the way that makes me feel good and gives me the most benefits beyond just weight loss (especially since I'm not getting that benefit anyway).

    For me, that tends to just mean lots of fruits and vegetables with healthy fats and limited portions of whole grains throughout the day, protein at every meal, and little to no added sugar of any kind. I may start counting calories again very soon. I think I will go for 1200-1400 tops for right now, and exercise on top of that (not eating back the cals).

    I may go to maintenance for a while before I start. My body probably needs the rest as much as I do.

    I plan to net between 800 and 1200 calories in the mean time and get in to see a doctor ASAP and perhaps a specialist or two.

    For exercise I want to continue my strength training (which I've been doing more than anything else these days) but focus more on adding cardio by walking, running, and jogging. I want to start exercising an hour a day 5-6 days a week at least.

    Given the situation, does that sound like a bad thing?

    I think, you really should net above your BMR.
  • runfreddyrun
    runfreddyrun Posts: 137 Member
    i would suggest getting your body fat measured by either the bod pod or a dexa scan. the bod pod is much cheaper - about $35. it's usually found at a university but you can google 'bod pod' for your city.

    the bod pod is one of the more accurate ways to measure your body fat. knowing this will give you a better idea of how many calories to consume.
  • eagertoloseweight1
    eagertoloseweight1 Posts: 31
    Ear healthy, no junk food at all, drink water and green tea, exercise an hour a day
  • Siver12
    Siver12 Posts: 4
    What is your weight training Schedule like each week?
    What is your cardio Schedule like each week?
    Be specific...Such as type of equipment, how long, how many days and the intensity(level)

    Same with the weight training. What are you doing? Are you doing split body parts, upper/lower or total body? Reps, sets, and exercises.

    Also with your Food intake have you tried an A and B day. So lets say mon and tues would be A day-Lower cal(1200)approx. Low carb. Then Weds an A day. Higher cal day like 2000. Still low carbs. Then keep rotating like that.
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    This may be something you already know but I'll give it a shot. You say you're using a digital scale AND measuring cups/spoons.

    Well, measuring cups and spoons can be very inaccurate. I find depending on what you are measuring you can easily add 10-15% to a serving if you're using measuring cups, and that's even if you level it off. Measuring spoons can be similar. I know if I try to measure peanut butter or something in a tablespoon I could probably get nearly 1.5 servings and have it look reasonable. A "full" measuring cup or spoon does not look full, it looks skimpy. A 10-20% error could be enough to negate your calorie cutting, depending on what you're measuring.

    I'm confused now. So a level tablespoon is more than a tablespoon? a level cup is more than 8 oz? This is one I have never heard. Which is why I'm addressing it, because a lot of stuff here consists of things I've already read on other threads, which means in most cases, that I've already tried them.

    Usually I use the cups to measure out grains like brown rice or quinoa and the spoons to measure out fats like olive or coconut oil. I use the food scale for meat and nuts (when I do eat meat, which isn't always because I'm not a fan). To be honest I usually eyeball it with veggies... like "yeah, that looks like a cup". Fruits I don't tend to measure. I just look them up in the database and go off of like "small" "medium" and "large" whichever sounds about right.

    And for people talking about the artificial sweeteners I also want to ask if stevia counts as one to avoid. I use the liquid drops.
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    It definitely sounds like you may be dealing with PCOS and possible insulin resistance. Have you had your triglycerides checked? Even if your blood sugar is in range now, if your triglycerides are high, then diabetes is right around the corner.
    Many women with PCOS have had good results on a low carb/higher healthy fat diet. Myself included. We also generally have to eat a bit lower than the BMR calculators tell us, to lose weight. And consistency is the key. Some people can have cheat days or meals and be fine, and some of us have to stay consistent every day.
    There is a PCOS group on here that might be able to give you some ideas.

    I understand the frustration, but hang in there and you will figure it out.

    Thanks. I don't believe the doctor had my triglycerides checked. I don't know why not, either. You'd think that would be pretty important.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Yeah as a general rule you should weigh everything that can be weighed, especially when you're stuck at a plateau, including grains,fruits, vegetables, pastas, meats, nut butters, butter, etc. cups and spoons are only good for liquids really. You'd be surprised how inaccurate cups can be for non liquids.
  • RadioactivePirate
    RadioactivePirate Posts: 212

    I'm confused now. So a level tablespoon is more than a tablespoon? a level cup is more than 8 oz? This is one I have never heard. Which is why I'm addressing it, because a lot of stuff here consists of things I've already read on other threads, which means in most cases, that I've already tried them.

    Okay, so a couple factors come into play here. One is that with dry goods there is a lot of air in between the bits of food, which means there is room for it to be more or less compressed. The measurement that you take at home is likely to be rather more compressed than the one they used to determine the calories. Another factor is that measuring cups and spoons may just not be perfectly accurate. I have two one cup measuring cups that are different shapes. I could fill one to the brim with water and pour it into the other one and it wouldn't look full. I suspect some manufacturers leave some allowance for a lip around the edge so that you could fill the cup and still move it to pour into something without spilling, therefore the "full" cup is not a level cup. Another factor is surface tension. If you were to measure out a tablespoon of olive oil for example, because the surface tension is so high you could get quite a bit more than 15ml to fit into the tablespoon without spilling.

    If you're measuring out high calorie items this could be providing you with a lot of extra calories without you knowing it. You said you have a scale, so give it a try sometime. Compare the weights of something you measure with your measuring cup to what the serving size is by weight and you'll know for sure if you're over-measuring your food.

    And as for artificial sweeteners, unless you have phenylketonuria and have to avoid phenylalanine you really have nothing to fear from them. It's just peoples' paranoia about "chemicals" (which I put in quotes because EVERYTHING is a chemical). I would not bother avoiding them. Well I do avoid stevia but that's because I think it tastes nasty, not because it's dangerous in any way.
  • RadioactivePirate
    RadioactivePirate Posts: 212
    Oh and to check accuracy for liquids, use water. Water's density is 1g/ml so a one cup measuring cup should weigh 248g. A tablespoon of water should weigh 15g and a teaspoon 5g. That will show you EXACTLY what it looks like when your measuring utensil is "full" if you zero out your scale with the utensil on it, then put that much water in.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    You say you don't know your body fat %. The best calculator for most women that I have found is the Military fat calculator that uses your waist, hip, and neck measurements. The ones that use your forearm measurement can be way off.
    At 5'5", the average LBM would be around 100 lbs. That would mean that at 200 pounds, you are probably around 50%.
    Using that percentage, using the Katch Mccardle calculator puts your BMR at only around 1350. High BF% makes a really big difference in your BMR, as you can see.
    Try refiguring your TDEE based on that number and your activity level.
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    Oh and to check accuracy for liquids, use water. Water's density is 1g/ml so a one cup measuring cup should weigh 248g. A tablespoon of water should weigh 15g and a teaspoon 5g. That will show you EXACTLY what it looks like when your measuring utensil is "full" if you zero out your scale with the utensil on it, then put that much water in.

    Thanks! Such great tips! I thought my little measuring spoons could never fail me. lol
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    You say you don't know your body fat %. The best calculator for most women that I have found is the Military fat calculator that uses your waist, hip, and neck measurements. The ones that use your forearm measurement can be way off.
    At 5'5", the average LBM would be around 100 lbs. That would mean that at 200 pounds, you are probably around 50%.
    Using that percentage, using the Katch Mccardle calculator puts your BMR at only around 1350. High BF% makes a really big difference in your BMR, as you can see.
    Try refiguring your TDEE based on that number and your activity level.

    Thanks. I didn't know which would be more accurate because my arms and legs are really skinny compared to the rest of me, so I figured the other calculators probably assume the rest of me is as big as my waist. But if I'm not losing with the numbers based on the calculations that put me at a lower BF%, I should probably go with the higher one. What I had been doing was averaging the two and going with 40%... I am more muscular than most women my weight, but I doubt I'm actually 40%. That seems too low.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member

    I drink more water than anyone I know. I'm constantly thirsty. and constantly drinking.


    Being constantly thirsty is a big sign of diabetes, you might want to get your glucose and A1C tested (I'm in the medical field, FYI).


    I was thinking this as well
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member

    I drink more water than anyone I know. I'm constantly thirsty. and constantly drinking.


    Being constantly thirsty is a big sign of diabetes, you might want to get your glucose and A1C tested (I'm in the medical field, FYI).

    Thank you. I had it tested about 7 months ago and both a1c and fasting glucose were normal.
    have them tested again, being thirsty all the time is an alarm bell.
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
    I have had tremendous success with both naturopathy and acupuncture. I didn't know that all the stress I was putting my body under to try and lose weight was causing overload on my adrenal glands, which led to weight gain. Once I knew that, changed how I ate, the weight fell off - 80lbs total, and 10lbs in one week. That being said, it took me years to lose the 80lbs, but it hasn't even really crept back. I've fluctuated between 4 lbs for three years now.
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    Several people have seconded the "you need to get tested for diabetes" thing. I think I asked a question a while ago. If not, I meant to. If I had normal fasting blood glucose and a1c about 6 months ago is there any reason to go have another test already?
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    I have had tremendous success with both naturopathy and acupuncture. I didn't know that all the stress I was putting my body under to try and lose weight was causing overload on my adrenal glands, which led to weight gain. Once I knew that, changed how I ate, the weight fell off - 80lbs total, and 10lbs in one week. That being said, it took me years to lose the 80lbs, but it hasn't even really crept back. I've fluctuated between 4 lbs for three years now.

    May I ask you to elaborate? I'd love to hear about what did & didn't work for you.
  • Bp32666
    Bp32666 Posts: 3
    I'm in the same boat.... I have tried almost everything.... I do have a medical condition called Gastroperisis... Its a stomach disorder. Last June I had a gastric stimulator implanted in my stomach... although its working I still don't digest my food at a normal rate. normal rate is 60-120 mins of digestion.... mine is at 331 mins... This will not get better but in the mean time I cant loose weight... I'm so unhappy with the way I look. I cry and cant look in a mirror any more.

    I weigh 203 and am 5'6"....

    So your not alone and if you get any info throw it my way please.... Im not advid my fitness member but would be happy to hear how your progressing.. my email is bp32666@aol.com
  • iggyboo93
    iggyboo93 Posts: 524 Member
    Sent you FR. Just throwing out some ideas that may or may not help. One friend got some food allergy testing done and found out she was allergic or had mild responses to certain food. She cut the foods she had reactions to and dropped 30 pounds in 4 months. I'm not saying this would happen to you but who knows... My friend paid >$500 for the testing - not possible on a typical college student's budget. Suggest searching "allergy self test" on the web.

    Also, does your college have a nutritionist available to students? My college offered free nutritional counseling. Definitely take advantage of that service.
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    Sent you FR. Just throwing out some ideas that may or may not help. One friend got some food allergy testing done and found out she was allergic or had mild responses to certain food. She cut the foods she had reactions to and dropped 30 pounds in 4 months. I'm not saying this would happen to you but who knows... My friend paid >$500 for the testing - not possible on a typical college student's budget. Suggest searching "allergy self test" on the web.

    Also, does your college have a nutritionist available to students? My college offered free nutritional counseling. Definitely take advantage of that service.

    That's awesome that your college offered free nutritional counseling. I don't think we have that. I go to a pretty small school. :/ Even our gym is tiny and lame.
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
    I have had tremendous success with both naturopathy and acupuncture. I didn't know that all the stress I was putting my body under to try and lose weight was causing overload on my adrenal glands, which led to weight gain. Once I knew that, changed how I ate, the weight fell off - 80lbs total, and 10lbs in one week. That being said, it took me years to lose the 80lbs, but it hasn't even really crept back. I've fluctuated between 4 lbs for three years now.

    May I ask you to elaborate? I'd love to hear about what did & didn't work for you.

    I had tremendous success eating at a moderate calorie deficit.

    Oh, I see where you got that now.

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