WHY IS THE WEIGHT NOT COMING OFF?!?!?

I am BEYOND frustrated. I weighed this morning and NOTHING, NO LOSS AT ALL. I haven't been losing for months. I don't know why the weight is going up. I work out 5-6 times a week, running, swimming, biking, strength training. I am in control of my calories, usually always within my goal. I have tried upping calories and that made me gain. What do I do? I am desperate. Shakes, pills, what???? I need help.

Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Not enough info to say. Diary is not open. You don't look like you have much too lose, which makes it harder.
  • sphillippe20
    sphillippe20 Posts: 25 Member
    I will change my diary. I am about 15 pounds heavier than my lowest weight after my loss. I want that back off and everything I try doesn't work.
  • Jltaylor1971
    Jltaylor1971 Posts: 3 Member
    If you look like you do in the picture you posted you don't need to lose any weight! You look awesome - in a bikini too! Seriously what you weigh now? How tall are you? What do you want to weigh?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Do you weigh & measure all your food?
  • sphillippe20
    sphillippe20 Posts: 25 Member
    I am 5'4 140lbs
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    Are you measuring and weighing everything you eat and tracking it? Short of a medical problem I can only assume that you're eating more than you think.
  • sphillippe20
    sphillippe20 Posts: 25 Member
    I try to measure mostly everything. Even if I am eating a little more, I am ALWAYS under calories after exercise. I do have PCOS and I am currently going through hormones and fertility to try and have a baby.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I try to measure mostly everything. Even if I am eating a little more, I am ALWAYS under calories after exercise. I do have PCOS and I am currently going through hormones and fertility to try and have a baby.

    So does this mean you are eating back your calories you burn? If so, you may be overestimating your calorie burn. What is your TOTAL calorie level?
    Also, if you have PCOS, you will most likely need to lower your carb levels and stay away from simple processed sugars and grains. It really does make a difference for us.

    ETA If you are on fertility meds to get pregnant, then you will have a very hard time losing at this point. I was on Clomid for 3 months before my first child and they didn't tell me I would gain weight on it. I gained 30 pounds in that 3 months. YIKES!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I try to measure mostly everything. Even if I am eating a little more, I am ALWAYS under calories after exercise. I do have PCOS and I am currently going through hormones and fertility to try and have a baby.

    Try to measure?

    Your dairy isn't open so there's not much more advice that can be offered.
  • sphillippe20
    sphillippe20 Posts: 25 Member
    I opened it. I am not eating back exercise calories. I tried that too for a month and nothing...
  • _dinorah
    _dinorah Posts: 11
    Sounds to me that you're losing fat and gaining muscle. Yea; only advice I can give is to record your measurements.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Other than the scale, are you keeping track of your progress in other ways? Photos, measurements, etc. Because I'm up about 15 pounds from my lowest weight, too, but since I'm wearing the same size and look better in photos, I don't care about the scale.

    Also, I have to think the hormones your taking have to have SOME effect on things. I have friends and family who've taken hormones for fertility problems, and the roller coaster that put them through made PMS seem like a merry-go-round.
  • yellowsnowdrop
    yellowsnowdrop Posts: 154 Member
    The treatment will make you gain weight as other posters have said. At 140lbs you're hardly very overweight (I got to 140 at one stage and am the same height as you and people I knew thought I was ill !!) If I were you I'd just keep doing what your doing and concentrate your energy on the fertility treatments which are FAR more important.
  • sphillippe20
    sphillippe20 Posts: 25 Member
    I didn't know that Clomid causes weight gain. The past two months while taking it I have gained the most weight. That does make me feel a little better knowing it isn't something I am doing wrong. I did take measurements about 2 months ago and three week later lost 12 1/2 inches but zero pounds. I haven't measured since then though. I know that I am in shape, training for a triathlon and a half marathon kind of make it impossible not to be. I guess I just need to focus more on doing what I'm doing and not worry about the scales until after all of this fertility stuff I over.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Your diary still isn't open, but I would guess that the hormone treatments you are going thru is the main culprit. They also mess with your emotions big time, so the desperation and panic you are feeling now is probably coming from the hormones. Trust me, I remember well what a nutcase I turned into at the time.
    You are at a healthy weight at this time to begin a pregnancy. If you watch your calories in the beginning, you can go 4-6 months without gaining any weight. Just make sure you get sufficient nutrients and calories to support the pregnancy. But you are NOT eating for two yet, since the baby is so tiny in the first 2 trimesters! lol

    I would suggest you look into a High Fat Low Carb or a Paleo/Primal diet plan, as many women with PCOS have great results with those. Be sure your check with your doctor before making drastic changes. The Primal plan is like Paleo, but it allows dairy, which you will need for your baby to come.

    Then try to relax. I know it is stressful trying to conceive, but stress makes it even harder. Take some time to relax and do some things you enjoy. It will happen. :flowerforyou:
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I didn't know that Clomid causes weight gain. The past two months while taking it I have gained the most weight. That does make me feel a little better knowing it isn't something I am doing wrong. I did take measurements about 2 months ago and three week later lost 12 1/2 inches but zero pounds. I haven't measured since then though. I know that I am in shape, training for a triathlon and a half marathon kind of make it impossible not to be. I guess I just need to focus more on doing what I'm doing and not worry about the scales until after all of this fertility stuff I over.

    Sounds like a plan!
  • with all the exercise you are going you are turning the fat into muscle I am pretty much at that point now I know it can get frustrating but keep at it will turn around or at least that is what my trainer keeps telling me
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
    If I were you I'd just keep doing what your doing and concentrate your energy on the fertility treatments which are FAR more important.

    What she said. Having been through extensive fertility treatments myself over the course of many years, keep doing what you're doing but keep your eyes on the prize. All those heavy duty fertility drugs are going to mess with your system. Your body is not behaving normally right now; it's focused on other things. It's already a stressful enough process to go through. Please try not to add more stress by focusing so much on your weight, especially when you're already in a perfectly healthy zone. I totally understand your desire to be at the weight you want to be; nothing wrong with that. But right now might not be the right time to put so much focus and energy there.

    Wishing you all the best of success with your journey! :flowerforyou:
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    the hormones can be causing weight gain or weight loss stall. Also, the closer you get to your goal, the harder it is to lose. I'm there right now. IF you are doing everything right (calories in/calories out), exercise and not going over - then just keep doing what you are doing. Slow and steady wins the race!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    If you are training for a triathlon and half marathon you should be eating your exercise cals back. It sounds like you want to lower your bodyfat a little, not actually lose more weight.
  • husker_gal
    husker_gal Posts: 462 Member
    I try to measure mostly everything. Even if I am eating a little more, I am ALWAYS under calories after exercise. I do have PCOS and I am currently going through hormones and fertility to try and have a baby.

    BOOM! ^^^^There is your answer!

    As a fellow cyster, I can tell you that PCOS makes it VERY difficult to lose. Add in some fertility meds and hormones, and you are going to gain. I'm estimating that you probably have about 5-10 lbs of water weight/bloat going on due to the meds. Slight weight gain is normal when you are on the fertility meds. I gained about 6 lbs when I went through treatment...even while sticking to a 1300 calorie per day and 1-2 hr per day workout routine.

    I'd just keep doing what you are doing. You don't want to over work your body if you get pregnant.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    And the baby girl in my profile is the child of my first daughter, so the Clomid worked for me! I did end up gaining 65 lbs from before and during the pregnancy, but lost it all and more thru WW in 4 months after I delivered.
    I then had 2 more children without any assistance, so seems like once I had a child, my fertility problems resolved themselves. Best of luck to you in your family planning!
  • kath7985
    kath7985 Posts: 1
    well i'm only 2 inches taller then you and weigh 44 pounds more. I agree with those who say you look good already. My best advise is to keep track of now how many calories you eat but how you get to those calories, that good vs bad kind of thing.
  • LisaGirlfriend
    LisaGirlfriend Posts: 493 Member
    I would recommend friending 'MirandaMom' on here. She has PCOS and just found out she's pregnant after years of trying. She started eating more and lifting heavy the last 6 months or so and credits that to her success and pregnancy. Send her a private message.
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    An increase in endurance training = an increase in glycogen and water weight. If you have upped your running miles this is playing a big part in your situation.

    "First, athlete’s diets typically contain a high percentage of their total calories from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and extra glucose that is not needed immediately for fuel is stored in the muscle and liver in the form of glycogen. Glycogen molecules hold a substantial amount of water, 1 gram of glycogen has 2.7 grams of water with it. So, if you are consuming more carbohydrates, your body is going to contain more water.

    This additional water is not the same thing as water retention where excess water is held between cells; the water attached to a glycogen molecule is inside the cells, which makes it healthy. Nevertheless, it can increase your body weight by as much as 3 – 5 pounds. This weight gain is only water weight, not fat weight, therefore it should not be of concern to the athlete or fitness enthusiast that experiences this type of weight gain."

    http://www.acefitness.org/blog/1050/why-do-i-seem-to-gain-weight-when-i-start-to-train


    Heybales schooled me on this and if you have specific questions look him up here on MFP. The guy is a wealth of info.
  • owieprone
    owieprone Posts: 217 Member
    I've not read everyones replies so sorry if i repeat

    do you LOOK and FEEL different? weight is not the be all and end all of weight loss, it is infact a misnomer, you should be concentrating on losing fat mass and increasing muscle mass.

    you might be like me, i'm 5'6" and 10 stone, which is fine, i used to be 11 stone and much fitter and stronger with no breadbaby. Now don't need to lose weight necessarily, i need to lose fat. I could stay 10 stone or go back up to 11 and look completely different, i could lose the bread baby and still be 10 stone but have a flat tummy.

    clothing sizes are also not a good goal, they are different for different manufacturers and again don't take into account muscles, big thighs often need a larger size, and if you're well endowed in the chest area, again, larger sized tops.

    Get a tape measure and measure your main points, bust, chest (ribcage under your bust), waist (your thinnest part), hips (over the bits that stick out at the top of your pelvis, just below your waist), your widest part (round your bum and top of thighs, where your saddle bags are), and around the biggest part of your arms and thighs (near the top). if your'e not sure google it to see where to measure.

    measure that once a week or fortnight, and keep an eye on your weight, ignore bmi it's pointless it doesn't take into account muscle and bone density (regardless of what some people say, we are all build differently and there is a small, med and large skeleton).

    get used to what you look like in the mirror and see where the changes are being made, you will probably notice them on your legs and arms the most, but the measurements might not change, mine stays roughly at 11-11.5 cm if they're flabby or muscly.

    don't despair, just cos your scales say nothing's happening doesn't mean it's not! ;)