What in the sam hill is going on??!!

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Eve1972
Eve1972 Posts: 297
in Health and Weight Loss
First some info. I am a 41 year old woman, 5´1, and in August I weighed 117. I now weigh 130. My diary is not open because I live in Denmark and you probably wouldn't understand what half the food was. *lol* That being said, I weigh and measure EVERYTHING. I always have, and I am not eating any more then I was (1500-1700 calories a day) I tend to eat Paleoish, and make sure I get enough protein, and my carb are usually below 100.

In September I joined a gym and started lifting heavier, I have always lifted heavy, but i started using the squat rack etc. I haven't lost any inches, in fact my waist has went up an inch and a half. I do four days of lifting (upper/lower split), 10 minute warm up, 20 minutes of cardio after. 1 hour of cardio twice a week. I also walk briskly 10 km 5 days a week.

A little more info. I haven't had a period in 8-9 months (going to see a DR, and NOt pregnant!), I also have a lot of adrenal fatigue symptoms. I am at my wits end and just want to cry. I feel depressed and scared. I do everything right, I gain weight, I eat more, I gain, I eat less, I gain, I cheat, I gain, I am super strict, I gain.

Does anyone have any helpful info on why this could be happening?? As i said, I will be seeing my DR after Christmas, but need to get this out and see what others have to say that may be helpful! Thanks in advance! :)
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Replies

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    So waist size and weight have gone up....the answer seems pretty clear, you are eating too much for your activity level. At your size, it is going to be a thin line indeed between gaining and losing weight, as your BMR may well be in the 1000-1100ish range, which could give a TDEE of as little as 1500ish.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Love the phrase "What in the sam hill . . ." - put a smile on my face

    Wish I had something constructive to offer -- was only going to suggest you see a DR for a check-up but you are already on that. Do it. Sorry it is resulting in stress and depression and fright.

    Best wishes :flowerforyou:
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    So waist size and weight have gone up....the answer seems pretty clear, you are eating too much for your activity level. At your size, it is going to be a thin line indeed between gaining and losing weight, as your BMR may well be in the 1000-1100ish range, which could give a TDEE of as little as 1500ish.

    This. It sucks, but it's likely true.
  • Eve1972
    Eve1972 Posts: 297
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    I should add, according to my FITBIT my average TDEE is 2,300 calories. I use a HRM and burn @ 400 on my walks (4 miles an hour for 90 minutes). I usually burn @ 400 doing the weights and cardio days (usually 2 hours total), and 500 on cardio days.
  • Eve1972
    Eve1972 Posts: 297
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    I am (or was at least) at 18% body fat...
  • Eve1972
    Eve1972 Posts: 297
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    Oh and one more thing, when I say I was 117 in August. I had been maintaining that weight since the previous January, eating 1500-1700. So this was a rather "sudden" weight change...
  • W0rthless_Her0
    W0rthless_Her0 Posts: 121
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    Love the phrase "What in the sam hill . . ." - put a smile on my face

    Wish I had something constructive to offer -- was only going to suggest you see a DR for a check-up but you are already on that. Do it. Sorry it is resulting in stress and depression and fright.

    Best wishes :flowerforyou:

    I 2nd this!

    What in tarnation is someone from Denmark using a phrase like "What in the sam hill is going on?"

    I :heart: it BTW.....not hatin....I think its awesome!
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
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    Your BMR when you were 117 was only around 1200, so when eating at 1500-1700 plus exercise calories, you are actually eating more than your small body needs. I am also short, and I've managed to lose 19 pounds so far, and let me tell you, it has taken several months, and lower than what I would like calorie wise to get there. And I lift as well. I think you need to decrease your net calorie amount and then not eat all of your exercise calories back.
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
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    Personally .. and I know I will get hated for this. But I am not a fan of the FitBit .. cause well, the whole calorie thing is well questionable at best with such a device. It is cool and many people love it .. but I wouldn't trust it.

    Good luck. Hope you get things figured out.
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
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    I'm just gonna put this out there.....early onset menopause? I'm just a couple inches taller than you and yeah, my BMR is right around 1100, my FitBit says I need about 1800 calories a day (I have a bad back, so I'm restricted from a lot of exercises). I am 42 years old and went through a very similar issue a few years ago. And yep, it was caused by menopause...

    glad you're seeing a doctor, and good luck?
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
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    I had pretty much the exact same scenario about 2 years ago, it turned out it was because I was diabetic, my insulin levels were all over the place and it was making my body confused and I gained a load of weight and also had no period for about 5 months. Another thing my doctor told me was that it could have been PCOS, because they have a lot of the same symptoms and make it a ***** to lose the weight, so maybe you should get checked for that?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    First some info. I am a 41 year old woman, 5´1, and in August I weighed 117. I now weigh 130. My diary is not open because I live in Denmark and you probably wouldn't understand what half the food was. *lol* That being said, I weigh and measure EVERYTHING. I always have, and I am not eating any more then I was (1500-1700 calories a day) I tend to eat Paleoish, and make sure I get enough protein, and my carb are usually below 100.

    In September I joined a gym and started lifting heavier, I have always lifted heavy, but i started using the squat rack etc. I haven't lost any inches, in fact my waist has went up an inch and a half. I do four days of lifting (upper/lower split), 10 minute warm up, 20 minutes of cardio after. 1 hour of cardio twice a week. I also walk briskly 10 km 5 days a week.

    A little more info. I haven't had a period in 8-9 months (going to see a DR, and NOt pregnant!), I also have a lot of adrenal fatigue symptoms. I am at my wits end and just want to cry. I feel depressed and scared. I do everything right, I gain weight, I eat more, I gain, I eat less, I gain, I cheat, I gain, I am super strict, I gain.

    Does anyone have any helpful info on why this could be happening?? As i said, I will be seeing my DR after Christmas, but need to get this out and see what others have to say that may be helpful! Thanks in advance! :)
    No period in 8-9 months, gaining weight, in your 40s.... Peri-menopause? That's my bet. Check out the group on here. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/523-near-or-post-menopausal-group
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
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    Also Menopause is a strong possibility ...
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I'm just gonna put this out there.....early onset menopause? I'm just a couple inches taller than you and yeah, my BMR is right around 1100, my FitBit says I need about 1800 calories a day (I have a bad back, so I'm restricted from a lot of exercises). I am 42 years old and went through a very similar issue a few years ago. And yep, it was caused by menopause...

    glad you're seeing a doctor, and good luck?
    Ha. great minds think alike. I just posted the same thing. Yep. This is likely what's going on.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    A little more info. I haven't had a period in 8-9 months (going to see a DR, and NOt pregnant!), I also have a lot of adrenal fatigue symptoms.

    Yeah, I'd see what the doctor has to say on these two things before cutting calories further. Could be some hormonal issues going on.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    If you're SURE you aren't overeating, have your thyroid checked. While I didn't gain weight with a hypoactive thyroid, I was exhausted and cried all the time. And it has been known to lead to weight gain in many women when it's not being treated if it's bad enough.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,238 Member
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    The lack of a period is concerning. Our family doctor got quite upset at my wife when her's stopped and she did not come in fairly quickly. She is in her late 40's. I believe a woman's period stopping before 50 is considered a possible sign of a whole host of potential health issues, some of which could cause weight gain. I would see the doctor before anything else.
  • Eve1972
    Eve1972 Posts: 297
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    Your BMR when you were 117 was only around 1200, so when eating at 1500-1700 plus exercise calories, you are actually eating more than your small body needs. I am also short, and I've managed to lose 19 pounds so far, and let me tell you, it has taken several months, and lower than what I would like calorie wise to get there. And I lift as well. I think you need to decrease your net calorie amount and then not eat all of your exercise calories back.

    I don't actually don't eat my exercise calories back, never have. I eat straight up 1500-1700.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I use a HRM and burn @ 400 on my walks (4 miles an hour for 90 minutes).

    That is WAY over-estimated. Like, double.

    net calories burned walking = 0.3 * body weight in pounds * miles walked.

    In your case, that's right around 200 calories burned.
  • Eve1972
    Eve1972 Posts: 297
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    Yes, early menopause could be a possibility. I do have PCOS, but when I lost my weight my hormones went back into normal ranges.

    Thanks everyone for the help. I hear you all about eating to much, but I just can't see how I am when I maintained 117 for months eating that amount..sigh. It is SO frustrating to have worked so hard and now the exact things that helped me achieve my goal are no longer working!

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