Not losing weight - down to ~800 cal/day

skraparas
skraparas Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
For the past year or so, I've been gaining weight. I've cleaned up my diet to the point at which I don't know what else to give up - I'm gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, no fast food, no fried food, no processed food and I faithfully eat clean 6.5/7 days per week. I include healthy fats like olive oil and coconut oil to make sure lack of good fat isn't holding me back. I don't drink alcohol or fancy coffee drinks. I've meticulously documented everything that goes into my mouth and my activity. My weight won't budge. Took it down to under 1k/day - closer to 800/day - over a week ago and still nothing lost. My current typical day's food is a bowl of organic berries for breakfast, a healthy salad for lunch with olive oil and lemon and some lentil stew for dinner. I also swap out meals with a veggie protein shake (22 grams of protein per serving + more protein from the carton-style coconut milk I mix it with). Should it really be this hard? I don't know that I can go down any lower than I am now. I have a thyroid problem, but still...my numbers are currently normal, so...?? I am definitely overweight so it's not like I am trying to be skinnier than my body will healthfully allow + I recently got some bloodwork and my triglycerides were high (350) so I desperately need to take care of this issue.
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Replies

  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
    If you're truly in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight, but I don't see the point in 800 calories. Have you calculated your BMR and TDEE? MFP even insists that under 1200 is unhealthy. How long have you been in a calorie deficit? It took me four weeks to start noticing a change. It's a slow process.
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    I've been trying to lose weight for the past year and really started cleaning up my diet and watching caloric intake in February of 2013.

    My BMR is calculated at 1320. My TDEE is calculated at 1931.
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    Note - I have been struggling with thyroid disease over the past two years. At one point, about 18 months ago, I went really low/TSH hit 6, and I almost completely lost my appetite. Had to force myself to eat two small but healthy meals per day - for example, one tiny portion of baked salmon was a meal. fConsequently, I also didn't lose weight durin this time.
  • blgmw2
    blgmw2 Posts: 171 Member
    If your BMR is 1320 then you should eat at least this in calories plus exercise. It appears like you should be eating between 1500-1600 calories which is about 20% less than your TDEE. You should not go below 1200 calories.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Note - I have been struggling with thyroid disease over the past two years. At one point, about 18 months ago, I went really low/TSH hit 6, and I almost completely lost my appetite. Had to force myself to eat two small but healthy meals per day - for example, one tiny portion of baked salmon was a meal. fConsequently, I also didn't lose weight durin this time.

    have you gotten any medical advice on how to lose weight due to your condition?
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    Unfortunately, I didn't lose weight on 1600 daily calories. After a few months I dropped it down. Didn't lose weight so dropped it again.
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    No. I've already been to four different endos and none of them had a clue. They are not trained in nutrition. The message I got is that there is no reason I should be fat if my calories are below a certain daily amount, and I exercise. Not the case.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    Note - I have been struggling with thyroid disease over the past two years. At one point, about 18 months ago, I went really low/TSH hit 6, and I almost completely lost my appetite. Had to force myself to eat two small but healthy meals per day - for example, one tiny portion of baked salmon was a meal. fConsequently, I also didn't lose weight durin this time.

    have you gotten any medical advice on how to lose weight due to your condition?

    This. Thyroid issues are one of the medical conditions that make dieting a little more complicated than it is for the average Joe or Jane. Talk to your doctor about how much you should be eating or have them recommend a nutritionist/dietician that can better advise you on trying to lose weight while dealing with your thyroid issues.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    No generic calculator will be able to give you a clear estimate on your calorie requirements because of your condition. Look into RMR testing, and pressure for thyroid medication because 800 cals is not a lot at all to be stuck on.
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
    Yes, check your thyroid! Talk to your doctor! that shouldn't be happening. However I did send you a message as well with another thought :)
  • Maleficent0241
    Maleficent0241 Posts: 386 Member
    Being that you have health issues, maybe think about getting some metabolic testing done? Is the 1320 number a measured BMR or estimated? Maybe it's lower than that in reality. That said, even if it's a bit lower and you are really truly eating 800 then something is still very wrong. Maybe a registered dietician could be covered for you as well - weigh and log EVERYTHING and bring it in with you for them to look at.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    how long have you been eating 800 calories for?

    you might have damaged your metabolism and compounded it due to your thyroid issue….but I am no expert on these matters…

    you could try eating up to maintenance level for a few weeks and see if this gets your metabolism going …that is about all I got ...
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    I am hoping the new endo (number 5) I am seeing in a few weeks is willing to refer me to a nutritionist. As most thyroid patients will tell you, a good endo is hard to find. I have to say, though, that I also don't have much trust in American nutritionists. My mom was recently sent to one who is widely considered one of the best in the city and the dietary recommendations she provided were disgusting - fake sugars, fake fats, fat free jello and various other disgusting chemical food that reminded me of the 90s. Yet no avocados and no coconut oil...lol. I have heard similar experiences from others. I'm into clean eating...barely eat sugar and wouldn't touch fake sugar with a ten foot pole.
  • mermaid00
    mermaid00 Posts: 8 Member
    I agree with the post that suggested writing down what you're eating and use it as talking points with another doctor.

    There are a few things that can trash your metabolism - and years, decades of gaining and losing weight going "on" and "off" diets is a huge problem.

    You don't mention how old you are, but I know that as you get into your 40s your metabolism starts to slow down and if you're female you've got that double whammy of slowing metabolism and hormonal change which can aggravate other issues (like thyroid problems).

    I talked with a personal trainer who said that the older we get, the more important strength training becomes because having adequate muscle will thwart some of the metabolism slowing.

    If you're not doing strength training, you might consider adding some to your routine and/or if you're doing some strength training try changing up the routine a bit. Plateaus can be a royal pain in the butt to get through and the only way to get through to a medical professional is to show them the "facts" (here's what I'm eating, here is my workout routine, why am I not losing weight?)

    The only super-low calorie diets I know of that work are those that are medically supervised, and/or are as a result of lap band or gastric bypass surgery.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    What are your stats? How tall are you ? How much do you weigh?

    How often do you have a cheat day or binge?
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    What is your weight and height? Why are you eating next to nothing?
  • Maleficent0241
    Maleficent0241 Posts: 386 Member
    I am hoping the new endo (number 5) I am seeing in a few weeks is willing to refer me to a nutritionist. As most thyroid patients will tell you, a good endo is hard to find. I have to say, though, that I also don't have much trust in American nutritionists. My mom was recently sent to one who is widely considered one of the best in the city and the dietary recommendations she provided were disgusting - fake sugars, fake fats, fat free jello and various other disgusting chemical food that reminded me of the 90s. Yet no avocados and no coconut oil...lol. I have heard similar experiences from others. I'm into clean eating...barely eat sugar and wouldn't touch fake sugar with a ten foot pole.

    You do not want a nutritionist. Pretty much anyone can call themselves one and start doling out advice. You want to make SURE you are being referred to a registered dietician. They are trained, licensed, etc. and should be willing to take into account things like you not wanting to consume artificial sugars. If you are given advice you do not understand or don't agree with, make sure to ask for clarification as to why they are suggesting these things for you. Do you have an HMO? If not, you don't need to wait for a referral. Call your insurance company, get a list of RDNs in your network, and do some research on them to find one that fits your needs.
  • chimebird
    chimebird Posts: 57 Member
    Cutting back further and further isn't the solution.

    Under no circumstances should you eat under 1320 calories, if that's your BMR. That's the bare minimum calories you need for your internal organs to function at a comatose state. Sorry to be harsh but you need to know that you're doing serious damage to your body by eating 800 calories a day. You won't lose weight because you're starving yourself and destroying your metabolism. Your body wants to survive and you're depriving it of the nutrients it needs to do so.

    Try eating at maintenance for a month or two and accept that you're going to gain some weight when you go back up there. Talk to a nutritionist who is familiar with your thyroid condition. You have an unusual set of circumstances to contend with but it's not insurmountable. You just need some help from specialists and some trial and error to find the solution. More and more restriction won't help you, and you need to stop before you hurt yourself.

    Good luck!
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I have a thyroid issue as well (Hashi's) and it took a long time to find a good doctor (two primary care and two endos before I found the right one). I specifically found a thyroid specialist. In addition to all the thyroid tests (TSH, Free T3, T4, antibodies), he/she should also check for common vitamin deficiencies (D, Magnesium, iodine), adrenal issues and insulin resistance/glucose issues. Mine discovered a few deficiencies (D and magnesium) as well as insulin resistance -- which can be a HUGE impediment to weight loss in addition to the thyroid specific issues.

    I went through similar frustration losing weight. I was eating at a 700 daily deficit and took off less than 3 lbs in 3 months (whereas according to the calculated deficit, it should have been around 18 lbs). After I got my thyroid back on track, the vitamin deficiencies back on target and the insulin resistance treated (metformin and a low-carb diet), I finally began to lose like a normal person, taking off 5.2 lbs in 3 weeks!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Note - I have been struggling with thyroid disease over the past two years. At one point, about 18 months ago, I went really low/TSH hit 6, and I almost completely lost my appetite. Had to force myself to eat two small but healthy meals per day - for example, one tiny portion of baked salmon was a meal. fConsequently, I also didn't lose weight durin this time.
    You need to discuss your thyroid medicine with your doctor.
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
    You are starving yourself, please eat more
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    I started at about 1600 calories per day, meticulously documenting everything I put in my mouth, about a year ago. Tried that for a few months and nothing. So I went down incrementally from there, still losing nothing...sometimes even gaining!...which is how I arrived at ~800 daily calories that I am consuming now. So basically, those of you who are advising me to go up in calories, unfortunately I already tried that for months on end.

    I have maybe one cheat meal per week.

    I am now reacting in desperation bc my latest bloodwork showed that my triglycerides were high (350!) and I need to get that down...my doctor's advice on how to best do that? Lose weight. Ugly catch 22...ugh!

    Unfortunately, I went hyPER and had to be put on meds that suppress the thyroid for a while...I think that may be my issue, even though I'm weaning off those meds almost to nothing now. That is why I STRONGLY advise people who feel hypo/tired/can't lose weight not to self-experiment with dosing themselves with iodine. I did that and, after about a month, swung wildly hyper...not fun...dangerous...and worse than hypo, I assure you b/c there are hard implications for your heart, eyes, skin and other organs.
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
    Also, the low calorie diet I'm on now is following the guidelines of an established 21-day detox program. I'm eschewing lean proteins (fish, egg whites, etc.) for the first 11 days, and on day 12 I will add those back in. Right now I'm on cooked veggies, raw veggies, certain fruits (berries) and protein shakes...plus an approved amount of fat (coconut or olive oil) per day. So it's pretty hard to go over 800 calories per day, even if I try.

    I am trying this b/c several people in my thyroid patient forum found this to be the only method that worked for them to lose weight, after they'd tried everything else in the book.
  • Tinytaru
    Tinytaru Posts: 185 Member
    I also have a hypothyroidism and it took a while until I was on the right medication, before that I even gained eating 1200 calories and working out 6 days a week.

    Now I'm on the right meds and I lose at 1600 calories (more on workout days).

    So, find a doctor that puts you on the right meds and you will lose :)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    If you're having endocrine/hormone issues, I would recommend getting those under control and stable for, like, six solid months before worrying about your triglycerides.

    I mean this in the most supportive way, ok? You seem to show a pattern of self treatment and focusing on issues that don't sound to me like the biggest problem. You can't necessarily tackle everything at once. Dieting does, and will, mess even more with your endocrine/hormone issues.

    During that time while you're working with your doctors to manage your endocrine disorders, you can do things like focus on maintaining your weight, tracking your food, maybe getting your RMR tested. You CAN do things in the meantime. Just really, truly, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, get your endocrine system functional before you start torturing your body with restrictive diets. We all want you to be happy and healthy.
  • gerla_k
    gerla_k Posts: 495 Member
    800 cals is not enough , you should eat close to your BMR and eat back some of the calories you lost while exercising. Your body needs some time to adjust to the new diet/exerciese to start seeing results. Please be patient and be safe.
  • Cryren8972
    Cryren8972 Posts: 142 Member
    I know what you're going through. My thyroid levels aren't low enough for the doctor to actually treat it. I have a swollen thyroid, and very low normal readings. It will even dip below normal on occasion, but the doctor still refuses to treat for it. I can't lose weight to save my life! People assume it's because I'm eating too much, but I have lowered my food intake to the point that it's ridiculous and I'm unable to maintain it.

    I have tried Bladderwrack, and it actually helped some. I imagine the real answer is for doctors to treat based on symptoms, not blood work.
  • kbanzhaf
    kbanzhaf Posts: 601 Member
    According to your profile, you only want to lose 15 pounds. Trying to do it on ~800 a day appears to be terribly unhealthy.

    Are you working out? And by that, I don't mean going to a gym necessarily. Go for walks or bike rides. Find something you LOVE to do, as that will make it easier to keep doing it.

    Make sure you find a doctor who can help you get your thyroid issue figured out…..but don't use that as an excuse. I have dealt with hypothyroidism for 15 years or more. I lost the weight I did AFTER I had been taking generic synthroid for years.

    See a dietician to help you figure out a healthy diet to deal with your triglycerides. You truly may not be able to improve those numbers until after the thyroid issue is figured out.
    Kaye
  • tworthen79
    tworthen79 Posts: 1,173 Member
    Eat around 1545! That's 20% deduction from your TDEE. Eat back some of your exercise calories and stay above 1200.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I know what you're going through. My thyroid levels aren't low enough for the doctor to actually treat it. I have a swollen thyroid, and very low normal readings. It will even dip below normal on occasion, but the doctor still refuses to treat for it. I can't lose weight to save my life! People assume it's because I'm eating too much, but I have lowered my food intake to the point that it's ridiculous and I'm unable to maintain it.

    I have tried Bladderwrack, and it actually helped some. I imagine the real answer is for doctors to treat based on symptoms, not blood work.

    Look for thyroid specialist (not just an endo) -- one that treats based on a combination of symptoms and blood tests. The ones that rely on blood tests alone are the WORST. They totally ignore what's actually happening with your body. It took me a while to find one, but I finally did and it's made all the difference in the world!

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