Not losing weight - down to ~800 cal/day

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  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
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    You are starving yourself, please eat more
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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!
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    800 will make your body store excess cals as fat. and weight. i was going on 1500 to 800 and i gained!! so im back to 1300 and i workout two hrs aday, cardio and pushups stick to under 1500 for weight loss no matter what you do

    Stop giving people poor advice, please.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    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.
    You do realize that any weight you lose on that "detox" will be water and once you start eating normally again you will gain it back? Please tell me you know this.

    800 calories a day is dangerously unhealthy. Besides perhaps some problems with your thyroid medication, which you need to discuss with your doctor, you are most likely overestimating your calorie intake.

    Besides this, 15 pounds is not that much to lose. You need to do it slowly.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    800 will make your body store excess cals as fat. and weight. i was going on 1500 to 800 and i gained!! so im back to 1300 and i workout two hrs aday, cardio and pushups stick to under 1500 for weight loss no matter what you do
    Nah. If you were really eating 800 calories a day you would not have gained weight. It just doesn't work that way. Excessive exercise is not good, and eating 1300-1500 calories on two hours a day cardio is even worse. You eat more to fuel your body not to lose weight. It all it took to lose weight was to eat more then all of us who spent years pigging out would not have been fat. In fact, we would not even have an overweight society.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    You need your thyroid medicated, and not by a holistic health person. Talk to an actual doctor about correcting your thyroid issues through careful adjustment of medication.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
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    lmao @ not losing weight at 800 cals, sorry not gonna fall for that, nice try, you're obviously not counting properly
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    lmao @ not losing weight at 800 cals, sorry not gonna fall for that, nice try, you're obviously not counting properly
    I agree. I have found through my own experience that I can THINK I am eating a certain amount then realize that I've been overestimating the calories, which I why I'm not losing weight. Do that enough of that and it does kill the calorie deficit.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
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    Ignore the people who say this isn't possible, they obviously know nothing about hypothyroid and all the other conditions that can go with it like insulin resistance and various vitamin deficiencies that can make it very difficult to lose weight.

    Your thyroid levels could be fine now, but there could be a whole host of other issues that are still out of whack from being hypothyroid. Please have your adrenals checked (DHEA in particular), insulin resistance and common vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D, magnesium and iodine. If these are out of balance, you can still see a lot of the hypothyroid symptoms even though you are not actually hypothyroid anymore -- difficulty or inability to lose weight being one of them.
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
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    Thanks for all of the advice! I am working on finding a better doctor but they are like a needle in a haystack. I've already been to four endocrinologists and one GP...gearing up for endo number 5 and hoping he is the one that lo
  • skraparas
    skraparas Posts: 16
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    That looks at more than basic thyroid bloodwork and shops me away bc I'm now within "range." My physical activity includes walking walking everywhere (even to get groceries) bc I don't have a car, standing all day at work (at a standing desk), walking 2 miles to work every AM and 2 miles gain in the PM, Zumba, yoga, hiking and salsa dancing.
  • meeulk
    meeulk Posts: 246 Member
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    If you're on the right dosage of thyroid replacement hormones, you'll lose weight. (I am losing!) It might be slow and you may have to work harder, but it'll come off. Hypothyroidism messes with your metabolism big time, so you have to work to increase it. Increase it by starting with eating the correct number of calories.

    If you are eating 800 calories a day, your body is well into starvation mode and isn't going to give up lbs easily. You have to eat enough to feed your body and meet your body's daily caloric needs (ie. breathing, heart beating, etc.). At LEAST 1200 calories.

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