What am I doing wrong?
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If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
Based on your OP, have you had your thyroid checked?
I am dead serious when I say I weigh everything at home. Everything. Unless you're in my kitchen watching me, you really don't know that. Unless you see the arguments my husband and I get into because I'm a freak about weighing everything, you really don't know. Whatever my HRM/Fitbit/Body Media tell me I burn during exercise or during the day, I subtract 10% from it to account for any errors. Between that and logging my food as accurately as I possibly can--it shows I'm in a deficit nearly every day. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rude--I don't mean to. I just don't understand why people seem to think I'm lying about this. What good would it do me to lie? I'd only be harming myself.
And yes, I've had my thyroid checked. I currently take Synthroid for that and have my TSH levels tested every 3 months. They've been good for awhile now. I'm under the care of a doctor for my healthcare problems...so no worries there.
Do you feel euthyroid or have you had any symptoms of being hypo resurface? Do you know what your free T4 and T3 levels are? Have they changed at all? Something is off. If you're weighing everything and ending in what *should* be a deficit - then the next most likely culprit is your hypothyroidism. Your dosage may need to be tweaked.
I still have pretty much all my hypo symptoms, but since my TSH is in the "normal" range the doctor insists that my dosage doesn't need messed with. And I have military healthcare on a teeny foreign base with no other options than the 2 doctors who insist I'm fine. My regular doctors ignored me for years about my thyroid--it was a visiting OBGYN that finallty listened and ran the tests on me a couple years ago. I don't know any numbers for the free T4 or T3--I'm only able to get my TSH checked here I guess. My husband works in the laboratory and has tried to explain to the doctor that they *can* test for it???but they just won't order it. Gotta love it.
I'll call on Monday and make another appt. There's supposed to be a new doc coming in July...maybe I can get in to see her.
*sigh* Doctors like this make me crazy. If you were adequately treated you would NOT have continuing hypo symptoms. It's a range for a reason, not a one size fits all. Ask for hardcopies of all your labwork from now on and keep a journal of your hypo symptoms. At your next appointment I would be insistant on being allowed to at least trial the next dose up. Then journal any and all positive and/or negative effects. If you go on Synthroid's website, you can take their symptom checker quiz and print it out to take along to your next appointment. Practice your answers to any objections you can think of her saying to your requests so you're prepared during your appointment. Best of luck to you.0 -
Living with thyroid issues can be hard. Take a look at the "Stop the thyroid madness" site the information here helps you to understand what is or is not going on in your body, it helps you understand the numbers and how being in the normal range can be as clear as mud. Many doctors do not have a good understanding of the problem and they have so much else to keep in their thoughts too. You could also look at you national Thyroid support site for more information.
There is a thyroid group on here too.0 -
BUMP.... going through the same dilemma, with the thyroid and all. It has taken me almost 2 years to lose 20 lbs, and I work out 5 days a week, with about an hour or more of cardio each day, and 5 to 8 weight machines 3 days a week. I am religious with my food. I guess I just think, that losing weight slower, is healthier, but i can get down as well.... At least, i am losing. Good luck on your journey
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Why are you defensive? You ask a questions then get upset at my answer because it's not what you want to hear. Please reread my response and try to absorb what I am saying.If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
Based on your OP, have you had your thyroid checked?
I am dead serious when I say I weigh everything at home. Everything. Unless you're in my kitchen watching me, you really don't know that. Unless you see the arguments my husband and I get into because I'm a freak about weighing everything, you really don't know. Whatever my HRM/Fitbit/Body Media tell me I burn during exercise or during the day, I subtract 10% from it to account for any errors. Between that and logging my food as accurately as I possibly can--it shows I'm in a deficit nearly every day. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rude--I don't mean to. I just don't understand why people seem to think I'm lying about this. What good would it do me to lie? I'd only be harming myself.
And yes, I've had my thyroid checked. I currently take Synthroid for that and have my TSH levels tested every 3 months. They've been good for awhile now. I'm under the care of a doctor for my healthcare problems...so no worries there.
Not eating at a calorie deficit does not mean that you are not weighing your food, it means you are eating more calories than you are burning. Please notice after I say you are not eating at a deficit, I ask if you've had your thyroid checked. A malfunctioning thyroid can affect how you do or do not lose weight.
If you are sure you are weighting your food and logging everything you eat, and if you are sure about your exercise calories, then it's time to go to the doctor for a thyroid check.0 -
You are right on. Eating more is not the answer.
I see you have hypothyroidism and are on medication. Maybe you just need to adjust your calories down a bit.0 -
First, you have not eaten enough to gain 3 pounds, so this week's gain is pretty obviously water weight. I found that having a hand held body fat% device (bioelectruc impedence device) was helpful at times when my weight was up but should have been down because it would show a decrease in body fat%, even if only by .1%. The one i have was about$ 30 on Amazon and isn't the most accurate but out shows me the trends, which is all that's important to me.
Second, some recent research I've seen suggests that a person who had been overweight then lost down to a certain weight can burn something like 15 or 20% fewer calories than a person of the same weight who had never lost weight. Since your hrm and bodymedia devices calculate your calories burned based on formulas using averages, if you really are burning 20% less than the average woman of the same height and weight, that could be the difference of 500+calories per day.
If your measurements are going down, then i would say that it sounds like you are still losing fat, but if your measurements are not going down over the periods of several weeks and your weight is stable to, i would say that you probably have a pretty good idea off your maintenance calories.
Finally, your hrm and even bodymedia device are going to give you your calorie burned estimates for exercise based on your heart rate, but this isn't really accurate, either. If you are doing an interval type of workout and getting your heart rate up high and then resting for brief periods with out your heart rate going down much, your calorie counts are going to be off. I've noticed this with doing walk/jog intervals. If I'm waking at a pace of 4 mph and the incline isn't changing, out would stand to reason that the number of calories i burn each minute should be relatively the same, right? Well, a hrm wouldn't reflect this fact when my heart rate for the first bit is 140, but then i jog for a few minutes and my heart rate jumps to 180...then i start walking again at 4 mph but my heart rate stays at 160. Do i expend any more energy walking at the same speed and same incline just because i jogged in between? No.
I think you are getting very caught up in the numbers, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's keeping you from seeing the big picture and it sounds like it might be causing you stress and even relationship issues. Maybe it's time to look at your goals from a new angle or even to find new goals?0 -
Excuse me? You didn't even read all of my response, did you?If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
soooo tired of this droning mantra! why don't you just say "liar, liar" and be done with it.
YOU aren't in our kitchens, homes, work places, etc. It's become obvious to me the people that post this kind of answer have really no idea of each persons struggle. so if you can't be truly helpful then just stay out of it.
I didn't even insinuate that anyone was a "liar liar" as you say. I clarified my post with have you had your thyroid checked?
Besides that, it's common sense when we gain weight that we are not in a calorie deficit, but sometimes the CAUSE is not always clear.In fact, several people in this thread have suggested that her thyroid could be the problem.
You have no business telling someone else not to participate in a conversation just because **you see** their post through a certain way through your own filters.0 -
Why are you defensive? You ask a questions then get upset at my answer because it's not what you want to hear. Please reread my response and try to absorb what I am saying.If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
Based on your OP, have you had your thyroid checked?
I am dead serious when I say I weigh everything at home. Everything. Unless you're in my kitchen watching me, you really don't know that. Unless you see the arguments my husband and I get into because I'm a freak about weighing everything, you really don't know. Whatever my HRM/Fitbit/Body Media tell me I burn during exercise or during the day, I subtract 10% from it to account for any errors. Between that and logging my food as accurately as I possibly can--it shows I'm in a deficit nearly every day. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rude--I don't mean to. I just don't understand why people seem to think I'm lying about this. What good would it do me to lie? I'd only be harming myself.
And yes, I've had my thyroid checked. I currently take Synthroid for that and have my TSH levels tested every 3 months. They've been good for awhile now. I'm under the care of a doctor for my healthcare problems...so no worries there.
Not eating at a calorie deficit does not mean that you are not weighing your food, it means you are eating more calories than you are burning. Please notice after I say you are not eating at a deficit, I ask if you've had your thyroid checked. A malfunctioning thyroid can affect how you do or do not lose weight.
If you are sure you are weighting your food and logging everything you eat, and if you are sure about your exercise calories, then it's time to go to the doctor for a thyroid check.
Perhaps if you can no longer be kind when dealing with these kind of questions, you should refrain from answering. FU.0 -
Um.....there is nothing unkind in my response.
Why are you defensive? You ask a questions then get upset at my answer because it's not what you want to hear. Please reread my response and try to absorb what I am saying.If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
Based on your OP, have you had your thyroid checked?
I am dead serious when I say I weigh everything at home. Everything. Unless you're in my kitchen watching me, you really don't know that. Unless you see the arguments my husband and I get into because I'm a freak about weighing everything, you really don't know. Whatever my HRM/Fitbit/Body Media tell me I burn during exercise or during the day, I subtract 10% from it to account for any errors. Between that and logging my food as accurately as I possibly can--it shows I'm in a deficit nearly every day. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rude--I don't mean to. I just don't understand why people seem to think I'm lying about this. What good would it do me to lie? I'd only be harming myself.
And yes, I've had my thyroid checked. I currently take Synthroid for that and have my TSH levels tested every 3 months. They've been good for awhile now. I'm under the care of a doctor for my healthcare problems...so no worries there.
Not eating at a calorie deficit does not mean that you are not weighing your food, it means you are eating more calories than you are burning. Please notice after I say you are not eating at a deficit, I ask if you've had your thyroid checked. A malfunctioning thyroid can affect how you do or do not lose weight.
If you are sure you are weighting your food and logging everything you eat, and if you are sure about your exercise calories, then it's time to go to the doctor for a thyroid check.
Perhaps if you can no longer be kind when dealing with these kind of questions, you should refrain from answering. FU.0 -
I can see thyroid could be an issue. I'm on medication but have been on the same dosage for the past couple of years. I can also see where not eating enough food could cause your body to hold onto fat....and I've seen muscle building that can cause the same weight but a difference in inches. I went to the gym 5 times a week for months and months. The scale always said I weighed 136....never changed but I went from a size 8 to a 4 in clothes. Right now I'm on a mission to just lose 5 more pounds and then learn to keep the weight down....not up and down just down. I've gone from 144 to 130 and I'm stuck on 130...gone up to 131 but not any less than 130. Everyone's different and sometimes it's hard to measure food exactly. If I'm close enough to my 1200 cal limit I shouldn't be in starvation mode....0
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Um.....there is nothing unkind in my response.
Why are you defensive? You ask a questions then get upset at my answer because it's not what you want to hear. Please reread my response and try to absorb what I am saying.If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
Based on your OP, have you had your thyroid checked?
I am dead serious when I say I weigh everything at home. Everything. Unless you're in my kitchen watching me, you really don't know that. Unless you see the arguments my husband and I get into because I'm a freak about weighing everything, you really don't know. Whatever my HRM/Fitbit/Body Media tell me I burn during exercise or during the day, I subtract 10% from it to account for any errors. Between that and logging my food as accurately as I possibly can--it shows I'm in a deficit nearly every day. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rude--I don't mean to. I just don't understand why people seem to think I'm lying about this. What good would it do me to lie? I'd only be harming myself.
And yes, I've had my thyroid checked. I currently take Synthroid for that and have my TSH levels tested every 3 months. They've been good for awhile now. I'm under the care of a doctor for my healthcare problems...so no worries there.
Not eating at a calorie deficit does not mean that you are not weighing your food, it means you are eating more calories than you are burning. Please notice after I say you are not eating at a deficit, I ask if you've had your thyroid checked. A malfunctioning thyroid can affect how you do or do not lose weight.
If you are sure you are weighting your food and logging everything you eat, and if you are sure about your exercise calories, then it's time to go to the doctor for a thyroid check.
Perhaps if you can no longer be kind when dealing with these kind of questions, you should refrain from answering. FU.
While I certainly don't condone the two-letter ending to the message the person directed at you, it is pretty unkind to say "try to absorb what I'm saying." You're implying the person is not very bright.0 -
Just popping in because I also have a bum thyroid. Do you have "regular" hypothyroidism or do you have an autoimmune version (Hashimoto's)? Mine is autoimmune, which means that my thyroid levels can fluctuate fairly rapidly. If you can get a doctor to agree, it might be good to get your TSH, free T4, T3 and antibodies checked.
Best wishes.0 -
From the prior posts I can tell that you have thyroid issues and are on medication, but have you also had your resting metabolic rate (RMR) checked as well? I had mine checked in 2008 and it was about 1800. So when I first started using MFP, that was the starting point I used to figure out that I should be eating about 1440 calories a day to lose between 1-2 lbs a week. After weeks of eating 1440 calories a day, the weight was not going down, so I had my metabolism checked again. Turns out that my resting metabolic rate had decreased over the past six years. As a result, instead of having a RMR of 1800 a day, it had gone down to 1410. Was I annoyed? Yes, but at least I knew why I was not losing weight. I reduced my caloric intake from 1440 to 1200 calories a day, and since March 9, I have a lost a total of 13 lbs! If everything else is good, you may want to have your RMR checked too.0
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Have you tried taking your measurements instead of steeping on the scale? Or comparing before / after pictures? Sometimes thats a better indication of fat loss!0
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Firstly I feel your pain! It is frustrating when you are doing everything you should be doing and nothing is happening for you.
I agree with most of the other posters - you maybe need to request the following tests (if you haven't done so already)
Apartfrom the standard TSH and FT4 (Free T4), you should also ask for FT3 (Free T3; this is
the active hormone that powers you up) as well as reverse T3. Also ask for TGB
(thyroglobulin) antibodies and TPO (thyroid peroxidase) antibodies.
If you suspect having hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease, also test for TSI (thyroid
stimulating immunoglobulins) antibodies.
For mineral deficiencies, test for vitamin B12, vitamin D, ferritin and folic acid
(vitamin B9).
For hormonal health, I recommend testing for estrogen, progesterone and cortisol
(the infamous stress hormone so many people struggle with!).
In the day to day check: sleep, water, watch sodium, mix up the workouts, lift heavy one day and then a HIIT then days....
I have been training since before Xmas and no weight change at all - however I have lost 7cms off my waist. It is hard to keep positive when you feel you are doing everything right - and I 100% believe you (like me) are doing everything you can
I also have a funny Thyriod - since the birth of my 2nd baby - Feel free to add me if you want a positive training buddy 0 -
Thank you for being specific, but my response does not imply that she's not bright, it implies that she did not thoroughly read my reply. She was rude in her reply and, in so many words, even admitted it.
Um.....there is nothing unkind in my response.
Why are you defensive? You ask a questions then get upset at my answer because it's not what you want to hear. Please reread my response and try to absorb what I am saying.If you are not losing weight you are not in a calories deficit. Eating more is not the answer when you're to losing.
Based on your OP, have you had your thyroid checked?
I am dead serious when I say I weigh everything at home. Everything. Unless you're in my kitchen watching me, you really don't know that. Unless you see the arguments my husband and I get into because I'm a freak about weighing everything, you really don't know. Whatever my HRM/Fitbit/Body Media tell me I burn during exercise or during the day, I subtract 10% from it to account for any errors. Between that and logging my food as accurately as I possibly can--it shows I'm in a deficit nearly every day. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rude--I don't mean to. I just don't understand why people seem to think I'm lying about this. What good would it do me to lie? I'd only be harming myself.
And yes, I've had my thyroid checked. I currently take Synthroid for that and have my TSH levels tested every 3 months. They've been good for awhile now. I'm under the care of a doctor for my healthcare problems...so no worries there.
Not eating at a calorie deficit does not mean that you are not weighing your food, it means you are eating more calories than you are burning. Please notice after I say you are not eating at a deficit, I ask if you've had your thyroid checked. A malfunctioning thyroid can affect how you do or do not lose weight.
If you are sure you are weighting your food and logging everything you eat, and if you are sure about your exercise calories, then it's time to go to the doctor for a thyroid check.
Perhaps if you can no longer be kind when dealing with these kind of questions, you should refrain from answering. FU.
While I certainly don't condone the two-letter ending to the message the person directed at you, it is pretty unkind to say "try to absorb what I'm saying." You're implying the person is not very bright.
It's really frustrating when people post a question and then get upset at the answers.
In any event, thank you for sharing your view.0 -
Bumping for replies.. In the same boat
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soooo tired of this droning mantra! why don't you just say "liar, liar" and be done with it.
YOU aren't in our kitchens, homes, work places, etc. It's become obvious to me the people that post this kind of answer have really no idea of each persons struggle. so if you can't be truly helpful then just stay out of it.
Fact is fact. A deficit is literally defined as less calories consumed than burned which literally must mean you're using energy from your body to make up the difference which means you're losing weight.
If you aren't losing weight you are not, by definition, in a deficit.
That doesn't mean you're a liar. Maybe it's water retention, maybe you have an abnormally low metabolism, maybe your exercise calculator is giving you too high an estimate, maybe someone is sabotaging your weight loss, I don't know. But it's literally impossible to be in a deficit and not lose weight.0 -
From the prior posts I can tell that you have thyroid issues and are on medication, but have you also had your resting metabolic rate (RMR) checked as well? I had mine checked in 2008 and it was about 1800. So when I first started using MFP, that was the starting point I used to figure out that I should be eating about 1440 calories a day to lose between 1-2 lbs a week. After weeks of eating 1440 calories a day, the weight was not going down, so I had my metabolism checked again. Turns out that my resting metabolic rate had decreased over the past six years. As a result, instead of having a RMR of 1800 a day, it had gone down to 1410. Was I annoyed? Yes, but at least I knew why I was not losing weight. I reduced my caloric intake from 1440 to 1200 calories a day, and since March 9, I have a lost a total of 13 lbs! If everything else is good, you may want to have your RMR checked too.
Yikes - no wonder your RMR went down so badly.
RMR is resting metabolism - awake but not moving - what your body would burn all day.
You shouldn't have taken a deficit off a figure that doesn't apply, it should have been taken off the estimated TDEE - made a better estimate because you had a measured RMR.
But good grief, force your RMR slower by undereating to your TDEE so badly - and if you still have a lot to lose - where in the world is the final eating goal?
Where is the maintenance level going to be?
It's usually about 100 less calories per 10 lbs lost. Unless you increase the exercise to make up the difference.
50 lbs to go - 500 calories less eating - or more burning - required to keep losing.
Yikes.
Doesn't have to be that low. A more reasonable deficit that doesn't force the body to slow down can usually cause the same amount of weight loss for longer period of time actually, and better response from exercise, and higher eating levels means bigger margin for error.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales/view/reduced-metabolism-tdee-beyond-expected-from-weight-loss-616251
That's all you did, was force your RMR about 400 calories slower, and then took another deficit off that to keep losing.
You even caused what is normally seen as the max amount of suppression - 20%.
To OP - this is perfect example that always going lower and lower when deficit may have already been too great is not a great idea. You just force your TDEE lower.
Unless you just enjoy eating less and less and will adhere to those diet and maintenance levels.0 -
This is just in response to the "eat more" issue. Yes, eating more than you burn leads to weight gain. BUT, you also need to make sure that you are eating AT LEAST your BMR. A good estimate of your BMR can be found almost any where. Yes, you do need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight but your NET CALORIES MUST BE NO LOWER THAN 1200. Your net calorie number is calories consumed minus calories burned. Otherwise, you aren't doing your metabolism any favors. The little graph on your MFP home page should show you that. Macros are important but calories in vs calories out is as well. Also, when you enter your food into MFP, click "complete entry" at the bottom. If you are below 1200 net calories, MFP shows the following underneath that button:
*Based on your total calories consumed for today, you are eating too few calories. Not only is it difficult to receive adequate nutrition at these calorie levels, but you could also be putting your body into starvation mode. Starvation mode lowers your metabolism and makes weight loss more difficult. We suggest increasing your calorie consumption to 1200 calories per day minimum. ^this means NET CALORIES
But again, speak with your doctor about your hypothyroidism and possible solutions.0
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