I don't lose weight- scientific miracle?

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Replies

  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
    Harmones and stress can definitely wreck havoc in the 40's especially for women...and make weight loss a challenge-fat & metab get tricky/ stubborn. If your metabolism/energy and activity have slowed too,,,I agree to seeing a Dr., full blood panel and harmones check....I have been struggling too, have been under a great deal of stress and my blood tests came back ok except for low blood sugar/glucose--still have to get harmones checked--and keep stress down (cortisol goes right to my belly these days-) Get checked out, youll have peace of mind that you did & and then you can address it accordingly. Best wishes..
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,974 Member
    2 things come to mind: lack of lean muscle, and lack of sleep.

    Personally I've heard the "I can't lose weight" story from many members, then for some miraculous reason when they train with me for a month, they lose it. 99% of people who think they are doing everything right are doing it right about 60% of the time.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
    Since the exercise is inconsistent AND the OP is now in their 40s...it also sounds like muscle loss to me over the decades, simply from growing older. Less muscle = fewer calories you can eat.
    It's generally accepted that we lose muscles as we grow older, all other things being equal. But since all things aren't equal, this can be offset with diet and weight lifting. At 61, I'm more muscular now than I was in my 20's and 30's.

    I'm sticking with the idea that this problem is beyond the scope of MFP forum advice. A medical exam is in order.

    I am also more muscular than I was in my early 20s. I was basing my comments off what the OP said, thinking of one element perhaps they had not considered.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Hello, i searched the boards but i am not finding exactly what i am looking for (as everyone's experience is different, of course). I have been changing my eating over the course of years but during all of my adult life, my weight has stayed the same. I just saw a post wherein someone said 'if you create a calorie deficit you WILL lose'.....but what if you don't. ever. lose? i have been a vegetarian for 23 years, I gave up diet soda 10 years ago, i became a vegan about 4 yrs ago(i occasionally eat cheese but PARSE it out but NO other dairy), i eat a plant based diet that i supplement with two protein bars a day (they have whey but they are the only low carb, low sugar, tasty ones i liked), i drink water all day, eat little meals- try to eat every three hours or so. i don't snack, i don't binge, i don't eat out. i work out but inconsistently (like everyday for a month, then not for two weeks, then again for 3 weeks, etc and this has been the case since i was 20- i am now 44). i have logged my calories to be 1200 to 1400 cals a day. I am rarely hungry. I went to a nutritionist because i started to GAIN- she said i was eating too little, so i ate a little more.....and my weight is still the same. i been around 160 exactly my whole adult life (i am 5'4"- so yes, i am decidedly overweight and no, i am no big boned. i was a chubby kid and teen for reference BUT i ate JUNK JUNK JUNK until i was about 23 and had an ED until i was 28. now i eat like a monk and no change. my blood panel was totally normal. i take no medications (except starting this week Qsymia, which i know gets no love on this site). i have been thin at two points in my life (ha!) post breakup in which i basically became manically obsessed and all i did (LITERALLY) was work out all day and drink protein shakes. Science and MFP tells me nobody should have to live this way to lose some weight. (but it illustrates it IS possible for me- just not sustainable). I am not vying for the role of Wolverine in Xmen.
    so, any suggestions that i haven't heard ? has ANYONE else experience this? Made massive lifestyle changes and experience NO weight loss?
    Your ticker says you've lost 10 pounds, yet above you say it's impossible for you to lose weight. What's up with that?

    Your diary is not open. If you want concrete advice, you might want to make it public.

    If you truly are eating low calories and not losing weight, it's either (1) you have a medical problem inhibiting your weight loss, such as thyroid or maybe insulin resistance, or some other problem or (2) you are miscalculating your calories in and/or out.

    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    OP can you open your diary?
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    Really? REALLY? :noway:


    Op I suspect you've buggered up your metabolism via your ed combined with bad logging.

    Have you ever eaten at a reasonable level?
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.

    So what you are saying is when you eat more you gain weight, when you eat less you lose it?
    Gotcha.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    Really? REALLY? :noway:


    Op I suspect you've buggered up your metabolism via your ed combined with bad logging.

    Have you ever eaten at a reasonable level?

    hahahaa... I've never had an ed and my metabolism is fine. I'm barely 5'2, 97 pounds at the moment. I have never been over 107. I eat quite a bit ... only to get all my micros in so I will never need to take supplements.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    Really? REALLY? :noway:


    Op I suspect you've buggered up your metabolism via your ed combined with bad logging.

    Have you ever eaten at a reasonable level?

    hahahaa... I've never had an ed and my metabolism is fine. I'm barely 5'2, 97 pounds at the moment. I have never been over 107. I eat quite a bit ... only to get all my micros in so I will never need to take supplements.

    I think you misread the bolded part, it was directed at the OP.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:
    I saw in your latter posts that you ate more calories and gained weight, so I'm not sure why you think you are special (special as in the weight loss sense not as a human being :smile: ).

    If you can't gain weight, you are either eating the same amount of calories you burn (maintaining) or eating less than you burn (losing).

    You do look think in your picture.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.
    Well, then 1700 calories is at eating at a deficit for you. :smile:
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.

    Well 3dogsrunning summed it up but I already did the math so dammit I'm posting it

    (2500 daily calories - TDEE) X 180 days = 6 lbs gained X 3500 calories per pound

    Solve for TDEE = 2383

    (2383 - 1700 calories eaten) X 14 days = 9562 calorie deficit over two weeks

    9562 / 3500 calories per pound = should have been about 2.732 lbs lost over two weeks

    Conclusions:

    You gained weight on a surplus and lost on a deficit
    Saying 2500+ and 1700 or so means you probably weren't accurate. The inputs to the equation may not be correct
    You're probably very active in your daily life, both exercise and non-exercise activities. Do you take public transportation, walk or bike everywhere? Go hiking twice a week , etc?
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.
    Well, then 1700 calories is at eating at a deficit for you. :smile:

    No, it's not. I've been in bed for months due to a bad car accident. If Alan can't put some weight on me I doubt that you can. :smile:



    Off for a moment, I have to play Emma.

    http://youtu.be/_uU5DU7P83E
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.
    Well, then 1700 calories is at eating at a deficit for you. :smile:

    No, it's not. I've been in bed for months due to a bad car accident. If Alan can't put some weight on me I doubt that you can. :smile:



    Off for a moment, I have to play Emma.

    http://youtu.be/_uU5DU7P83E

    Well, if you lost weight on 1700 calories, that is a deficit for you. That's the only way to lose weight--eat less than you burn.

    Nobody can put weight on you, and I never said I wanted to anyway :wink:

    I don't know what you mean when you say, "If Alan can't put weight on me...."
  • futurejedi
    futurejedi Posts: 111
    coffee makes me lose weight because it makes me poop
  • bethlaf
    bethlaf Posts: 954 Member
    vegetarian Vegan - ethical eaters , none of those are nessecarily always low calorie ...

    if you are eating under you BMR and exercising on top of it , and are rigid with weights and measures then you will lose, simple ..

    theres something missing here.. what kind protein bar , and why are you eating it ?
    some of the body builder bars are 500 cals
    I am not Vegetarian though some days it looks like it on my diary , and im certainly not Vegan , but i know many people who are , and i PROMISE its a MYTH that veg heads are all skinny... sorry, just not true, you can over eat on those diets as well
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    Really? REALLY? :noway:


    Op I suspect you've buggered up your metabolism via your ed combined with bad logging.

    Have you ever eaten at a reasonable level?

    hahahaa... I've never had an ed and my metabolism is fine. I'm barely 5'2, 97 pounds at the moment. I have never been over 107. I eat quite a bit ... only to get all my micros in so I will never need to take supplements.

    Ah yes. Because this is all about you.

    Oh wait...

    :noway:
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    You don't eat enough calories.

    No... I tracked (3 years ago here) at 2500+ daily. I gained 1 pound per month and went from 97 to 103 pounds. Lost it in 2 weeks of eating only 1700 or so calories daily.

    So what you are saying is when you eat more you gain weight, when you eat less you lose it?
    Gotcha.


    But but but

    That doesn't make her a special snowflake where she can thread jack with her own amazing science defying claims.


    Oh,

    Wait

    She gains on a surplus and loses on a deficit. JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. :noway:
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    In, to find out how gaining six pounds is not the same as gaining weight.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,207 Member
    In, to find out how gaining six pounds is not the same as gaining weight.
    It's a common 1st world problem..........calculators and cars throw a wrench into the equation which then for some find it very confusing and decide to have another oreo.....true story, seen it happen many times.
  • bonniebrastile
    bonniebrastile Posts: 9 Member
    Hello sodacat, what's you secret for losing weight?
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    That said, no you are not a scientific miracle aka special snowflake.

    I am. Tell me why I can't gain weight? :smile:

    Really? REALLY? :noway:


    Op I suspect you've buggered up your metabolism via your ed combined with bad logging.

    Have you ever eaten at a reasonable level?

    hahahaa... I've never had an ed and my metabolism is fine. I'm barely 5'2, 97 pounds at the moment. I have never been over 107. I eat quite a bit ... only to get all my micros in so I will never need to take supplements.

    Ah yes. Because this is all about you.

    Oh wait...

    :noway:

    Works for me! I mean where the hell is the OP with her open diary? The thread jacket is looking more interesting by the second I tell ya
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    It's like a hijack-palooza in here. :noway:
  • fullercorp
    fullercorp Posts: 37 Member
    i am a vegan fail, clearly. i am trying to switch to all plants but am concerned about getting enough protein
  • fullercorp
    fullercorp Posts: 37 Member
    thank you for all this. i should not have written all The Words, i was trying to anticipate the questions i am typically asked ('do you COUNT calories?' 'do you exercise?' 'do you eat a lot of protein?').
    I do log my food, i try for 40 protein/30 fat/30 carb because i think i am insulin resistant, i have cut calories 100 at a time (guestimating that i must have been about 2000 when i wasn't dieting) from 1800 to 1600 all the way down to 1200 (where i started gaining) and back up to 1300-1400 and at no point did i LOSE. They say 'starvation mode is 750 calories so where am i supposed to be at? do i just need to stop whining at work out 2 hours a day? I guess if that is what people in my boat say needs to be done, i can't keep making excuses.
    And no i have no thyroid condition. my blood panel is totally normal.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.

    Walt Whitman
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