Other things that could cause weight gain (disease)?

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So I have been really watching what I eat for the past few months. I eat a very small breakfast (never hungry in AM), then a small lunch (normally a lean cuisine or something), a morning snack bar, afternoon snack bar, and then a well balanced dinner from Fresh20 (only fresh protein and produce - no processed foods). I wasn't logging till last week so don't bother checking the diary - sorry.

I also have been working out five times a week at my local gym for 45 minutes per night on circuit training (sweating like crazy - great workouts).

I also ride my bike to the gym and back (30 minutes round trip).

I drink alcohol about once a week and only use soda water now and have maybe 3-4 drinks. No soda - only water for drinking during week.

What concerns me is every week when I do my weekly check in and I step on the scale I have gained weight. 295, 300, 302, 305, 307 now.

I read somewhere that some people have a thyroid problem that is actually what's behind all the weight gain? Ever hear of this? Is it worth getting checked out? Is there anything else that could be causing this?
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Replies

  • bogwoppt1
    bogwoppt1 Posts: 159 Member
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    You need to log every mouthful and drink for a month or so. Watching potion sizes and snacks etc. Once you have done that you can look back and see if you are eating more than your body can burn.

    Remember when logging exercise that the calories allocated can be a bit overinflated.

    As to the thyroid issue, most articles that are scientifically based say that with thyroid issues you are talking about a 20 pound gain, not 100's of pounds.

    It really is calories in and calories out.
  • alyssareyans
    alyssareyans Posts: 88 Member
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    Thyroid could be a possible issue but I would do as the other poster mentioned. First log every lick, bite, taste, fry, every drop of everything you put in your mouth for at least a month. When I originally had my thyroid tested my doctor had me do this and keep a very detailed log. After a month then I was tested. You need to be tested by a doctor to determine if you actually have thyroid problems or if it's something else. You do not want to attempt to treat yourself because you can actually cause issues if it's not really your thyroid. For most people though it isn't thyroid. It's that they are eating more than they think.

    I have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). I take meds daily but I have regular tests and doc visits to constantly adjust meds. Even though I have hypothyroidism I have lost a total of 65 lbs in the last year. My avg weight loss is about 1 to 1.5 lb per week. So even if you have an issue it is still possible to lose weight. But I'd recommend logging accurately before you jump to any conclusions. For most people simply logging food accurately jumpstarts their weight loss.
  • lucylousmummy
    lucylousmummy Posts: 348 Member
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    My mums got a thyroid problem, I can't remember if it's over active, or under active, but I do know she finds it really difficult to lose weight, as has already been suggested, log everything for a month, if you are still having difficulties then go and see a gp and ask to be tested
  • shadowmail
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    Your work outs may be making a lot of muscle, that's not a bad thing! Even if you weight is not going down like you wanted are you smaller? Are your clothes getting loose in some areas but not others? I don't know the calories your taking in but I do know muscle weighs more than fat! It's the difference between a big box full of wadded up paper and a small one full of books. :smile:
  • lolabluola
    lolabluola Posts: 212 Member
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    It never hurts to be checked out by your DR! Esp. I think when trying to lose weight it can probably be helpful anyway to discuss things, and see where you are at?

    Article I like:
    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
  • lobster888
    lobster888 Posts: 861 Member
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    thcguy.... Although I think bogwoppt1 is correct that thyroid problems can only account for about 20 pounds ( maybe a little more) It can really prohibit weight loss. So, it may not be the whole reason you gained weight in the first place but it could be the reason your not losing when you are trying. I would have blood work to rule it out.

    I actually gained about 20 pounds. I gained about 10 and then tried to start losing and gained 10 more. I had several more problems though....I was really tired all the time and started getting headaches daily that I never had before.

    If all your post is accurate then you should be losing .... I am not an expert but I do know what I went through and I had people tell me I was counting calories incorrectly or I wasn't eating the right things or something. I was also told, well then you are not eating enough and in starvation mode. .I was very frustrated but I do know what I was doing and I should not have been gaining weight. I finally got diagnosed and I am on medication and the weight came off....doing exactly what I was doing to lose it the first time. I will say that I did have to "work at it" but my hard work paid off.

    Hope that helps!
  • thcguy123
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    Yeah I mean even if I wasn't logging at all my old schedule looked like this:

    BREAKFAST - Qdoba LARGE breakfast burrito with steak, sour cream, guacamole, queso
    SNACK - brownie
    LUNCH - Sub sandwiches - TWO MEDIUM SUBS - BLT sub + Chicken Ranch Sub + SOUP OR CHIPS
    SNACK - cookie
    DINNER - SPICY CHICKEN SANDWICH WITH EXTRA MAYO + FRIES + SODA + BACON BURGER ON SIDE
    PM SNACK - BEN AND JERRY ICE CREAM (whole thing)

    EXCERCISE -- none at all - ever!

    And this is a good day - sometimes dinner was a whole pizza + whole order of cheese sticks.

    So now I am eating healthy and much, much, much less AND exercising every day.

    Something should be happening right?
  • kjoy_
    kjoy_ Posts: 316 Member
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    besides thyroid get your testosterone levels checked. low T in males can cause mood disorders, weight gain, decreased sex drive and loss of muscle tone
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    Vitamin D deficiency is another potential cause of difficulty losing weight. So, it really may be worthwhile to go in to your general doctor and have a full blood workup done.

    With most conditions (thyroid, low testosterone, low vitamin D, etc), weight gain/difficulty in losing is only one of the symptoms. Generally they are accompanied by feelings of exhaustion and lethargy, feeling cold in normal temperatures, sleep issues, etc. So if weight loss is the only symptom, I'd suspect that it's more a case of improper estimation of what you're eating. Still, never hurts to rule out these potential conditions.
  • Tabithas_Transformation
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    Something should be happening right?

    Not necessarily - these things take time! I know you said you've changed your habits these last few months but if you've only been logging for the past week then you can only really count on that. And that's only if you've been logging accurately (see: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide)

    When I first joined MFP, I was sure that I was doing everything right and that I should be losing at the pre-set 2lb a week. I went for months insistent that I was doing it all right and even went to my doctor to have my thyroid checked out.

    Lo and behold, my thyroid was perfect, my blood sugar levels were perfect but my patience levels were low. I gave up at the time. But I came back to the site in January this year and have managed to lose 33lb since then! It's not the 2lb a week that I've been aiming for and that I need to lose - but then, I've not been perfect with my calories either.

    Patience and persistence, my friend! You'll get there, even if it takes you longer than you thought. It's a lifestyle change after-all :-)
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    So now I am eating healthy and much, much, much less AND exercising every day.

    Something should be happening right?

    I would talk to your doctor, because why take chances?

    Some medications can also cause weight gain.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Go to the doctor. Everyone who starts a weight loss journey should do that. He can check to see if there is anything physical wrong with you, give you a target weight, tell you what you should and shouldn't be eating and follow your progress.

    Seeing the doctor is the smartest and easiest way to do it! :)
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I wasn't logging till last week so don't bother checking the diary So how do you know how many calories you were eating?

    I'd put money on you eating more than you think that is far more likely than a medical issue. Without an accurate diary we can't offer specific advice but you need to weigh all solids measure all liquids and make sure you're using accurate entries on the database

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
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    Are you getting enough protein daily and other nutrients? Sounds like you could also be getting quite a bit more sodium than you would want (prepackaged stuff has plenty of sodium). Water retention isn't necessarily going to be 12 lbs. worth, but it could be something. Are you also pre-diabetic? Carbs and sugars are digested weirdly and that makes you retain quite a bit of water too.

    Definitely get checked out by the doc, and start logging religiously so that you can tell where your calories are coming from (as well as how much is going into your body).

    Another thought is what you're drinking...if it is 3-4 vodka tonics vs. 3-4 pina coladas, there is a vast caloric difference. Again, not going to account for 12 lbs. but all these little things add up. Good luck! :drinker:
  • thcguy123
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    I know everyone on MFP thinks you must keep a diary to lose weight - lots of people don't keep a diary and still lose weight. They know if they are eating less now (like me). They know if they are eating better now (like me). They know they are working out 45 minutes a day when they used to do 0 minutes (like me). They don't have to count every single calorie or pushup.

    I mean it's obvious I am eating less calories and should be losing weight ---- lets compare and see what everyone thinks:

    OLD BREAKFAST - QDOBA BREAKFAST BURRITO (at least 2000 calories with everything I add)
    NEW BREAKFAST - Oatmeal Cup (250 calories)

    OLD SNACK - Brownie (410 calories)
    NEW SNACK - Oatmeal Bar (120 calories)

    OLD LUNCH - Two medium sub sandwiches + chips + soda (2500 calories min)
    NEW LUNCH - Amys Microwave Meal (430 calories)

    OLD SNACK - cookie (387 calories)
    NEW SNACK - snack bar (150 calories)

    OLD DINNER - wendys sandwich, fries, second snack sandwich, etc (1550 minimum calories without sauces)
    NEW DINNER - Fresh20 meal (ranges from 350 calories to 600 calories per serving and is all fresh food)

    OLD PM SNACK - tub of ice cream (1240 calories)
    NEW PM SNACK - Nature Valley Brownie bar (150 calories)
  • thcguy123
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    Also - like I said I drink 3-4 vodka sodas a week.

    Soda water has zero calories. Vodka has somewhere between 70-100 calories per serving and I do measure out my shots.

    No sweet drinks or fruit or soda for mixers for me.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Holy crap! You ate in one day what I eat in a week!

    My boyfriend eats like that and he's got the fat to prove it. :) Except for potatos (usually of the fried variety) and the extremely rare (and butter drenched) corn-on-the-cob, the man doesn't even touch fruits and veggies. He eats nothing but total crap. He likes his beer, too.

    What made you decide to lose some weight? I don't suppose it was anything your wife or girlfriend said or did? (Like, that I could maybe use, lol.)

    Lots of people don't count calories and it certainly isn't necessary to lose weight. It is enlightening, though. The first time I counted, I ate more than I thought. The next time I counted, I ate way less than I thought. You might want to try it for just a couple weeks and see how it works out. But you might not. Either way. No skin off my nose. :)
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
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    Can't hurt to see your doctor if things don't seem to add up to you. Routine yearly blood work caught my thyroid was off. I wouldn't have known otherwise, my symptoms weren't that severe. And yep that can effect weight loss.
  • DunnFit
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    You can eat less calories bu the wrong macro's at the wrong time and not make the kind of progress that you would expect. First, talk to your doctor :) Second, if you doctor approves... Ditch all those carbs first thing in the morning! That's about the worst time to have them, except maybe right before bed. Instead, have 2 boiled eggs. For a mid-morning snack, try a high-protein meal replacement bar. Most of your snacks, while maybe low calorie, may be the wrong kind of macronutrients. Instead, try either 1/4 cup of tree nuts, a yogurt (not fat-free, get the real thing), or a high-protein meal replacement bar.

    Even better, try making breakfast your big meal of the day. I am a big fan of the meat-and-nuts breakfast. I.e. lean meat of some type, accompanied by a serving of tree nuts. It's a great way to start your day.

    And while I hate to tell you this... alcohol has a long-lasting effect on your metabolism. Even once a week is enough to cause problems.

    Ask your doc about the idea of doing 1800 calories, with 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% healthy fats. Then try to make each meal around those same levels. Don't eat carbs by themselves unless you know what you're doing and it's to fuel exercise.

    Again, everything with your doctor's approval of course :)
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
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    All sorts of things can make you gain weight (aside from the obvious eating to much), your best bet especially before starting a program is go see your doctor. Get a complete blood work up (both for thyroid, sugars etc) and talk to your doctor about your goals and make sure there isn't any medical restrictions.