BEEN 3 months and NOTHING! Sure im stuck like this.

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longandpink
longandpink Posts: 77 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Long story short, i bought some size 14 bottoms thinking they would fit as i have always been a size 10-12. I couldnt get them on! So, i got an exercise bike, made 2 smoothies a day, gluten free and soya food, no sweets or chocolate etc and i have water. I suffer from HIv and lupus. I am on a lot of medication. I have tried the bike for 30 mins a day due to health issues and keeping my calorie intake low. I weighed myself after 3 months of this and i have lost nothing! not even a pound! I Cant look at myself in the mirror and my weight gain is affecting my bones. I told my gp and he just said "hmm,hmm" like its normal.!
My face and neck is fat and i am getting really depressed over it. I cant even lose a pound.
The only thing i can think of is my medication making me gain weight but why cant i lose anything/
My diary is not up to date because i am too upset to fill it in and get nowhere.
Sorry for the rant. I just needed to write it down and get it out. =(
I think im like this forever now.

Replies

  • SWEETMAY84
    SWEETMAY84 Posts: 66 Member
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    Hi! First of all, I am sorry you feel this way! it can be so hard to get rid of those pounds!

    I am familiar with some of the effects of medication in the body (not on me but due to my line of work), If I read correctly you have Lupus and HIV? some of the HIV medication can make you bloated, some patients suffer from very severe stomach issues, but I am sure your Doctor explained this to you... same thing with Lupus.

    Do you log your calories? the reason why I ask is because smoothies are delicious but can be high in sugars, you also want to look into the amount of sodium you take every day...

    I know you have being doing this for 3 months and trust me I know it can be frustrating! but I would recommend to reset your view as in "lets figure out your calorie intake, your cardio work outs, figure out how many calories you are burning... drink more water, and change little things here and there to see what makes click with your body...

    Are you using cortizone? this medication can give you "Moon face" meaning your neck and your face look bloated or "fat" more than the rest of your body... sadly this is a normal effect of this medication!




  • longandpink
    longandpink Posts: 77 Member
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    Thank you for the reply. I don't really look at what i am taking, i jut take it.
    The smoothies i make are with fruit and 600mls of water. I am going to have a serious talk with my lupus doctor because the weight has already done my back.
    I will keep checking in. Good luck with your mfp.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    1. You need to log accurately, otherwise you don't know how much you are really eating.
    2. It is very likely that your medication is causing weight gain.
    3. What do you mean by "eating low calories"?

    Eating low calorie and working out a lot can cause excess cortisol, and this can cause you to not lose weight. Losing weight depends on different interactions of hormones. I don't know a lot about lupus, but doesn't that affect the adrenal system?
  • firefoxxie
    firefoxxie Posts: 381 Member
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    Hello there :)
    I also have lupus and am on a mission to loose weight. First thing is first, cheer up! I know having lupus makes us prone to depression and such but don't let your lupus take over your life like that, nor your HIV. Your diseases don't own you, and get ready for a big fight. I would know, I was depressed too and I fought it.

    Talk to your doctor about the possible side effect of weight gain due to your medication. The only one I know of that causes weight gain is prednisone. The medicine I am on is plaquenil(sp?) and that's actually supposed to make me lose weight(funny, right?).

    Next, you need to really figure out your TDEE. How active are you? Use this calculator to figure it all out:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Then, I don't know how your diet is like but..If you are eating processed foods and junk, cut it out! Stuff like that only makes our condition worse. Stay away from red meat. Eat a lot of vegetables and legumes. Fish and chicken are okay, so long as your lupus isn't active. Drink a lot of water. Make sure your diet is very nutrient rich. Some lupus patients go as far as becoming vegetarian to lessen lupus symptoms. My case isn't severe enough for me to go vegetarian.

    Another thing is, which you will hear a lot of, make sure you log everything. Even if it's one packet of sugar or a dollop of milk in your coffee. Those things do add up.

    If you want to know more, please add me as a friend or private message me :)
  • firefoxxie
    firefoxxie Posts: 381 Member
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    deksgrl wrote: »
    1. You need to log accurately, otherwise you don't know how much you are really eating.
    2. It is very likely that your medication is causing weight gain.
    3. What do you mean by "eating low calories"?

    Eating low calorie and working out a lot can cause excess cortisol, and this can cause you to not lose weight. Losing weight depends on different interactions of hormones. I don't know a lot about lupus, but doesn't that affect the adrenal system?
    If she has CNS type of lupus then yes it would.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    edited October 2014
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    deksgrl wrote: »
    1. You need to log accurately, otherwise you don't know how much you are really eating.
    2. It is very likely that your medication is causing weight gain.
    3. What do you mean by "eating low calories"?

    Eating low calorie and working out a lot can cause excess cortisol, and this can cause you to not lose weight. Losing weight depends on different interactions of hormones. I don't know a lot about lupus, but doesn't that affect the adrenal system?

    Generally no, but sometimes yes. Lupus is autoimmune and can affect any physiological system. It's not commonly an issue with adrenals, but it can be. Personally, I've not run across a case that does, and I used to work with a lot of Lupus medical and research data.

    OP, you should check your Lupus meds. One of the main treatments is high dose steroids - a big culprit for water weight gain.
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
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    I agree that you should log your intake. I struggled for years to lose any weight with the "good foods, bad foods" approach you're taking. It doesn't work, because you can gain weight even on healthy food, depending on the quantities.

    Your medications could be causing low metabolism, water weight gain, or inflammation, any of which could either cause you to gain weight, gain fat, or appear bloated. Your doctor may think that weight gain isn't the biggest concern right now, given all your health issues.

    It certainly does sound frustrating and depressing, but I'd encourage you to be kind to yourself. It sounds like you need to focus on overall health, not just weight. The exercise bike and healthy foods are all good for you, and if you're maintaining (not gaining), that's great, too.
  • ZaCkOX
    ZaCkOX Posts: 115
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    longandpink wrote: »
    Long story short, i bought some size 14 bottoms thinking they would fit as i have always been a size 10-12. I couldnt get them on! So, i got an exercise bike, made 2 smoothies a day, gluten free and soya food, no sweets or chocolate etc and i have water. I suffer from HIv and lupus. I am on a lot of medication. I have tried the bike for 30 mins a day due to health issues and keeping my calorie intake low. I weighed myself after 3 months of this and i have lost nothing! not even a pound! I Cant look at myself in the mirror and my weight gain is affecting my bones. I told my gp and he just said "hmm,hmm" like its normal.!
    My face and neck is fat and i am getting really depressed over it. I cant even lose a pound.
    The only thing i can think of is my medication making me gain weight but why cant i lose anything/
    My diary is not up to date because i am too upset to fill it in and get nowhere.
    Sorry for the rant. I just needed to write it down and get it out. =(
    I think im like this forever now.

    You need to really push yourself to lose weight. I spend hours a day on a stationary bike, 30 minutes is not enough especially since I doubt you eat under your calorie intake.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    ZaCkOX wrote: »
    longandpink wrote: »
    Long story short, i bought some size 14 bottoms thinking they would fit as i have always been a size 10-12. I couldnt get them on! So, i got an exercise bike, made 2 smoothies a day, gluten free and soya food, no sweets or chocolate etc and i have water. I suffer from HIv and lupus. I am on a lot of medication. I have tried the bike for 30 mins a day due to health issues and keeping my calorie intake low. I weighed myself after 3 months of this and i have lost nothing! not even a pound! I Cant look at myself in the mirror and my weight gain is affecting my bones. I told my gp and he just said "hmm,hmm" like its normal.!
    My face and neck is fat and i am getting really depressed over it. I cant even lose a pound.
    The only thing i can think of is my medication making me gain weight but why cant i lose anything/
    My diary is not up to date because i am too upset to fill it in and get nowhere.
    Sorry for the rant. I just needed to write it down and get it out. =(
    I think im like this forever now.

    You need to really push yourself to lose weight. I spend hours a day on a stationary bike, 30 minutes is not enough especially since I doubt you eat under your calorie intake.

    Well, see, normally I might say yes, exercise more than 30 minutes. But with the health issues the OP has, the extra stress on the body may actually not be helpful for her.

  • andreannab
    andreannab Posts: 4
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    Guys it doesn't take hours of exercise a day I promise, especially if your doing the right ones. I am 50% to my goal and have lost 41.5 pounds in 4 months. I am healthy toning up and have started to see definition. I never work out for more than 40 minutes a day. And that is usually only 1 day a week. All other days are 30 or under with a break 1 day a week. I don't know what the rules are of these message boards but if anyone would like to message me I would love to help you. No need to kill yourself exercising for hours a day seriously unless your a body builder?? My coach even lost 130 pounds in 10 months. Good Luck everyone dont get frustrated you can do this!!
  • ZaCkOX
    ZaCkOX Posts: 115
    Options
    andreannab wrote: »
    Guys it doesn't take hours of exercise a day I promise, especially if your doing the right ones. I am 50% to my goal and have lost 41.5 pounds in 4 months. I am healthy toning up and have started to see definition. I never work out for more than 40 minutes a day. And that is usually only 1 day a week. All other days are 30 or under with a break 1 day a week. I don't know what the rules are of these message boards but if anyone would like to message me I would love to help you. No need to kill yourself exercising for hours a day seriously unless your a body builder?? My coach even lost 130 pounds in 10 months. Good Luck everyone dont get frustrated you can do this!!

    Never suggested kill yourself, I said push yourself, that can be a small percentage overtime until the body is used to it. Sure you can lose weight without exercise, but exercise speeds up the loss. I got where I am today from exercise, without it, I would of lost a lot less.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    andreannab wrote: »
    Guys it doesn't take hours of exercise a day I promise, especially if your doing the right ones. I am 50% to my goal and have lost 41.5 pounds in 4 months. I am healthy toning up and have started to see definition. I never work out for more than 40 minutes a day. And that is usually only 1 day a week. All other days are 30 or under with a break 1 day a week. I don't know what the rules are of these message boards but if anyone would like to message me I would love to help you. No need to kill yourself exercising for hours a day seriously unless your a body builder?? My coach even lost 130 pounds in 10 months. Good Luck everyone dont get frustrated you can do this!!

    Well you were of no help here.

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    longandpink wrote: »
    Long story short, i bought some size 14 bottoms thinking they would fit as i have always been a size 10-12. I couldnt get them on! So, i got an exercise bike, made 2 smoothies a day, gluten free and soya food, no sweets or chocolate etc and i have water.

    Don't let one pair of pants be the sign of failure. Sizes aren't standard. Maybe they're mislabeled.

    Also, food types matter less than quantity. Smoothies can be calorie bombs. Healthy diets can be calorie laden. Without logging, you don't know your intake level.

    Try not to let your health issues define you. You may not be sentenced to failure at this but if you go into it thinking you are, that alone will strongly hinder your odds of success. Medications and health issues can make it harder but it's rarely impossible.

    Good luck!

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    Also, food types matter less than quantity. Smoothies can be calorie bombs. Healthy diets can be calorie laden. Without logging, you don't know your intake level.


    ^This
    Plus, start weighing and measuring your food, then logging it!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    I would definitely recommend logging your food, and NOT just taking the recipes from the site - log each ingredient individually. If you don't know for sure how many calories you're taking in you're just guessing, and probably guessing wrong (we all do).
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    SWEETMAY84 wrote: »
    Hi! First of all, I am sorry you feel this way! it can be so hard to get rid of those pounds!

    I am familiar with some of the effects of medication in the body (not on me but due to my line of work), If I read correctly you have Lupus and HIV? some of the HIV medication can make you bloated, some patients suffer from very severe stomach issues, but I am sure your Doctor explained this to you... same thing with Lupus.

    Do you log your calories? the reason why I ask is because smoothies are delicious but can be high in sugars, you also want to look into the amount of sodium you take every day...

    I know you have being doing this for 3 months and trust me I know it can be frustrating! but I would recommend to reset your view as in "lets figure out your calorie intake, your cardio work outs, figure out how many calories you are burning... drink more water, and change little things here and there to see what makes click with your body...

    Are you using cortizone? this medication can give you "Moon face" meaning your neck and your face look bloated or "fat" more than the rest of your body... sadly this is a normal effect of this medication!

    I think sweetmay24 is making some good points. There are things that one can eat with each health issue that are better than other things for these health issues that one can read about using Google, etc. Dieting may not be your starting point at this time but work with your doctors closely.

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