A lot of trouble losing weight

chelseavrb
chelseavrb Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I think this is my first post here. Hello everyone!

Over the last few years I have had a very hard time losing weight. In my late teens early twenties I gained a lot of weight and over the course of a few years managed to go from 190 to 135. From there I maintained between 140 - 150 for a few years working out with a trainer a few days a week and just eating very healthy. Throughout all of this I had times where the weight just wouldn't come off no matter what I did and I mean that. I managed to put some of the weight back on in 2015 and then lose it but it slowly crept back on. It always felt like even though I wasn't eating my best the weight was piling on a little too fast anyways.

In 2015 I discovered I had hashimotos but none of my doctors want to medicate me for it despite years of symptoms. My antibody levels are always around 900 so my body is constantly attacking itself but my levels apparently don't concern them? I've been hyper and hypo over the years.

So this past summer I went back up to my scary weight and decided to work really hard. I managed to go from 190 to 178 in about 4 months and it kills me that that was all I was able to lose. When I lose weight right It comes off pretty easy. I trained 4 days a week and worked out everyday on my own. I was eating pretty healthy as well. I did lose inches and body fat but even then nothing impressive. I assumed it was my thyroid but was checked last week and my levels are actually great right now minus my antibodies.

The only other notable things are I have had SIBO and when I had my blood done last week my vitamin D was a 14. I notice when i'm not losing weight I tend to retain a lot of water. It just doesn't want to leave my system.

Looking for some advice here. Thank you!

Replies

  • CaladriaNapea
    CaladriaNapea Posts: 140 Member
    First of all, congrats on losing 12 pounds! Even if it is coming off slower than you wanted, that is still an achievement!

    Secondly, you mentioned working out and eating healthy, but you didn't mention logging. Are you logging absolutely everything that you eat? Are you weighing everything that you eat (including cooking oils, prepackaged foods, etc.)?
  • chelseavrb
    chelseavrb Posts: 10 Member
    Thank you @CaladriaNapea

    For a time I was recording absolutely everything because I had a nutritionist but I have trouble keeping up with the log. I'm not sure if my diary is open but with the occasional forgetting to log a coffee I do record absolutely everything I eat on those days.
  • CaladriaNapea
    CaladriaNapea Posts: 140 Member
    edited February 2017
    I'm afraid your diary isn't open. You can change that by going to Settings --> Diary Settings --> Diary Sharing and then changing that setting to "Public." Doing this would really help as there are a bunch of people here who are very skilled at analyzing diary trends and helping others to see what they may be missing.

    I would urge you to make sure you keep up with the logging. Carry your phone with you everywhere. I know that initially this takes getting used to, but once it becomes an ingrained habit then it makes a *huge* difference. The fact that you are losing but not as quickly as anticipated makes me think that you may be either forgetting to log some things, underestimating portion sizes, over estimating calorie burn, or some combination thereof.

    Are you weighing what you eat in grams? This is another huge thing because eyeballing/measuring is not nearly as accurate. Just as an example: the oatmeal that I eat every morning says that a serving size is either a half cup or 40 grams. However, when I weigh out a half cup of the oatmeal, it is closer to 60 grams, nearly 50% more than the 40 grams. I know that initially, weighing is also a pain, but it really helps with narrowing the margin of error, and like logging, the more of a habit it is the quicker it becomes.

    ETA: Grammar. :/
  • chelseavrb
    chelseavrb Posts: 10 Member
    Thank you @CaladriaNapea for all of the advice. I just changed my diary to public. I normally carry my phone all of the time anyways so I will try to make a better effort to log.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    If you're not logging consistently there's your problem. Either commit to logging absolutely everything or make peace with slower losses.
  • CaladriaNapea
    CaladriaNapea Posts: 140 Member
    Hey, Chelsea! I just looked at your diary . . . I could not see a single meal you had logged over the past couple of weeks. That is definitely your problem. I 100% guarantee you that if you consistently log everything you eat your weight loss will pick up.

    As VintageFeline commented, you either need to start logging or reconcile yourself with the losses you are having. Also keep in mind that as you lose more weight those losses will continue to get slower.

    You can do it! It just takes some commitment and building up habits to last you for the long haul. :)
  • chelseavrb
    chelseavrb Posts: 10 Member
    @VintageFeline I don't really think that logging everything I eat is the absolute reason I can't lose weight? My concern is more about anything health related that might hinder weight loss, not logging. Remember before we had phones and computers and couldn't document every moment of our day? People lost weight then too.
  • chelseavrb
    chelseavrb Posts: 10 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    @VintageFeline I don't really think that logging everything I eat is the absolute reason I can't lose weight? My concern is more about anything health related that might hinder weight loss, not logging. Remember before we had phones and computers and couldn't document every moment of our day? People lost weight then too.

    Of course and you are losing weight. People in the past did also lose weight, some used books with calories and got a calculator out with a paper diary. Modern technology allows us to be more accurate and know exactly why we aren't losing. But the reality is, if you're not logging you don't really know what you're eating.

    You have had any health issues that may be causing issues ruled out already. So if you don't want to log accurately that's fine but you will also have to accept that your guessing is less accurate and so your losses may be slower than you'd like.

    Understandable. But was curious about vitamin d deficiency as well as stomach issues. I will try logging more stringently but I just don't equate not logging to struggles with weight loss.
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  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    @VintageFeline I don't really think that logging everything I eat is the absolute reason I can't lose weight? My concern is more about anything health related that might hinder weight loss, not logging. Remember before we had phones and computers and couldn't document every moment of our day? People lost weight then too.

    Of course and you are losing weight. People in the past did also lose weight, some used books with calories and got a calculator out with a paper diary. Modern technology allows us to be more accurate and know exactly why we aren't losing. But the reality is, if you're not logging you don't really know what you're eating.

    You have had any health issues that may be causing issues ruled out already. So if you don't want to log accurately that's fine but you will also have to accept that your guessing is less accurate and so your losses may be slower than you'd like.

    Understandable. But was curious about vitamin d deficiency as well as stomach issues. I will try logging more stringently but I just don't equate not logging to struggles with weight loss.

    Not logging is the reason most people fail. It IS a big deal and likely why your losing slowly. Just saying its very easy to over eat and not realize it when you dont track, Even not tracking condiments adds up ALOT.
  • comeonnow142857
    comeonnow142857 Posts: 310 Member
    edited February 2017
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    @VintageFeline I don't really think that logging everything I eat is the absolute reason I can't lose weight? My concern is more about anything health related that might hinder weight loss, not logging. Remember before we had phones and computers and couldn't document every moment of our day? People lost weight then too.

    Of course and you are losing weight. People in the past did also lose weight, some used books with calories and got a calculator out with a paper diary. Modern technology allows us to be more accurate and know exactly why we aren't losing. But the reality is, if you're not logging you don't really know what you're eating.

    You have had any health issues that may be causing issues ruled out already. So if you don't want to log accurately that's fine but you will also have to accept that your guessing is less accurate and so your losses may be slower than you'd like.

    Understandable. But was curious about vitamin d deficiency as well as stomach issues. I will try logging more stringently but I just don't equate not logging to struggles with weight loss.

    They're not literally equal, and there are many ways to indirectly have some control caloric intake, but very often not logging is the factor which means you don't really directly know/control your caloric intake.

    Accurate logging guarantees you know exactly where to aim (over time) your caloric intake for a given direction of weight. It's the most direct route to calorie control and keeping an eye on things shifting over time.

    Yes, if you're having no problem losing the weight, you don't need to log right now. If you are having struggles, that's exactly what you need to do.
  • comeonnow142857
    comeonnow142857 Posts: 310 Member
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    @VintageFeline I don't really think that logging everything I eat is the absolute reason I can't lose weight? My concern is more about anything health related that might hinder weight loss, not logging.

    Failure to log your calories and know where they fall (or what direction they're moving in) is subject to a much wider potential caloric drift/variation than any possible health problem you might have as an able bodied person who moves around a normal sedentary amount a day.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited February 2017
    Meh, my vitamin D level is pitiful. Like 8. and I have stomach issues and chronic illnesses, it doesn't effect me losing or gaining weight, too many calories is the culprit. and regardless of thyroid issues, it's the same thing. even if a hypo swing puts your bmr at 1600, eat 1200 [or exercise], take in less calories you need and that will lead to weight loss. Even people with Prader-Willi can lose weight[they only need like, 800 calories a day though] and that's probably the worst thing to have because your brain doesn't even recognize fullness, so you feel like you're starving 24/7.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,091 Member
    chelseavrb wrote: »
    @VintageFeline I don't really think that logging everything I eat is the absolute reason I can't lose weight? My concern is more about anything health related that might hinder weight loss, not logging. Remember before we had phones and computers and couldn't document every moment of our day? People lost weight then too.

    Yup, I was alive for that (I'm 61). It was harder. And the ones who kinda told themselves little (fictional) stories about how they were eating so little, and still not losing? They were eating more than they admitted to themselves. I saw people do it. The ones who were more structured and honest were more successful.

    Now that we have logging as a practical tool, something that can be done in only minutes a day, we can get a much better handle on whether we truly have a metabolic/medical problem, or are eating more than we admit to ourselves. Sooo much easier!

    My advice: Commit to careful logging for a month or - better - two. You don't have to continue forever. If you still don't lose, you have a meticulous log you can use to convince your medical team/dietician that something really is wrong. Or, you will've lost weight. Either one of the two is helpful.

    Vitamin D deficiency: If you're not taking a D3 supplement, certainly get one. And, if you're at a place on the globe where it makes sense, get some more sunshine. For the water-weight retention, watch sodium and be sure to drink adequate amounts of water throughout the day. Vigorous exercise may help a bit, too (things that make you sweat & get your blood pumping).

    P.S. FWIW, I'm hypothyroid, too. Lost weight anyway. :)
  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
    edited February 2017
    I hate to be "that jerk" but it seems you're trying to find an excuse on why you're not losing weight and it's as simple as not logging accurately. Its very easy to go over calories by eating a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit. As others have said, medical reasons have been ruled out, you're just not being honest with yourself. Log everyday and more accuaretly and MeASURE out food and you'll be surprised..

    Your going to lose easier and a lot more flexably when you have a lot to lose because your maintaince is higher. So you have more wiggle room to slack. But once you get smaller you have less room, and it becomes more difficult even with accurate logging.

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