Skip to content
  • Register
    • We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

    Beyond frustrated and need answers please

    Posts: 196 Member
    edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
    I keep gaining weight. It doesn’t matter what I eat or how active I am.

    I’m 5’4 and currently (and embarrassingly) 173lbs.

    From what I’ve done in calculations, my BMR is 1600-ish. If I wanted to maintain my weight, the internets tell me that I need 2200. (I don't)

    How is it that if I eat about 1400-1500 calories daily that I am packing on pounds like no tomorrow.

    Since march 1st, I have gained 23lbs. This can’t be normal, right?

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register
    «13

    Replies

    • Posts: 2,169 Member
      Go see your dr..
    • Posts: 119 Member
      This site tells you to eat 2200 calories a day? I am kind of near your height and weight, and need 1200?? I am trying to diet rather than maintain, but I can't imagine it would go up that much for maintenance.
    • Posts: 1,312 Member
      Yeh, see you're doctor.
    • Posts: 37 Member
      How much salt, sugar and white flour products are you eating? It makes a huge difference just by taking these three things out of your diet to lose....believe me I know.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      I've seen my doctor. They've tested my blood levels. Only thing the doc said to me was move more and eat even less.
    • Posts: 2
      I don't know how active you are, but if you drop your calorie count below a certain point, such as by reducing your intake too quickly, your body can actually go into starvation mode and hold onto every calorie it can, because it believes you're starving.

      If nothing else has helped, you could try increasing your intake by 100 or 200 calories a day and keep doing the same level of activity and see if it makes a difference. Once your body believes it has what it needs, it won't be reluctant to burn excess calories.
    • Posts: 11 Member
      Lift weights. I was stalled at weight loss, even gaining as well and I added back in weightlifting (which I wasn't doing to to injury/laziness) and lo and behold I started losing (have to note that I added more protein to my diet as well). Have found that is key for me.
    • Posts: 1,312 Member
      I've seen my doctor. They've tested my blood levels. Only thing the doc said to me was move more and eat even less.

      Did he test whether possible pregnancy? Maybe some kind of cyst growth that contributed to weight?
      You've already done a great job and lost loads. Perhaps need to decrease calories a little more.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      If I'm pregnant, it'd be immaculate conception. lol

      and I generally try to aim for 1400-1500.
    • Posts: 1,312 Member
      If I'm pregnant, it'd be immaculate conception. lol

      and I generally try to aim for 1400-1500.

      LOL! How much did you eat to lose the 70 pounds?
    • Posts: 801 Member
      I've seen my doctor. They've tested my blood levels. Only thing the doc said to me was move more and eat even less.
      See another doctor. If you feel like something is wrong, then find someone who will listen. Take it from someone who suffered far too long and ended up with serious consequences: doctors are fallible just like the rest of us. Blood tests aren't everything, not even close. Unless you're four feet tall or something, you shouldn't rapidly gain such a huge amount of weight on 1400 calories (and even then I have my doubts). Please get a second opinion.
    • Posts: 2,631 Member
      have you tried low carb?
      cal restriction didn't work for me either.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      I was probably eating closer to 1300 at that point. I upped it a bit because living at home now, 1300 is too low with the type of food there is to eat here.
    • Posts: 804 Member
      I've seen my doctor. They've tested my blood levels. Only thing the doc said to me was move more and eat even less.

      Really??? Did they check your thyroid? 1400-1500 calories with exercise might not be enough food, but it shouldn't cause you to gain that much weight, especially if you're exercising. Maybe a second opinion might be in order?? Wish you the best :flowerforyou:
    • Posts: 196 Member
      have you tried low carb?
      cal restriction didn't work for me either.

      I've never tried low carb per say. But I try not to over eat breads, and I don't really eat pasta. I love fruit though.
    • Posts: 1
      Have your thyroid checked.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      show previous quotes

      Really??? Did they check your thyroid? 1400-1500 calories with exercise might not be enough food, but it shouldn't cause you to gain that much weight, especially if you're exercising. Maybe a second opinion might be in order?? Wish you the best :flowerforyou:

      Yep. they checked multiple different thyroid levels.
    • Posts: 35 Member
      Have they tested for hypothyroidism? It certainly makes me gain (despite best efforts to the contrary - when not at my correct synthroid dosage) and makes weight loss difficult. Your profile picture does not indicate you're a person with an extra 23 lbs of body weight....
    • Posts: 662 Member
      are you taking any medications?
    • Posts: 78 Member
      I agree that you should talk to a nutritionist.....you definitely shouldn't be gaining. I do think you're not getting enough calories...I think 1400-1600 for your height/weight is WAY TOO LITTLE...your body could be holding onto the fat because it's in starvation mode, which might explain why you're not losing. I would do more research or get a second opinion to make sure there's nothing medical going on, but I think you're calorie goal is too low.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      Have they tested for hypothyroidism? It certainly makes me gain (despite best efforts to the contrary - when not at my correct synthroid dosage) and makes weight loss difficult. Your profile picture does not indicate you're a person with an extra 23 lbs of body weight....

      I weighed 146lbs in that picture. I'm currently at 173lbs sadly. That pic was taken in december.
    • Posts: 416 Member
      This site tells you to eat 2200 calories a day? I am kind of near your height and weight, and need 1200?? I am trying to diet rather than maintain, but I can't imagine it would go up that much for maintenance.

      If you've selected a goal of losting 2 pounds a week then yes, it would go up that much for maintenance (500 calories/day deficit to lose one pound a week, 1000 calories/day deficit to lose 2 pounds a week).
    • Posts: 196 Member
      are you taking any medications?

      nothing aside from birth control pills
    • Posts: 1,828 Member
      Based on your info, I would start at 1500 calories as a net baseline.
      Hold this for 2 weeks, then weigh in.
      If no weight loss, then I'd lower it 100, and go another 2 weeks. And so on.
      Sometimes we need to experiment to find our zone.
      Good Luck.
    • Posts: 1,046 Member
      What did you set your activity level at? How much exercise are you getting?
      I'm about your height and my target is 1200-1300 depending on how fast I set my target loss. I add to that with exercise and eat back most of my exercise calories.
      Are you still measuring or just estimating portions?
    • Posts: 114 Member
      I agree that you should consult with another physician. Was your: thyroid level checked?, C-reactive protein level checked? Have you noticed one particular area being swollen, for example; your abdomen?
    • Posts: 196 Member
      What did you set your activity level at? How much exercise are you getting?
      I'm about your height and my target is 1200-1300 depending on how fast I set my target loss. I add to that with exercise and eat back most of my exercise calories.
      Are you still measuring or just estimating portions?


      I measure when I can. Sometimes it's not possible though.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      I agree that you should consult with another physician. Was your: thyroid level checked?, C-reactive protein level checked? Have you noticed one particular area being swollen, for example; your abdomen?

      Both of those levels were recently checked. And I honestly wouldn't notice my abdomen being swollen with my stomach being as large as it is.
    • Posts: 3
      I took a look at your diary, and I couldn't help but notice you don't update every day. Is it possible there are things you are consuming that aren't making it into your diary? I know it seems like a silly question, but if you are putting milk in your coffee, or maybe not measuring the amounts of food you eat (either using weight or measuring cups/spoons), it is absolutely possible that you are consuming more than your goal without even knowing it. Another thing I noticed is a lack of protein--protein is what keeps you full, and keeps you from being tempted to munch on sugary or starchy snacks. When I started taking out the kitchen scale before putting anything in my mouth, I started seeing results.

      Good luck :) mfp is a wonderful tool, be truthful to yourself and, barring any unknown health conditions that effect metabolism and hormones, you will see results.
    • Posts: 1,046 Member
      Wow, your tracking is wildly all over the map! Four hours of walking one day, 2 hours other days, nothing for a week, food tracking with nothing some days, 300 calories others, and then the target amounts on other days. Not my business, but what are you not recording? Usually I suggest trying different things, but as you say, you've been trying a variety of things, and your records are wild, I suggest trying something a bit more consistent and recording it for a bit.
      Hard to make a more specific suggestion with that sort of information.
      Good luck!
    This discussion has been closed.

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Quick Links

    Categories