See a doctor? Gaining on 800 kcals a day

[Perfectos]

Name changed for this.

my weight ballooned over the last 4 years (size 8 to 14). The GP insisted it was due to my desk job/ lifestyle. I tried everything to budge it (diet / exercise) and no luck. Finally tried Mounjaro a month ago. I’ve been weighing and tracking my calories, average 800 a day, never over 1,200. I’m sedentary (about 5000 steps a day average) but not ridiculously so as I work from an office and have two school runs. After a month on Mounjaro I’ve gained a kg. It just doesn’t seem right, but I can’t face another useless appointment with the GP.

for context, I’m south Asian, 5’2”, 75 kg, 39. Don’t think I’m peri (no other symptoms really). I’m in a rush to loose weight because of joint issues the GP attributes to my weight. Mum and sister have thyroid issues but my blood tests were clear a year ago.

Mounjaro doesn't make you gain weight, so something is definitely awry. If you are certain of your calorie tracking (weighing, measuring, not guesstimating etc) then I would think that you'll need to see the GP again. I'd be armed with a detailed food diary so the GP won't waste time asking you to do that.

Do your joint issues prevent you from exercising? Are you able to do any muscle building exercises, like weight training or resistance exercises?

Are you measuring and accounting for every since thing that you are putting into your mouth? I follow few people on instagram that show the hidden calories that we consume with out thinking. Things like a drizzle of olive oil on a salad etc. It has really made me more mindful of what I am eating and is helping me lose weight.

Nope something must be wrong. I can't see how you can gain weight on 800 calories a day.

I think I’m measuring annd weighing everything but that’s why I’ve aimed for 800, just in case I’m missing anything. I don’t think I ate too much before, but Mounjaro has stopped me snacking / picking up kids leftovers. It’s slightly tricky, as I’m cooking from scratch for every meal, so may not get the tracking exactly right I suppose.

Yes they do, which has been the hardest part of it all. I used to run regularly but developed ankle, hip and knee pain at the same time as weight gain. Due to an ankle injury I’ve been told to avoid running etc. admittedly, I haven’t been strength training for the last 4 months (and intermittent before then) - would that make this much difference?

Are you taking any medication OP? I absolutely ballooned on mental health meds (though I am losing on MJ)

Have you taken measurements? My first thought is that your scales are not accurate or reliable.

Are you counting calories in drinks?

is someone secretly putting lard in your toothpaste??

It definitely sounds a bit strange.

as the previous poster said, it’s a great idea to do a really detailed food diary for a week or so before you go - so they can’t tell you that you are overdoing your calories and dismiss you

make sure you having 2 litres of water every day.

only hidden calories I can suggest are posh coffees (Starbucks type things) which often have a shocking amount in- easy to think it’s just a coffee and put away a few hundred!

if you are totally sure of your calorie and portion sizes - definitely dr next step 🙂

I don’t think exercise is an issue, I was rather wondering whether adding in some strength training might help. But if you are gaining weight whilst eating 800 cals a day, then there must be one of two things going on. One, you’re not accurately tracking calories and eating more than you realise. Or, there’s a medical issue and the weight gain is not fat but something else, which needs investigation.

Could you possible be pregnant?

You say your thyroid results were clear, but what tests were actually done? You need TSH, T4 and T3 tests as a minimum, but most GP surgeries only do TSH and T4 if you're really lucky. It can be a bit of a fight to get a T3 test done.

Also, our TSH range goes a lot of higher than many other countries, so if you're at the top end of that scale, then whilst your GP may be satisfied that really isn't an optimal result.

I put on 4 stone at the beginning of my thyroid 'journey'. My underactive thyroid is due to having Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune disease. And I paid for private blood tests (through medichecks) to get thyroid tests including antibody tests, which is how I knew. I've never had my antibodies checked on the NHS.

lol at the lard in my toothpaste, they’d have to be force feeding me in my sleep at this point ;) no medications. I only drink water and black coffee. Not sure which thyroid blood tests were done last time, just that they tested. I have about a fortnights detailed food diary already, will probably have a months worth by the time I get an appointment!

I’ve only gained a kg but just seems ridiculous on my diet. Thanks for everyone who responded, I half thought it was a combo of getting old/ being short/ being south Asian which was causing the weight gain so it’s been reassuring to hear others would go to the GP in this situation.

ill try some strength training as well until I can get an appointment.

it’s just quite galling to wake up hungry and eat so carefully and still gain weight

I did wonder if the joint flares were autoimmune. They were attributed to weight gain and overuse but I don’t particularly overuse my joints

Agree with @macandcheeseforthewine - get a private thyroid panel, especially given your family history. When I was found to have anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (in Australia, had not been tested for ABs in the UK) the doctor told me to suggest to any female siblings that they also get tested.

This is the test you want:

www.medichecks.com/products/advanced-thyroid-function-blood-test

10% off with THYROIDUK10

That test also includes CRP which is a general measure of inflammation.

It’s slightly tricky, as I’m cooking from scratch for every meal, so may not get the tracking exactly right I suppose.

This will be why. You need to be weighing and calculating every single thing. Then once made, weigh each portion so you know exactly how much you are eating. Also 800 cals seems rather low. How did you arrive at that?

I’m same height and similar in terms of exercise. I have rheumatoid arthritis that means I can’t do much exercise, strength training etc. I’m also half Asian. I find 1200calories is my maintenance calories and I can fluctuate 0.5-1kg if my 1200calories are particularly carb heavy :( I think this is water weight as that does come off quickly when I rebalance my carbs to protein intake.

On a strict 800calories I have been losing between 0.3-0.5kg per week. Sometimes I plateau for a few days (often if I’ve been carb heavy, particularly wheat variant!!) but it comes off in a whoosh a few days later.

just thought I’d share as I think we Asians can be quite carb sensitive and this might be what’s slowing down your progress. Also, Asian food can be quite oil rich so it might be hard to keep track of that side of it.

If you are like me then don’t worry. You’re doing the hard work which will pay off, just slower than people with different genetics to us x

You are not gaining on 800, its not possible unless you're a mouse

You're eating more than that

Its very very hard with batch cooking and cooking your own food. You have to weigh and measure everything and make sure you use the right information. Even on main government sites for example, working out different types of fresh chicken (bone in, skin on, weight differences) or salmon will have different results. Grains need to be carefully calculated from dry because of the way they increase once cooked and you cant work out what you've had.

I used to put recipes in MFP but it took a long time to make sure the ingredients were right, have you any idea for example of the differences in calculations for tins of coconut milk, nightmare. You have to check, double check and then check again. MFP has a mixture of user entries and manufacturer entries. I found other sites inaccurate as well.

If you're sharing that food with the family its hard to work out what you've had.

It’s just a kilo fgs, that’s not weight gain that’s a normal fluctuation. I would see a GP though because you are not eating properly and that has the potential to become very dangerous. Aiming for 800 calories a day is utter madness.

Mounjaro often does not start working until you get to a higher dose.
You are only on the very lowest which is actually only intended to start a slow introduction to avoid side effects, although some people have found it therapeutic at that dose.

Mounjaro had zero effect on me until I got to 7.5mg. Some people feel no change until they get to the maximum dose of 15mg.

Scales can easily fluctuate by a kilo.
Keep them in exactly the same spot and weigh at same time of day (ideally first thing in the morning after you have been to the loo and not drank or eaten.

Try the Nutracheck app to monitor your food and drink intake. Record everything and weigh it, don’t estimate.

If you keep gaining after a few months of this then I would speak to a GP.

Mounjaro Helps you eat less calories. OP is already doing this.

I hate to say it op,but the overwhelming likely hood is you are significantly under estimating your calorie intake , likely as you’re cooking from scratch, it’s going to be the oils and fats used to cook with and portion size. If you’re gaining you will be eating just over maintenance amount. Which can be very little food but due to the fats etc it just adds up.

People of south Asian heritage tend to develop type 2 diabetes and generally carry more fat as an adult (I’m part Asian and was thin but over 30% body fat). My super skinny cousins have diabetes now older.

there was a series ‘glucose goddess’ and it was explained there. It’s means you have to work harder to keep sugars stable, lose weight etc.

id really check thyroid if it’s in the family.

must be demoralising but I hope you can find answers.

I was similar at one point, was gaining 2lbs a week on 1350 calories (my tde is 1700).
Specialist endocrinologist made a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, pcos, hypothyroidism and I had to take some serious medication for a while to feel better. The weight naturally fell as my metabolism and endocrine system healed.