What am I doing wrong? Something obviously because it ain't happening!!

[Polgara2]

I desperately want to lose 2-2.5 stone but appear to be incapable of doing it

I have been trying to do it via calorie counting but am now wondering if I should maybe try weight watchers?

I definitely don't overeat but maybe I'm still not doing it right. Oh and I don't think it's helping very much that I am menopausal and have thyroid problems!

Has anyone successfully managed to lose weight whilst on thyroxine and hrt? If so how?

I feel so down about it all. I am putting off buying holiday clothes (because I can't fit into the ones I've got) in the vain hope that something will work but I've been trying for months to no avail. I hate looking at myself. I've always been slim so am really struggling with how not slim I am now.

I am on thyroxine and have lost 8kg in 3 months. You can do it! (Sorry can only provide motivation as am not very good at the science behind weight loss) good luck :)

Are you sure your thyroid is optimally medicated? It is notoriously difficult to lose weight until you reach that point.

I gained weight on every diet I tried until I got my dose right,

I'm on thyroxine and am apparently optimally medicated. Have been doing blood sugar diet for nearly 11 weeks and have lost 10lbs, with some interruptions. It's great and very sustainable; I've not been incredibly strict - more just changed my way of eating. I'm 49.

Well I've recently upped my thyroxine * I've not had my blood test yet to see if it's optimised. I still don't feel 'right' but that's a whole other story!

tobee I don't know what the blood sugar diet is but I will have a look. Well done great weight loss!

potterhead13 what diet did you do? That's brilliant well done!

I'm sorry I definitely typed pleasemrstweedle in there but don't know what happened

If you go to big/slim/whatever boards on mumsnet and then to fasting/5:2 you'll find our current thread.

Also, it can take a while to feel right (and lose weight) even when optimised. I'm afraid patience might be the name of the game for now.

I've just done calorie counting and exercise making sure my calories were in at least 500 deficit every day

Can you provide more detail? How much are you eating? A calorie deficit of 500 does it for me, like the pp.

I aim for a pound a week, using MFP.

I've lost and I'm on the levothyroxine, however it's been a slow burn. 1lb a week at best, but it all adds up - that was on SW. I'm now doing IF as well to boost it up 🙂(I hope)

I think it's harder when menopausal anyway......

I'm on 50mg of levothyroxine and managed to lose 4st in nine months. I had to count calories and in the end worked on weekly averages (no more than 12k calories in a week). I also started running as well as other types of exercise :)

I'm post menopausal, and on thyroxine (have had a thyroidectomy). I've lost 20 lbs in 10 weeks on the low carb bootcamp (there are treads on here)

Ok so typical foods for me :

Breakfast - nothing, Jordan's cereal bar or granola depending on what I'm doing that day.

Lunch - multigrain crackers with a bit of grated cheese; salad sandwich (whole meal bread) or salad flatbread. Occasionally a toastie but I try not to eat too much bread.

Tea - ww meal, soup, ham or chicken salad. If I've cooked something like spag Bol for everyone else I'll have it with cauliflower rice or a very small amount of spaghetti, or maybe just meat and veg without the potatoey bit. I don't eat huge portions and I can't eat spicy or herby foods, has to be relatively plain really.

Snacks - handful of dates, packet of skips, apple, banana, go ahead biscuits, cereal bar, kitkat.

I drink decaf tea no sugar skimmed milk or decaf coffee small sugar skimmed milk frequently.

I'm currently on 100 mg thyroxine and hrt patches.

I try and go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week but I don't always manage it.

When I've logged it into mfp I vary between under 1000 and around 1300 typically.

Between March and now I have lost between 5 and 3 lbs depending on the day as it fluctuates daily.

You are all doing brilliantly so it obviously can be done - just not by me so far clearly!

Hm. I'm no expert but I'd be constantly starving on that diet - and in fact gained most of my weight eating similarly. My blood sugar would be careering all over the place with the amount of carbs.

I think the basic science we need to grasp is that 'a calorie is not a calorie' - medication can interfere but also so can physiology, and the science of fat/insulin/leptin plus all other hormonal interactions within the body. You could lose weight more effectively, I'd imagine, if you change the type of calories you eat. For me, that means eating more fat calories and protein calories and significantly fewer carb calories. I have PCOS (so a hormonal condition) and this is the only way I can even maintain my weight let alone lose weight. I'd suggest you do some reading/research from some reputable sources and really begin to understand the how and why of fat storage and loss.

This book is very interesting, although quite challenging to read and understand, although there are myriad books out there.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A626UYW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?encoding=UTF8&btkr=11__
_
And also this as refered to by tobee up thread
http://theroybooks.com/The-8-Week-Blood-Sugar-Diet-Lose-weight-fast-and-reprogramme-your-body-eBookk_p_30.html

I would say you're eating far too many carbs with the bread, cereal, crackers & fruit (and pasta when you have it). Even if they are small portions it can still hinder weight loss. I found my weight loss plateaued when I was still eating carbs, and now that I've cut them out (other than one carby snack per day) I'm losing 1.5 pounds per week without making any other changes. Try upping your protein and fats and cutting your carbs right down and you'll probably be surprised at how much easier it is. Things like bananas are full of carbs

I also think that your snacks might be causing you to struggle to lose weight. Your menu is quite high carb despite not eating bread/potato, but your snack choices will rocket your insulin levels. A few dates will raise your blood sugar more than 2 punnets of strawberries. Grazing on high sugar foods, even 'healthy' ones, will mean you have a permanently high level of insulin, and when there's insulin in your bloodstream you are storing fat not burning it. (Very simplified explanation!)
The first thing I would do would be switch your carb snacks for fat/protein snacks to try to prevent that.

Have you considered the low carb high fat way of eating? Would suit your liking for plainish food and is great for stabilising blood sugars and keeping you full.

Contrary to the other posters, with my underactive thyroid I have found keeping my carbs at between 40-50%, my fats around 20% and my protein around 20-30% I have managed to lose weight quicker than low carb. On a low carb diet my body will crave sugar at the end of the day and I will end up binging. Good luck

Ok so re-educate - what is a calorie? What is a carb? Then lessen my carb intake when I've discovered what they are.

I have happily trooped through life not needing to even consider these things until recently so apologies if I'm seeming a little dense! I think part of my problem is clearly not knowing what to eat and not having the imagination to think of them. Tbh that was one of the reasons I was considering weight watchers as in being told what to eat.

Would anyone mind just posting a few examples of what they ate to achieve the fab weight loss you mention? Just to give me an idea.

potterhead113 I am also interested in what you ate to work out those ratios?

Thank you all - it is helping me immensely and giving me hope!

Breakfast - 2 rashers of reduced fat bacon, 2 fried eggs, mushrooms & tomato.

Snack - pot of protein Arla yogurt with 1tbsp chia seeds on top.

Lunch - Either a salad (halloumi and roast veggies usually) or stir fry with prawns and veg. I don't have rice or noodles with it, just the veg.

Snack - protein drink or bar

Dinner - spag Bol made with turkey mince and I have courgetti instead of pasta. Or a quorn chilli with cauliflower rice (most supermarkets sell it in pots now). Or something like a salmon or steak fillet with asparagus, carrots and peas.

Dessert - options hot chocolate and a Freddo (only 90 calories) or a bowl of strawberries and 1 scoop of ice cream.

I also drink about 2.5 litres of water each day and walk about 3 miles. I've been losing 1.5 pounds per week every week eating like this.
I do allow for one cheat meal per week too where I might go out for dinner and order something indulgent, or I'll get a takeaway. Other than that I'm very strict and don't stray from the plan.
I've had to learn a lot of willpower at work as if there's a box of chocolates on the table I now won't have any (or just one if I'm having a particularly stressful day ha)

Very similar to Teddy (in some ways)

• Breakfast - small bowl of GF Rice Crispis with sugar free almond milk, and a piece of fruit
• Snack - fruit

-Lunch - those thin bagels with cream cheese and a slice of ham

• Snack - fruit

-Dinner- whatever everybody else is having. if fatty and "unhealthy" I just have a smaller portion, trying to no go above the 600 cal limit

• Dessert 2 prunes and fat free greek yogurt

• I do drink coffee throughout the day (anything between 3 - 6 cups a day)
• I graze on pecan nuts, boiled cauliflower/broccoli and cherry tomatoes

On Saturdays I don't count calories at all, and o n Sundays I try to live within a 2000 limit.

-Sometimes I have the odd (small) glass of wine or half a pint of cider on weekdays.

I always eat the same for breakfast and lunch and I've found that really helps me :)

Like the PP I pretty much always eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch - I like not having to think about it.

To low carb I don't eat bread, rice, pasta, potatoes or fruit. Obviously cut out sweets, crisps, chocolate etc..

B: 2 boiled eggs
L: plate of veg sticks with some hummus

D: what every one else is eating but minus the carbs and replaced with more veg or salad.

I rarely snack but when I do it's veg or slices of proper (white) meat.