Really Struggling to loose weight

[TheCowWentMoo]

I have always weighed the same ever since i was around 14 years old (around 9 1/2 stone), however over summer I gained a lot of weight very quickly, around 1 1/2 stone in 6 wks.

Every previous occasion I've gained weight I've just cut back a bit on what I'm eating and gone right back down to 9 1/2 stone, butI'm really struggling this time to loose even a pound. I've been trying since September and so far I've managed 4 pounds, however in this last week I've put on two pounds, so net weight loss is 2 pounds in about 10 weeks! I'm so fed up of my clothes not fitting me

Ive upped my exercise so Im doing around 2 hrs more exercise a week than i used to, I do around 4 hrs, I always walk at least 10,000 steps a day. I know Im not crazy active but im not sedentary either.

Ive cut back on what Im eating, at first I cut back just a bit but Ive cut back a lot more recently and I barely ever drink alcohol, I'm exercising more but Im not loosing any weight.

Today Ive eaten:
2 eggs for breakfast (poached), chicken sandwich for lunch with 2 satsumas + tomatos
dinner: Jacket potato with Tuna, cheese and salad. And an advent calendar chocolate. This is very typical of what Ive been eating for the last 3 wks and Ive lost nothing in that time and gained 2 pounds!

I feel really depressed at the thought that this is what I have to eat for the rest of my life to maintain a weight of 11st, let alone to get back to my normal weigh. Where am I going wrong?

Firstly, would it be a good idea to consult your doctor? If your weight gain was sudden and not linked to a change in diet or lifestyle, it would be worth getting this checked out in case there is an underlying cause.

It's difficult to judge what you've eaten because you don't specify portion size and whether your sandwich/jacket included things like mayonnaise or butter. It doesn't sound like masses, however I would (very tentatively) say that a chicken salad at lunch might be less fattening than a sandwich, and tuna or cheese with the jacket, but not both - and if mayonnaise/butter was included, you might want to either cut this out or minimise the amount you use.

• Also, you haven't mentioned what you've drunk during the day - too many sugary drinks (including undiluted fruit juice) can cause weight gain, so stay away from full-sugar soft drinks, and mix fruit juice liberally with water. Some coffee-shop drinks can be full of fat and sugar too, so stick to plain tea or coffee. Alcoholic drinks are also very sugary, so if you drink alcohol, try to minimise this or cut it out altogether if you can.

Too many carbs. Protein and fat are what you need for weight loss. Ditch the bread and spuds (and rice and pasta and fruit).

I only really drink water during the day, never fruit juice or coke or anything, I drink Tea and coffee with semi skimmed milk around 3 a day but I dont buy these out. I drink alcohol maybe once a month?

In terms of portions sandwich was two slices of a small loaf of bread, with one slice chicken breast about 6 slices cucumbe, some lettuce and low fat mayo, no butter. Jacket potato had 20g cheese (measured out) and did have low fat mayo in the tuna. SUppose I could just get rid of mayo.

Ive been trying to eat normally but just cut out unecessary things like crisps, chocolate fruit juice etc. but its clearly not working.

The weigh gain I think was stress relate plus I was doing no exercise, Im a student and had exams so I was mostly sitting inside all day just revising.

Your diet sounds fairly healthy, but I agree about cutting out the low-fat mayo (and any other processed products marketed as 'low fat) - the problem with low-fat versions of things is that the fat is often replaced with various forms of disguised sugar! Have you tried keeping a food diary (or using an app to track what you eat)? That might show where you are adding most calories and could enable you to make some healthy food swaps.

Re. putting on a couple of pounds in a week - bear in mind your weight can fluctuate due to level of hydration, hormonal factors etc. It's the overall trajectory which is important and it sounds as though yours is downward, which is good.

I would still recommend seeing your doctor if what you're experiencing isn't normal for you - there are (treatable) conditions that can cause unexplained weight gain and it would be worth ruling them out.

Yeah, I agree its probably a good idea to cut out low fat mayo anyway. I've tried my fitness pal, I'm nor very good at sticking to it if I'm honest but when I do use it I end up around 1200kcal a day, I will try it again starting tomorrow. I do lots of home cooking and its really easy to just add a bit of butter or extra cheese etc. I suppose and it does add up.
I think I will go to the Dr, but cant get an appt now till after Christmas. I'm worried that over Christmas I'm going to gain any weight I've lost back. Maybe my metabolism has just crashed? I'm used to eating a lot more than I am at the moment really.

Butter, cheese, full fat mayo, full fat milk, double cream and full fat Greek yogurt are your friends. I’ve lost 4 stone in 10 months on low carb, high fat.

You know your own body and if eating like this before you lost weight but thatmusnt workung now id see your doctor for a thyroid test. I wasnt tested or treated for a year for underactive thyroid and put on 4.5 stone. I just wish i had made more of a fuss about it with the doc but there were other issues at the same time, chronic migraines being one.

Sorry not,to panic you, just been a really big issue for me and can be a simple blood test to rule it out

Unicorn81 is spot on. Other than a health issue, I don't think your metabolism would just crash - it can slow down as you get older (as I well know) but that doesn't happen within the space of a few months.

I think you need to be meticulous in keeping track of the extras - as you say, they all add up.

A low carb approach is also an option as Titty says - there are some good threads on here if you want to try that type of diet - but I would see the doc first and get checked out, as your weight gain does sound unusually rapid, and if you're eating 1200 cals a day and exercising, I'm surprised you haven't got back to your old weight.

Just one other thing - you haven't mentioned your height - have you checked that your BMI isn't still within the healthy range? If you're fairly tall, 11 stone might not actually be overweight, although I know it's more than you were used to maintaining your weight at.

Not to be crude, but how are your bowels? Are you opening them regularly?

Are you taking any iron tablets etc that may cause constipation?

Also, are you menopausal? It can be more difficult to control weight around this time.

I'm thinking I will give low carb ago, its more the ease of carbs rather than the actual enjoyment I get. The only thing is potatoes really.
unicorn thanks, I will get my thyroid tested, I wondered a bit when I gained the weight but put it down to exams.

screaming I'm 5'7, I think its just in the healthy range so its not the end of the world, its more that my clothes dont fit etc.

usernom I'm only 23 so I hope Im not menopausal, bowels also working fine

Titty what do you eat at breakfast if you are low carb? I think lunch, dinner etc. I will be fine but just thinking of convenient breakfast foods that aren't toast based

Low carb breakfast ideas:
Full fat Greek yoghurt and fruit / nuts
Eggs - scrambled or poached egg & smoked salmon, avocado, tomatoes, ham, etc.

I don’t eat breakfast. I have full fat Greek yogurt with frozen berries and a spoonful of ground flaxseed somewhere between 11am and 2pm most weekdays.

Sometimes an omelette or hard boiled eggs if I fancy a change.