Who else has an 'awesome ' metabolism?

[goforkyourself]

Seriously, I could be chained to a radiator for a year and only lose half a stone. This may appear lighthearted but I'm actually at the end of my tether now, I really believe there's something wrong with me.

I'm 5'6 and weigh 12 stone so need to lose two stone. A week ago I thought 'that's it, I'm knuckling down and getting rid of the flab'. This week my diet has consisted of:

No breakfast (live in a hot country so no way I can eat at 6am)
Two apples and a banana at work
Carrot sticks and houmous at 4pm
Portion of chilli con veggie at 8pm after the gym

I've PUT ON A FUCKING POUND and would actually cry if it wasn't so ridiculous. I don't eat bread, pasta, rice, chocolate, crisps, potatoes, biscuits, cheese and barely any meat. My veggie chilli was full of lentils and kidney beans which has made me poo three times a day. I drink black coffee with no sugar. I drink alcohol on a Saturday night only but this time it was vodka with diet coke instead of wine.

I exercise five times a week (2 x Pilates classes and 3 x cardio and weights) My job is in retail/sales but not stuck at a desk; I'm up and down all day lifting and moving really heavy items.

No one believes how little I eat in a day and I get the 'Oh but your body is in starvation mode and you need to eat more' lectures. No I don't, that's how I put on the weight in the first place!

Examples of my crappy metabolism:

When I was a baby I apparently refused to eat so my mother took me to the doctor. He took one look at me (huge chubby baby with rolls of fat) and said 'Well, she's not exactly wasting away is she?'

When I was a child I didn't eat as I hated my mum's cooking so much (No rolls of fat but wasn't skinny)

In my twenties used to live on 600kals a day (with exercise) but never dropped below 8 stone 12.

A few years ago I tried the proper Atkins diet, literally stuck to it by the book (the only carbs I had was one tomato) and I put on 3lbs in a week.

If I go out for a meal I eat half the food, doggy bag the rest and never eat dessert.

WTF is wrong with me?

Do you put on weight if you eat more?

Sorry pressed send too soon. If you were to eat say 1800 cals a day would you gain? Or do you just not lose?

The reason I ask is because 12 stone may be your set weight. Are you fit and healthy? Why do you want to be lighter? Is it health, aesthetics etc?

On a practical note have you had your thyroid checked and are you on hormonal contraceptives and/or anti depressants? Obviously if you are I'm not suggesting you stop them of course!!!!! But may be worth a drs check up if you really are eating that little.

I do sympathise - my set weight is around 10 10 which is around 10lbs more than I would like (which is initsrlf top end of my bmi) but I find i have to go on starvation rations to get below this.

Yes that's how the weight has crept on, bread and cheese etc. I wasn't doing it every day, just twice a week. What's confused me is that now I've cut all the shit out I'm putting more weight on.

People say you should eat breakfast but if I do it makes me so hungry by 11am I can't concentrate at work. I've tried the protein (eggs/omelette) and slow releasing carbs (porridge) but it just stimulates my appetite.

I do actually believe I'm some kind of medical freak

Phyliss, if I ate 1800 cals a day I'd be 20 stone! I'm fit and healthy but want to be two stone lighter. I look awful, my clothes don't fit me and I worry about blood pressure and pre diabetes.

There's nothing wrong with my thyroid (I think?) I'm not on the pill or depressed, I just have a shit metabolism!

I would say if you don't want breakfast don't eat it tbh. Eat when you are hungry not when you think you should. There are too many conflicting guidelines and approaches that it's just not possible to follow them all and if breakfast doesn't suit it doesn't suit.

Porridge gets touted as the best breakfast ever by loads of people but I get the same as you - hungry way earlier than if I just have a cup of tea and a small banana or a boiled egg which is half the calories probably.

It is shit though. At 5 6 and 12 stone whilst a bit overweight, I'd suggest not massively. Is there anyway you could take 6 months just to maintain and accept it? Just to get out of the mindset of dieting?

I'm not menopausal or close so can't even blame that. I've had this issue all my life and it just fucking depresses me at times. I've eaten like a rabbit this week and put on weight.

Maybe I've got some kind of superpower?

Phyllis thank you You are being so nice and supportive! But no, I need to get rid of the 2 stone. I'm miserable and depressed and hate my reflection.

Some people wish they had that superpower.

Super power to never lose weight?

It's actually a joke amongst my friends now:

You need to eat more
You need to eat breakfast
You need to eat more carbs
You need to eat more protein
You need to eat prune juice
You need to join a gym
You need to do zumba
You need to go vegan
You need to fast
You need to run

I feel for you. Do you think a blood test would reveal any clues?

A couple of things I learnt when trying from Weight Watchers:

1. weight loss can often be 'A week behind'. So if you suddenly start eating healthy this week, don't be discouraged if the loss doesn't show until the following week. Once you keep it up you should hopefully start seeing it each week
2. I know you said you don't like eating breakfast but seriously the reason it makes you feel hungry afterwards is because it kick starts your metabolism.

This won't be a popular suggestion but it works for me, have you thought of looking into fasting? Do your research first though. I would recommend Jason Fungs book to understand the principles but I find it really easy now. Also as pp said don't feel you have to stick to societies rules on eating. I have never eaten breakfast and sometimes eat lunch at 11am and sometimes at 3pm. Just eat when you're hungry.

Main thing is to keep going more than a week - a week is nothing. If you are still not losing after say 4-6 weeks, then start worrying.

Don’t give up after a week. Things that could have resulted in a pound gain are where you are in your cycle (some people gain pre period and/or ovulation), extra hot weather, change in exercise routine, eating more the week before in anticipation of starting to diet, constipation.

A week, though demoralising is very early days and you can sometimes get huge fluctuations over the course of it. Give it a month, then see where you are at and maybe it would be the for blood test just to check everything ok if you haven’t lost anything by then, but fingers crossed you will.

A week ago I thought 'that's it, I'm knuckling down and getting rid of the flab'....

A week is nothing.

Aside from the fact that healthy eating should be a long-term way of life not a short term solution, weigh yourself again in 3 months of eating healthily and see the effect.

Also:

• pay attention to the time of day you weigh yourself. You will always be lightest as soon as you wake in the morning, after using the toilet. You will probably increase in weight by 4 or 5 pounds during the day, so be a fair amount heavier in the evening. This is normal and natural. Compare like-for like-for, so only weigh yourself at the same time of day.

• Likewise pay attention to the effect your menstrual cycle has on weight. You retain water in weeks 1 and 3 of your cycle.

• short term calorie count (Just for a couple of weeks to a month) in order to take full responsibility for your calorie intake. It teaches you portion control. After a few weeks, this should become automatic so you don't need to count.

• watch portion sizes. A double portion of healthy foods still has double the calories than a proper portion. Just because it's healthy doesn't stop it having calories.

• be honest with your calorie logging all day, all week. You could be wasting calories on needless snacks. Or assuming you deserve a "treat" and blowing the daily calorie deficit you built up. Or similarly over the week - build up a big weekly deficit to lose weight, then blow it all on alcohol and crap at the weekend.