Totally fed up. 57 and can't lose weight on 1000 cals a day! Is there any point dieting if you don't want injections!

[Suenami]

I am feeling totally miserable about my weight and wondering what the point of trying to diet is when everyone seems to be on the injections and losing tons of weight.

At Christmas I was about 2 stone overweight. I'm 57 and menopausal. Since then I've lost 10lbs through calorie counting and upping my exercise - I broke my shoulder last year and then cracked a bone in my foot, so I've been limited in what I can do.

For the last 2 months I have - as evidenced by MFP - eaten between 800 and 1200 calories a day and I've started walking briskly for 30 mins a day. I've lost 1lb.

I keep gaining and losing the same pound, I'm eating very little and not eating until 12.30pm. I don't drink during the week and often not at the weekend.

And I've just seen photos of myself and I look huge.

My friend is on Wegovy and has lost nearly 3 stone in the last few months. I dont want and can't afford injections but feel totally miserable.

Why is my body doing this??? I've kept a log of MFP and about 8 years ago I did a few months at 1400 cals a day and lost a stone! If I ate 1400 calories a day now I would put on weight. I'm on HRT.

I eat healthily, loads of green veg, protein etc. Ironically I am happier and more energetic than I've been for ages, until I think about my weight!

The only thing that has changed is that I've changed my HRT. I was originally on the 1mg pills but changed to oesteogel and utrogestan. Since then my weight has piled on. But obviously with the broken bones I just assumed it was lack of exercise.

That’s a very low amount of calories. If you’re eating around 500 calories under your TDEE you must be starving. Your body needs a lot of support after what it’s been through recently with the injuries 🤕

Your body doesn’t know that you want it to lose fat, it has so many processes to spend energy on that fat-loss isn’t even on its list. Your body will be trying to get everything done with the amount of calories it’s being given, but will have to scrimp - maybe on the strength of your nails, who knows, your body is in charge of how calories are spent.

It won’t be prioritising losing fat, if you’re so under your TDEE, your body will try to hold on to the stores so it will be able to keep vital systems running.

Maybe eat your TDEE calories for a while, give your body the confidence that it will have all of the micro- and macro-nutrients it needs to run things smoothly. Make sure food isn’t over-processed and eat things full of nutrients and see what happens.

This is the thing - I have lots of energy. My hair is thick. My skin is glowing in fact people have commented on it! I'm coping really well with a demanding college course. I'm sleeping really well. Everything is fab except my huge meno belly, boobs and hips!

Calculate your calorie goal on the James Smith Academy calculator, it’s good and accurate. Then eat within that religiously for a bit. You can eat loads more than you think, with lean as a mainstay, but nothing wrong with carbs either. Also look at Ben Carprnter and the fitness chef on social media: both sources of sensible advice

That's great, that your body is ticking everything off its list with a deficit of 500 calories a day, but I’d suggest keeping an eye on things, because it’s a third of your daily needs that you’re not getting.

I did think that, but then there are people following the 800 diet and feeling fab, so that seems to disprove that theory

I am the same - except I'm 59 and down to 800 cals with plenty of exercise. I've been like this since my 30s.

I have seen a specialist who helpfully told me that I am built for famine! He actually said - good genes mean I'd survive a holocaust! My body is efficient and will adapt to what I give it. Hence I reduce calories and my body goes "ok cool, we can work with this". He did loads of health checks and basically said not to be unduly concerned as my health is excellent and whilst my weight might be considered unhealthy there was no indication it was causing any issues. He said there was no point in any interventions as they all involve supressing appetite or intake and I did not need that. He also believed me about what I was eating which no-one else had, he said things like my BP and my fitness levels would not be at those levels if I was eating crap or over eating. Also said everyone has a different MPG, you don't get the same fuel economy in a porsche as a fiat500 so to suggest that 1000 cals is a weight loss intake for everyone is wrong. Discharged me. This was about a decade ago but it all made sense and I am still same.

I was told by a trainer to look at whether I have a hormal imbalance so get all of that checked - she specifically mentioned cortisol - might be worth a try? Not got round to it yet.

My DD has anorexia, we have to be very careful about messages around food and calories in the house and we have thrown away the scales so I no longer worry about my own weight but I saw your post and just thought I'd chuck my experience in there

Thanks that is really interesting and seems very similar to how I feel about myself!

Maybe I need to start doing some weights and just concentrate on my fitness rather than how fat I look in photos.

@WindyAnna I am broad shouldered and strong, blonde. I think I'm part Viking! Probably built to be a warrior or something

I'm 31 and the same. I cannot lose weight on over 800 calories a day.
I am on Wegovy injections but sometimes it doesn't work as i go over the 800, ideally for me to lose weight i need to be on 600 - 800 max calories a day only.. Its so strange!!!!

Absolutely, but for no longer than 12 weeks. I hope you find what works best for you 🙂

I think people on Wegovy etc seem to eat 800 to a 1000 calories as well.

I don't think I believe that your body holds onto fat if you eat too little, tbh. When I ate 1400 calories a day my weight went steadily up and up. Although I seem to be a medical marvel and not in a good way.

I read somewhere that our bodies feel comfortable at a certain weight.This is why its so hard to shift! How much water do you drink? Sometimes we can feel thirsty ,and mistake it for hunger apparently.I was at slimming world for a while and they had a lot of information (apparently even peas and beans contain calories )

You don’t have to believe it. I don’t ‘believe’ it, it just makes sense that the last thing the body would give up is a store of energy that will keep it alive. I just made the point that your body doesn’t know you want it to burn some specific fat.

Do you want to use the injections or do you just want to be cross that others are having an easier time, because that’s okay too.

Do you or your kids have any dumbbells You can use?@Suenami

There are some good “low impact workouts” on YouTube. I have MS and when it flares up I still try and stay active.

Be really honest for a week, weigh everything, log everything as you eat/drink it so there is nothing forgotten, get out and walk 3 miles a day or even do it twice if you can - I have to do quite a lot of exercise to get to my 800 active calories a day.

There is no evidence that HRT makes you gain weight, three years from 54 to 57 won't have any significant affect on your ability to lose weight - you probably just think it was easier then, when it probably wasn't any different to today.

Pretty convinced you aren't a medical mystery, there is no strange chemical imbalance happening because you changed your HRT and getting three years older hasn't affected you that much :) I see this ALL THE TIME where people think they're being really strict and they may well be for say 5 days a week but then sneak in a few things over the weekend or guess the calories of something and that just ups your overall calorie intake for the week. A 1-3lb increase overnight is not fat, it is just normal body fluctuations - salt in a pizza etc.

I have always averaged my calories over a week and reduce to maybe 1200 for a few days if I am going out for dinner at the weekend and might go up on those days.

You will lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit. Setting that too low means it’s too hard to stick to. There’s no mystery.

Yes, this!

"There is no evidence that HRT makes you gain weight"

I think there's loads of anecdotal evidence, which of course is dismissed as just a load of greedy women moaning!

I willl leave the weight loss advice to others, but not all of us are on injections. I am not and hope never to be. It's hard. Walking isn't enough for me, but I guess when you are able to exercise, it will get easier.

I have lost a stone and a half at slimming world. My group is about 80% women over 50 and every one of us who stays to group generally loses at least half a pound a week. I’ve had times when I’ve hit a plateau for a couple of weeks, but with some tweaks to my diet I can get back into weight loss again. I never eat less than about 1000 calories a day and make sure I exercise for at least an hour most days. It’s helpful to have some accountability as I can easily kid myself I’ve eaten less than I think I have.

Think you need to do a bit more reading on HRT :)

HRT sets your body back to it's pre-menopausal metabolic state and therefore many women find they lose weight on HRT, I have found weight loss a lot easier since taking HRT than the few years prior to taking it.

Progesterone can sometimes cause fluid retention but this isn't fat gain.

Up to you though, we can all continue to find excuses, think we're a medical mystery etc, but the simple facts are unless you have a underlying medical condition which is causing the weight gain, you are not in a calorie deficit for your height and weight and once you find the right balance of calorie output versus calorie input you won't lose weight.

Don't go down the injection route.. try to combine calorie counting with intermittent fasting and only 2 meals a day

Yes. That seems to be under 1000 calories a day at the moment!

I think you are right and I need to do more exercise. I think I've lost a lot of confidence as my broken bones were awkward and painful. I think I might need a personal trainer for a few sessions. Expensive but I don't really trust myself enough to do it alone.

Reduce calorie intake to 800 ever day and you will lose weight.