Can't lose weight - even with metformin

[Aquablue1324]

After having my two kids, I have put on 20kg, and I cannot shift it at all, no matter what I try. I'm even on 750mg of metformin twice a day and I can't lose a lb.

Getting really down about it now and just want to get healthy for my kids.

Any guidance or advice?

I suggest you read some of the mounjaro threads.

Epic weight loss going on.

Who has prescribed metformin for you and why?

Its not predominantly for weight loss and has different success rates for that. It can as a side effect support that, but it wont be as effective as other medications (if you are looking at weight loss medications specifically)

You also havent said over what period you have been trying to lose weight, a few days, a few weeks, a few months ?

You have to cut your calorie intake so that you are in deficit, you dont just use medications and expect to eat the same. You still have to eat less than you burn off, drug or no drug.

As someone who lost 35kg in a year I simply do not accept that anyone ‘can’t lose weight’.

If your your body’s energy intake, in the form of calories, is significantly less than the amount of energy it uses then over time you will lose weight. That is just basic physics.

Forget drugs. You don’t need them. Try Michael Mosely’s (RIP) Fast 800. Stick to it religiously. No alcohol. No snacks. Plus 10K steps a day, minimum. Plus gym, running, cycling, swimming, tennis whatever works for you. Just do it. If you stick to this regime, you will lose weight.

How long have you been on metformin? What was it prescribed for? What have you tried so far?

What are you eating?
How much are you eating?

I'm on metformin for insulin resistance, been on it for 18months. I just thought I would add this as it's known to be supportive of weight loss and I've still not lost weight.

I'm eat about 1600 calories a day, usually my fitness pal, started to cycle 2-3 times a week too.

Will keep going with the deficit and cycling, will at 10K steps a day in too and see how I get on.

Thanks everyone.

I hear ya OP.

I too need to lose about 20kg to get back to being an average human shape. (Not too thin, not too fat, just average!)

I've been on a calorie counting diet, with a tendency to low carb since Jan and I've lost about 4kg. For seven months of continued effort I think I should have seen more than this. I even started the injections in April and they haven't sped up the weight loss (but they have made it very easy to stick to my calories). I really don't want to go down in calories anymore, life is pretty boring always planning food or choosing food I don't really love.

I am very anaemic so can't do any exercise other than walking on the flat. It does seem very likely that something else is going on and my metabolism just isn't metabolising!

No suggestions just solidarity. I too, get all the "it's just physics" and "you must not be tracking everything". I don't even feel jealous of others, I just feel sad that I'm putting this much effort into something that isn't giving me the results I want.

I've lost 3 stone since last October, just by doing 16:8 & eating 2 meals a day. I have a large bowl of gazpacho for brunch around 1.00pm with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt & celery salt, then at teatime I have a small meal of protein, carbs & veg, then nothing else, just drink lots of liquid, I have soda water & peppermint cordial & drink probably 2 litres. I'm losing about 1lb a week now. Today for my tea I have had a breadcake with brown crabmeat, lots of sliced tomatoes, a drizzle of low fat salad cream, salt & pepper & as a treat a Solero lolly. Other nights I may have a 200g fillet steak with steamed asparagus & tenderstem broccoli, or a pork Saltimbocca with roasted carrots done in the airfryer, or breaded plaice & peas, or a big salad & lasagna. I never feel hungry & my weight loss is keeping on track.

Have you worked out your TDEE op?

I wouldn't lose weight on 1600 calories, as my TDEE is only just slightly higher than that. (I'm a short arse with a sedentary job)

You probably need to increase your deficit. Mounjaro would help you do that.

If you are not losing at 1600, it means those are too many calories.
Don't focus on the burn calories part, the ones that matters are those you put in your mouth .

Which type are you on? I only lost weight on the short acting metformin. The extended release did nothing for me. Also, 750 is half the max dose, you may need to increase it.

Even with metformin you won’t lose weight unless you are eating less calories than you burn.

Moving more is great, but you make a bigger impact with your eating.

Are you tracking what you eat very closely? Most of us (me included) are actually really bad at tracking. One of my main things was not tracking or tracking much at weekends. Which meant over the week I was eating far more calories than I thought. Do you know what your base rate of calorie burning is?

It's definitely harder for me after having a child and being older than it was until 3 years ago. I am training with PT, doing 16:8 and my PT has checked over my eating but my body is somehow stuck. In the past when I was exercising/16:8/healthy eating I got results much faster than now. I just keep going and hopefully my body wakes up soon and I start seeing bigger results.

Exactly this. It's a simple equation.

@Aquablue1324 dependimg on your starting body mass and activity levels I doubt you are eating 1600 cals a day.

What happens is we have tiny extras throughout the day which at the threshold of weight loss add up to enough to put us into maintenance or gain.

A relatively inactive female of say 9.5stone would require 1600/1700 cals for maintenance. So unless you weigh much less (which it doesn’t seem like from your op?) I really think first step is to look really critically at quantities you are eating.

Yes, 1600 is my maintenance and Im not particularly short