[shannon1725]

Hi. I've been an occasional lurker for awhile now. I'm 25 years old and have had weight issues basically since I hit puberty (at 12 yrs old). I've always felt like I was fat and have had self esteem problems and become shy and kinda anti-social because of it. I've never been comfortable with the way I look...my weight being a major factor in that.

When I graduated high school I was somewhere around 150 lbs (at 5'2"). I went to college and lived on pop and fast food and ballooned to 198 lbs. Seeing the scale so close to 200 made me determined to change. I decided to go on the Slimfast plan since it would be easy and convenient for my busy final year of college. I gave up pop and drank water full time and stuck with the 2 shakes a day and no sweets. I was dedicated and the weight slowly came off. I didn't even have to work out...it was great! (Or so I thought.) Over the next year and a half I lost 75 pounds. I dropped back to 1 shake a day and a somewhat less strick diet and over the next several months I held pretty steady at 125 pounds. Then suddenly the weight started coming back on...130, 135, 140. In that time I attempted to go back to 2 shakes, but it didn't seem to be working.

I work at a doctor's office with a girl who used to be a personal trainer and a physical therapy room full of exercise equipment so I decided to use both. For the first time in my life, I started working out. Along with another co-worker, I worked out after work for 1 hour doing weight training and cardio 4-5 days a week. At the time I started this, I weighed 141. I sweated and worked hard week after week and month after month for a year. In that year, my stamina and strength has improved, but I gained 15 pounds (while my already thin co-worker lost some weight and toned her abs *rolls eyes*). This is not all muscle as my pants size has gone up instead of down. After many months of frustration I decided it must be my diet.

Although I rarely eat sweets and no longer drink pop, I still live at home and my mom loves to cook carb-filled meals. I was close to hitting 160 a month ago and so disgusted with myself, I decided our diet must change. My mom agreed and we went on a low-glycemic diet. (Going by the traffic light system of Rick Gallop.) I have been eating a lot more veggies and a lot less carbs. We only use whole wheat pasta, etc. and a lot of sugar free products. Along with this, I've continued to work out at least a few days a week and usually walk (with my dog) for a half hour several days a week. The first 2 weeks, I lost 5 pounds total which I'm assuming is that water weight that comes off easy. The last 2 weeks I have lost nothing.

I'm so frustrated and depressed. I knew what it was like to be 125 for awhile (for the first time in my life) and being overweight again and trying to lose weight the right way to no avail has me banging my head up against the wall. The only thing I can figure is that being on Slimfast for so long has wrecked my metabolism, but shouldn't weight training and cardio workouts for a year have begun to help that? Does anyone have any advice for me? Anyone been in a similar situation?

[Abbeycat36]

Hi,

Welcome and nice to see you here

Of course my opinions are just that, I'm not a nutritionist. Having said that, I'd say that you likely lost weight well because you took in less calories. You might have lost a lot of muscle weight on that liquid diet (depending too on many other factors). I remember way back, Oprah winfrey went on a liquid diet too and lost all of her weight (thinner than she is now, in fact) and she said as soon as she started 'eating food' again, it came back with a vengeance. I think she said she'd gained 5 pounds by the end of the week.

I have never been a believer in slim fast products. They prey on people who need/want to get weight off quickly (like there is anyone who doesn't want it off quickly). Mostly what is in that stuff is chemicals and junk, and you mix it with milk (probably the only healthy part about it). Again, sorry slim fast, this is just MY opinion.

Anyway, perhaps you might consider picking up some reading materials on foods and nutrition, or make an appointment to see a regular nutritionist who could evaluate your situation better.

Having had success with slim fast I think, you may not be giving your new plan enough time to work. Your metabolism may need a few weeks to try to adjust to the new eating pattern? I'm really not sure what kind of long term effect a liquid diet may have on your metabolism overall. Read some books, and keep doing what you are doing!! Doing some physical exercise and weight training is definitely a positive step for sure, don't get frustrated!!

This is a learning process for all of us, in a world that continually attempts to prey on the overweight crowd with their constant gimmicks and quick fixes.

You CAN do it, you just have to learn what will work for you long term, that you can live with. Good luck and hugs to you

~ Angie