Hi everyone
I joined this forum for a number of reasons...
I grew up in a household very centered around healthy food. My mom bought all organically and cooked delicious food almost every night. I was a super skinny child, not an athlete, so I just ate whatever was served to me, it was almost always healthy.
When I got to high school and could drive, I started eating a little more junk food. My weight basically stayed the same. I started exercising at this time, going to the gym and doing cardio and some weights.
In college, I got more into healthy eating. I stopped eating rice, bread, basically big junk foods and went for salads and lean protein. Come sophomore year, I got very slim just doing this and working out, I also got very into working out and something called the bar method (a barre workout) and had a personal trainer 1x a week who really taught me my way around the gym.
By junior year of college, I really was into healthy eating, basically following a moderate carb and higher fat diet. I was around 125lbs. and 5'8, which seems really thin but I have a very small frame so it was where I like to be.
Then, I go to India to study abroad and BAM! Within one month, I gain 30 lbs. I obviously couldn't follow my typical diet there - I ate mostly "dosas" which are rice pancakes and some vegetables (it was hard to get non-veg food where I was) - and still exercised religiously, doing 30min HIIT workouts + weights at least 5x a week. When I got back in May, I started seriously dieting and doing bar method 5-6x a week plus cardio, but the weight will not shift. I have a lot of muscle, but I still have a ton of fat that I hate, and it is absolutely ridiculous that I diet and exercise so hard and NOTHING changes. I'm so fed up and frustrated, I don't want to be seen by people who knew me when I was thin and I have no confidence - I don't like going out with my friends, etc.
I have many good things to be thankful for - I'm working a full-time, great job in Manhattan before I've even graduated and just got my first apartment which I will be moving into October 1 right in the heart of the city - but I obsess and get so upset over my weight. I know I have so much more to offer the world but of course I spend my time thinking about how terrible I look and feel.
I've gone to my doctor and had my thyroid tested, which was normal, and not anywhere close to even subclinical. I did have a parasite from India, I'm still battling that which makes digestion very weird and irregular, but I don't think it is why I'm holding onto weight. I'm getting full scans of my abdomen/intenstines this week to see if there is a problem, but what if there isn't? I just can't stand being this weight!!
Right now, I'm following a pretty low carb (net under 50g) diet with NO processed food, gluten, and very little dairy - only cheese since it is free of lactose.
I typically eat:
B:
1/2 cup oatmeal (steel cut or regular) with 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp flax, 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries, stevia
1 egg + 2 egg whites w/ 1/8 cup low fat cheddar
iced coffee with 2 tbsp unsweetened soy or almond milk
WO:
1 hour bar method class, a barre class, burns quite a few calories
L:
Romaine w/ tomato, mushroom, cucumber, a little feta, sunflower seeds, low fat honey mustard, lemon juice, 4 oz. chicken or tuna
S:
Sometimes a Quest or a Kind bar if I'm hungry
D:
5 oz. lean protein (chicken or fish) with a salad
I workout 6x a week with bar method and walk at least 2 miles a day living in NYC. I just don't understand what the heck is wrong.
I'm 5'8 and 150ish. I want to be at least 130, hopefully down to 125 eventually.
If you read all that, thank you!
Hello there!
