[Beach Patrol]

Many of you know my ups/downs the past couple years what with my injuries & health problems & weight gain, etc.

I just celebrated my 45th b'day yesterday. We (husband & I) had a small party Saturday night (just a few close friends). It was very casual; held outdoors on the deck, snack foods, beer, cola, water, etc.

I wore a pair of denim shorts & a "baby-doll" type top w/flip flops. I thought I looked OK when I checked myself in the mirror. BUT THE PICTURES FROM THAT NIGHT... OMG... ok, I KNOW I'm overweight & I don't kid myself about that, but the camera is just sooooo .... UNFORGIVING, isn't it?

I'm the fattest I've ever been in my life. I think all my years of yo-yo dieting has finally just screwed up my body in a monumental fashion. I'm STILL the same size I've been for MONTHS now. 182 lbs, size 14. I've tried so many things that have worked in the past, & NOTHING is working now.

I currently keep my caloric intake between 1400-1500 per day. I was doing 1200-1300 but that gave no results, & doc suggested I "up it" a bit, so I was doing 1300-1400... also, no results. I've done the math: I have to have 1800 calories per day to maintain (supposedly...) And I know that it's unhealthy to dip below 1200 calories per day, so I don't (even tho I've been tempted to try it!) I track EVERY PIECE OF FOOD & DRINK that passes my lips (I use FitDay).

I gave up junk food & Mountain Dew completely, & lost not one single pound.

I swim for an hour a day (sometimes more, esp. on weekends) and walk 1/2 hour each day.

I've tried calorie cycling, it didn't work for me. I've tried South Beach; it worked before (1998) but not this time. I've tried WW, same thing. Of course I've tried several "fad diets" (way in the past!) & while I lost weight, I gained it all back, plus some.

My basic eating plan is simple, really - here's a typical day:
Coffee - 80 calories (the way I fix it)
Breakfast - Kashi Go Lean Crunch w/skim milk (regular serving size) (290 Calories)

10am snack - Two t-spoons peanut butter (Skippy Natural) and half an apple (115 Calories)

Lunch - Raw baby carrots, 1/2 cucumber, 2 oz cheddar cheese, 2.5 oz baked chicken and other half of apple (355 Calories)

3pm snack - 12 almonds (80 Calories)

Dinner - baked flounder w/olive oil & lemon, steamed broccoli & half ear of corn480 calories)

Dessert - usually nothing, but sometimes I enjoy a frozen fruit bar (40 calories).

That's 1440 calories. I drink water all day, including with dinner, and usually have a Diet Dr. Pepper in the morning. SEE? I'm not a *bad* eater.

I am in peri-menopause, and doc said that *whack hormones* can do the strangest things to a woman's body. I realize that. But does that mean that I can no longer lose weight, no matter how much I diet/exercise?

I'm completely at ends with my body. The way it's NOT responding to ANYTHING I do just makes no sense to me anymore.

[vikkivma]

I wish I could have some kind of solution, but may I at least make a suggestion? Switch from FitDay to www.thedailyplate.com -- it's much easier to navegate and a lot faster. Just don't "eat back" the calories you burn. It will tell you exactly how much you need to eat in order to lose a certain amount per week and will automatically adjust it any time your weight shifts.

[Mollikins]

I feel your pain -- HONESTLY. Kinda in the same situation. My Doc told me to stay around 1500 calories & pick up the exercise.

So 6 weeks ago, I decide to reeeeeeeeeeely buckle down & record EVERYTHING (even my dag-burned sugar-free gum !). I have YET to hit 1500 calories (usually top out anywhere tween 1400 & 1450), plus if I drink any more water, I'll start growing gills. And I've stuck to 30 mins/day/5 days a week of intense cycling (13-16 mph). Well, I figured I'd see at least some kind of "gain" in the loss dept. I DID manage to lose 3 lbs in a month, but now NUFFIN !!

Also, I'm not peri, but FINALLY menopausal & have noticed that I have to work sooooooooo much harder to realize ANY "gain" in my fight to lose. I realize this doesn't help you (or me for that matter) out, but just wanted to let you know that you're NOT alone & it AIN'T all in your head ! Just gotta keep on, keeping on.


WE CAN DO THIS !!!

[JayEll]

Hey Beach Patrol! Yeah, I know you've been through a lot.

I don't see anything wrong with your meal plan. I entered it into FitDay--and you're getting enough protein, etc.

I have no suggestions to make that will cause you to lose! I think that instead of struggling mightily as you are, trying to force a loss, that perhaps you'd do best to accept that right now, your body likes this weight. In other words, call yourself a maintainer, and keep eating as you are now with the idea of keeping your weight from going up. You might even be able to increase your calories a bit--but you'll know what the effects are when you try.

It could be that after some time, your metabolism may allow you to lose again. Things do change, and our bodies have their own agendas. Sometimes our minds need to be patient...

I know you're exercising to the extent that you can--do you swim? Swimming is a really good exercise. I don't mean high powered laps--just some easy laps for about 20 minutes each time would be good.

Hang in there, Beach Patrol. Life can be good...

Jay

[Tomato]

Darn! Jay just took the words out of my mouth. As I read your story, I was thinking "you are trying too hard" (though it is not a criticism). As much as I understand your desire to lose more weight, I was going to suggest just try to maintain for a while and give your body a bit of a rest. Maybe 2-3 months? Then attack it again.

And by the way, I know what you mean by the unforgiving camera. I look pretty good in mirror but in a photograph, I gain 15 pounds immediately!

[Beach Patrol]

Thanks vik & Mollikins - I do read & consider everyone's comments.

And thank you Jay - I consider you very wise in your journey.

Yes, I do swim. ONE HOUR every day. Sometimes more than an hour - I love swimming - always have. When I was in my 20's (seems like *forever* ago!) I was a lifeguard. I swam every day & lifted weights, & ate like a sumo wrestler! - my weight stayed in the lower 120's. of course, I can't really lift weights anymore, but swimming is wonderful - and I have NO PAIN while I'm doing it, altho I always have to ice my elbow afterward (I'm having surgery in October on that, & looking forward to it!)

I've also been walking for a 1/2 hour every day. So you'd think that 1.5 hours of exercise per day would be hunky dory & give some sort of results in the downward trend. But nada.

I can take losing weight slowly. But from March - present I haven't lost one single pound. NOT ONE. The thought of looking at this as "maintenence" is saddening. 182 lbs maintaining? On my little 5'3.5" body? Ugh.

[Onsecondthought]

I'm not sure if this will help, but I got this in an e-mail the other day...

http://avidityfitness.net/fat-loss-tips/

Could you possibly be eating more calories than you think you are? After watching this...I know I am!!!

[Beach Patrol]

Originally Posted by Onsecondthought

I'm not sure if this will help, but I got this in an e-mail the other day...

http://avidityfitness.net/fat-loss-tips/

Could you possibly be eating more calories than you think you are? After watching this...I know I am!!!

Hmmmmmmm. Interesting. I will do more reading on that site. Thank you.

[Onsecondthought]

Oh, I wasn't advocating anything on the website itself...I just thought that the you-tube video was interesting. I'm a diligent measurer of all my food and it's just shocking and frustrating to know that I still might be overeating!!

[JayEll]

And here I thought everyone knew the correct way to use measuring cups and spoons... Silly me... I should know better...

Beach Patrol... yes, I'm sorry to say, 183 pounds. Accept it for awhile. Take life easier. Let up on the pushing.

I'm not saying give up exercise and go eat everything in sight, of course! I'm just saying... let it be for awhile... have a life... keep watching, but let go of the frustration.

Jay

[Beach Patrol]

I wish I COULD let go of the frustration. Unfortunately, it's now to the point that it consumes my thoughts when I'm not deep into work or something else that is distracting.

I feel like a blimp.

[yoyoma]

Thanks for the link to that video! I don't think that I do have trouble measuring generally (e.g. I typically level off my spoon measurements with a butter knife) but it's good to be aware of the impact that a little rounding could have.

In regard to the OP's difficulties -- I really feel for you. I have no idea what the problem is, but did you get your thyroid checked? Are you getting enough sleep? Maybe a little more NF dairy would be helpful? Your typical day looks like you should be able to lose weight given your healthy diet and exercise. I hope you find something that works!

[Spoz]

Beach - oh I relate! after yo-yo weight loss I eventually just stopped losing any weight. I read up on pleateu's and read about calorie zig zagging...so I started that. 1200 calories on day....1800 the next. Anyway my point is despite going totally awol on this plan and gaining weight, my weight did start to shift and when I went back to 1450 calories the scale started going down.

I'm not saying it's a good idea to go awol like I did, but maybe your body just needs a change of some sort.

[Beach Patrol]

Originally Posted by yoyoma

In regard to the OP's difficulties -- I really feel for you. I have no idea what the problem is, but did you get your thyroid checked? Are you getting enough sleep? Maybe a little more NF dairy would be helpful? Your typical day looks like you should be able to lose weight given your healthy diet and exercise. I hope you find something that works!

Yes, thyroid checked - I'm fine.
Yes, getting plenty of sleep.

I hope I find something that works, too! - thanks for your response.

[Suzzyy]

Hi there,

This happened to a friend of mine and after much frustration she changed everything. On the advice of a nutritional counselor she began to follow a more low carb diet and she also changed her exercise routine. She was a member of a woman's gym and she put her membership on hold and she began to power walk and also rode a bike (indoor) and she dropped 15 pounds in 6 weeks after NOTHING for 6 months. She was told her body was too used to the routine. She is doing wonderfully now.