This is both a rant and a sincere query. I wonder if anyone else has similar symptoms and may have some insights.

I know generally that i am so fat because I eat more calories than I expend.

But why am i SO FAT? And why is it so hard for me to lose weight? Here are a few oddities that I am wondering if anyone can relate to, or have heard of. First, I lose weight when pregnant. i don't know why, but it boosts my metabolism to be pregnant. I lost twenty pounds with this last pregnancy. Of course, just a few weeks after delivering I start gaining again - and (at least last time) gain up to my pre-pregnancy weight and then beyond. Why would pregnancy be such a metabolism boost??

Second, my resting heart rate is very low. It has been as low as 45, but tends to be 50ish most the time. Does that mean anything?

Before I had kids, I walked or jogged 25 miles a week and ate 1600 calories a day. This was the necessary formula to maintain a weight of 240. I obviously fell off that wagon - it took alot of time and effort, but i never understood why i couldn't lose weight. After many many years on this regimen I just got sick of it and sort "let myself go"... Now I'd LOVE to be back at 240!!

Anyone with similar experiences? Why am I so fat? I feel like there has to be more going on than just overeating. I'm already on synthroid (have been for over 10 years), so my thyriod should be under control.

Sorry for any typos. i wrote this entire post while nursing! LOL!

I am not a doctor and this is my first time on this site. But you must be eating stuff that is keeping you fat. Keep a diet journal and list everything you put in your mouth. Stay away from anything that is white.

For me, taking synthroid did not help my hypothyroid symptoms at all. I still gained weight or couldn't lose weight on it. Even when my Dr claimed I was in the perfect range. After doing much research, I decided to see another Dr who was willing to prescribe natural thyroid medication. I am on Naturethyroid and never felt better! Just thought i would share with you. Sometimes Hypothyroid patients cannot turn the synthetic T4 in to T3. (which was what happened to me) Have you ever had your T3 levels checked? Most Doctors don't. No matter what I did on Synthroid Eating good/exercise, my weight wouldn't budge.
Now the weight is coming off very consistently.

Also keeping a food journal is a great way to see what your eating. Make sure your logging what you eat soon after you eat it, or it is too easy to forget to write down foods.....Which can cause a lower calculation.

I also dropped weight very fast while I was pregnant... I dropped 30-35 lbs. There is a hormone that your body produces that actually does boost your metabolism while preg. In fact that have started extracting that hormone our of the urine of pregnant women and using the hormone as an injection for weight loss (the hCG hormone I believe is what is used).

As far as what you are doing wrong... I wouldn't know without seeing what you eat and your exercise levels every day. But I know for me, if I eat several small meals several times a day (like 5-6 times a day) and try to balance my carb and protein intake the weight starts to come off very quickly. I use to also just not realize how many calories were in some things, plus all the little nibbles that happen through the day. You might have an allergy to something you are eating that is causing a problem, or you might be taking in too much sodium and retaining a LOT of water... I have no idea. Exercise is great and tends to make you want to stay on track (since you have to eat but you don't have to exercise... it is easier to watch what you are eating since you have to eat anyway then to make time and take initiative to exercise... it almost feels to me that if I bother to make the effort to exercise, why would I want to ruin that with bad food).

If you have more input as to what your regular week would look like...you will probably get some really great responses as to why you have the problem that you do (and most of us here are or have been in the same boat.. it was just a matter of getting honest with ourselves about the choices we were making).

I don't think that your synthroid levels are where they should be. You could also have thyroid cancer (don't want to scare you, I had it). I think the only thing that can help you is if you visit the doctor.

Please visit the Doctor. Have them check your thyroid levels thoroughly. If the medication was functioning properly it should not be the way you are describing. On top of that when was the last time you had a dose adjustment? If it was when you were 240... Well...

I also will admit that I would be looking into Hashimoto, etc. all the rarer things that they have really only started to understand in the last couple years.

I would also suggest a full blood panel including checking for any signs of minor/major infections - elevated white counts, etc.

I gained only in the last 2 months of my pregnancy, and only a total of 6 lbs. Within a week of having my daughter I was 20 lbs lighter than when I started... I burn an incredibly high rate for calories, but have to do tremendous things to lose... So I've been through a lot of testing to figure it out but at the very lest you need to have these checked again.

Thanks for the responses - I'll look into those thyroid suggestions...

Right now I'm doing the slim-fast 1-2-3 plan... so there isn't a ton of thought or tracking needed, other than the 500 calorie dinner. I know how to measure and weigh food, so I'm confident with that. I am maintaining on this plan right now - which is a helluva lot better than gaining!

I don't exercise (with two kids under two I just don't have time for "formal" exercise other than stroller walks and running after the 20 month old). Once I get my butt moving more, hopefully I will slowly lose. I just gotta get creative with burning calories.

Thanks for letting me play an invisible violin. I am seriously considering surgery, but I am fearful that if there us some "broken" with my metabolism, it won't do much for me.


ps- i wondered what all those hcg ads were about! Interesting...

Mine is 20 months old too... I only have 1 though... I just make time for exercise after they go to bed. I am fortunate enough to have a very nice elliptical trainer at home, so I just watch something off of Tivo (most shows are approximately 45 minute when you fast forward through commercials... which is about the perfect length workout for me).

I agree with many of the others that you really need to have the doc check some of your hormone levels. Something is off somewhere. If you can, push to go see an endocrinologist (hormone doctor) they can do some more extensive testing.

You also might just be so sleep deprived and stressed chasing after 2 kids, that your body just isn't functioning correctly. Or perhaps slimfast just isn't the right plan for you. You and your doctor should be able to help you figure out something to try. Plus if you have it in your medical records that you have been attempting a doctor supervised diet for I think it is 6 months for most insurences with no/little progress you could qualify for the insurence to pay for the weight loss surgery (call and check with your insurence provider to see what your options are there). We looked into that for my husband about a year ago, and when he actually started making an effort to watch what he is eating and exercise he dropped 58 lbs in 4 months, so his problem was eating and exercise. This doesn't sound like it is the case with you though since you are watching what you eat and chasing after 2kids is exercise even if it isn't formal exercise. hang in there

I have struggled for about 9 years to lose weight, every time is like pulling teeth, my body never wants to lose it. Finally I cut out all grain and sugar and the pounds are coming off, I think I may have a gluten plus insulin problem and this has helped me more than anything I've ever done in the past. I'm not familiar with thyroid issues, but eating primal is what has changed my body finally! I hope you find what works for you! Keep at it!

If you are doing slim fast, chances are you are not eating enough calories and are getting wayyyy too much sugar.

For someone of your size, I would say you may have shot your metabolism a bit with a very low calorie diet but the good news is, you can get it back on track

I lose best on a moderate (but not necessarily low) carb plan by following the glycemic index way of eating -- linking fat and protein with carbs, being mindful of carbs, not eating over 30 grams of carbs at a sitting, and keeping everything whole grain and 'clean'. Also reducing sugar a lot.

As far as I can remember, slim fast is about 97% sugar (I exaggerate, but it is high sugar!).

Your thyroid levels may be off as well -- I do best on a natural thyroid.