I always get "stuck" in my weight loss if I don't go to extremes. After letting a couple "your thyroid's low but not DANGEROUSLY low" comments tell me I don't need treatment, I decided to insist. I started with vitamins until I can get in to see a doctor (my new job's insurance won't kick in until March).

Along with diet and exercise, I started losing weight for once! The numbers worked for me - low caloric and fat intake, right amounts of protein, low sodium, and burning at least 200 calories a day (with a goal of 500 that I did meet about half the time), and I lost 4 lbs my first week of trying!

... The 2nd week was crazy! I woke up one morning not kidding 10 lbs heavier than the previous day, then the next day was down 15 lbs from the day before, then gained some back, etc. On weigh-in day, I was only 2 lbs down, which was still okay, but the extreme numbers were really weird.

3 days later, I'd gained all 6 lbs back. I'd actually pushed harder (not until it hurt, and I was never hungry, just more disciplined about avoiding sweets and finding extra time to work out), so I didn't get it.

By the end of the 3rd week, which again jumped way up and way down drastically, I'd gained back up to 190, where I was after having my son and where I've been stuck ever since.

I'm going to try talking to a doctor and seeing about a prescription for my thyroid, maybe I have just adjusted to the dosage of the vitamins now? My diet has been very mild - no alcohol, mostly salads, lots of fruit, dairy, 6-8 glasses of filtered water daily, low-carb, and so on. I was switching between calisthenics routines and kickboxing.

I was wondering if the wise people of this forum know of anything else I might not have thought of that's throwing a wrench in my efforts?

Well firstly, I'm not a fan of extreme diets; I believe the body will try to fight that ...

Secondly, there are other things that can affect your weight from day to day: the most obvious is water retension which is common to us all, often caused by salts from our daily meals. Then there is your menses: that can cause bloating and more water retension. If you are on your feet and legs a lot; they can swell and hold water too.

We must understand the process of weight-control; there will be days you lose, days you gain, and days you maintain. Personally, I believe weighing daily is just setting yourself up for upsets. I wouldn't weigh any more than once a week at the very most.

One of my doctors had me weighing every 3 weeks. I asked him why and he said that would account for menses & salt-related water retension; and usually you are more likely to see a true loss by that time. He was correct; I went every 3 weeks and lost every time.

Now there is a possibility you may have some thyroid issues; but it depends on whether you have the symptoms or not -- only your doctor or naturopath could tell you that. I'm not a doctor; just a fellow soujourner ...

I can only give you my best guess; and I hate to see you driving yourself crazy over these fluctuations. Yes, I have had them myself becuz my body retains water a lot for the above mentioned reasons. I have cut my salt intake down drastically becuz of this.

I hope you get some answers soon; but in the meanwhile, I wouldn't weigh quite so often ...

A new scale.

Are you keeping a food log and checking on the sodium?

I was told for several years I was low, but low end normal but I still felt like crud. Then I REALLY felt like crud and was finally put on meds. It wasn't til later than I learned every lab has it's own "normal" range. I'd def look into that again.

GL!
A.

I agree with a new scale.

I retain water when I eat high sodium meals and when it's that time of the month, but the scale doesn't go crazy like 10 lbs one day and 15 the next.

Get yourself a new scale and if you still see those drastic changes, return it back to the store and follow Justwant2behealthy's advice.... I also stopped weighing daily because the three pounds up and three pounds down was driving me nuts.

I also learned, for example, that I lose about 10 lbs every year. I accept that. I don't like it, but I accept it.