Hi all! I was here for a while on 3FC during my original weight loss journey, during which I went from the 220-230 range all the way down to 138 pounds (I'm 5 ft 9). I maintained that loss from 2008 to the end of 2010, when I quit the pill to get pregnant and immediately gained 10 pounds in eight months for absolutely no reason while still eating very well and working out just as I always had. I got pregnant at 148 pounds in August 2011, and in spite of eating well and still working out, weighed close to 190 when I had my little girl in May 2012. My weight loss started immediately and I dropped back down to 161 in December 2012...

And that's where it has kind of stalled in the 157-160 range. Once or twice, after low-sodium and high-hydration days, I've seen 156 or even 155, but those times are rare. I've pretty much not lost a single pound in more than a year now. Heck last week I missed a birth control pill and literally shot up 8 pounds, which I'm finally rid of.

I've been trying SO hard. I've logged my meals and kept plugging along with my workouts five days a week. I've eaten the number of calories I ate to lose the first time around with no results over a few months. I've dropped down to 1,300 a day for a few months with no results. I've increased to the calories to maintain my goal weight for a few months with no results. So now I'm hitting around 1,550 a day again for a few months (my previous weight loss level, as recommended by Sparkpeople.com), working out and...seeing no results. I'd love to be back down to the low 140s again.

Maybe getting some support from 3FC again will help me out. Because I'm quickly reaching the "Why do I even TRY?" point and I'm incredibly frustrated with the non-moving scale and want to bury myself in a large pile of chocolate dipped chocolate cake and drown my sorrows.

So, hello y'all!

Hi MindiV,

I saw your post on the main forum. How frustrating! Have you had your thyroid checked? I wonder if your body responds really dramatically to the Pill -- I've heard of gaining weight when you go on the pill, but not when you go off. (then again, it's been many years since I've been on the Pill -- since before my first child who is now 10!)

I think you got a lot of good advice on the other forum -- calorie cycling, changing up your food and your workout, etc. But I really think you should see a doctor first, and be prepared to patiently explain that you have been consistent and careful with your food (I'm assuming you have been -- weighing, measuring, not eating bites here and there that add up to hundreds of calories).

Lastly, don't let people tell you that this is your reality now that you've had a child. I hate when people assume that once you have a baby you are doomed to being heavier than before. It's just not true. Lots of people allow that to happen, but it is not inevitable.

Welcome -- I wish you all the best!

Thank you for your reply!

I've actually had my thyroid checked recently (blood work for another issue) and everything was ok. (or , depending on how you look at it). I'm going today for another reason, but I'm going to talk to him about the possibility that my hormone levels may be totally whacked out before I start any major messing around with my diet.