I just found this website and joined this morning about 3am. I am 46 years old and 182 lbs. For a long time, when I was much younger, I maintained a weight that varied from 105 lbs to 110 lbs. When I got married 13 years ago, I weighed an all-time high (at that point) of 135 lbs. Now, after 3 children and major health challenges, I'm creeping towards 190. I would never have believed I could get so heavy!

Carrying this weight around makes me very tired, and I sleep a lot. This has been sabotaging my metabolism, but it seems like I just can't beat it. I started taking caffeine pills, 3 a day, which helps keep me out of bed, but I still don't have enough energy to even finish simple housework such as laundry. That's self-sabotage as well.

I step on the scale every day, sometimes more than once, and sometimes I'm down 1 or 2 pounds, but then I'm right back up again - within hours. I'm eating less due to the caffeine, and drinking lots of water, but it doesn't seem to do any good. I've tried lots of different diets over the years - all without any success at all. A couple of summers ago, however, I started drinking MASSIVE amounts of lemon water, and lost 30 pounds in a period of 2 months. Of course, I ended up in the hospital, quit drinking so much water, and it all came back and then some. I'm at a loss as what to do . . . any suggestions are welcome!

I can't answer that poll, because my option is NEITHER!

If it's the meds you are on, talk to whoever is prescribing them to you and let them know you are trying to lose weight! My shrink has been working with me to make sure the meds I am on are not going to get in the way of my goals.
It's a long-ish, sometimes frustrating process trying to find the right balance of meds, but I am SUPER glad he's not giving me anything that's gonna make my scale go in the wrong direction, so I'll tough it out trying to figure out my right med "combo".

Welcome to 3FC =)

1) Have you gone to doctor for blood work and other tests? Weight gain and fatigue might actually be a symptom of something more for you. It's best to rule it out first. You might even have sleeping problems which are contributing to your current tiredness and weight gain.

2) Your poll has me concerned. Are you clinically depressed? Are you speaking to someone about it? They can help you find the best treatment.

3) Lose the word "diet" from your vocabulary. It sounds temporary, and right now you feel you've only failed on all the diets you've tried.

4) Forget about subtracting, think about adding. Add a healthy habit, and think sustainability. Would it be nice to jog for an hour each day? Sure, but maybe right now you can only commit to 5 minutes on the treadmill. Do that. 5 minutes is infinitely better than 0 minutes. Or maybe you can aim to have one serving of fruit or veggie with every single meal you make.

You can lose weight, and keep it off, but first I'd make sure that there's not something else medical going on that will impede your progress.

Best of wishes!

Edited to Add: Everyone gains weight during the day. Within hours. That's called normal scale fluctuations.

I agree with what Lovely said. Talk to a Dr about things that may be going on you do not know about yet
that may be causing weight gain, or putting off your weight loss. Add in some activity, go outside and walk
around the block, can't make it around the block... walk around the house. I also am put off by the word diet,
diets never work.... healthy eating and adopting an entirely new healthy and active lifestyle does.

Thank you to all who have posted to this thread. That makes me feel a lot less isolated and alone in this problem.

I hadn't thought about my symptoms being something other than weight-related. I will discuss it with my doctor and see if there is something she can do for me.

And yes, I am clinically depressed. I've been living with it since I was a child. That's why I'm on so many psychotropic medications. One is Geodon, which I just (and I mean in the last 15 minutes) found out caused "significant weight gain" in clinical trials.

I appreciate the encouragement to try small changes instead of a diet! I can definitely do the 5 minutes. I'll start with that and work up to 15 minutes. From there, I'll keep going in 10 minute increments.

When I was posting the thread, my husband saw and read what I was typing, and I think was kind of hurt by it, because he told me he was trying to help me and encourage me to walk, etc. It was almost like he was jealous. Has anyone else had this problem?

Last night my boyfriend said to me, "Honey, who do you go on those weight loss sites? It only makes you depressed!"

I had to patiently explain to him that I needed to be accountable to more people than just him for my weight loss--since he loves me, he's more likely to just pat me on the head when I mess up rather than telling me to STEP AWAAAAAYY FROM THE CUPCAKE! PUT THE CUPCAKE DOWN!

He is a bit jealous, I think. : )