Hi everyone!

I just discovered this place through an internet search. I took a quick look around and decided to join.

I was normal sized as a child, and then in my early 20's I just ballooned up. I was 220 for a long time, at least 10 years. I tried super hard to lose weight, and I did get down to 210, which is my lowest adult weight.

I had a baby 4 years ago, and now it is impossible to lose weight. I mean, IMPOSSIBLE! I have seen drs and they just look down at me when the blood work comes back all in the normal range and tell me to eat less and move more.

I have gone though "I am going to lose weight darn it all" phases several times in the past few years. I tried every diet you can imagine. I even went down to 600 calories a day and lasted 3 months, and I didn't lose a thing. I know, it sounds impossible. But I am hoping that someone here might have some kind of idea of what can be wrong!

I had been doing 1400 calories a day for 3 months before that, so I figured, if that wasn't working, go down more. All I got out of all of that was a bunch of hair loss and being super hungry.

I also joined a gym in April and I have been very dedicated in going. I regularly go to several different classes and am there 5 to 6 days a week.

In Aug I said, who cares about the whole diet thing, it doesn't matter, and I haven't gained or lost anything. It's like I am this weird person that defies the rules of weight loss and gain.

I hope that all made sense, it's 1:30am. It's one of those late night type of things I guess. Hopefully someone out there has some kind of idea. I'm getting to the point where I am having a hard time talking myself into going to the gym, it seems so futile.

Hi 1FCat! I'm so glad you found us! This is a wonderful community, where you'll be able to get lots of advice and great tips. I'm sorry to hear of your weight loss struggle. It certainly sounds like a medical issue, but if your doctors have tested you thoroughly and ruled out conditions like PCOS, hypothyroidism, Cushing Syndrome, and a vitamin/mineral deficiency, then diet is the next thing to look at. Exercise is great, it will help you to become healthy and fit, but diet really is the key to weight loss. Of course, extreme diets, like going down to 600 calories a day, are not the answer. They will only help to slow your metabolism down. But the 1400 calorie diet you were on sounds like it was sensible. What types of foods were you eating? Ones generally considered healthy? Or just anything but less of it? Some people (like me) have a sensitivity to carbs and benefit from going on a low-carb diet in which they eat more non-starchy veggies and restrict breads, pastas, potatoes, and sweets. There are lots of weight loss plans to peruse in the Diet Central section here. You might want to take a look and see if you think any would be a good fit. And keep up the great work with exercise! Oh and that also brings to mind, although you weren't losing on the scale when you were doing 1400 calories and exercising 5-6 days a week, were you losing inches? Sometimes when we lose fat and develop muscle, the difference in our bodies doesn't immediately show up on the scale, but you can see a difference in your body. Changes are taking place. Anyway, browse around and join in on the threads! Good luck!

Thank you Jacqui_d!

When I was on the 1400 calorie diet I was following the wheat belly diet. I read that book and was very inspired because he said that his patients lose weight like crazy on it.

I honestly don't think that the doctors I have seen really took me seriously. It's like they look at me, and how big I am (I'm now 247) and they just assume that I must not do what I say that I do. I went into my last one with a list of everything I ate for the last 2 weeks and my exercise habits, and she did order tests, but she never mentioned many of the things you mentioned. When the results came back she just said, well you are in the normal range for everything, I have no idea why you aren't losing weight. Some people are just big. I don't have the money to be going from doctor to doctor trying to find someone to listen to me. I do get one yearly physical a year allowed, and that is coming up. For months I have been wondering if I should go back to my last dr, or if I should try someone else. How in the world do I find a dr that really listens? It's so frustrating!

I have gone down about one size since I started working out hard. I saw no change at all with the diets.

Oh how frustrating to be dismissed by your doctor like that! No, I do not think you should go back to her. The fact that she didn't mention the things that I mentioned makes me think she simply tested your blood sugar level for diabetes and when it came back normal, she dropped it with the rationalization, "Some people are just big." That tells me she does not have a background nor interest in the weight problems of her patients. If I were you, I would see an endocrinologist, or at the very least a nutritionist, someone who will take a serious look at the fact that you started out normal-sized, put on a great deal of weight relatively quickly (ballooned up) in your early 20's, lost your hair when you went very low cal (back in my young and dumb days, I went very low cal numerous times and never lost my hair), and can't lose any weight when you have been on a sensible low calorie diet for months. I am really glad to hear that you have dropped down a size with exercise. Keep that up! But no, I would not go see the same doctor. That's my 2 cents!