Okay ladies - It's 3:00 in the morning - I can't sleep and I can't stop crying. I have never been so low in my life. I have been working hard to eat regularly, reducing my white processed foods, drink plenty of water, and exercise 4- 5 times a week. Not only am I not losing but I am gaining! I have been on almost every diet on the planet. I loose the usual 5 - 7 lbs. in water weight and by the third week I am back up. I started with a weight loss program last June, but gave it up recently after not having any success. I don't know what to do - I am out of options. Nothing seems to work.

I am not gaining muscle in place of fat - I have not lost inches. I have fought mental disparity with prayer, goal posters, inspirational readings. I am very well read in health, nutrition, metabolism, and aerobic and anerobic excercise. I don't fry anything. I drink at least 75 - 100 oz of water a day. I am focussed and disciplined about my food intake. I don't have sugar in my house and indulge in desserts very rarely. I run a mile and 1/2 minimum on my treadmill at least 4 times a week (I am training to run the 5k in the Race for the Cure). I don't know where to turn. I am desperate enough to consider surgery although I know I don't overeat. But anything is better than continue to be this way. If everything else in my life was one iota less - I would be depressed enough to cause harm to myself. Not there yet, thank God, but I am losing hope that I will ever lose weight again. I can't live my life this way any longer. If anyone out there can give me some direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

mscat

hey
i jsut posted a reply somewhere else about dieting plateaus (not sure if i spelled that right) but this might be your problem.... hopfully this directs you
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39448

Hope this helps some or at least gives you some answers!
~Michelle

I don't know how long you have been doing all the right things and not losing weight, but if you are mentally in a place where you could cause yourself harm...go to the Doctor. Maybe you have a thyroid problem preventing you from losing weight. It is a proven fact that eating right and exercising will, long term, make you lose weight. So, it stands to reason that if you haven't lost over a long period of time that biologically something could be wonky and causing you to clutch the pounds. It's not your fault and not your failure if you have something that needs to be looked at. You should not beat yourself up, you are doing the right things. I just read in this month's Good Housekeeping about a woman who had a hormone imbalance that caused her to just keep gaining weight, then she went to the Dr. and got help and now she is doing fine.
Please, you are a valuable person, you are worth far more than the size of your jeans or the reading on a scale. Give your Doc a call.

I agree that if you've been eating right and exercising then it's time to go see the doc. I'm reading Dr. Phil's book and am on the chapter where he talks about just that and even he had a dissorder that wouldn't allow him to lose weight and he was gaining. He went armed with lots of questions for his doc, changed his eating habits, etc. and was able to lose. Don't discouraged. If you are truly doing all you can food and exercise-wise then it's more than likely a body problem. For your sanity please at least consult with a doc.

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time of it. First of all I agree with the other posters about seeing your physician — have some blood work done to check for hormonal imbalances, thyroid problems, diabetes, PCOS, etc. Even if everything comes back normal at least you'll have some baseline numbers to start from (e.g. when I started my LDL was "X" and now it's "Y"). Are you tracking the calories and nutirents you're getting? Fitday is a great tool for that. It may be that you're consuming more calories than you think, or you may not be getting enough of certain nutrients - for example calcium. (Studies have shown that having a recommended amount of calcium makes it "easier" to lose weight.) Or maybe you need to experiment with your protein/carb/fat ratios. Don't weigh yourself more than once a week weight fluctuates so much that more than once a week weigh-ins can be really frustrating and disheartning. (My weight fluctuates in HUGE ways throughout the day/week.) I'd also suggest you check out today's (4/29) Skinny Daily Post if you haven't already it addresses stress and obesity (once again, studies show that stress hormones actually make you gain weight). You might also consider weight training. If you can build some muscle, you'll burn more calories.
I was recently feeling a little discouraged about my own weight-loss journey and posted here about it. I really got some wonderful, inspiring replies. Take a look: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39446
This was stuff that you probably already knew about, but even if the information isn't all that helpful, please know that the sentiment behind it is one of support and good wishes for you. Grace