Hi everyone,

Im a guy who has lost over 100 lbs from 448. My lowest has been 237 and in between I have ggained and lost 100 lbs. I have the metabolism from ****. At one point I was on ibuprofen and i gained over 100 lbs in a year going from the 240s to 351. Basically if i go on a 1500 kcal diet regime i will lose at first a lb a week and then boom my metabolism dies and i maintain or boom i gain 5 lbs. I have copiously exercised. In order to lose the weight i did it by periods of intermittent fasting. When I was maintaining I did so on one meal per day.

Recently my father passed and had to move in with a cousin who is midsized obese herself and has no concept of healthy eating. When i moved in here I was at 293 and then began a high powered multivitamin regime and began gaining in copious amounts roughly a lb per day to where i reached 320.

One day i went on a long hike about 5 miles and got down to 316. TWO days later the acale read 327!!! My cousin just doesnt understand, no one does, i am extremely sensitive to most foods weight wise. It boils down to if i eat "normal three meals a day i explode, if i fast i lose, very little in between. I was 259 in October. I am completely miserable, I am experiencing rashes and such i havent felt since i was 448 lbs and I just feel cursed like all the hard work ive ever done is shot to **** and i feel like no one believes me that ubree meals does this to me. I havent been eating the healthiest here but not 30 lbs in a month bad. Mycousin incontrast puts on like uhree lbs. If i continue at this rate i will be well over 500 lbs in a year. Ive tried to talk this tbrough at another diet forum and just got a lecture about thenpsychology of overeating and a recommendatipn for weight loss surgery. But some people do have glandular issues and i feel like im screaming into an abyss.

I havr no insurance and often feel a tightening in my tbroat. Short of water fasting, dunno what to do, just so tired of living in a bodynthat feela likena prison where people make assumptions. Anybody else in a similar situation?

I don't know much about thyroid issues, and I'm very greatful I don't have one, but I would suggest maybe you see a doctor if you can and see if maybe there is an issue there. You mentioned you don't have insurance, I'm from Canada and most things are covered here, so I'm not sure if that means doctors visits aren't covered either. But either way, I would definitely get a full blood work up done and see if there is anything out of balance for you (if it means shelling out a few more dollars than it might just be neccessary). I'm sorry you're struggling with this, it really is a very hard journey, and it sucks to have things that seem out of your control make it even harder. Best of luck!

Your situation sounds very frustrating and overwhelming. I would suggest you met with a nutritionist if that is something you can afford. Other make a trip to the library and pick up a basic nutrition book if you have not done so already. Try to develop meal plans for yourself that are between 1600 and 2000 calories a day, focus on fiber and protein. Be sure to drink at least 90 oz of water a day, your body needs it, it might be something to work up to if you are not drinking a lot of water currently. Keep up with the walking/hiking trying to fit in this sort of exercise at least 4 times a week. It might be a good idea to get a work out DVD and some weights you can have at home. I use to do push ups, sit ups, and jumping jacks at home. I also would do dips on the stairs. Building muscle really helps to increase you metabolism and burn fat. I hope this helps and do not get discouraged on your weight-loss journey.

I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition that causes hypothyroidism. Prior to receiving treatment, I was unable to lose weight (regardless of what I did) and consistently gained weight every year for 9 years.

I'm not saying that's what you have, but it definitely sounds as though there may be a medical reason for your difficulty losing weight and how easy it is for you to regain it.

One thing I know about my illness is that I am extremely carb sensitive. Insulin resistance goes hand-in-hand with thyroid problems and I find it much easier to lose weight if I cut carbs, including whole grains and brown rice.

I would suggest you see a doctor for bloodwork to see if you have some sort of hormonal or glandular disorder, and (if you haven't already) experiment with your diet to see if you are sensitive to certain types of foods.

This is what I suspect I have. I have LOST 15 lbs after a three day binge of about 7000 kcal a day. Yes I was walking 4 mi a day during this time, but it usually doesn't work. Of course Ihave eating issues but i gain and lose a lot more than they say. On a 1500 kcal a day diet i usually plateau or gain after the initial week. I also have had life long issues with fatigue and i holdnwater and i lost my hair in my early 20s. But i am usually sensitive to heat thata the only exception. Normally i read hypos are always cold. However i have become much more tolerant to heat in recent years. I just hope i can get insurance and get w doctor to take my symptoms seriously because i am EXTREMELY sensitive to most if not all carbs and right now fearnmy metabolism has ceased altogether.

Not all hypos are always cold. I'm extremely sensitive to heat, particularly if I am in the sunlight and/or exercising in it. I also can't sleep if it's too hot and it will make me physically ill. There's really just a small range of temperature I'm comfortable in.

Hi

I think getting your thyroid checked is a good idea. I am hyperthyroid with Graves disease but I am one of the small percent of Hyper people who gained weight instead of losing.

I hope you'll be able to get health insurance. If not maybe see what services the health department offers. Also here in south Florida the different hospital systems (such as memorial health) have their own income based free health care, maybe you can check your area.

Good luck

You could have thyroid issues.. you could have just written my brother's story! He weighs 412 right now and has a horrible time losing weight which seems partly due to him having hypothyroidism (he is on meds but his levels fluctuate). You should definitely get checked out by a doctor-full blood panel (blood lipids, liver&kidney function, thyroid etc)

Binge eating @ 7,000cal a day is scary to me, please see a doctor. If you don't have money contact your local county health dept to see if they can help in any way. Besides that stick around 3FC, lots of helpful info and support here. Good luck.

Start eating salads for your meals with some low fat meat like chicken fish or turkey only bake the meat or grill it dont use oils to cook it. Use a light salad dressing and only a small amount just to flavor it.

Eat fruit for snacks

Cut out processed carbs, cut out dairy, cut out all liquid calories like soda and juice, Only drink water or tea drink about a gallon of water a day add lemon or lime to your water to flavor it a little if you get sick of drinking it or if you are really craving a soda I made some iced green tea and add some lime or lemon to it and some all natural sparkling spring water to it and it makes it really taste like a soda drink with no artificial sweeteners or anything bad in it I like la croix coconut the best but they have lots of flavors to choose from.

Eat that way and you will lose weight eat as much veggies as you want steamed or in a salad don't add any fats no butter ect add herbs and spices to flavor them. Take it very easy on the salt. If you use any use sea salt not table salt if you can.

I buy those bags of frozen veggies at the store and steam em up and add spices to them like cayenne cilantro garlic oregano any ones you want or mrs dash salt free ones are good and eat that whole bag for a meal if I want it really fills you up and keeps you full for a long time after.

And some days you will have a really bad craving for foods like I crave pizza sometimes bad if you do have a really bad craving make sure you make the food yourself in a more healthy way like for pizza I get a 100 calorie tortilla wrap and make a small pizza on one of those using mostly veggies for toppings and very easy on the cheese if you like pepperoni get turkey pepperoni just substitute to make it more healthy when I eat one of those I am filled up and my pizza craving is satisfied. Just be creative and try to do that with some of your favorite foods.

If you are craving bread really bad have some oatmeal or use ezekiel bread to make a sandwich.

But try to only give into these cravings rarely like a few times a week or so. Or maybe have a day like friday where you have a tortilla pizza or a healthy version of whatever you normally like to eat to help you stay on plan.

I don't really know what your diet has been like. Sounds like you mostly have been starving yourself. A bad metabolism can be fixed just takes time and eating healthy for consistent amount of time to turn it around.

If you cant go to the doctor and have your thyroid checked I would suggest just eating mostly veggies and fruit with some low fat meat and see if that doesn't work for you. I would think it would.

Id also suggest taking some walks daily or maybe doing a workout video to help jump start your metabolism again also lift some weights if you can as well added lean muscle increases your metabolism at rest. Or just be more active and get outside and have fun. Any activity helps.

And yes go to see a doctor if possible first of all.. just giving some advice.

Wow the first thing that came to my mind too is your thyroid. I don't think you should take any advice from here. Seeing a doctor sounds most critical. Weight fluxuation is one thing but the extremes you are experiencing are scary and could have deadly results.

Best of luck to you and let us know how it turns out.

Typically I would read a post similar to yours but less dramatic and offer advice on a low- or no-carb diet but, I second that, your situation sounds really serious and I wouldn't take any advice from a board either. Is there a free health clinic in your area you can visit? Any nonprofit resources?

The only diet that has *ever* worked for me is virtually no carb but you need medical advice. Best of luck!

I probably misunderstood you, but were you saying that you gained 100 lbs because you were taking ibuprofen daily?

Yes, that's what I'm saying. In one year I went from the mid-240s to maxing out my scale at 351. My guess is it was mostly "water" and not "fat", but still, very scary. My extremities are rather thin, thin wrists, I can see my collar bone easily in the mid-200s, etc. And, no I obviously wasn't starving at that time, but I DID notice a huge difference when I would be off the ibuprofen.

My initial thought is the thyroid, I have major thyroid issues....gained uncontrollably for months before it was found.....but your losses and gains seem so extreme that I would not count out food allergies....keep a food log and start removing things from your diet....wheat, milk, eggs, ect...one at a time of course to see what makes a difference...potatoes does it for me, so does white bread....I can eat either all day....Love them! They HATE me...I can gain 5lbs in a couple days....good luck you will find an answer.....

Get tested for thyroid problems too because there are foods to avoid if you get put on thyroid meds..good luck