Hello, everyone!
I’m new to Reddit and this board (hi!) and I have a question. The short version is that I’m getting really frustrated with weight loss and would like advice/help, but please read the whole thing before you respond.
I had some success in my 20s losing weight with Atkins and WW, but in my 30s, it’s a struggle to even maintain my weight, let alone lose it. I don’t think I’ve lost more than five pounds at a time in my 30s (except for when I gave birth), and losing those five pounds basically involves me eating 1200 calories/day with extremely limited carbs, working out 4-5 times/week, drinking a ton of water, sleeping 8+ hours and not slipping up AT ALL. It takes me a week to lose a pound and a day to gain it back.
Some info:
- I’m 33 years old, 5’6” and around 200 pounds, although I’m muscular, so I’m a size 12 and look like I’m more in the 170-180 range. Yes, I know that’s not awful, but it is technically obese, and it has taken a lot of work to not go over 200. I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle –or a gaining battle, if you will. (Ugh.) I’ve gained about 10 pounds a year for the past five years. (Pregnancy weight excluded.)
- I’m of Northwestern European descent, mostly Irish. Both parents are about 100 pounds overweight.
- My only long-term medication is birth control, but I’ve been on that for a long time. I went off it for about eight months when trying to get pregnant and there was no difference.
- I’m not an emotional/binge eater, my thyroid was checked a few years ago (and was fine), and my vitals (BP, blood sugar, etc.) are normal. My mom is non-insulin diabetic, though, and I did fail my first gestational diabetes test when I was pregnant, but then I passed the follow-up screening.
- I gave birth five months ago, but this isn’t baby weight; I actually lost that pretty quickly once she was born.
- I eat a generally healthy diet that’s high in protein and healthy fats and very low in carbs. Drastically reducing carbs is one of the only ways I’ve ever been able to lose weight. I rarely eat fast food and don’t snack.
- I walk a lot (I teach) and work out about three times a week. I primarily do BodyPump (the YMCA’s low-weight high-rep weightlifting class) and Zumba for cardio. I don’t run because I absolutely hate it.
- I’ve effectively been doing keto for the past month; I’ve been told I’m not eating enough fat, but I’m trying to make it plant-based and not just constantly eat meat. I use the keto test strips and MCT oil and everything. I’ve lost maybe three pounds. (Keto is my most recent attempt, but everything else on this list about my diet/exercise has been true for years.)
- I drink some. I used to drink more in my 20s, but have cut down a fair amount in my 30s. (And when I was pregnant, obvs.) I can still put away a bottle of wine by myself, although I rarely do. With keto, I’ve mainly been having a vodka soda or a White Claw hard seltzer a few times a week, and even that slows me down in terms of weight loss.
- I track my activity (FitBit) and my calories/macros (SparkPeople), although I usually assume that I’m moving less and eating more than they tell me I am.
Honestly, I struggle with loving/accepting my body, which I know I should do, because I want to model body positivity and healthy eating for my daughter. However, I also generally hate how I look in pictures and struggle so much with the scale. I know that losing weight won’t solve all of my problems, I’m just frustrated that I put in so much effort and the only result is that I’m not getting fatter.
in terms of what I eat every day, my breakfast is usually egg-based (omelette, frittata, egg salad – no bread!), lunch is some sort of salad, and dinner is meat with vegetables. I’m pretty experienced with plant-based substitutions (spaghetti squash, cauliflower pizza crust, etc.) and I don’t eat many sweets. I occasionally have something with artificial sweeteners in it, like Coke Zero or an Atkins chocolate bar, but not a lot.
I’ve met with many people about this: doctors, nutritionists, personal trainers, etc. They all think I’m starting from zero and talk to me about macros, and burning more calories than you take in, and drinking more water, and it’s super frustrating because I’ve been dealing with this for over a decade now. Like, I promise you, the first ten things you’re going to mention, I’m either currently doing or they don’t work for me. I know about thermogenics and that muscle weighs more than fat and that it takes a 3500-calorie deficit to lose a pound of fat. I KNOW.
At this point, I’m considering getting my liver checked or just taking phentermine, which I’m reluctant to do because of the side effects. I’m also considering intermittent fasting and juice cleanses, but I know those aren’t particularly healthy, and that can’t be the answer, right? I’m a healthy adult woman, and the only way for me to lose weight is to literally not eat food?
Anyway, if you’ve actually read this whole thing, I appreciate it, and would welcome any advice.
