34F, 1.74m height - For the past decade my weight has been consistently increasing by 3-4kgs (7-9lbs) every year. In 2012 I was 60kgs (132lbs) and now, I am currently at my heaviest, and must be nearing 100kg (220.4lbs).
I have Hashimotos and hyperinsulinemia, diagnosed by an endocrinologist, for which I take Thyroxine 100mcg and Metformin 1000mg daily. My blood test results are within normal range.
For 7yrs I had a desk job and believed that was a major part of my struggle but the last 3 years I have been working at a hospital, on my feet running around and sometimes averaging 10.000steps from my 8hr shift alone and it still hasn’t made a difference.
I have tried many times to tackle my weight by myself and I have also visited numerous dieticians & nutritionists but nothing ever seems to really work. I’ve tried simple calorie deficit, low carb, normal carb, keto and also in combination with the gym, but there is always minimal weight loss. My most recent attempt with a professional was between January - June 2022 in which time I lost approximately 5kgs (11lbs), and then hit a plateau for several weeks which disheartened me and caused me to give up yet again.
When I’m not following a specific meal plan, I would say my diet isn’t bad. I eat salad, fruit, mix of meat and fish and I’m mindful of the amount of carbs I eat. I don’t really drink sodas/fizzy drinks, don’t really eat things like crisps, popcorn or sweets except for rare occasions every now & then and I also don’t ever really have junk food (burgers, pizzas etc). When I am following a meal plan, either by myself or by a professional, I am consistent and do it properly without cheating.
I’ve gone from being normal to curvy to plus size and I’m just getting fatter & fatter. I hate my body, I dress like a hobo cause nothing fits or looks right anyway, I dont go to the beach because I’m embarrassed and even though I have a loving partner who says he wants me and shows it, I’ve lost a good part of my sex drive cause I feel like a blob.
I’ve seen people on this subreddit have amazing results with IF and I’m hopeful it could work for me too. If you are a dietician, nutritionist, personal trainer or anyone with useful info or advice, please share it with me. I’m desperate.
You said you lost 11lbs but then gave up because you hit a plateau. Your problem is right there. Plateaus happen in weight loss, and the only thing that will get you to your goal is being consistent, not stopping completely. If you are gaining weight it’s because you’re in a calorie surplus. Nobody is an exception to that rule. It’s literally a law of physics. Now, there may be some things affecting your calories out, or you’re consuming more calories than you think. You should try weighing your food because it is physically impossible to get to 100 kilos and not be eating in a surplus. You have to be real with yourself if you want to actually get the results that you want.
So I am a personal trainer and there’s alot of information here so let’s sort through it. There is no magical diet or eating protocol. It’s about finding what works for that person. From the aspect of weight loss they all accomplish the same goal using different methods. Intermittent fasting isn’t special, but reducing your eating window to a set time can make it more difficult to overconsume food and think less about food throughout the day. So it can be worth trying. Your #1 goal when it comes to food is to focus on nutrient dense whole foods. Meat, fish, veggies, fruits that you actually enjoy. You don’t need to eat any foods you hate to get results. And it already sounds like you don’t have much processed food currently. As for activity, 10,000 steps is a very reasonable amount and better than most so you’re doing great there. Do you have any activities or hobbies that you like to do or want to do that keep you physically active? It could be anything, but it should be something you look forward to doing. Hiking, swimming, the gym, yoga etc. We want to find activities that keep us moving, that challenge us, but also excite us. You also mentioned you get better results when you have a protocol to follow. How I usually structure things is find several meals you can prepare and have them on rotation. So you don’t need to eat the exact same thing every day. You have options so that gives you more freedom and control, but also gives you structure. Once that is in place you could always try IF or other eating strategies if you wanted to, but they aren’t required.
I’ve hashimotos and have to eat surprisingly low calories to lose weight. At the moment i find a calorie controlled plant based diet works well for me interestingly. To maintain my calorie deficit i do 18:6 intermittent fasting. Editing to add all the people explaining basic dieting to you as if you haven’t tried it and had professional input already.
A lot to unpack here and none of us can replace the medical advice that you’re getting.
Two things pop to mind from reading your post:
Beware of “good” food that is very calorie dense. Items such as hummus, nuts, nut butter, seed butter. These foods are seemingly healthy but have an enormous amount of calories.
You don’t mention your alcohol intake in the post. How many drinks, if any do you have on an average week?
Hope IF works for you! Medication certainly adds a wrinkle to weight loss and can make it more difficult.
I would suggest talking to your endocrinologist. Your inability to lose weight may very likely be linked to your Hashimoto’s. I have it as well, and even though my latest blood work was within the normal range, my doctor upped my meds. She explained that even though my TSH is technically within range, it’s still high for someone my age. Also, if you haven’t done this already, you might want to try the autoimmune protocol diet. It’s a temporary elimination diet, and it’s meant to help you identify if any foods cause inflammation in your body. Inflammation is the body’s immune response, and since you have Hashi’s, your immune system will attack your thyroid and mess up your metabolism. Good luck, and don’t lose hope! The best thing you can do is focus on your happiness and reduce stress as much as possible.
Hi, I also have thyroid issues and found that the only way to lose weight for me was a high carb diet (I know right). So it is mostly carbs and they are all wholegrain and low glycemic carbs. Combined with good fats such as nuts and avocado. Minimal meat and fish but protein from nuts and tofu most days. The book fiber fueled helped me a lot as well. All the best to you I know how hard it is to gain weight with no indulgence to show for it.
Every post like this that I read, reminds of the show ‘Secret eaters’. They’ll always say ‘I eat quite healthy, I’ve no idea how I gained all this weight’.
Then the show’s people will secretly track and film them, and the ‘healthy breakfast’ turns out to be 1/2 a pound of Special K cereal with a tub of heavy cream on top and jam.
What I mean is, we can be really bad at estimating stuff. Even stuff that concerns our habits.
Have you ever tried keeping a food journal?Might be of help.