When is it time to ask your doctor if something is preventing weight loss

[Anonymous]

I'm seeking some advice. Overweight mid 30s guy. I've been down this road before. Lost 30-45 lbs several times in my life. I'm 6' my idea weight on my frame would be 185-190.

This past year I hit my heaviest again (236lbs.)

For 11 weeks now, I've created a 500-750 calorie deficit each day. Eaten as lean and clean as you can. And worked out (a mix of sprint HIIT, cardio, and weights) 5-6 days a week.

Yes, I've lost weight but not much. Just 10 lbs down in 11 weeks. Given how extreme and perfect I've been that seems off to me. It's barely 1 lb per week. Given the calorie deficit it doesn't feel like a plateau.

I should add too that I had a kidney stone last week, spent the night in the ER, and ate like a bird for 3 days. Nothing sounded good. I gained 3 lbs!!!! Like how is that even possible? Yes I am constipated from the narcotics, but that wouldn't lead to a 3 lb gain would it.

I've scheduled an appt. with my doctor, but I'm not sure what to ask him to test for. I've never had this issue when trying to lose weight. I've been told not to restrict anymore calories than I already am.

Please advise. Only other thing I can think of is I'm under tremendous stress at home and at work, but calories in calories out no?

[Anonymous]

How is your sleep? Are you done eating at least 3 hours before you go to bed? Do you drink enough water?
As for doctors questions - I'd start with standard blood tests - glucose, A1C, thyroid function, vit D/B and iron levels.
And yes, stress might be a key factor here, affects both - glucose levels and sleep, and both are critical for weight loss.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and no, CICO doesn't work for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is your sleep? Are you done eating at least 3 hours before you go to bed? Do you drink enough water?
As for doctors questions - I'd start with standard blood tests - glucose, A1C, thyroid function, vit D/B and iron levels.
And yes, stress might be a key factor here, affects both - glucose levels and sleep, and both are critical for weight loss.

Don't eat after 7. Sleep 6-7 hours. But I go to bed around midnight or 1am. Who couldn't drink more water. But I do OK on that. I will ramp up water. Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, lots of stress, I could understand it causing me not to lose rapidly, but gaining after a night in the hospital and 3 days of barely eating seemed weird.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I eat no more than 1800 calories a day. I've looked up my metabolic rate stuff (in terms of what I need to make a calorie deficit at 6' 225 lbs now) and it says I shouldnt go below 1800.

I eat zero bread or grains.

I eat only fish, lean protein, and good fats and veggies. Like anal about it.

[Anonymous]

OP: one more thing. The only thing I drink is water. That's it. Nothing else. No booze. Not a drop. No soda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is your sleep? Are you done eating at least 3 hours before you go to bed? Do you drink enough water?
As for doctors questions - I'd start with standard blood tests - glucose, A1C, thyroid function, vit D/B and iron levels.
And yes, stress might be a key factor here, affects both - glucose levels and sleep, and both are critical for weight loss.

Don't eat after 7. Sleep 6-7 hours. But I go to bed around midnight or 1am. Who couldn't drink more water. But I do OK on that. I will ramp up water. Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, lots of stress, I could understand it causing me not to lose rapidly, but gaining after a night in the hospital and 3 days of barely eating seemed weird.

Hospital/3 day episode - I wouldn't even worry about that - most likely water retention/constipation. Just keep going, it'll normalize in couple of days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I eat no more than 1800 calories a day. I've looked up my metabolic rate stuff (in terms of what I need to make a calorie deficit at 6' 225 lbs now) and it says I shouldnt go below 1800.

I eat zero bread or grains.

I eat only fish, lean protein, and good fats and veggies. Like anal about it.

Maybe add some for breakfast only? Like plain oatmeal or buckwheat/quinoa/your choice of whole grain. Just a thought. No-carb diet is not for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I eat no more than 1800 calories a day. I've looked up my metabolic rate stuff (in terms of what I need to make a calorie deficit at 6' 225 lbs now) and it says I shouldnt go below 1800.

I eat zero bread or grains.

I eat only fish, lean protein, and good fats and veggies. Like anal about it.

Maybe add some for breakfast only? Like plain oatmeal or buckwheat/quinoa/your choice of whole grain. Just a thought. No-carb diet is not for everyone.

OK, i could try that. i feel like i'm an endomorph who looks at a box of pasta and gains 10 lbs. i try and avoid grains like the plague. not because i'm gluten free but just because i gain weight from starch carbs - or that's my sense. I used to do some sweet potatoes and steel cut oats though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is your sleep? Are you done eating at least 3 hours before you go to bed? Do you drink enough water?
As for doctors questions - I'd start with standard blood tests - glucose, A1C, thyroid function, vit D/B and iron levels.
And yes, stress might be a key factor here, affects both - glucose levels and sleep, and both are critical for weight loss.

Don't eat after 7. Sleep 6-7 hours. But I go to bed around midnight or 1am. Who couldn't drink more water. But I do OK on that. I will ramp up water. Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, lots of stress, I could understand it causing me not to lose rapidly, but gaining after a night in the hospital and 3 days of barely eating seemed weird.

Hospital/3 day episode - I wouldn't even worry about that - most likely water retention/constipation. Just keep going, it'll normalize in couple of days.

Thanks. Appreciate that. Is 2 lbs a week loss too high an expectation for a man in his mid to late 30s?

[Anonymous]

Do you measure or weigh your food? Most often it’s failure to restrict portion sizes. We Americans are terrible about quantity.

[Anonymous]

1800 calories sounds like quite a lot. For people that were previously heavier, those estimates of calorie requirements are not accurate, unfortunately.

If you want to lose more weight, you will need to eat less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1800 calories sounds like quite a lot. For people that were previously heavier, those estimates of calorie requirements are not accurate, unfortunately.

If you want to lose more weight, you will need to eat less.

Don't listen to this, OP. 1800 is healthy number for 6' tall male. Don't kill your metabolism for quick weight loss. Just keep going, and remember that it doesn't really matter what's your weight going to be tomorrow. Much more important is what is your weight in a year from now.

[Anonymous]

It really could be that the hospital stay messed up your system (they are pumping you full of IV fluids. Give it another week or two before you go calling your doc. Sometimes the weight takes a while to get going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1800 calories sounds like quite a lot. For people that were previously heavier, those estimates of calorie requirements are not accurate, unfortunately.

If you want to lose more weight, you will need to eat less.

Don't listen to this, OP. 1800 is healthy number for 6' tall male. Don't kill your metabolism for quick weight loss. Just keep going, and remember that it doesn't really matter what's your weight going to be tomorrow. Much more important is what is your weight in a year from now.

I think 1800 is ok, but you might be eating more calories than you think. Things like cookie oil, salad dressing, cream in coffee, can add up a lot if not measured and accounted for. Also, fruit is often a lot bigger than what the calorie calculations account for. It may say 80 calories for a apple, but the apple could be 200+ calories if it is very large. Same thing for bananas.