Yes, Dr., I know I’m not fat YET but I’m an aerobics instructor on a diet & can’t lose weight!
So I go to the dr for something and while I’m there mention that I’m having trouble losing weight. I explain that I watch and track what I eat with weightwatchers and I exercise about 5 -6 hrs a week at a medium to high intensity(so in other words not counting things like going on walks, but serious ‘break a sweat, heart rate at 160′ working out.
Her answer? Oh I must be working out too much. Just have more rest days and it should start falling off.
Work out less?! Don’t have to tell me twice! Dr’s orders! But guess what....it didn’t help. It didn’t really hurt-my gaining was still slow and steady.
Follow up appointment(and a few pounds heavier, but still in a health BMI range) she says to see a nutritionist, I must not be eating right or eating more than I think. ha ha. I was literally measuring & counting every point! Every bite of every food was counted(and then worked off). I could tell you exactly what i was eating, the calories, the portion size, the points and how long it’d take me to work off. But I was getting frustrated so agreed to see the nutritionist.....who promptly looked at my food diary and said, apart from drinking more water and eating more protein(I don’t like meat) I was doing everything right. Gee, thanks lady.
A year later I’m back at the drs for my check up, and about 7lbs heavier. By this time I’ve tried a few other things to help me lose weight. Some worked very short term(like the ‘Master Cleanse Lemonade Diet, where you live on water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 10 HORRIBLE DAYS). But the instant I had a bite of actual food the weight was coming back.
‘Well that’s your problem! You’re dieting too much! You need to just eat whatever you want and make sure to work out 3-5 times a week. (GAH!) So back to 5 hrs of exercise a week but at least I don't have to watch what I eat! I can just stop stressing about it and just try to be healthy. Sounds like a good idea! I’m just over thinking it.
10 lbs later I booked an appointment with the dr specifically about this bloody weight! I could tell she still wasn’t worried, but she was at least starting to listen. She ordered blood tests. Over about a year I had the following tests (and a few I’ve probably forgotten about:
CBC, Vit D, Iron(ferritin), B12 Free T4, TSH Lab Thyroid Autoaby Profile and ((KICK ME WHILE I’M DOWN))..... Estradiol because ‘Hey, you’re not getting any younger and you COULD be menopausal. (I was 31.....)
Iron and vit D were low. All other results came back normal.....well crap. Still no answers.
By the way, I was NOT menopausal! :p