It won't work for me!!!!!!!!

Hello,

Babycakemom here. I have been a member of calorie count since August. Since August I have not lost weight. I have gained 15 pounds. I quit smoking in July. I have maintained a 1800 calorie diet and started walking twice a day. I am so frustrated. My chart always says I burn more calories than I take in. I should be loosing weight. I went to my doctor two weeks ago and she increased my Thyriod medication. I have hypothyroidism. I thought this would help, but I am still gaining an average of a pound per day. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds like you need to get your medication adjusted again?? Maybe, or have you thought about lowering your calories? Just something to think about?

I to have hypothyroidism and it sucks.  I would recommend to try the 12 week exercise program they have under exercise,  I did that and in the first 3 weeks I lost 10 pounds.  You may even want to bring your diet down by 100  calories.  But keep your head up with hypothryoidism it is much harder to loose weight.  You have to do a lot of exercise daily to get a result.  

Have you discussed your diet/exercise plan with your thyroid doctor?  It sounds like that definitely is to blame for your weight gain.

It can take up to 3 months for thyroid medication to have its full effect when increased or changed.  Just relax and keep up the good work.  You'll get there :)

 

Thank you so much for letting me know it takes three months for an increase of thyroid medication to take effect. That really helps.

edited to remove assumptive comment...sorry about that!


What's your current weight? Height? Age? How much do you want to lose?

I agree with the other post(s) about increasing your exercise. Unless you really burn up the pavement, walking doesn't burn a whole lot of calories. Try higher intensity exercise and lift weights!!! You gotta have muscle to burn fat.

and for what it's worth, I don't lose weight at 1800 cals a day, regardless of the amount of excercise I do....a better number for me is 1600...

Age..metabolism slowing because you quit smoking...both are factors...in addition to thyroid issues.

With walking, I used to think it was speed that mattered, but I've since learned that it's duration; the longer you walk, the better.  Walk at a speed that you can comfortably maintain for half an hour, then increase time, rather than speed.  An About.com article says that, from 2.5 mph to 4 mph, calories burned per hour actually go down because your momentum carries you forward and you don't have to work as hard for each step.  Once you hit 4-4.5 mph (which is power walking, for me), effort increases again and k/hr burned goes back up.  Walk for an hour and burn those cals!  I've also found that a day spent Christmas shopping burns quite a few calories.  :)

To reach your goal weight you should be eating the right amount of calories for your body type and size:
1800 calories/day is for a woman who is:
6' (ft tall) [small bone frame + moderate aerobic activity] or 
5'11" [medium bone frame +  moderate aerobic activity] or
5'8" to 5'9" [large bone frame + moderate aerobic activity]

If you are shorter than the heights listed above, check out this link, it will clearly explain you how to calculate the daily calories you are supposed to consume to reach your target weight: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bridge /7836/luc1.index.html
Once you're eating the right amount of calories the weight will come off.  If you can adjust your walking to speed walking (1 mile per 15minutes) that would be exponentially better. You need to break a sweat for results. 
If that doesn't produce results, have your blood tested for cortisol. Levels might be higher than normal.