weight loss problem

[mamadukesfl1]

I am a 54 year old woman who is menapausal and pre-diabetic. I had gestational diabetes in my 20's.No matter what I do, I cannot lose the 25 lbs that I have put on in the last year or so. I have always weighed between 115 and 125 my whole adult life and I eat well.  I also joined a gym 6 months ago and do 30 minutes or cardio 5 days a week and weight training 4 days. I have not even lost 1 lb.  What more can I do? I didn't even lose weight on the Atkin's diet. Thanks

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

HI,
I was about to suggest a few things when I saw your last comment , which leads right into my suggestions:
1)first, you seem to be doing quite alot in terms of lifestyle change, and even though the weight is not coming off, you are doing some good for your cardiovascular state, so keep on with all of it.
2)Have you done calorie counting to see what you are taking in overall? Even though it may seem like you are not eating anything, keep decreasing slowly. At some point what you burn off will exceed what you eat, and you will lose weight.
3)Most important actually, and linking to your last comment: I was about to suggest that you also be checked for thyroid dysfunction and Cushings syndrome. Thyroid disease is very common and can cause many problems with weight. Cushings disease is not common. The fact that you have a pituitary adenoma makes it even more important that your doctor evaluate you for these.If you have not yet seen an Endocrinologist I do suggest you have a consultation with one nearby also.
Hope this helps,
take care.

[mamadukesfl1]

Thanks for the time you took to write back. I wouldn't mind if the weight came off slowly. I joined the gym and hoped for a loss of a pound a week, but I have lost nothing. My cloths don't fit any differently. I work out till my arms and legs shake. As for what I eat, most of my adult life, I had coffee in the morning with half and half (a habit left over from doing atkins 15 years ago when I wanted to lose 10 lbs!) then I would eat nothing until dinner. If I was hungry before then, I would either munch on a mixture I would make of raisins, nuts and pretzels or have another cup of coffee. For the last year, I have been trying to have better habits. I still have coffee in the morning. Then I have a 100 calorie yogurt around 11 before I work out. I would come home and have a  pure protein drink, no carbs. In the afternoon I have either low fat cottage cheese with a couple of pretzels or Quakers weight control oatmeal or farina. Dinner is always a lean meat, rice, potatoe or sweet potatoe and vegetable. Around 9pm I like to have something like a tiny bowl of Life cereal with 1% organic milk. I am not on meds. This is all new and I still have to go for an MRI for a pituitary adenoma that I have which is making my prolactin levels a little high. Then I will go back to the Dr.. My father also has type II. Lynn

[strawberri]

mama, being that u  are pre-diabetic and going through menopause, it willl take a little more time than 1 month to start losing weight. I don't know if u know that Dr. Atkins wrote a Diabetes Revolution book. And it talks about pre-diabetes and the importance of healing your body. And even if u arn't losing weight at first your body is healing from the inside out. I don't want to push the Atkins program on u, I just know that at yours and my age our hearts health is important when u have pre-diabetes or diabetes. There is a fine line between the two. Are u on any healthy eating plan right now. I have 19 lbs left to loose. I started last Dec. and 20 of the lbs came off slowly up intil June. And I have lost 3 since then.  I think I am more into the deeper stages of Menopause. I have not wavered on the Atkins Diet. I feel good and my BS are stable. Its not always weight that sends u into pre-diabetes. It mainly genes, and diet and weight. I think the Dr. will agree that with diabetes it is important to make a life style diet change that u can live with. Because if u go on any diet and loose the weight and stop the weight comes back plus more, I am sure I am not telling  u something u don't already know... Im just concerned because anytime I hear someone say they have Pre-diabetes they get the chance I never had and I just want to give them my hope and help to get it under control. Because when u have that last chance it is so highly important to do something about it. I was 16 yrs old, and a tiny little thing 89lbs and headed to the Olympic's and Mark Spitz was my swim coach, and when the virus that damaged my beta cells happened, it ruined my chance to compete. I won so many races and all of a sunden my body struggled to get to the end of the pool. It was the sadess time of my life. If I had only a chance of it being Pre-diabetes. I was a rare birdie I was told, there were no type 2 kids in the bay area in 1972. Well I hope u find the right woe that will help u..Debbie

[mamadukesfl1]

i was on atkin's for a month.

[strawberri]

I saw u were on Adkins, how long were u on it? I know its a life style change and shouldn't be a diet for only short term. And a Lower carb diet can help with controlling Diabetes. Lean protien, low sugar fruits and non starchy veggies and high grain foods and fiber help stablize the blood sugars. And u being a pre-diabetic, are u on any diabetic med's? And also do u check your blood sugars? Because stress, and up and downs of blood sugars can cause weight to stall. And having menopause hanging on to u, I am dealing with that also, make it even harder because of the hormone's declining. And remember to, muscle weighs more than fat, and replacing the fat for muscle changes how much u weigh. The dr. is great, and she will help u even more...Debbie