Sleep-depression and weight loss???

[ms_sally1974]

So it's a long story....

Started dieting and trying to lose weight Sept 2011, around 1500 calories per day and exercising 5 days a week.  After a year of watching what I ate and exercising, I lost only 27 lbs…. a real struggle/slow metabolism…

Then in October 2012, diet and exercise staying the same, I slowly started to gain weight.   I've gained 10 lbs since October.  I did all sorts of things to get past the stuck point, thinking it might be a plateau, (increased calories, increased exercise, changed exercise, changed diet ratios, cycled calories, cycled carbs, etc.)  but I just kept  gaining. Since April 15th, I’ve increased my calories to about 1800 per day, and not being quite as strict with my exercise to see if I might be over doing it.  Still no weight loss. Normally,  I run three times a week 3 to 6 miles at a time and I lift weights for 30 mins to an hour three other days,  no less than 5 days a week.  And the scale nor tape measure have moved since October of 2012 except in the up direction…. I eat no processed foods (or very little), high protein, balanced carbs and fat.  Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein (chicken, fish, lean beef) low fat or fat-free dairy, watch my sodium intake and drink around 120 oz of water per day.   I also measure my food, so I know I’m not overestimating what I’m eating.

Okay so given all of that I went to the dr and had several tests done for thyroid, hormones etc and all of this has come back normal.  I'm a little low in vitamin D, but that's it.  The dr seems to think that the lack of weight loss, weight gain, and depression/mood swings/lack of emotional control I've been having is from a lack of sleep. Which is another symptom I've been having. I've not had a good nights sleep in I couldn't tell you when.

So here's what I need to know. 1) has anyone experienced this, could lack of sleep be the cause of these symptoms. 2) what did you do? 3) at this point, what should I be eating calorie wise, cause all that I thought I knew, well it's completely gone out the window. I'm 4' 11" 38 YO, with a desk job, the above diet and activity and this morning I was 169lbs. Also, since my vitamin D is a little low, any ideas on if I should try some supplements to increase that?

[DC86]

We all go through plateaus. You took a break and that's good so get back onto what worked before. Stepping back is required sometimes.

I have a Vitamin D deficiency also. My doctor told me to get some more sunlight and to take Vitamin D pills. Took about a month or two but it evened out. Take it with food, breakfast works for me because I seem to think since I also suck at sleeping, it just makes sense to avoid taking it at dinner so close to bed.

You'll get there! :)

[ms_sally1974]

Thank you all for your responses and it's not necessarily a no brainer.  At my amount of activity 1300 is WAY to low and I'm literally starving, meaning I get muscle cramps, the sleep issues are worse and the mood swings are awful, etc.  I may be 4' 11" but I've got a fair amount of muscle.

I'm also not so sure about the water intake as I've tried cutting back on that and all I feel is thirsty.

I am however, addressing the sleep issues and trying to address the stress and depression. I do think that the sleep issue has something to do with the weight gain, as I didn't start gaining until I stopped sleeping well.

I do agree that I should do what works, or what worked for a time. So I'm going to go back to 1500 and see what happens, although, I know that for whatever reason, I was maintaining on that amount for several months when I stopped losing. I'm just finding a hard time with a balance of enough calories to sustain my activity and lose.

[courtney48]

If I understand you, you are saying that in one year, you lost nearly 30 pounds, but because you were not satisfied with that, you stopped dieting in the way that allowed weight loss, and since then have gained back 10.  Is that right?  And you wonder why, even after adding MORE calories, you aren't lose weight?  

This is a no brainer to me.  Go back to what you were doing which was successful even if not as fast as you'd like.  I do agree with another poster that you are drinking a lot of water.  Water, instead of other drinks is a better option, but everything in moderation, right?  As far as calorie in, I think at 4'11" even 1300 is too much to lose or really even to maintain.  
Are you addressing depression/mood swings/lack of emotional control?  You might consider doing so.  

To answer your questions specifically in relation to what I know about myself and what works for me- 1) yes, I do have chronic insomnia and yes, I do have unwanted pounds, however, I do not see one causing the other.  2)  I eat less, move more.  Exercise is a sleep inducer.  I also revamped my sleep hygiene. 3) I simply eat less.  That is what leads to weight loss.  And the Vit D issue, fifteen minutes of sunshine gives 20,000IU of Vit D.  Since you are outdoors at least twice a week for much longer than that, if this were me, I'd wonder why I was low.  I might revisit this issue with my doctor in addition to possibly taking a supplement.  

[Susie2013]

Carbs limit them 20 or less ...let your body eat from your stored fat. Jusy try it for a month and see....oh and no sugar

[cuzimdmom]

On Dr. Oz the other day, Chris Powell from the Extreme Makeover, Weight Loss Edition, said you figure out how many calories you burn a day by taking your weight and multiplying it by 12. If you want to lose weight, eat less than that number. Don't go too far below that number or your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto that fat! A lack of sleep and stress will contribute to weight gain so take those factors also into consideration. Hang in there!

[drich193]

Go vegan... try it for 1 month.  No meats; limit starch and sugar intake.