Unable to lose any weight!

[apepper]

For the past six months, I have been trying to lose weight.  I run 3-4 miles, four or five days a week.  I work 25-30 hours a week, where I am on my feet constantly, and have school 15 hours a week.  I do strength training once or twice a week, for 30 minute increments.  I eat very healthy of the time - lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains - though I do overindulge every once in a while.  I am vegetarian (well, I eat fish occasionally), but make sure I get tofu and other proteins throughout most of my meals (though I'm not 100% sure I'm getting enough).  I usually keep my calories between 1300 - 1600.  But I am not losing any weight whatsoever.  I weigh 147 on a good day.  But this past week, I weighed myself on Sunday and I was 145 (lowest I've been since changing my eating and exercise habits) and today, the scale says 150 (I started at 153 in March, when I began running and being more conscious of what foods go in my body)!  I cannot get out of this rut, no matter what I do, and I am at my wit's end.  I can honestly say, though, my one big problem is sugar.  I am so good at eating healthy, but if there is a brownie available, I will eat it.  Most of the time I am good at balancing that out (ate the brownie for lunch, so make sure i have a light salad with some tuna on it for dinner, instead of the pasta), but could sugar be the main cause of my weight stagnation?  If not, what is the problem???  Am I eating the right amount of calories every day for my activity level?

[OytheGreat]

Barring a health condition, it sounds like you're in great shape. I also think the calories you're eating compared to your level of activity is pretty low. You might not be eating enough. For a woman, 1200 calories a day is the bare minimum in order to be healthy. For a man, it's even higher.

I think your focus should be on toning up, not losing weight. Maybe add a day of strength training in place of running, which means you'd average 3 days of strength training a week. For anyone struggling with weight loss, strength-training should be the first place you go, not cardio.  Also, make sure you're getting plenty of protein. I cannot emphasize this enough, especially for a vegetarian. I usually go with organic peanut butter. I'll have one or two tablespoons after a strength-training session. Working out can often leave the body deprived of protein.

Maybe it's time to throw away the scales and instead focus on how your clothes are fitting.

[Csandnugget]

Hey apepper!
See a registered dietician too, they really know what they are doing!

[Barb135]

To test thyroid function, you should get a TSH test, along Free T3 and Free T4, which are actual thyroid hormones, whereas the TSH is a pituitary test.

You could have insulin resistance, which sort of a "forerunner' to type II diabetes; there aren't always a lot of symptoms that accompany type II diabetes.

PCOS is Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, in which there are small cysts on the ovaries.  This causes hormones to be out of kilter with each other.

The thyroid, pancreas, ovaries, adrenals, etc are all part of the endocrine system and must all work together.  

Once medical issues are ruled out, you should probably reevaluate what you are eating, how much, etc.  Last but not least, you might want to reevaluate whether or not you even really need to low weight.  A quick look at a height/weight chart, says you can safely weigh anywhere between 123 and 163, depending on your bone structure.  See below:

Height             Small Frame             Medium Frame             Large Frame

5'7"                   123-136                     133-147                      143-163

Maybe what you really need is muscle toning rather than weight loss.

[apepper]

I had a basic blood test a few months ago, which tested my thyroid, and the doctor didn't say anything was wrong with it.  Do you have to do a specific blood test, though?  I'm pretty sure I don't have diabetes...my dad does, and when he got it, there were so many other symptoms, such as having to urinate constantly but being really thirsty, passing out from his blood sugar going so low, etc.  But it is in my family now, so that isn't a bad idea to get tested.  What is PCOS, though?  I haven't heard of that...

Also, I am 5'7", and as I said, weight about 147 on average.  I understand that weight fluctuates, but after six months, I have only lost FIVE pounds, and there is no way that is normal with how much I exercise and keep active.  I even climbed three fourteeners this summer, which that alone should have dropped me five pounds!  :)  I usually try to have a positive attitude about this, because even though I haven't lost the desired weight, I know I am so much more fit.  But it does get kinda depressing sometimes...

[Barb135]

I agree that you could have a thyroid issue.  I have hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune disease.  I gained about 30 pounds in about 3 months prior to my diagnosis.

You might also want to get checked for type II diabetes/insulin resistance, which can also cause weight gain.  I don't know your age or if you are male or female; however, if female, you might also want to get checked for PCOS.

Provided that you have no medical issues, please bear in mind that your weight can fluctuate depending on whether or not you are retaining fluids, etc.  Again, if you are female and still having menstrual cycles, that could have a bearing.  In addition, it could have something to do with when you last ate and/or went to the bathroom, in relation to stepping on the scale.  

It's also possible that you don't need as many calories as you are eating; this would depend on your height and current weight.  

[vivi_81]

wow, you do a hell of a work out. as for you weight loss problem, did you ever have your thyroid checked? if it does not function properly, it can lead to overweight. ( an under-functioning thyroid can also be the cause for your sugar needs as it will drain your energy. This is a simple blood test and can be controlled with tablets. i just thought this to be a possibility because my friend had the same problem and once she was diagnosed and treated, she shed all her weight fairly quickly. But anyways, I'm no doctor.
Good luck