My Body is Fighting Against Me
Male, 75 years old. About three months ago, I stepped onto a scale for the first time in about 3 years. I was aghast to see that I had gained 60 pounds, from about 185, my weight for the last 10 years, to 245. I noticed my gut swelling, but didn't pay it any heed because I had always lost weight easily in the past. This was a whole new experience. I cut my diet, but not drastically. Within about a week, I lost 10 pounds and was down to 235 or so. Easy-peasy, I thought. Boy, was I wrong. For the next two months or so, I vacillated between 235 and 240. I decided to try an all-protein diet. I got down to 230 and have not been able to drop below that, even by consuming 600-800 calories per day. The all-protein diet, even with a little vegetable, made me constipated, so I had to abandon all-protein and go back to my ordinary diet, which included a few half-cupfuls of lentils and wild rice. Here's a typical day's consumption: 3 soft boiled eggs at 6 AM and decaf with little sugar and cream small handful of walnuts 9 AM bare 3oz hamburger patty lean with slice tomato and mustard 11 AM couple spoonfuls of cottage cheese 4% fat before 2 PM nap bunless chicken sausage cut and stuffed with sauerkraut 5 PM 1/2 cup of spinach in a little broth 8 PM few spoonfuls of nonfat yogurt four times a day to wash down vitamins I cannot calculate more than about 700 calories in that diet. Yet I am up to 231 one day and then down to 230 the next. Sometimes I'm so hungry in the morning that I start to feel sick, and I have to wolf down a small slice of wheat bread (70 calories) to get some carbs into my system after 10 hours of not eating. My conclusion: It appears my body would rather send me into malnutrition before it gives up any pounds. Anyone else experiencing this?
I've experienced this and am experiencing it now as I've hit a setpoint my body won't move from. One of the things that has helped me the most is seeing a Registered Dietician. There is so much science now on how nutrition, protein, carbs etc impact our weight - it's not just about calories. Most insurance will cover an RD. I have learned I have to eat a lot more protein than I would have thought, and that if I stage my protein and cards (protein first, carbs 10 minutes later) it makes a big difference. I'd also say that my experience is that being in an official weight management program at my hospital gives me much better support than what I was getting when I just saw my primary care.
Welcome to the community,
! How awesome that you thought to seek that kind of support. That eating strategy is similar to one recommended for people with type 2 diabetes. It makes so much sense because the protien helps slow digestion, which prevents the cravings that come with carbs that are too quickly digested. Have you lost weight this way or at least stopped gaining? Thanks for sharing what helps. Warm wishes. - Lori (Team Member)
Hi Lori, yes I have talked with him. He didn't say much, just that in response to my question he said that if it was a choice between malnutrition = losing weight and maintaining weight for health he'd choose the latter. My blood work is all excellent. My body just refuses to give up the pounds. On such a diet I put on a pound overnight last night. Go figure.
Hi
. I'm glad your doctor recognizes that maintaining your weight for health is more important. Your metabolism must be super slow, for some reason. I hope you get feedback from others who are having similar experiences. Have you tried building more muscle? Even just light lifting for 15 minutes a day can significantly boost your metabolism. - Lori (Team Member)
Hi
. We are not medical experts, but it seems that you should be losing weight on that diet. Have you talked with your doctor about your weight and your struggle to lose it yet? I just wonder if something else is going on, like a change in your hormone levels. Warm wishes. - Lori (Team Member)
