November/December weight management challenge

[Dannielle]

134.6 yesterday. really weird...I guess my maintenance range is out the window. it's weird in that after years of working so hard to lose weight, it's happening on its own without me actually trying. I did make some tweaks to how I'm eating but with health and budget as my motivation. Maybe I just don't really know what my "ideal" weight is. I'm open to my body telling me...

[indysteel]

Danielle, you are 5'11 right? While we all carry our weight differently, 134 sounds pretty low for that height. I know you have lost a lot of weight and are very mindful of what and how you eat. Do you think there's a chance you are just not eating enough? Are you losing muscle mass at this point?

[Trek-chick]

131. Six more to go!!!!!

[Dannielle]

Indysteel, technically I'm not quite 5'11" (I'm 5'10 2/3" so usually round up). My BMI is still in the normal range, but low normal. I'm looking pretty darn lean but not skeletal. Though I don't want to lose another 5 or so pounds or I might just be there.

It's a hard call on the muscle mass thing as this is my busy time of year with my business (I make toys) so I haven't been my usual active self the past 3 weeks.

I had been maintaining at around 145 for months (that's what I am in my avatar pic). Then in October I phased out animal products and salt from my diet. I do get plenty of protein though (I tracked it the first 6 weeks) so no worries there. Legumes really fill me up though, moreso than meat does. I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that it really is ok to be a little snacky with things like nuts, bananas, avocados in the context of the way I'm eating now. I probably do need a few more calories per day even though I eat a ton of food. There's no way I could possibly eat more food but I could make an effort to eat more calorically dense food.

My veggie addiction wasn't a problem with the animal products but legumes aren't fatty like the animal protein they're replacing (thinking out loud here). I'm thinking that's the issue. More nuts. I can do that. It would be nice if things just leveled out on their own though.

I'm not concerned...yet. But I am feeling the need to be cautious and monitor things.

[indysteel]

I am glad to know that you're keeping an eye on it. From my own experience the weight that I think is my ideal (118 or so) is just a few pounds off from where I feel really puny (at 115) v and just "off." I look thin at that weight but not emaciated. It is more a question of feeling less energetic and strong. Of course, I am at 126 at the moment so this is all just theoretical! Just keep an eye on both the scale and your energy level. You have come so far (and you have my utmost respect) I would hate to see you get so low that you have the opposite problem.

[ny biker]

Indysteel, technically I'm not quite 5'11" (I'm 5'10 2/3" so usually round up). My BMI is still in the normal range, but low normal. I'm looking pretty darn lean but not skeletal. Though I don't want to lose another 5 or so pounds or I might just be there.

It's a hard call on the muscle mass thing as this is my busy time of year with my business (I make toys) so I haven't been my usual active self the past 3 weeks.

I had been maintaining at around 145 for months (that's what I am in my avatar pic). Then in October I phased out animal products and salt from my diet. I do get plenty of protein though (I tracked it the first 6 weeks) so no worries there. Legumes really fill me up though, moreso than meat does. I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that it really is ok to be a little snacky with things like nuts, bananas, avocados in the context of the way I'm eating now. I probably do need a few more calories per day even though I eat a ton of food. There's no way I could possibly eat more food but I could make an effort to eat more calorically dense food.

My veggie addiction wasn't a problem with the animal products but legumes aren't fatty like the animal protein they're replacing (thinking out loud here). I'm thinking that's the issue. More nuts. I can do that. It would be nice if things just leveled out on their own though.

I'm not concerned...yet. But I am feeling the need to be cautious and monitor things.

Cutting out salt could account for a couple of pounds, since you might have less water weight.

[indysteel]

Just in case, maybe a physical and blood check are in order? Losing that much so fast could mean something is wrong. That is a huge percentage of your weight too.

True. If nothing else, check your thyroid and blood sugar.

[Dannielle]

True. If nothing else, check your thyroid and blood sugar.

Ah, that could be it, too. I go in for a thyroid check this week. My meds could be off. My Dr keeps my tsh a little extra low intentionally and I could have slipped into the hyperthyroid zone.

I hadn't considered that (though....duh!). That's probably what's going on. My tsh was 0.3 last June and I was a little more than 20lbs heavier then.

I will suspend my worry until after my appt Thursday.

(I DO eat nuts/seeds every day...I just meant I may need to eat *more*. I tend to be a little cautious still and measure my nut portions. Though I've stopped measuring everything else)

[indysteel]

Ah, that could be it, too. I go in for a thyroid check this week. My meds could be off. My Dr keeps my tsh a little extra low intentionally and I could have slipped into the hyperthyroid zone.

I hadn't considered that (though....duh!). That's probably what's going on. My tsh was 0.3 last June and I was a little more than 20lbs heavier then.

I will suspend my worry until after my appt Thursday.

(I DO eat nuts/seeds every day...I just meant I may need to eat *more*. I tend to be a little cautious still and measure my nut portions. Though I've stopped measuring everything else)

Out of curiosity, how did you and your doc arrive at TSH number that you feel is good for you and/or why do you keep it on the lowest end of normal? I was diagnosed with a very mild case of Graves over the summer and have been on a low dose of anti-thyroid meds since late August. I then put on five rather stubborn pounds that may or may have nothing to do with it. When I first started the meds, my TSH shot up to 3. We halved my dose. I get bloodwork done in a couple of weeks. My endo said something about wanting to get me closer to 1 TSH. I have to wonder whether my dose is still a tad high. I hate having to rely on a drug for my metabolism. Before this, I never struggled to keep my weight within my ideal range.

[Dannielle]

Out of curiosity, how did you and your doc arrive at TSH number that you feel is good for you and/or why do you keep it on the lowest end of normal? I was diagnosed with a very mild case of Graves over the summer and have been on a low dose of anti-thyroid meds since late August. I then put on five rather stubborn pounds that may or may have nothing to do with it. When I first started the meds, my TSH shot up to 3. We halved my dose. I get bloodwork done in a couple of weeks. My endo said something about wanting to get me closer to 1 TSH. I have to wonder whether my dose is still a tad high. I hate having to rely on a drug for my metabolism. Before this, I never struggled to keep my weight within my ideal range.

When I was being treated for hypothyroidism alone (nothing else factored in) my endo kept my tsh around 1-2. These days my endo keeps my tsh a little extra suppressed as I've been treated for stage 3 thyroid cancer. I no longer have a thyroid gland so there's no point to the pituitary gland sending out messages to produce thyroid hormones. All that would do in my case is aggravate an autoimmune response (I still test positive for anti-thyroid antibodies) and create a pro-cancer environment.

I totally understand your struggle. Before now I never DIDN'T struggle with my weight. I'm really grateful for the brainstorming because I'm now pretty sure that I must be in the hyperthyroid zone. Hopefully a little tweak of the meds will set everything straight (my Raynaud's is going nuts right now too so maybe that'll calm down too)

I'm not all that familiar with Graves (all my issues have been on the other end of the spectrum) but I can tell ya I don't feel good with a tsh of 3.

[indysteel]

Wow, Danielle. It sounds like you have been through a lot. I am hopeful that my doc and I will figure it out with some trial and error. What's strange is that I learned over the summer that in previous years, my TSH had been closer to hypo. No one ever said anything to me about my numbers at that point. During that time, I was riding 5k miles a year, doing yoga for 3-5 hours a week, eating like a horse and struggling to keep weight on. I generally felt good. So I have no idea what a good normal us for me or what I should aim to feel like.

[GLC1968]

Weight is up this week and I have zero idea why. My exercise and diet have been 100% spot on, so I'm not going to stress out about it.

145.6

[azfiddle]

I was 117.8 this week. I've been disciplined enough to maintain 5 lbs above my goal for about 4 months, but not disciplined enough to quite get back into losing mode.

[Dannielle]

@ Danielle:

This post from another thread has links to good 'ideal' weight info, plus talks about different charts available, and the disparity of perceptions for what is ideal.

You have to add an inch to your height to get an accurate idea, because it assumes that the person is wearing 1 inch heels. In fact, it says all published charts are like that, but most people aren't aware. So look at the range between 5'11 and 6'.

thank you! now I'm really not all that worried. yes, I had to add an inch but that also means I'd be weighing fully dressed, with shoes (vs fresh out of bed, naked, after the potty). I remembered to weigh myself today when fully dressed and I was 142.4 (was 135 nakie this morning).

[Catrin]

....I remembered to weigh myself today when fully dressed and I was 142.4 (was 135 nakie this morning).

We weigh very close to the same thing (both neekid and otherwise) and I find this difference SO frustrating...so I need to stop weighing myself clothed