Help losing weight?

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I see that there are already threads on this, but I am looking for any advice for my particular issues.

I am in my late twenties, female, 5'6", 163lbs, waistline of 36". I have hormonal problems that I am on medication for (hypothyroidism and PCOS), and I'm on an antipsychotic that made me gain 30lbs which I've never been able to shed.

I used to eat terribly, and I made a lot of changes a couple of years ago when I gained the weight from the medication. Replacing soda with water, eating vegetables, cutting out greasy fast food, not eating nearly as much. It's discouraging that I have had absolutely no weight loss or loss in waist size in these last years.

Exercise wise, I don't do much. I used to walk about 3-6 miles a day at work, but I work very little now so I don't walk nearly as much. I can't jog or run because of a hip problem. I've tried doing stretches every day to keep my muscles toned, but at most I've been able to keep it up for a few weeks before getting discouraged and losing my motivation. At the worst times, my depression gets so bad I don't even get out of bed for days, which is a position I'm in right now, so I'm getting virtually no exercise.

Food wise, I mostly eat one big meal a day and have a few snacks. I've been eating fruit (apples and bananas) as snacks but sometimes I might eat a microwavable bowl of macaroni and cheese or a diabetic meal shake, the main meal varies depending on if someone cooks and is either something like a couple of meat patties with vegetables (someone else needs to cook this), a footlong veggie sandwich (no sauces) from Subway, or a can of soup and some rice. The lack of variety is really boring but I honestly don't know what else to eat.

I am looking for advice to help me lose some of this weight, that I am able to do with my limitations. Exercises that are easy to keep up with, and healthy foods that are easy to make.

For exercise, I would need something I can do indoors and do every day, because if I don't do it every day I will put it off, and it can't involve running or jogging.

Food wise, I can't eat cooked mustard plants or bean pods or use knives, and it needs to be just enough to eat in one sitting.

I've been trying to do these things myself for a long time and it's just not working. I'm hoping someone might have some suggestions. So far most things I have found online or in books are for people who function at a different level than I am at, so I am thinking that might be why it never worked for me.

Hi Dragonwhiskers,

I am so sorry to hear about everything that you are currently struggling with. I hope it is ok that I am replying even though I don't have all the same particular issues; I do have depression & joint problems in common with you, so I think some of the things that have worked for me may work for you too. I hope so!

When I decided to loose my extra weight, I did a bunch of research into metabolism & bodybuilding...in the end, I decided to keep my approach simple:

NUTRITION
- Try to get at least six smaller meals & snacks in during the day. Every meal/snack should contain ample protein & fat (they digest more slowly and will keep you feeling full longer). You mentioned having fruit or Mac & cheese for snacks - try adding a closed handful of nuts/seeds or a tablespoon of nut butter to your fruit snacks and some extra protein to your Mac & cheese (avocado, tofu, hummus, cottage cheese, ham or even a bit of extra cheese will help the pasta to digest more slowly. Try choosing whole wheat bread and brown rice whenever possible (the extra fibre will also help slow down digestion). By forcing your meals/snacks to digest more slowly, you will be evening out your blood sugar levels, which can have a huge impact on depression (and on hormonal disorders like PCOS/Thyroid by supporting better endocrine function)

- I try to have a protein shake as one of my snacks during the day (I use a brand called Vega because it has good ingredients for health and the environment. Choosing a plant-based protein shake may be particularly important for you because dairy has a lot of hormones in it that may undermine your thyroid/PCOS treatments. (many protien shakes are concentrated 'whey' which is a byproduct of dairy)

- I always try to keep up with vitamin/mineral supplements. I take a multiple vitamin/mineral, vitamin D3(Canadian!), B-12 & iron (because I am vegan and I cannot get enough b-12 or iron unless I supplement...these are especially important deficiencies as both can cause neurological and blood cell problems...which can both mimic depression/anxiety symptoms!)

- One final point on nutrition: avoid under eating (the old understanding of calories-in/calories out math is outdated & wrong.) Under eating triggers a metabolic state (that evolution developed to protect us from starvation) where your body will try every biochemical trick it can to slow your metabolism and make you feel hungry when you are not...so try to meet your minimum calorie requirement & even add extra food to compensate for any exercise you do. This will keep you in the biochemical zone that allows you to burn body fat as fuel (at a healthy rate) and build new muscle. I used MyFitnessPal for a while to get a sense of what the right amount of calories looks like (I had been under eating for a long time without realizing it & once I started eating enough, I started loosing weight! It sounds like you might also be under eating based on the meals and snacks you outlined, so this may be really important for you!). MyFitnessPal also has features that will let you know weather you are getting the RDA on vitamins, minerals & amino acids, which I believe is super important to better brain/hormonal function... So it was a good tool for me to use for a few weeks when I was re-engineering my diet & I still use it every few months to check-in & make sure I have my bases covered nutritionally.


EXERCISE
- I stick with resistance/light weight training (instead of 'cardio' which mostly involves running / impact type activities thus making my ankles/knees/back way too painful...and would probably be bad for your hip). I started out slowly & once I got comfortable with the weight/resistance exercises I was doing, I worked out an interval training routine to do the exercises which takes 20 minutes a day and gets my heart rate up as well as traditional cardio ever did. (interval training, at it's most simple, is alternating high-intensity and low-intensity - so, for instance I begin by stretching, then do a calisthenics/resistance/yoga sequence at the maximum rate of speed and intensity that I can manage (while maintaining comfort and full control) for two minutes (or about 30 repetitions), then I stretch for one minute, then I move on to the next exercise for two minutes, stretch for one minute...this sequence of high & low intensity raises your heart rate and metabolic rate very effectively, while being much better for those of us with injuries & joint problems because any exercises can be used in the sequence to support ones specific problem areas and avoid undue strain on injuries.

- To learn proper form for the exercises I mentioned I bought a book that has illustrations for each exercise which shows how the muscles connect to the bones of the joints involved in the exercise (this has really helped my joints because I have been able to slowly build better muscular support in my most painful areas). The book is "The Strength Training Anatomy Workout" by Fredric Delavier & Michael Gundill. Similar information on proper form wilth illustrations/photos to show the correct transitions can be found online too if that works better for you! I use only an exercise mat, 10 lb dumbells, a resistance band & my own body weight to work out with. I use ibuprofen and cold/heat after exercise when I'm in pain.

- I also get a bit of exercise doing house/yard work.

- Finally, I try to pair exercises with routine tasks whenever I can - I do squats/lunges while I brush my teeth...etc...

I hope some of that helps (sorry for the loooong post!).

One last thought - when I am so depressed that getting out of bed is hard I make 3 item to-do lists which really helps me focus when I am foggy & feel less useless...for instance a list might be: 1) Brush teeth 2) Make healthy snack 3) Wipe-down kitchen counter ... Later on I might 1) Exercise for 5 minutes 2) Shower/dress 3) Read for 30 minutes ... Doing this has worked really well for me because I don't get overwhelmed and paralyzed - I can focus on little bursts of activity, which don't exhaust me while I am not functioning well. Best wishes

Thank you so much for your reply! It is extremely detailed and in depth, and it's actually the first time anyone has taken my issues into consideration when offering me advice.

Nutrition: These examples sound really easy and I'm excited to get right on them. I do like nuts so adding them to my snacks will be really easy, as will the other things you've suggested. I will try eating more throughout the day, in little meals, and see if there's an improvement. Also I've never heard of Vega, I will definitely look into that brand. I've given up straight milk, but can't seem to get off cheese and occasionally yogurt, because I have heard of possible issues with hormones. I know vegan cheese exists (used to get them in slices), so I should look up vegan mac and cheese.

Exercise: I'm going to check that book out right away! I like what you've said here, it seems much less strenuous than what I've tried so far (mainly cardio).

Supplements: I did take these for a while but I stopped, thanks for listing those because I really do need to start them again.

Your advice for bad depression days is really helpful, and I will start doing this now. I do usually try to make myself do at least one thing, but doing a little more might help me break out of that funk.

Thanks again for this really great reply! I'm actually kind of emotional just reading this, because of responses I've gotten on other boards around the internet where they either tell me stuff that's way over my head and ability, or say I'm just making excuses. The stuff you've suggested seems really doable for me, and I'm really excited to try it out.

Hi, just wanted to add my 2 cents. I agree a lot with what the previous poster has been writing. It's very good advice. I've lost a lot of weight myself, also while struggling with other health issues.

Don't listen to the people who criticize you for not losing weight; people are being really irrational about this sort of thing. It probably just means they have body issues themselves, otherwise they wouldn't get so worked up about what random strangers are doing.

What worked for me was focusing on eating healthily rather than avoiding unhealthy food. As well as improving one's health I think it builds a good relationship with your body. Getting healthy and losing weight is a lot about what goes on in your head. I really see weight loss as just a side effect of good health.

If you have PCOS you probably have a higher risk of developing Diabetes 2, which is yet another reason to try to stabilize your blood sugar. The diet you describe is very high in quick carbohydrates, so adding healthy fats and fibre to your diet is crucial. Totally agree with MMM that you may be eating too little, and that you might need to take some supplements to get your energy levels up, particularly vitamin D and various B-vitamins. Can you have your blood checked for the most common vitamins and minerals? People who are overweight often lack vitamin D due to this being a fat soluble vitamin. More body fat means an increased need for vitamin D.

A couple of quick fixes: boil a batch of eggs and keep them in the fridge. Whenever you're feeling peckish or need to go somewhere, take one. Avocados are also good sources of healthy fats - maybe a good substitute for cheese cravings. Quinoa is great for stabilizing blood sugar, according to my diabetic friend.

I have some problems with executive function, so anything complicated is out of the question. I mostly walk fast and use my bicycle a lot. Even though it is counter-intuitive when it comes to weight loss, I'd like to make the case for Yoga and Pilates. What I find is that these exercises mitigate a lot of muscular pain, which lets me move more freely, and then I actually go for walks instead of staying indoors. For some reason they make me feel less tired, and then I find it easier to choose healthy food.

I know that some people with Hashimoto's have gotten better by going gluten free; I don't know whether this is the case for other thyroid problems. If improving your diet and exercise levels doesn't work, this might be worth looking into - a lot of autistic people have sensitive stomachs.

I would focus on nutrition first and then start working on building exercise habits. Be kind to yourself, and good luck!

Thank you very much for your response as well!

I do have Hashimoto's, and I have thought about going gluten free before. I have been getting my sandwich from Subway as a salad instead to skip the bread (since that's the main wheat I eat), but I should try it seriously to see if there's any changes.

I don't get outside often because I'm really sensitive to the sun, so I might be lacking in vitamin D for that reason too. I'll be sure to pick out a supplement with vitamin D. I'm not sure if my doctor does that type of blood test but I will ask!

Boiled eggs I can do, I really like them! I'll look into quinoa too! These are good ideas, thank you.

Thank you for the suggestion for yoga, I've actually gotten that before but I didn't follow up on it (no local place that teaches it). I will look up some moves online or buy a DVD though, because I really need to do something for my muscles.

Again, thank you for this response! It is very informative and helpful I am happy to be getting such great feedback1

Oh my goodness! Now I'm getting emotional! Reading your response to my reply made me happy...and I needed that today - thank you

I am just so glad if any of those suggestions prove helpful to you. I have struggled for years to inch my way out of deep depressions and when I read your post it just resonated - I have been where you are and I just really wanted to share as many of the things that have helped me as I could (sorry again about the long post, though...I have been trying to learn to edit my writing down to make it more consice...alas, I remain excessively verbose!)

I definitely know what you mean about advise not always being useable. I have noticed that people who have the same conditions and problems that I do often give better advise on those subjects than professionals and 'well intentioned' friends/relatives. I think this is because even the most educated professional cannot fully understand the ways that (for instance: autism, depression & a painful injury or arthritis) combine and each make the others more difficult to compensate for and live with. It is also always more pleasant/productive to discuss solutions in a group-think sort of way.

On the subject of cheese: I have been vegan for many years, but I know exactly what you mean about it being hard to give up cheese...I still indulge occasionally because it's sooo yummy...and mmm butter! I have searched, but have never found a vegan cheese I like. I also don't have a vegan brand of Mac and cheese to rec (the shame!) but, I sometimes get "Amy's Kitchen" brand frozen pastas (they have many and some with cheese that they say is made with hormone free milk!) their pesto pasta bowls are great...and they may have a Mac and cheese or cheese free pasta that might be healthier yet still delicious (provided they are available in your neck of the woods!). Alternately, if you have the energy to cook and a kitchen-buddy available sometime, I love this recipe so much...it is a cashew cream rosee sauce that I make a double batch of (i make it using the cashew cream and omitting the alchohol) and freeze it in bowls tossed with pasta that I can then microwave when I need it: Cashew Cream Rosee Sauce

Good luck moving forward - I am rooting for you...and if you ever feel like sharing, i would love to hear about anything that works for you, since I am definitely still working my way through all this too...I really do believe group-think is an amazingly powerful tool when there are intelligent motivated people at hand.

I am going to look for that brand of frozen dinners! And thank you for the recipe!

I think that's the reason why it's hard to find appropriate advice, too. It's hard for people to understand the challenges if they haven't faced them themselves. I'm so glad this venue is here so I could ask advice from people who have dealt with similar struggles.

As I start making changes, I could start logging what I go through. Is there an appropriate place on this forum for such a thing?

Like Mild Mannered mentioned, MyFitnessPal is an awesome way to log your diet and I've had pretty good success on it. It's an app and a website. It remembers the food you eat, so it's easy after you log in your meals. You can also add recipes and it'll record your exercises (won't dock your calories for the day, which I found annoying). It's highly recommended that you use a food scale to measure your food, but I got away with using a measuring cup. The key is to overestimate how much you're eating.

I don't usually directly recommend diet to people, but I've seen PCOS be mentioned a lot on the Keto subreddit and it seems to work well for them. Personally, I loved it, because I found substitutes for all my foods and I was never hungry.

As for yoga, youtube is friggin' awesome. There is an unlimited amount of yoga channels. You are bound to find one you like. Personally, I like ManFlowYoga, because he's no fluff and detailed.

Hi again Dragonwhiskers, I don't know if there is a specific place on this forum for people to log progress/changes etc. I have noticed that people sometimes just keep a thread going, or revive it whenever they have new thoughts to add. Maybe we could do that with this thread? I definitely don't want you to feel obligated to follow up though...I was just enjoying getting new ideas to try myself from you and others as I read their responses...so Id love to keep your thread going as a place to share new ideas & perhaps review things as we try them...or even just a place to cheer each other on...but no preassure - I'm just grateful that responding to your initial post has turned into such a pleasant experience (I don't usually enjoy interacting, but this has been thoroughly pleasant). Thank you

When Underwater said: "What worked for me was focusing on eating healthily rather than avoiding unhealthy food. As well as improving one's health I think it builds a good relationship with your body. Getting healthy and losing weight is a lot about what goes on in your head. I really see weight loss as just a side effect of good health." That reminded me that it is this idea (so eloquently phrased here) that really helped me to turn the corner with my physical health; to start eating more & healthier so that I would be providing my body with all the nutrients it needs to work well...and to start exercising to increase circulation and drive all those awesome nutrients into my cells so they can be used. When I started thinking about my body interms of function rather than form, I had a much easier time maintaining the good habits I was beginning to develop. Also Quinoa. I love quinoa & I don't make it often enough even though it cooks faster than rice and is soooo fluffy!

And Plieo's rec' for ManFlowYoga on YouTube is awesome. I just checked it out & it is the best yoga instruction I have seen by far because the instructor takes his time to get into each pose carefully, stopping to point out correct posture and nuances, often from a couple of angles so that I can really tell how I am supposed to line my self up to mimic what he is doing properly...also he gives one instruction at a time, explaining it fully before moving on (the barrage of instructions and fast progression in other exercise/yoga videos was why I stopped using them...I found that stressful and confusing...but this guy goes at a good speed and is very clear and logical.) Thanks - I am so glad to know about this Heading over to check our the keto subreddit link now!

I'll update with this thread, then

I don't think I've ever had quinoa but I will be getting some soon! And thanks so much for the YouTube recommendation! I am definitely a beginner at yoga, so this would be great to help me learn as I go.

Mountain biking is lower impact exercise than hiking & running - I know from experience. Plus it gets you off the road shoulder away from all the tailpipes. Bikes & skis are the top remedies I know for my own depression, and time spent out of doors taught me that metabolic rates, hydration and endurance are far & away more important than what you weigh. As long as you balance those you'll be making optimal use of the fat reserves your body stored prior - just be careful not to consume said reserves faster than you can metabolize them. The better you stay adequately hydrated the faster the other criteria improve, that's why tea is probably the healthiest habit of mine I could recommend to you, caffeine speeds metabolism and astringency helps you use fat reserves faster by moving water concentrations towards the digestive tract. In fact, it's helpful for me too with the opposite problem, being overtly skinny means needing all the metabolic help I can get too.

_________________
"Standing on a well-chilled cinder, we see the fading of the suns, and try to recall the vanished brilliance of the origin of the worlds."
-Georges Lemaitre
"I fly through hyperspace, in my green computer interface"
-Gem Tos

Thanks for the suggestion! Unfortunately we lack mountains and snow here, and biking anywhere is pretty dangerous. Many people have gotten killed on the roads while riding bikes, and the woods are very marshy and don't lend themselves to using anything but a 4-wheeler.

I can't really bike anyways, I'm very sensitive to sunlight and heat and it gets extremely bright and hot here. I try to stay indoors.

If you have a car you could look at getting a canoe or folding kayak...


Motorbikes I can appreciate but ATV noise is no good... that's where this comes in (these can also be built as zippy electric mopeds):

_________________
"Standing on a well-chilled cinder, we see the fading of the suns, and try to recall the vanished brilliance of the origin of the worlds."
-Georges Lemaitre
"I fly through hyperspace, in my green computer interface"
-Gem Tos

Again, thanks for the suggestions, but that's really not my speed. I'm not an outdoorsy person, and I have a low energy level.

A general update for today, though:

I did not eat the greatest because I had the opportunity to get free food (who can pass that up?), but I did do some stretches and crunches, along with holding my legs out and pulling them back in while on my back to help strengthen my stomach.

I did some of the same exercises yesterday to get me used to using my muscles more, so today I was sore but wasn't too bad or enough to limit anything. I also got out of bed and hung around with a friend, and then did work for my classes. So today depression did not win

Yay! That's great progress

Definitely never pass up free food & time with friends ... As much as I suck at being with people, nothing helps lift mood better than time with people I like & good (bad) food!

I know the core exercise that you are describing - with extending your legs while in a crunch position...it's super challenging & really effective - definitely a good one to start with because it will be low impact for your hip, but will still build on muscles that support the hip. Another good & easy one for hips is the Lateral Leg Raise. You can do it lying on your side or standing up. From either position raise your leg to the side, only as high as is comfortable, hold to the count of three, lower, repeat. I do ten reps per side then switch...it's really good for the smaller muscles around the hip joint & helps with balance.

I've had a bit of a set back lately - My arthritis has flared up pretty severely again. I am used to it - it happens a few times a year...but I find that the pain and extra tiredness pushes me depression-wards. Trying to stay positive and stick to my healthy routine...but craving comfort food.

I'm sorry to hear that your arthritis is causing you trouble! I hope it eases up soon!

This morning I had an issue with my hip, for a few minutes after getting up I couldn't put weight on my right leg, but after stretching my leg a little out to the side it eased up. I think it may be caused by the stretches I've done the last two days, but I'm going to keep doing those and hopefully it'll work itself out.

I did the lateral leg raises last night (didn't know that there was a word for them!) while stretching, I'll keep doing those