feeling like a balloon (ranty)

[fireheart17]

OK, so I started a brand new exercise routine, which I've been varying so it feels less like a chore and more like something achievable. This is done entirely in my bedroom or in the house when nobody else is home. It involves an exercise bike plus a mix of squats, ab movements and thigh toner reps. At the moment, due to my low energy levels, I can only seem to get out about 30 minutes before I end up almost feeling dizzy.

I've also been cutting out chips, cookies, cake etc. and trying to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into my diet. Especially after a recent blood test revealed I was low in ferritin (iron stores?) but high in iron (O_o...in other words, my blood test said Iron...32 which is high, but my ferritin levels were borderline low) and prior to that, the doc believed my b12 levels were low.

Yet despite all of this, I feel like I keep ballooning and that no matter what I do, I still end up gaining weight. It's like no matter what, I'll just balloon and balloon and balloon. I could even end up starving myself and I'd STILL gain weight, it never seems to go the opposite way for me. Even if I was to run myself completely ragged, I'd still end up gaining.

I've been doing this for a while now too, it's not like I started and stopped. I do give myself rest days here and there, especially when my energy levels drop. I was doing the 30-day squat challenge, but almost ended up collapsing after 150.

[Aethian]

Sounds like something else was wrong, what was your A1C?

[fireheart17]

Sounds like something else was wrong, what was your A1C?

No idea. I have an appointment with the doc in a few days, so I'll know more then. I think the tests she ordered were more for my tiredness, but I'd pointed out to her my weight gain issue at the time. She did make note that I was doing all the right things.

As for the actual blood test, I only know my iron results based on the letter she sent me. The rule of thumb for my clinic is-if it's urgent, you get a phone call, if it's not-urgent but still needs a follow-up, you get a letter. In the letter, she explained that my iron studies looked something like this: everything else was either high or normal, but my ferritin levels were low. NO idea how that works.

I have a feeling that at the moment, it's due to that time of the month, which is driving me nuts (doc is aware). I always seem to blow up a little around that time anyway, but whether or not I actually lose it is another matter. I can always tell by my cravings for chocolate.

The teariness on the other hand, has been coming out of nowhere and I don't even have my normal "stressed out" symptoms.

[BlaqueKatt]

once you get your health squared away, one of my favorite pieces of equipment at the gym, that I'm buying for my home as well, is the TRX, see if your physician thinks it's a good idea(workouts are only 15 mintues, 30 for whole body), and if it's in your price range($150-$200USD), designed by a navy seal, it can be used to work pretty much every muscle group(nothing but resistance training using your own body weight), and while it's main anchor is any door, it can be anchored to a tree or pole as well if you want to get some fresh air.

[fireheart17]

I'm looking at that.

Plus anything that will actually help with the lower body workout.

At the moment though, it's also to do with my diet. I cut out all the crap, but lately it's crept in a bit. The positive side has been two things:

1) Whenever it's crept in, it's been generally chocolate.
2) The chocolate itself has been in smaller portions overall. (so instead of a cadbury 220g block, it might only be the occasional chocolate bar)

But I could eat the healthiest foods around, made from the freshest foods available and I would STILL balloon. It's like whatever I eat, gets converted into fat instantly and no amount of working it off will ever create a deficit.

Too bad everyone watches me like a hawk, otherwise I'd seriously consider starving myself. Yes, I would consider that, even if it's to just drop down 2 dress sizes.

[Andara Bledin]

Too bad everyone watches me like a hawk, otherwise I'd seriously consider starving myself. Yes, I would consider that, even if it's to just drop down 2 dress sizes.

If you really want to make yourself gain weight you can't lose, starvation is the way to do it.

[Kheldarson]

Too bad everyone watches me like a hawk, otherwise I'd seriously consider starving myself. Yes, I would consider that, even if it's to just drop down 2 dress sizes.

I'm not going to advocate starving yourself (as Andara points out, it really only backfires) but have you thought about fasting days?

Idea would be once, maybe twice, a week you go without and let your body basically clear itself of, well, everything. Makes food taste better the next day (which helps with overeating) and basically forces the body to kick into different gears for a bit (which may help with whatever's causing you to balloon). I wouldn't go more than once or twice a week though.

[Andara Bledin]

Another possibility is that you have a reaction to something you eat. I would suggest stripping your diet down to the most basic of basics (fruits and veggies with some basic meat for protein) and then slowly add things in.

This should, of course, be done in conjunction with seeing an actual nutritionist to ensure you don't make yourself ill.

IANAD - TINMA

[the_std]

Another possibility is that you have a reaction to something you eat. I would suggest stripping your diet down to the most basic of basics (fruits and veggies with some basic meat for protein) and then slowly add things in.

I did this, and discovered I have a gluten allergy. Eating gluten makes me put on weight so quickly it's not funny, and when I cut it out, I dropped thirty pounds in a month. It's amazing how it messed with my hormone levels. It also helps that cutting out gluten meant that I cut out a lot of carbs.

[Andara Bledin]

Wheat is one of the big ones. While all food intolerance will result in retained weight (water retention and inflammation, not fat, and not at all affected by exercise or reducing caloric intake - another reason to not starve or fast prior to being checked), wheat is so heavily processed that we absorb the most from it and react the most as well.

I, myself, have a problem with pasturized milk that has such a fast reaction that I was able to pinpoint it with just a few days of trial. Wheat (and gluten) is far more insidious, being found in so much of our diet that it takes a concerted effort to eliminate it from our diets.

[fireheart17]

Wheat is one of the big ones. While all food intolerance will result in retained weight (water retention and inflammation, not fat, and not at all affected by exercise or reducing caloric intake - another reason to not starve or fast prior to being checked), wheat is so heavily processed that we absorb the most from it and react the most as well.

I checked. It ain't water retention.

If anything, it's probably just my body saying "you're trying to lose weight? Fuck you woman, you don't deserve it."

And if starvation leads to weight gain, what about anorexics? What about those people on survivor who seem to end up losing a ton of weight despite living on tiny portions of rice and whatever game meat in the wild?

It seems that every little thing I eat, even if it's wheat-free, dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, egg-fee, whatever, will result in weight gain. Everything.

[Rebel]

Are you having just a couple of big meals a day?
That was always my problem with my weight. I would skip breakfast and just have a large lunch and a large dinner.
I'm now trying to make myself eat every 2-3 hours, just a small meal or a snack.
It's supposed to jumpstart your metabolism. It also stops you from overeating. It seems to be working for me as I'm finally starting to get rid of the stubborn kilograms that exercise refuses to rid me of.

[fireheart17]

Are you having just a couple of big meals a day?
That was always my problem with my weight. I would skip breakfast and just have a large lunch and a large dinner.

lunch=sandwich, sushi rolls, yoghurt, soup...(not at the same time!)

dinner=small-large.

Not exactly large meals.

My breakfasts are generally sporadic. I have not noticed any form of weight loss stemming from having breakfast (usually a small serve of dry cornflakes...I'm weird, I eat mine dry. Alternately it'd be an up n go or similar. If anything, my weight went up)

Let's see...snacks during the day, weight still went up. Everything I eat seems to be converted into fat, rather than fuel.

[Andara Bledin]

First, regarding anorexics, they're incredibly prone to sickness and systemic disorders due to chronic lack of vital nutrients, and they only stay thin while they're continuing to starve themselves. It's unhealthy and will only lead to something far worse than being overweight. And it will also lead to being overweight if you don't die first.

My breakfasts are generally sporadic. I have not noticed any form of weight loss stemming from having breakfast

There really isn't much difference based around when you take in your caloric content that I've been able to find; however, your general hunger level will be more manageable if you front-load your eating as opposed to the reverse.

If this is an actual physical occurrence rather than a flawed mental perception, you don't need a diet, you need a doctor. Who might put you on a specialized diet, but without finding out what your body is doing differently, there's no way to create one that will actually work.

That said, don't discount the possibility of body dysmorphic disorder, which should necessitate a visit to the doctor. Because if that is the issue, then you could be a perfect 10 and still have issues.

Also, it's proven that depression and both too much and too little sleep will cause weight retention, so those are other things that a doctor would be best able to diagnose.

[Kheldarson]

And if starvation leads to weight gain, what about anorexics? What about those people on survivor who seem to end up losing a ton of weight despite living on tiny portions of rice and whatever game meat in the wild?

Anorexics never eat and eventually shut down their metabolisms. Basically if you try the starving yourself route, one, you're going to get sick, and, two, whatever you do eat is going to really hit you hard, since now your body is trying to store whatever it can.

I had a friend who tried in high school. She'd go without eating for a couple of days and then have a meal. And talked about how she didn't seem to be losing a whole lot.

As for the wilderness guys, they've got heavy exercise on their side.