Help, I'm stuck!

[Sleevedrunner 1]

I need to tell my entire story. Sorry if it's a bit long.

I was sleeved 5 years ago. I started at 280 lbs, had high blood pressure, GERD, and bad sleep apnea. After surgery, I lost weight remarkably fast. I was past goal (190) within 9 months. I got off the blood pressure medication, and my sleep apnea was cured. Then I kept losing. Everyone was telling me I was losing too much, but I just couldn't stop. The lowest I got down to was 169. At 6'1", people were telling me I was too skinny. Once the weightloss stopped, I fluctuated between 170 and 180 for the next year. In that second year, I decided that I wanted to try running. I had never run in my life, or done much physical activity of any kind. I started with the couch 2 5k app on my phone. I could barely run for 30 seconds without stopping when I first started. Within a few months, I was 'running' 5ks. I put it in quotes because it was more like half running and half walking, and I would finish in about 40 minutes. But I stuck with it, kept signing up for 5ks, and by 2015 I had done 2 half marathons. All this time I was still around 180 lbs. Then, I decided I needed to do a marathon. I somehow needed to prove it to myself. I think this was the worst decision I ever made (I'll explain in a bit). In January of 2016, I started a 5 month training plan I found online (Hal Higdon), and followed it religiously. I somehow gained 20 lbs in those 5 months of training. Some of it may have been muscle, but I think a lot of it was extra snacking I was doing throughout the day to make up for the calories I was burning from all the running. So by race day I was in the mid 190s. Race day came, and it was pure hell. The weather was cold and rainy. I think it worked to my advantage for the first half of the race. But the second half was along the New Jersey shore, and the rain and sea-wind just chilled me to the bone. I hit a wall. It took me about 36 hours to stop shivering after the race. I finished, but wasn't happy with my time. But I did it and no one can ever take that away from me. But somehow I messed up the arch in my left foot during the race. I stopped running after the race. It just sucked all the joy of running out of me. This is why I regret doing it. So then, over the next year and a half, I fell into some bad habits. I continued the snacking between meals that I had been doing during race training. I developed a Tostitos and Pure Leaf Sweet Tea addiction. By the beginning of this year I weighed 213, and was put back on blood pressure medication.

I decided to try to start running again in January of this year. I started running 5k three or four times a week. I also cut back on the Snacks and carbs and started tracking my calories again. My restriction is still pretty good, and I was only eating about 1,200 calories a day. But the scale wouldn't budge. Finally, about a month and a half later, it did move, almost all at once, and I weighed 208. Now, it's 3 months after hitting 208, and I'm still 208. I'm running religiously, and pushing myself to get faster. I'm still not breaking any land speed records, but I'm doing 5k in about 26 minutes.

Is this it for me? Am I stuck at 208 forever? I can't possibly eat any less than I'm eating now. I tried the 5 day pouch test to reset things. I just don't know what else to do. I'd like to get to 190, that is a good weight for me. 200 is like a magic line for me where my blood pressure goes up if I go over it, so I'd like to get under that and off the medication. Any advice would be appreciated!

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

Is there anywhere near you to get a dexascan- measures body fat, bone mass? It may help you determine your calorie needs as 1200 is really low for your height/weight and running. You may need to add more Protein and more fat - avocado, coconut oil, etc. And do eat carbs right after running - you need that quick refuel.

Then try 16:8 intermittent fasting - where you only eat in an 8 hour window. I have been stalled for awhile and I am doing IF, plus extra 30 on treadmill and the scale is budging some this week.

Good luck.

[aNYCdb 310]

At 208 and 1,200 calories a day you should be losing weight even if you weren't running, especially over that period of time. I have no reason to doubt you but is it possible that you are really consuming more calories than you think? Alternatively have you had yourself tested to establish you base metabolic rate (how many calories you burn at rest). Without knowing these answers I can only suggest that whatever you are doing with your diet try doing something different. If you are currently high Protein low carb add more carbs, if you are more balanced try Keto or paleo.

[Sleevedrunner 1]

20 minutes ago, Sosewsue61 said:

Is there anywhere near you to get a dexascan- measures body fat, bone mass? It may help you determine your calorie needs as 1200 is really low for your height/weight and running. You may need to add more Protein and more fat - avocado, coconut oil, etc. And do eat carbs right after running - you need that quick refuel.

Then try 16:8 intermittent fasting - where you only eat in an 8 hour window. I have been stalled for awhile and I am doing IF, plus extra 30 on treadmill and the scale is budging some this week.

Good luck.

I'm not sure, I'll have to look into the dexascan thing. I eat mostly Protein and fat already. I will try adding some carbs after a run. This is really frustrating. I never had an issue losing weight, I just had issues keeping it off. But for it not to move in 3 months is beyond frustrating.

[anaxila 501]

Talk to a dietician. Not a bariatrics specialist: a sports specialist who works with athletes. He or she can help you understand your fat/muscle mix and how you need to fuel yourself for your activities. Switching my allegiance from bariatrics to sports made all the difference to me and was pivotal to understanding what my ideal weight actually was and how to maintain it and an active lifestyle.

[anaxila 501]

2 hours ago, Sleevedrunner said:

I eat mostly Protein and fat already. I will try adding some carbs after a run.

You probably need a ton more carbs than you're getting. That's what's so interesting about switching from a bariatrics eater to an athletic eater. Your lack of carbs may be part of the problem.

[Sleevedrunner 1]

18 hours ago, anaxila said:

You probably need a ton more carbs than you're getting. That's what's so interesting about switching from a bariatrics eater to an athletic eater. Your lack of carbs may be part of the problem.

Interesting, I hadn't thought that I could be doing it all wrong. I figured the low carb, high Protein lifestyle was how I was going to be living the rest of my life. Sounds like I need to make an appointment with a dietician.

[Hannah83 214]

let us know how it goes? I'm interested to see you progress to your 'happy place'