Trouble losing weight

[enoonami]

Quick summary: I just started testosterone therapy and I seem to be gaining weight but my caloric intake is less than 1500 per day.

Long story:

I was 310 and worked out with a trainer for a year. I got down to 250 but nowhere close to my goal. I suspected my hormones were off but my doctor wouldn't give me anything at the time. Even my trainer was scratching her head because I should have looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger from the amount of work I put in. This new doctor checked my levels. T was 300 and Estrogen was 80. After a couple of weeks on therapy my levels are T=780 and E=18 which is PERFECT.

I've been on a really low calorie diet for weeks on end. Less than 1500 per day with the odd day at around 2000-2500. Even when I was working out I would have to eat a really low calorie diet to overcome my plateaus. Here is the thing. I have GAINED 10 pounds! I went from 268 to 278 in the last 2 weeks!!

I'm not too targeted with my diet but I'll give you an example: The other day I ate two skinnyburgers from Fatburger. These are bunless burgers with 600 calories and loaded with veggies. I ate one at about 12pm and another one at 6pm. Total calories for the day: 1200.

The other day I ate a can of Ranch Style beans and tuna casserole my wife made. Beans were 500 calories and I added two spoonfuls of casserole just to add to the beans. I had a huge salad mid day with zero calorie ceasar dressing. So total calories were about 700. Then I ate 2 slices of new york style pizza. Let's say each slice was 600 calories (I think it's closer to 400) so we're looking at 1900 calories total for that day. That day felt like a "guilty" day on top of it all.

I'm stuck. I've tried portioned grilled chicken / sweet potatoes / wild rice 4 times a day. I've tried eating whatever I want but only doing so once per day and keeping my portions small. I've tried meat only, veggies only, cutting out bread / grains.

I don't dink my calories either. Black coffee and the occasional Coke Zero but primarily black coffee and water. No alcohol.

It's frustrating to starve myself and GAIN weight rather than losing it.

Is it possible the Testosterone is building muscle even if I'm not working out? I want to work out but there is no way I can do it with a mask on. Just ordered a tonal but it won't be here for another 8 weeks.

I'm stuck. And I'm 41 as well. I got a full blood work panel done recently. 100% perfect, to the number. Cholesterol was a few points over normal. Blood sugar was perfect too so no pre-diabetes but I'm taking metformin as a preventative per the advice of an anti-aging doctor on Joe Rogan.


Any ideas? Thanks



BTW: I also tried phentramine for 3 weeks. ate next to nothing and GAINED weight. I quit that stuff.

Also: My DHEA levels are through the roof. They were 800 where they should be around 80. Since starting therapy they are down to 650. My doctor suspected adrenal tumor or cancer but I got an MRI and it was perfect. White blood cells are also perfect too so there can't possibly be cancer. But I suspect the high DHEA levels are causing a problem but why they are so high is a mystery.

[carbkilla]

Surprised a doc gave you test with levels of 300. I'd shoot for 600, less side effects.

You might be working out too hard. If your body is exhausted your metabolism will shut down same thing happens if you starve yourself. When your metabolism is slow the body goes into fat storage mode so the less you eat the fatter you get. Funny how that works right?

Your metabolism burns 95% of your calories the other 5% is exercise so, you can't work off the fat especially if your metabolism is slow.

You need to calc how many calories you're getting from fat, from carbs and from protein. I use a balanced approach 50% carbs 30% protein, 20% good fat not pizza fat.

You don't need to work hard to lose fat, your greatest battle will be fought in the kitchen. Lots of good articles for weight loss on this site, knowledge is power.

CK

[OldFartTom]

I suggest trying xxxxxx, especially xxxxx and/or maybe ....

Terrible advice. Just awful.
Not only mentioning non legal drugs is against forum rules, but suggesting one that never got to human trials because it was shown to cause cancer, that's worse than terrible!

[SuffolkPunch]

Forum rules: SARMS are not open for discussion here. Any more posts on this topic will earn a ban. You have been warned. This is not up for debate.

OP: prescription medication is also out of bounds. In any case, the answer to your question is the same regardless. You are going to need to to run an accurately counted calorie level for several weeks before deciding if you are actually gaining or losing weight. There may be short term weight changes caused by any medication. Remember muscle and fat do not come or go quickly. It's always possible to account for tissue gain or loss from your calorie intake - sudden changes are usually water related.

Consistent calorie control over the long term is what will cause fat loss.

[tblodg15]

Obviously not eating less than 1,500 calories per day.

Also checking weight from one day to another based on what was eaten for a single day is not going to have good results. You need to track every bite you eat in a program like MyFitnessPal and make adjustments based on your average weight changes over weeks. The trend is what is important.

If you do this it works 100% of the time. When it doesn’t people are not being honest on what they are actually eating or aren’t tracking it closely enough which includes weighing your food. Yes that’s a lot of work and most people are not disciplined enough but that’s why some of us are successful with weight loss and most are not.

[enoonami]

Obviously not eating less than 1,500 calories per day.

Also checking weight from one day to another based on what was eaten for a single day is not going to have good results. You need to track every bite you eat in a program like MyFitnessPal and make adjustments based on your average weight changes over weeks. The trend is what is important.

If you do this it works 100% of the time. When it doesn’t people are not being honest on what they are actually eating or aren’t tracking it closely enough which includes weighing your food. Yes that’s a lot of work and most people are not disciplined enough but that’s why some of us are successful with weight loss and most are not.

Thanks for the reply. I have My Fitness Pal. I'll start logging my food again. Maybe I'm eating more than I remember.

[metalbabble]

Sorry but losing weight after 40 is such a collosal bull**** grind.

I exercise and I'm happy with my physique overall but getting light enough to climb a rope requires an entirely different approach, one that requires me to cut out alcohol, diet soda, carbs, cheat days, desserts, and basically all the food I love.

Dieting is WAY harder than working out.

[dazlittle]

Sorry but losing weight after 40 is such a collosal bull**** grind.

I exercise and I'm happy with my physique overall but getting light enough to climb a rope requires an entirely different approach, one that requires me to cut out alcohol, diet soda, carbs, cheat days, desserts, and basically all the food I love.

Dieting is WAY harder than working out.

Age is irrelevant, we lose or gain weight exactly the same way when we are 20 as we do at 40+. Climbing a rope doesn't need a person to be light it needs a person to be strong relative to their weight, I climb ropes easily and I'm 200+Lbs (and 46 years of age). I eat what I want when I want and maintain weight easily, that said I do Swim, Run, Crossfit, lift weights and cycle.

OP be careful what advice you listen to, my advice is that you are not calculating your calorie intake correctly so take a close look at that.

[wave_length]

Age is irrelevant, we lose or gain weight exactly the same way when we are 20 as we do at 40+. Climbing a rope doesn't need a person to be light it needs a person to be strong relative to their weight, I climb ropes easily and I'm 200+Lbs (and 46 years of age). I eat what I want when I want and maintain weight easily, that said I do Swim, Run, Crossfit, lift weights and cycle.

OP be careful what advice you listen to, my advice is that you are not calculating your calorie intake correctly so take a close look at that.

This. And I don‘t even do any cardio. 47yo.

[MoJoJoJo1977]

OP, As has been said you need to track calories to know if you are under maintenance. If your not losing weight you're not in a calorie deficit. Calories in Vs calories out. There is no magic.

Although it sounds like a 1-2 week diet break could be beneficial for you from a psychological point of view. Still track calories. Don't binge, but aim for maintenance. The diet break is used in this instance only for a break from the weight loss grind of monotony.

After 1-2 weeks jump back on the weight loss goal. And if your tracking weight daily don't over obsess with daily fluctuations. Look at weekly trends.