Hi, I’ve never used reddit before, but I am desperate for information and help. To give context on my situation, I’ve been desperately trying to lose weight for as long as I can remember. I come from a background of yoyo dieting, under-eating and severe body dysmorphia and disordered eating patterns. This past year, I hired an online fitness coach. I learnt LOADS about form, muscle building, intake, etc. I was put through a reverse diet for about 6 months to increase my caloric intake so as to up regulate my metabolism after underrating for so long. I’ve been focusing on eating high quality, nutrient dense foods, around 130g of protein a day (I’m about 140-145 lbs, 5’6). I was then put through a cutting phase wherein I reached about a 500 calorie deficit and was training 5-6 times a week – 4 strength sessions and sometimes 2-3 x 30 min cardio sessions. It was A LOT. I couldn’t keep up with it anymore, and I great increasingly frustrated at the amount of work I was putting in and not seeing any changes. I have been accurately and carefully tracking everything I eat for the past year, doing weigh-ins, taking progress photos weekly, and nothing. There was no difference – I wasn’t even able to put on as much muscle as I should have. after spending thousands on a personal coach with the intention of “finally getting the body I’ve dreamt of my whole life”, I felt (and feel) I have nowhere left to turn. After discussing with my coach, we both decided my energy and efforts were better spent in the medical realm to see if there was an internal issue (hormones, gut) causing this weight loss resistance. In the meantime, I tapered back training to \~3x a week, eating around maintenance calories and getting around 10k steps a day.

Cut to my naturopath – we did ALL the bloodwork. The hormone panels and everything. All that came back was that I was low-is on iron, low-is on Vitamin D (I live in Canada so makes sense), and my T4 was on the low end of normal. My ND put me on a natural supp called “Metabolic Synergy” – didn’t work. A natural supp called “Stress Arrest” (I suffer from anxiety, mild bouts of depression, and I have stress in my life – work, a single mother who suffers with back issues (so I constantly worry). My anxiety levels seemed to decrease, especially with taking the pressure off with tapering back my workouts and ending tracking my meals (it was causing me to fixate in an unhealthy way again).

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I am now on a thyroid support vitamin for about 3 weeks, and still nothing. I am on the verge of a breakdown every day about this. I am so uncomfortable in my own skin. I gained about 10lbs during my reverse diet and I just can’t lose it now. As someone who works out consistently, is highly disciplined, eats well, it’s devastating. I am doing all of the right things, my doctor, my ND have all said there is nothing wrong with me… and still, I can’t fit into my old clothes for the life of me.

If anyone can relate, or maybe has some words of advice, I’d really appreciate it. This is a very disheartening and difficult battle I’ve had to go at on my own without any guidance.