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4ReaLthisTIME
New Member
| Joined: | 14 May 2008 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: 15 May 2008 02:50 am |
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hey all! i'm so glad i found this forum...it seems like a great place for support! i'll tell you a little about my struggle with weight and how i finally found my solution.
when i was a kid i was pretty average...although my family members started telling me i need to "be careful" because i was getting chunky (they wanted me to do child modeling though, so i really wasn't fat, i just wasn't model thin. then...in high school i was about 160 (i'm 5'4") but i was solid/toned and didn't look bad...i was comfortable...until i started seeing everyone around me thin out and i didn't! i got insecure...i started running around the track every single night and never could lose an ounce. i overheard my parents talking one night when they thought i was asleep on the couch. they were saying they didn't see how i was kept gaining weight because i didn't eat that much...which was true. everything i ate stuck to me! and no matter what i did i would not lose anything.....fast forward a few years...i had my first child and was about 180 afterward...stayed that weight until i got pregnant the second time....got down to 200 lbs. after that child. i recently decided i am SICK of being fat...and i want to be able to get in a bathing suit and be comfortable because as of now i have never been swimming with my four year old! that's insane. soo....i went to a weight loss clinic to see if i could get some magic pill (phentermine) they said i couldnt take phentermine, but after talking to them about my weight history the doctor suggested that it seems like i have a slow metabolism based on everything i've done with no success. i started getting B12 injections 6 weeks ago. i get one per week. the first week i lost 8.5 pounds (some of which was water weight, of course) the next four weeks i lost 2.6-2.8 lbs...and this week i lost 4 pounds! i have NEVER lost weight like this before. i feel like i can really accomplish my goal this time. it's like i've found a pot of gold and i want to share it with everyone! if your story seems similar to mine...i would reccomend trying it. however, i have worked HARD. i eat no more than 1200 calories per day, no more than 25 grams of fat....drink NOTHING but water...and walk 30 mins. per day...so it is no miracle fix..but if you work it will work with you. i have done all of the above before and had no success....but now the weight is melting off and i'm so excited!!
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cportwine
Member
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Posted: 15 May 2008 11:45 am |
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Congrats! on your weight loss.
I was struck by your story because that is one of the reasons that I wan't to lose weight. I really wanted to go swimming again. I never really got to swim with my kids and feel comfortable about how I looked.
This year, will be the first time I can go and look actually half way decent in a bathing suit.
I'm excited about it and can't wait till it warms up. Can't wait to see the looks on peoples faces at the pool this year.
So, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Keep up the hard work, it does pay off.
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femme
New Member
| Joined: | 7 May 2008 |
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| Posts: | 33 |
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Posted: 15 May 2008 03:59 pm |
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Interesting, I've never heard someone who lost weight because of B12 injections.....it sounds like you followed a healthy calorie-reduced diet and included a moderate workout routine as well---I wonder if this is the true reason why you lost weight, or do you believe that the B12 injections helped significantly?
I'm curious because this sounds like a great option---do B12 injections help speed up the metabolism?
Last edited on 15 May 2008 03:59 pm by femme
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4ReaLthisTIME
New Member
| Joined: | 14 May 2008 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: 16 May 2008 12:57 am |
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| yes, the b12 injections are supposed to speed up the metabolism. i'm sure i would've lost some weight without the injections, but i know i wouldn't have lost this much this quickly and consistently because i've followed the same kind of diet and exercise routine in the past (without any injections, pills, or anything) and had little or no success. this is why i'm telling everyone about it cus i know there are people out there just like me where nothing seemed to work! it's because of slow metabolism....and if you have slow metabolism and do everything possible with no luck eventually you just give up and just gain more and more....
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CrimsonAnimus
New Member
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Posted: 16 May 2008 01:05 am |
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Really, though, all it takes is a simple blood test to analyze thyroid levels, and it's not that expensive, whether you have insurance or not. Most clinics can do this test, and then you'll know. Make sure you ask for a copy of the test so you can see what the exact values are.
A lot of people only "think" that they have low metabolism. The fact is, it's not as common as people would like to believe, and most of the people affected by hypothyroidism (low metabolism) are women.
If it turns out that you really do have low metabolism, there are treatment options available, which have no side effects as long as you use them correctly. B Vitamins are very important, but they are among several different vitamins and minerals that raise your metabolism, none of which are as effective as the official treatment options.
Last edited on 16 May 2008 01:07 am by CrimsonAnimus
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cportwine
Member
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Posted: 16 May 2008 03:11 am |
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4ReaLthisTIME wrote: yes, the b12 injections are supposed to speed up the metabolism. i'm sure i would've lost some weight without the injections, but i know i wouldn't have lost this much this quickly and consistently because i've followed the same kind of diet and exercise routine in the past (without any injections, pills, or anything) and had little or no success. this is why i'm telling everyone about it cus i know there are people out there just like me where nothing seemed to work! it's because of slow metabolism....and if you have slow metabolism and do everything possible with no luck eventually you just give up and just gain more and more....
I think that if this b12 is helping then that is good. I would make sure you are working with a doctor on this.
I take all kinds of vitamins and they have helped me keep my cholesterol down to where it needs to be. So, I am big believer in them.
But, I can't help but think there is a reason behind it all. Why can't you lose weight without it? I would want to find out the answer to that if it was me. I am just saying that it could be a medical condition and it should be addressed.
Anyway, good luck to you on your weight lose journey.
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cportwine
Member
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Posted: 16 May 2008 03:21 am |
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CrimsonAnimus wrote: Really, though, all it takes is a simple blood test to analyze thyroid levels, and it's not that expensive, whether you have insurance or not. Most clinics can do this test, and then you'll know. Make sure you ask for a copy of the test so you can see what the exact values are.
A lot of people only "think" that they have low metabolism. The fact is, it's not as common as people would like to believe, and most of the people affected by hypothyroidism (low metabolism) are women.
If it turns out that you really do have low metabolism, there are treatment options available, which have no side effects as long as you use them correctly. B Vitamins are very important, but they are among several different vitamins and minerals that raise your metabolism, none of which are as effective as the official treatment options.
I am struggling with this post. Who said anything about a thyroid problem? I don't think everything related to slow metabolism means that you have a thyroid problems. Some people have slow metabolisms because they don't diet right or other reasons. I think you are jumping to conclusions.
I do however agree that there is more going on if the person can't lose weight without a certain vitamin or drug or whatever.
If it was me, I would be seeing my doctor to find out why this is.
I know why I have to eat flax seed, and I know why I have to take a fish oil tablet, it's because I have high cholesterol and these things help.
So, why does b12 help?
I want to know, and the person who started this post should want to know as well.
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CrimsonAnimus
New Member
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Posted: 16 May 2008 05:46 am |
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Yes, of course, there are many factors which influence your metabolism.
However, the point I was trying to make is that when people start a weight loss regimen and do not get the results they want, they are quick to say that they have "low metabolism".
If someone really believes that they have low metabolism, then as you said, they need to see a doctor. Low metabolism is directly caused by imbalances in hormones produced by the thyroid. There are many factors that can influence this hormonal imbalance, but it is easily treated.
According to the American Medical Association, 11 million Americans are affected by low metabolism, as of a study done in 1999. According to a study done by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2003-2004, 66% of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population in 2004 was about 293,191,511. Some of these were children, of course, but it's pretty clear that the majority of overweight Americans do not have low metabolism.
What people sometimes confuse as low metabolism is actually just a weight loss regimen that isn't right for them. All of our bodies are different - what works for one might not work for another.
Metabolism itself doesn't just encompass weight loss, of course - it is responsible for several bodily functions. However, slow/low metabolism is indeed a medical condition that is treatable, and should be regarded as such.
One more thing - if your doctor tells you that you have a normal metabolism, don't naturally assume that everything is OK. The standard for normal TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is between 0.5 to 5.5. However, if you fall on the extreme low or extreme high levels of this range, your doctor will probably tell you that your metabolism is normal, but it will still not be optimal for weight loss. There are still treatment options for those on the extreme high or low to get a good, steady metabolism. That's why you should request a copy of the results, analyze them yourself, and go from there.
Oh, and one other thing - I did say that B vitamins were important, and they, along with other elements, do indeed help. However, no supplement is a substitute for going to see a doctor to treat your low metabolism, if it is present.
EDIT: Your PCP should refer you to an endocrinologist for treatment if you have slow metabolism. You didn't state what all was discussed, but if he just told you to start doing B12 injections and didn't suggest other alternatives, I would find a new doctor. Unless he is an endocrinologist, he is not certified to just tell you that it "seems" like you have slow metabolism and send you on your way with a supplement. I would recommend that you ask your doctor to send you to an endocrinologist, just to be on the safe side.
In any case, glad it's working for you.
Last edited on 16 May 2008 05:52 am by CrimsonAnimus
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CrimsonAnimus
New Member
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Posted: 16 May 2008 05:57 am |
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Oh, and here's a link to an article about B-12 and weight loss:
http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/vitamin-b12-and-weight-loss/471/
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4ReaLthisTIME
New Member
| Joined: | 14 May 2008 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: 16 May 2008 01:51 pm |
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well, it is a doctor that is giving me the b12 shots. i read the article and by the way i don't spend 65 dollars per shot! it's actually like 80 for 5 shots....but is well worth it in my opinion. i do believe i have a slow metabolism and here's why: i was pregnant twice over a 3 year span so my hormones were wild. but even before that.....i stuck to this same diet.....except i was running and jogging instead of just walking like i am now and had no success. when i was in high school i ran at a track that was near my house every single day and never lost anything, either. now, all of a sudden, i'm getting these shots and haven't changed what i'm doing. if anything, i'm doing less than i have in the past and i'm losing? also, i went online and got a "body blueprint" which is based on your answers to several questions.....and after i answered all of the questions i found out my body type is "endomorph" here's a short description of endomorph:
This body type has the slowest metabolism of any other body type. The rate of your metabolism is the primary consideration in how your body gains or loses weight. Often a Type A (endomorph) has struggled their entire lives to keep their weight down with no success.
it goes on to say a lot more....including that because of the metabolism being slow that when you start eating better and exercising this body type has greater and faster results than most other body types.
either way...i'm not concerned about a B12 deficiency....i also have an iron deficiency...it's nothing that is going to cause any serious harm to me. otherwise, i'm a perfectly healthy, young woman who just has a few extra pounds to lose. i didn't mean to start a big b12/metabolism debate. i just thought i would share my experience with others who are like me and have tried everything with no success.
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CrimsonAnimus
New Member
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Posted: 16 May 2008 04:52 pm |
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It's not really a debate. I think that cportwine and I are saying pretty much the same thing in two different ways.
Anyway, it really is good that you're finally seeing results! I imagine it can be pretty frustrating to put forth such an effort without seeing results. Best of luck to you, and thanks for sharing your story. Keep us updated!
Oh, and I still stand by what I said earlier about getting your thyroid checked, just to be on the safe side.
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