This is my first post, I'm hoping you can help me as this issue is very vexing.

I'm in my mid-20s and I've never had a weight problem in my adult life. Suddenly, in the last 7 months or so I've gained 33 lbs, taking me from a healthy weight to edging on obese. The only symptoms I really noticed in this time was increased joint strain but a blood test also indicated insulin resistance (13mU/L) and elevated homocysteine (10.1umol/L) possibly caused by the fact I'm a compound heterozygote (not that I fully understand what that means).

Losing weight has been a big priority of mine over the last few weeks. I've taken to eating a lower carb diet with small meals throughout the day (5 meals total). It has been low cal with lots of fruits and vegetables and higher fat and protein. I've also been exercising with high intensity 4 times a week (yoga, weights, swimming) and keeping active with lots of incidental walking (averaging about 1 hour a day). My calorie deficit, at least by my estimates, would be 1000+ a day. I'm hungry and tired a lot, and I really miss my favorite foods, like pasta and chocolate.

In three weeks of this, I have not lost a single pound, although I am definitely building muscle. How is this actually possible? I'm also on some psych meds which may be contributing to the issue (lithium being the most likely, although I've been taking it for 2 years without any problems). I recently went off Yasmin to see if that would help, although after a week without it, it hasn't seemed to make any difference.

I'm interested in suggestions as to what to do now because I'm very frustrated. It would be easy enough to continue eating healthily if it were yielding any results, but as it isn't I feel deprived and rather unmotivated.