Gaining Weight- Please Help!

[Ruthless]

I am so confused right now! My first week of Induction I lost 5 lbs. Tomorrow I will finish week 2 and I have GAINED 2 1/2 lbs! I faithfully count carbs and have been exercising. It is not a time of the month thing either. The Ketone Test Strips have gone from dark purple to barely pink. I was down when the loss stalled...but now that I am gaining I am totally panicking!! I have been looking for hidden carbs and have not found any. I feel desperate. I don't know what to do. Has this happened to anyone? Can anyone help me please!

[AngelaR]

It hasn't happened to me, but I've read numerous other posts where people experienced this.

Without knowing some more about you, it's hard to say what's causing it. For example:

Are you drinking water? How much?
Are you sneaking in any diet sodas or other diet drinks?
What would a typical day of LC eating be for you? If you give us some ideas of what you are eating we might be able to point out a hidden trouble spot.
What's your dieting history?

[Ruthless]

I do get plenty of water in. This is my first time on Atkins. I have dieted before with WW and have been successful. I quit smoking almost 3 years ago and gained 35 lbs. I do drink diet soda that has aspartame in it, but I have been doing that since I started on this. (and have cut that down since I started) The only thing I have done differently since the beginning Induction 2 weeks ago is drinking some Crystal Light to help get in more water. Also, a little bit of sugar free gelatin. I measure all vegetables. I eat eggs (Crustless Quiche) in the morning with a little bacon. A small salad with some sort of protein for lunch. A snack of celery and cream cheese. Dinner, a little more veggies and protein. If I need anything at night, I will do a low carb shake (either powder or store bought) That is it. Does anyone see any red flags?

[AngelaR]

On the food and water side you sound pretty good. You're still on induction right?

I just went back and checked my Atkins book, and rule #9 of Atkins says to stay away from anything sweetened with aspartame. The soda and sugar free gelatine have that. I'm not sure if that would make you gain. The other thing is to double check and make sure the veggies you are eating are on the allowable list.

Would you be willing to try cutting out the apartame and see what happen? (I know, probably easier said than done :( )

Other than that I'm stumped. If you're doing your best to follow the plan stricktly it should work. As I said before, some people have complained that they gained a bit before they started losing.

ps..the dark purple on the strips doesn't always matter. Sometimes it's from not enough water. Sometimes it's from lots of eaten fat spilling out. sometimes people don't register on the strips and still are in ketosis (I'm one of those that rarely turns a stick pink so I gave up buying them)

One last thing...now is a good time to measure yourself. Measurements are a very good way of showing that you are losing, and help to keep you motivated when the scale misbehaves.

[Zuleikaa]

I do. All that diet soda and SF gelatin is raising your insulin levels. Are you finding yourself hungrier and eating/snacking more often? If so, that's a sure sign that you're being affected by insulin and need to cut out the AS immediately. It might sound crazy but you can put on fat eating AS.

[Ruthless]

thank you both for your replies! I really need the feedback! I just measured myself, as I did not do that when I started.

I have been noticing that I have been a bit hungrier, so sounds like you are right on. Question- what is AS?

[Zuleikaa]

Ruthless
AS is artificial sugar. If you are reacting to it, you might be a carbohydrate addict and should take the test over at the CAD/CALP forum on this board.

You definitely need to cut it out.

[arwen03]

Every one is different...
As I have posted before I drinks lots of diet coke and pepsi and it has not affected my weight loss or cravings.
If you do cut it out and you still don't loose then you know it's not a problem for you...at least you will find out one way or another.

I am finding on this site that a lot of people pigeon hole everyone into one classification by using words like..cant...and ...don't, instead of shouldn't.

They're are so many factors that make us all different and no one can tell you why, for sure, it might not be working for you.

I think you should listen to your body and continue with induction for at least a month before you make any drastic changes or give up on it. It has been working for me, with and without problems and I can only speak for myself. Relax and enjoy the summer...it is said that all good things happen to those who wait for them.

I wish you lots of luck :wave:

[cs_carver]

Not enough information in your post to tell--this is a WOE/WOL, and it may take a longer view than two weeks. I lost 10 # in the first two weeks, then promptly gained back 8 which stuck for three more weeks and is now coming off slowly. Kinda wanted to panic when I saw that scale, but I also could see that my body's reaction to this WOE was completely different from anything I had ever done before vis-a-vis food, and decided to stick it out.

So I gave it 90 days, minimum. And now at Day 39, I'm seeing movement again. Hasn't been wasted time, either--eating LC cleared the fog almost completely; I'm seeing various aspects of my life a little differently; other areas where I need to take more action.

Patience. I had a problem with calories and serving sizes that has taken a while to work through; had to give up pork rinds because I could not get more than two servings out of a pack that said it was 16 servings. No matter what Dr. A said about calories, it's pretty hard to add 1100 cal. on top of a normal day's food and still lose.

Another question: How well has anything else worked for you? I'm not here because I was a poster child for WW.

Keep coming back. It works. Just not always in our time frame.

[kmarie1351]

I've noticed that, even though I haven't lost a great deal of weight, my jeans are fitting differently. I have a pair of skinny jeans that I'm using as a measurement guide.

I'll confess to being a scale addict, but I'm not letting those numbers determine how well I'm doing on this WOE. I know I'm in ketosis (terrible morning breath) even though the ketostix only turn light pink. Someone once wrote in these forums that even if the stick turns just barely pink, you're in ketosis, and that ketosis is like pregnancy... you either are or you're not! Degrees of ketosis don't matter.

At any rate, I suggest using an article of clothing as your guide. The weight gain could be due to anything... constipation, water gain, muscle gain, eating salty foods, processed meats... you name it. 2 1/2 pounds really isn't all that much to worry about in the long haul.

[Ruthless]

thank you. I do need some patience I guess. I just wanted to see if I was doing something wrong, and correct it asap. I have a few friends doing Atkins and during Induction drank and ate things off the list and still lost more than me. I am trying not to compare, but when I see the lbs coming back on this morning- total panic set in. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks so as far as the scale goes- I am down 5 lbs. I think after losing 5 in the first week, going up to 7.5- now back to 5 lb took a little wind out of my sails.

I really appreciate all this feedback. I really don't want to give up and continue to yo-yo diet.

[SDgrandma]

There's another thing that sometimes happens. The body does not like to give up fat cells so it will fill up the empty cells with water waiting for more fat. When the body finally figures out that you are eating this way permanently and that there will not be enough carbs to make more fat, it will let go of the water. Then you can have a whoosh. This can cause a lot up and down during this WOL.

Just keep eating correctly and drinking your water and it will all even out. BTW, Crystal Light is NOT a substitute for water. You must have PLAIN water - 64 oz. plus 8 oz. for every 25 lbs you have to lose.

Godd luck!

[kmarie1351]

If you just can't drink another glass of water, try flavored seltzer waters. Or herbal iced tea.

[Ruthless]

I wasn't too bright about the Crystal Light! I saw that it was only .2 per 8 oz serving and thought- "great way to get in more water"! I just started that a couple of days ago because it is sooooo hot here! I probably need to chill a little about the scale.

[Ruthless]

one more question...what is WOL? I am new so I haven't quite figured out the lingo yet.

[kmarie1351]

WOE = Way of Eating
WOL = Way of Life

[Tim_In_VA]

That's it.

[arwen03]

I think it means ...way of life..it's a guess, but it fits :)

[Elihnig]

You can find out more low carb lingo under Low Carb Tips in the orange bar at the top of the page.


Beth

[Deej]

Originally posted by Ruthless
I am so confused right now! My first week of Induction I lost 5 lbs. Tomorrow I will finish week 2 and I have GAINED 2 1/2 lbs! I faithfully count carbs and have been exercising. It is not a time of the month thing either. The Ketone Test Strips have gone from dark purple to barely pink. I was down when the loss stalled...but now that I am gaining I am totally panicking!! I have been looking for hidden carbs and have not found any. I feel desperate. I don't know what to do. Has this happened to anyone? Can anyone help me please!

Ruthless, you have my sympathy, because I'm in exactly the same boat as you. Am now in my 4th week of Induction, have kept my net carbs under 20 every day, my Ketostix are mid pink every morning, I'm not cheating, and I'm not losing either. Lost 5.5lb in the first week and since then have gone back up 2lb. I'm desperately frustrated but not giving up! I know that it's not what I'm eating because my DH is doing this WOE with me and even though he only wanted to drop, say 10lb, he's already lost 9. He generally eats a lot more cheese than me and double the size of breakfast I usually eat. I never knew I was so metabolically resistant, it's quite depressing.

On top of all this, my TOM is a week late (no I'm not pregnant, just as well, I already have 3 kids under 5 and one of them is 6 months old) so I'm just hoping that I'm retaining fluid and that sooner or later the Woosh fairy will pay me a visit. Please! :D

Oh, would a more experienced member have a quick look at my Fitday and let me know if I'm eating anything I shouldn't. My net carbs without the fibre are always under 20.

[Tammylayne]

I am glad I found this post - when I read the first one I thought it was me!!!!!!!Glad to know I am not alone...(in a sad sort of way :) )

I guess I will also give up the Crystal light - even though I was only drinking i water bottle a day, and the last 3 days I have been allowing myself a diet pop at night as a treat. Back to the watering hole for me.... ;)

[Tammylayne]

Oooops...should clarify....1 water bottle a day of crystal light - 4 bottles a day of water!!! :daze:

[bstratton]

WOL - Weigh of Life. :wave: