Gaining weight on less than 20 carbs

[skeptis]

I've joined this forum recently because I'm trying to find answers and I'm writing this right now because i'm really discouraged and need someone to point me in the right direction cause i'm too emotional to even think..

I've been eating low carb for about 6 months now (after ready G. Taubes book) and only recently have been keeping a record of everything I eat because my weight has fluctuated back and forth.

Before starting the record I had noticed something odd: During Christmas I ate carbs big time (cookies) and thought I was pretty much screwed. When i returned to my normal eating habits and weighted myself I had lost almost 6 lbs! I was 190 before Christmas and a few days of eating low carb after my Christmas binge I was 186lb.

So I did an experiment. I ate some cheesecake one night and two days later I was 188.4lb. I had gained 2.4 lbs. That's when I started my record keeping and started an Atkins style 'induction' eating less than 20 carbs per day.

Two days later I'm at 186.6
Two days after that I'm 185.6
Two more days I'm 185.4

And today .......I'm back to 186!

I've been meticulous in getting accurate carb counts: in Canada manufacturers can list 0 carbs if there is less than 0.5 grams per serving so I've researched to get the accurate measure for things like sweeteners, cheeses, and creams that list 0 carbs.

I do lots of exercise: 3 hours minimum cardio a week and resistance training 3 times a week.

It's one thing to not loose the weight but to start gaining weight is beyond what I can handle.
Sorry to unload but i'm really discouraged - what do I do now?
Thanks for reading
Nat

[Judynyc]

Hi and welcome! :wave:

While its good that you've read Taubes' book...it is not a "diet" book per se. It'd help you to read one of the earlier Atkins Books. :agree:

In the mean time, its hard to tweak your food if you don't post exactly what you've been eating. Please post several days of your menus.

Help will come!! :)

[Allymich]

all the fluctuations is probably water weight...
I say for a bit say (2-3 weeks) of low carbing measure you progress with a pair of snug jeans and a smaller shirt...

[karatepig]

You mentioned resistance training. Might you be gaining muscle and not fat?

[skeptis]

I've been resistance training for almost a year and I haven't increased the level of resistance recently - I've stayed with the same weights for the last few weeks so i don't see how that would effect it.
Also if I was loosing 2 lbs, then 1lb, than 0.4lbs, then gaining .6lbs it seems that it's an issue of my body adjusting to lower levels of carbs.
I just don't now what that means and how to counter it...

[Judynyc]

If you are not getting 75%( 12-15 grams) of your 20 grams of carbs a day from Induction veggies, then thats where I'd be looking first. :idea:

Keep your cheese intake, including cheesecake, to a max of 2-3 ozs per day. :idea: