Gaining weight...

[LittleAbby]

Well, I just wanted to put this out there and see if anyone else has experienced this pattern (i.e., should I relax?):

I've been on TSP for just over 3 weeks and I'm gaining weight. I'm 5'5" and 148 as of this morning (so up a few pounds since I started TSP). I know, I know, I'm not very overweight to begin with, so I shouldn't expect anything major, but I am a bit worried to actually, and steadily, be gaining.

Thoughts:
I do know that I have carry around extra fat, because I'm around 28 or 29 percent body fat. I would be truly surprised if I'm at my body's happy weight (I know she emphasises trusting our body's sense about what the ideal weight is).

My last period ended several weeks ago, and I'm not eating a lot of salty food, so it's not water weight.

My carbs are staying at or under 60 grams a day and I seem to be eating roughly 1500 to 1700 calories a day -- not a starvation diet, but not a food fest either.

I'm not a gym bunny, but I walk about 10 miles a week.

No caffeine, no artificial sweeteners, no "fake" food, lots of non-starchy vegetables.

I feel very good, though I'm a little guilty about eating meats (just fowl and fish -- but I grew up vegetarian and am not always comfortable with eating animals). I'm pretty sure that this is good for me too, as I have always been a bread junky, exhausted in the afternoons, and carry my weight in my gut, not my hips.

I'm frustrated.

Has anyone else had this experience before starting to lose weight on this plan?

Your thoughts would be very helpful about now!

Thanks,
Abby

[lisaf]

Okay...I can't relate myself but I have a few thoughts...

For one thing, it sounds like your calories are adequate (are you using fitday or similar software?) but since I don't know what you are eating it is difficult to determine if there is a problem with the actual balance of your meals or not. Would you consider posting your menus for a few days and I (and the others here) can take a look and see?

Are you drinking enough water? When your fat cells remove the stored fat, they will often replace it with water (as a place holder for when the fat comes back) - if you drink enough water, the body will realize there's no reason to hold onto the water and let it go.

You say your last period ended several weeks ago...you may be ovulating about now so you will begin to retain water. If you are used to having long cycles you need to know that low-carbing can really affect the length of your menstrual cycle and things may not happen the way you expect them too.

I know the weight gain can be frustrating...and many of us have been slaves to the scale. My best advice? Put the scale away (have someone hide it if necessary)...pull out a measuring tape and measure your waist, hips, thighs, chest etc. Record the measurements and put them away for 3-4 weeks. Stick to the plan and then go back and remeasure...lots of the time weight gain does not necessarily mean fat gain!

Lisa

[lisaf]

On a related note:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53003

Lisa

[LittleAbby]

Thanks so much -- that link is a helpful reminder to use the "jeans test" a little more. So far, I haven't really noticed a comfort difference one way or another, but I will hang in. I think my pants are tighter but it just could be me freaking out. Some notes:

I meant to say that my period ended several days ago, not weeks. On my 23 day cycle (my mother and her damned genes) it would be a lovely mercy if the last one were several weeks back...:)

Drinking about 8-10 glasses of water a day. I love water, but I have noticed that I am thirsty on this plan. Perhaps I need more.

Here's the last two days of menus, which are pretty typical, though I don't often have the protein powder unless I'm out of fish/chicken and feeling lazy.

Yesterday:
Breakfast -- 2 scrambled eggs, tablespoon of goat cheese, whole wheat tortilla, tablespoon of half-and-half (the real kind with no filler)
Lunch -- big green salad with oil and vinagar, coleslaw with peanuts, chicken breast with cheese.
Snack -- handful of mixed unsalted nuts
Dinner -- chicken breast, string beans, 2/3 cup of mixed berries and a big dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Day before:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon goat cheese, a slice whole kamut toast and butter, tablespoon half and half.
Lunch: 1/2 turkey sausage, tomato and 2 0z. buffalo mozzarella, mixed green salad with parmesan cheese and olive oil dressing, nectarine.
Snack: low-carb protein powder, 1/3 cup soy milk, tablespoon cream.
dinner: 2 oz. buffalo mozzarella with bruschetta sauce on top (olive oil, garlic, tomatos, basil), 2/3 cup berries with big dollop of whipped cream.

Thanks folks!
abby

[lisaf]

Your food looks fine! Consider increasing your water...and remember it can come from other non-caffeinated sources too like herbal teas.

My last suggestion would be that maybe your body is resisting due to past dieting behaviour? Have you possibly lost and regained weight in the past. Dr. S. does talk about the metabolic damage of consistently losing and regaining weight.

How did you arrive at the 28-29% body fat number? What kind of build do you have?

Lisa

[carberrys]

Abby: Scroll down to see my post--I gained weight too. I haven't weighed myself since, tho (a week ago), so I don't know now. BUT my husband just finished a 3 day golf tournament, tried to stick to the SP but also had to have to several beers each night. The good news--he normally gains 3-6 pounds during one of these shindigs, but he stayed even. I've an "appt to make an appt" with Dr. S's nutritionist--I'll let you know what she says. Sue

[LittleAbby]

Thanks, folks -- I'm looking forward to hearing what Dr. S actually says in the visit!

As for the metabolism thing from a history of bad dieting -- quite possibly that may be the answer. I have been on a very lax version of weight watchers for about a year and a half, which has usually worked fine until recently. I basically would stay on the program most days (averaging about 1400 -- 1500 cals in a traditional low fat diet) and give myself a lot of latitude when I went out and did special things, then back on the program. Over the last few months it's been harder and harder to maintain my weight with that approach.

As a teenager and in my early twenties I did a lot of stupid dieting, but pretty much stabilized over the last 10 years at about the weight I am now, but always vigilent about keeping it down. Never fun, and it just got frustrating feeling like I couldn't have a fun food weekend without having to pay for it over the next month.

So perhaps I trained my body to stay put at about 1400 cals a day. I'm assuming then that I may need to retrain it. Humph. It is so frustrating to feel like food is always going to be a challenge that I have to put energy into every day when other people casually eat whatever and whenever it strikes them. I think I've killed my body's ability to regulate free-feeding.

RE: body fat percentage. I've always been at about 28-29% body fat at around this size -- and several months ago I got caliper tested at 29.

OTher things I'm including in my diet -- and I'm curious who else is doing this or similar -- is a multivitamin tab, b vitamins, CLA oil tablets, green tea extract, and EPA oil tablets.

Enough rambling. As always, thanks for all your thoughtful input,
Abby

[lisaf]

Could also be that your metabolism needs some time to "heal" before the weight drops.

My last and final suggestion would be to use fitday.com to log everything (and I mean everything!) you are eating for a few days. I would be interested to see what ratio of fats/carbs/protein you are eating is. Fats should be pretty high (60-70% is quite normal) - if not, you may not be eating enough dietary fat.

Never out of suggestions...

Lisa

[LittleAbby]

Just an update -- I am finally going down again, not fast, but I'm back where I was and feeling just like my body just went through a big adjustment. I'm sure it won't be the last time I have scale panic, but at least I don't feel like I'm going nuts. Thanks for your help, all!

Abby

[lisaf]

Glad to hear it! Sometimes all that's required is a little patience and an ability to ignore the scale...that thing is EVIL!

Lisa