Asking for advice/help with regards as to why I am gaining suddenly.

sarahwinder78

Bit of background. 36 year old female.
SW in April when I began losing weight: 198
CW (today) 151.2
The problem is that I was as low as 146 a couple weeks ago and now the scale is creeping up. While this is not the first time I've had some small gains along the way (more like fluctuations), this is new. Usually the small gains are temporary and can be attributed to water retention issues. Once that passes the weight comes off. But this slow, steady gain (albeit small) has really thrown me for a loop. My eating habits haven't changed. I weigh proteins, measure veg and fruit since I'm not as concerned to get exact measurements there (for example - a cup and a half of green beans is only 32 calories, so I feel like there's a bit of wiggle room in instances like that). I have been eating a lot more legumes lately as I've found a 13 bean dried soup that I love. It is carb heavy, but also fiber heavy. The mix is just the beans, I add half chicken stock, half water and tons of spices...so I know exactly what's going in it. That's really the only "new" food I've introduced lately. Water is on point. I drink AT LEAST 8 glasses a day - usually more like double that. No beverages other than water and coffee (black). Save for the occasional wine (which is logged!). For exercise I am following a Hal Higdon training program to run a sub 30 5k. It has workouts scheduled 3 - 4 times a week - various types of run...distance, speed, etc. A couple other days a week I do an aerobics class or drop in at the gym to do an eliptical or rowing machine. If the weather is nice I bike (those are my cross training days). I also do heavy lifting following the StrongLifts 5x5 program three times a week. Been doing that for a couple months, but since I started with only the bar to get the technique down, my weight still isn't very heavy (bar +55 pounds for overhead press as an example).
So what accounts for this gain???
Any thoughts you might have would be greatly appreciated. I opened my diary.
My overall goal is flexible, but I can tell by looking at my body that I can definitely loose quite a bit more fat in addition to adding muscle.
Thank you so much! This community has been so supportive of me in the past and I am hoping you can help me figure this out!

lynn_glenmont

Focusing on the only thing you say has changed -- have your bowel movements changed since increasing the legumes in your diet? Although added fiber tends to make things move more quickly, if you're not getting enough liquids and fat to compensate, it can slow things down. So, it could be the weight of food in your intestines that hasn't moved out.

sarahwinder78

Hmm...I hadn't considered that as I don't feel bloated, but that might be it. I'll double up on the water and maybe take some coconut oil (do you think that would help?) and see what happens! Thanks!!

lynn_glenmont

Any fat should do. Personally, I'd toss some grated mozzarella or swiss cheese into the soup, but whatever floats your boat.