Weight Gain opinions
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KarlaYP
Posts: 4,439 Member
Have been LCHF since mid March. I did the meativore May challenge and as of June 1 had lost 37 pounds. Getting to my lowest adult weight of 194.4 pounds. I was super excited, as one can imagine, after getting below 200 pounds for the first time too. I didn't jump back into higher carb foods after the ZC month. The only change was addition of coffee with hwc and sugar free syrup. I hadn't been drinking any coffee since December when I got an ulcer from drinking it hot (I drink it iced now). Within two weeks my weight increased to 212 pounds (18 pounds)!!! I did take a break from tracking food in my diary but have restarted it now. The scale dropped to 207 then back up to 211! I haven't changed the amount of food I'm eating and have been frustrated with it. I figure it's th artificial sweetener but 18 pounds?! I plan to stop the sweetener once it's gone which will mean the coffee too since I won't drink it without some type of sweetener. Just curious about other's opinions. TIA!
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18lbs in 2 weeks? That's got to be frustrating. My record was 7.5lbs in 4 days.
Most of it is obviously water weight. The carnivore diet will be somewhat dehydrating, but I doubt the effect could be that large.
Any new sodium sources to your diet?
Can I ask why you made any changes after the carnivore experiment? When you had your surgery, did the docs warn you about any problems associated with meat digestion?
I only ask because I assume meat needs a lot of metabolic processing to fully digest, so it may be that you weren't fully absorbing the calories you thought you were when you were carnivore.0 -
Why not "wean" yourself off the sweetened coffee? If you put just a bit less each time you have a cup. Or every other day... By the time the syrup is gone, you may be able to enjoy the coffee unsweetened.
Retrain your taste0 -
The coffee was the only change from the meativore challenge. I otherwise stayed that way except for a test with onions blueberries and cherries, but we're all after the increase. I have since added back a few carbs but remain at 20 or less. I enjoy being meativore but wanted to taste other things too. I have been able to identify foods to avoid, such as onions, that contribute to my pain levels by adding one thing at a time. The surgery decreases some absorption of nutrients from the shortening of the small intestine. The only problems they told me to watch for was dry meats (like chicken breast which I haven't eaten) which can get stuck in the new opening to the small intestine, otherwise there weren't any restrictions with meat.
May try some less/unsweet coffee too. No matter what though, I will be dropping the artificial sweeteners.0 -
For my short-term gain, it was extra carbs, salty nuts, and probably some mild edema from exercise.
To prove to yourself that it was mostly water, here's some simple math:
You gained an average of 1.5 lbs per day. That would require a caloric EXCESS of 5250 calories PER DAY for it to be fat. That's why I say it's obviously water. Look for possible sources of edema, since even carb-based or sodium-based water gain wouldn't be that high.0 -
You poor thing. If it was me I would pour the sweetener down the sink as it's seemingly only harming your body. I think even pure sugar would have less of an effect. I feel lucky I like my coffee black and unsweetened!0
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This gain has got to be incredibly frustrating for you, Karla! If the sweetener is the only difference you've made prior to the weight gain, I'd drop it immediately. Never mind the waste; if it's hurting your body, it's garbage to you. It's almost unbelievable to think it would cause that much water retention, but it's worth finding out. Like SlimBride, I'd drop it.0
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Karla have you looked at the ingredients of the syrup....anything in there that may be the cause of potential fluid retention??? Flavour enhancer maybe? Really hope it goes down again soon.
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I agree with everyone here. Im reluctantly facing the same problem with artificial sweeteners. I was consuming a LOT of alcohol sugars/artificial sweeteners in my coffees, chewing 2 packs of sugar-free gum a day (to try to curb my appetite, but in fact it made it worse) and drinking a substantial quantity of zero calorie soda (Pepsi Max usually). I was eating at a really good deficit & always less than 20g carbs (often substantially less) and still not losing, often gaining. It was so upsetting every morning on the scales to see my weight go up not down, especially after cutting my calories so ferociously, keeping my carbs low and starting a new exercise regime. I cried several times about it actually - so frustrating when you're putting your heart and soul into something only to have it slap you in the face and give you nothing back.
So ive dropped the sugar-free gum completely. Limited my 6-8 cups of artificially sweetened coffee to 2-4 cups (and working on reducing that to a consistent 2 cups, just 1st thing in the morning) and reduced the amount of sweetener i add to my coffees by about half (to try to retrain my taste for sweet things - i think its possible to become accustomed to much less sweet drinks if you just put up with disliking it a while until you get used to it. My goal is to wean myself off the sweeteners completely. Well, it seems to be working anyway. I wouldnt want it as sweet as i was having it, now.). In place of all the other sweetened coffees i would have been drinking i am sampling fruit teas. I absolutely detested them before, but im trying every flavor i can get my hands on and i can tolerate 2 of them so far. Im even trying to drink more plain water - another thing ive historically hated. In the absence of the drinks i love, i need something wet, and we have limited choices, so i say if you cant beat them join them. All aboard the water train!
Another thought i had is the HWC youve been adding to your coffee. It doesnt make sense to me either, but i too have been finding that the days i add HWC to my coffees, even if im within calories, i dont seem to lose, sometimes gain. It could be a coincidence but ive been deliberately watching my stats on the days i have 1 or 2 tbsp of HWC in my coffee, and it appears that it is negatively affecting weightloss. I dont know why, and boy am i peed about having to give up/strongly limit sweetener AND HWC in my coffee - who doesnt like a sweet, creamy coffee, especially when we've given up so many other things - but i figure if im putting all this effort in, to knowingly jeopardize my weightloss success by stubbornly ingesting something that is working against me, just because i love the taste, well, it doesnt make sense.
So, im in the same boat as you, Karla. Looking at having to give up one of my last pleasures on the keto plan. Not to say i dont enjoy keto foods - its just my sweetened, creamy coffees really got me through the day. They were my little pick-me-up. Mmmm, i do love cream.
Oh well. I guess we just have to decide which we want more - delicious creamy, sweet coffee, or a stunning figure that turns heads. I know which one i want more (and yes, that's the killer bod!).
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Thank you everyone. Your encouragement means the world to me! I'm not a regular coffee drinker anyway. I've consumed it off and on through the years and haven't ever had problems with not drinking it. I did use less this morning and will be dropping it completely. Will post here about results of that experiment! Thanks again!
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Hey @Karlottap , where are you located?
If possible, you might try checking for a cold brewed coffee at your stores, or look into making your own. Cold brewed coffee tends to be milder and doesn't cause that bitter brew gut.
Sugar free sweeteners and syrups are touchy. Everybody reacts differently. Not only that, but there's the labeling flexibility where they can say "zero carb" but it actually has sneaky sneaky carbs.
I noticed the sugar free Torani raspberry syrup I picked up today actually says it has 1 carb per serving. It's not a lot, but it'll add up.
For the sugar free sweetener you've been using, maybe try a different one? There may also be carb creep in that, too. I use liquid stevia drops sometimes in my chai tea and never use all 4 drops that make up a "serving". I'm down to 1 drop for chai, and 0 drops for coffee.
-T.
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It may also be the caffeine in the coffee. I am sensitive to is as well as sweeteners. I generally just drink 10 or more cups of filtered water daily. Good luck to you.0
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@Karlottap - Do you like fruit teas or herbal teas at all? I've cut down to 2 cups of coffee a day now, in the morning (1 BPC, 1 black), and im replacing a lot of the coffees i would have had with teas. I dont like normal black tea, especially not without milk/cream, so ive been sampling other teas, as recommended by a couple of sweet ladies on these boards, and ive found a couple i think are quite nice drinks: Twinings Lemon & Ginger, Twinings Grapefruit & Pineapple Green Tea & Twinings Gingerbread Green Tea. This comes as a surprise because historically ive always hated fruit teas. Twinings Fudge Green Tea & Twinings Salted Caramel Green Tea are OK-ish too. I tried lots of others, some of which i hated, so its worth trying out loads of different flavors if you havent found any you like yet. I tried some other brands too, but Twinings tasted better in general. Just an idea to replace the coffee with something healthy & refreshing. Im shocked how tolerable these are!
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@Teneko I'm in the sound here US. Will check for the cold brewed coffee in our grocery stores. Thanks for the tip! @toadqueen I drink water when I'm not drinking coffee. Water has been the primary source of hydration, for me, for years. About twice a year I will desire coffee and tend to drink it for a couple of months and then drop it again. I believe this time will be for good. Thanks! @CoconuttyMummy thanks for the tea suggestions!0
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Finally poured it all down the drain, as advised by my awesome friends here. Will be watching the scale. Today is 209! Ugh! I hate losing the same weight that I already lost, but will get there! Word to the wise, avoid sugar alcohols if they affect you this way! New lesson learned! Thanks everybody!0
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Which sweetener was it?
http://www.wellsphere.com/general-medicine-article/do-sugar-free-and-diet-products-make-you-look-fat/54394
And here's how they make you look fatter, according to Dr. Heidi (creator of the the ER weight control program ):
"When an artificial sweetener gets into your blood stream, your immune system's alarms go off. Among other things, your body starts retaining water.
"The water is used to escort the toxins out of your body, but often they get lodged in your tissue. Your body wants to flush the toxins, but when they don't go, your body continues to retain the water. Which makes it look fat and puffy.
"Ergo, the more artificial sweeteners you put in your mouth, the more water your body retains to protect you from the risk of toxic effects. And the fatter you look . The body's reaction to artificial sweeteners is also a cause of ugly cellulite."
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Finally poured it all down the drain, as advised by my awesome friends here. Will be watching the scale. Today is 209! Ugh! I hate losing the same weight that I already lost, but will get there! Word to the wise, avoid sugar alcohols if they affect you this way! New lesson learned! Thanks everybody!
Good for you, Karla! Hope getting rid of it will make all the difference for you and the re-gained weight will drop like a stone.
@wabmester That info is enough to make me avoid them totally. So....all the oceans of diet coke i've had left me with vivid evidence that I drank it, eh? Swell. (Pun intended.)
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I don't know how accurate that info is, wheatless, but there were several sources that suggested that some artificial sweeteners cause water retention.
Here's one on maltitol, for example:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6388120_side-effects-sugar_free-maltitol.html0 -
Yay, good move Karla. I think you'll feel a difference fairly quickly.
Since cutting out my high volume of sugar free gum and liquid sucralose sweetened hot drinks the scale is finally moving (downwards!) again. I feel much better without it, and less cravings too.
Although I do still drink Pepsi Max, regularly (up to 2 litres a day, actually. Sssshhhh! Don't tell anyone! ) , ditching the Splenda and sucralose has definitely made a big difference and I believe is largely responsible for helping me out of my stall.
I get less muscle cramps since giving up Splenda and sucralose liquid .. Not sure if it's connected but It seems to be.
Well done for nixing the AS. I think your body will thank you, Karla. X0 -
Hey Wab, it's splendid sweetened DaVinci syrups. That's my only dietary change. I'm taking it back!0
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Btw: Wab, thanks for the article. This is what I have been feeling and want it gone! Hope the effects clear up quickly!0
