Need the pros to take a look at this one. It's long.

JulieAnneFIU

First off let me say I weigh and measure everything with two scales to ensure accuracy. I've even figured out the grams for the liquid measurements I frequently use. I just made my diary public but if you look at it you need to go back a few weeks because I didn't really log the last ten days due to a sinus infection that had me on Augmentin which made me vomit daily. My weight didn't change.

About four months ago I had my gallbladder removed and literally gained 20 pounds in two months. I wasn't tracking, I know it was my own fault. For the past six weeks I once again started weighing and measuring my food with a net goal of 1200 to lose one pound a week (age 38/5'5/150 pounds). I did stronglift 5x5 three days a week, one hour of steady state cardio five days a week and one hour of yoga three to five times a week. I was eating on average 1600 calories total (not net) and used the mfp method. I used a hrm for my cardio burn and used the MFP calculations for lifting and yoga so my net showed right around 1200(sometimes way under but weekends gave me a 1200 weekly average). I know calculations are often inaccurate but I was set at a 500 calorie deficit and didn't eat all my exercise calories back so I would have at least expected a half pound loss. I went to the doctor for a full panel including liver, thyroid and diabetes. My cholesterol was the only thing high. She told me basically I'm old, the fact that I'm often hungry and my history of yo yo dieting likely screwed my metabolism but come on, science. My ci is less than my co. My macros are 50c/20f/30p and I am set to see a dietician this weekend. I'm having a problem meeting my fat macros though.

My weight went up two pounds. If you look at my diary you will see a lot of sodium because I'm on a medication that requires a higher sodium intake. Not sure if this is relevant but I'm bipolar with insomnia, major depressive disorder and have an autoimmunodeficiency disorder that requires monthly plasma infusions but my medications haven't changed in five years and I was 130 pounds two months ago. I'm just looking for some of you with experience to pop back a few weeks and let me know what you think. Much appreciated.

WBB55

I find my weight loss/gain is often delayed. As in overeating this week might cause water retention this week, but the GAIN might not happen until next week. Same thing with losses. Undereating THIS week will cause weight loss 2 weeks from now.

goldthistime

WBB55 wrote: »

I find my weight loss/gain is often delayed. As in overeating this week might cause water retention this week, but the GAIN might not happen until next week. Same thing with losses. Undereating THIS week will cause weight loss 2 weeks from now.

Ditto.

JulieAnneFIU

I weigh and measure my parts every Friday. In six weeks I have fluctuated up and down two pounds and lost one inch total off my waist and gained an inch in my thighs (squats?). I'm just disheartened. I know at the start of a lifting program weight may not change but after six weeks I would expect something. I'm also not new to it, I've been doing SL for a year with six weeks off after gallbladder removal.

JulieAnneFIU

Also, in six weeks I haven't binged once. I averaged between 1400-1700 gross and my weekly net worked out to 1200 with not eating back all exercise calories.

goldthistime

JulieAnneFIU wrote: »

I weigh and measure my parts every Friday. In six weeks I have fluctuated up and down two pounds and lost one inch total off my waist and gained an inch in my thighs (squats?). I'm just disheartened. I know at the start of a lifting program weight may not change but after six weeks I would expect something. I'm also not new to it, I've been doing SL for a year with six weeks off after gallbladder removal.

Losing an inch of your waist certainly sounds like something to celebrate. Water retention is my best guess. Sorry, not a very exciting answer. I once went about six weeks eating at goal and exercising like a madwoman (probably averaged 1000 calories a day) and the scales didn't budge. I think there were two things that factored in: I suspect I entered a weight loss that wasn't a real loss, just dehydration, BEFORE the six week plateau, and I think my muscles were retaining water from all the crazy exercise.

JulieAnneFIU

Just realized I said I was 130 two months ago. Too late to edit. I was 130 four months ago. 150 two months ago. 150 today.

ahoy_m8

Hang in there. You look great. It sounds like you're making progress, too. It's a bummer when fluid retention obfuscates what's going on with the scale. That happens, though, and medications can mess with fluid retention.

Here's an anecdote. A friend recently was hospitalized for an infection and later surgery. She gained 40 lb fluids in a couple days. She wasn't eating much, but she was getting tons of IV's, antibiotics, etc. It took a couple months for the fluid to work its way out of her system. It was uncomfortable and she had to wear stretchy clothes for a while, but it was not fat.

Cut yourself some slack. General anesthesia is a radical thing to do to a body. To me, it feels like it takes 6 months to feel back to normal. Take care of yourself and the good things you are doing will pay off.

JulieAnneFIU

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

Hang in there. You look great. It sounds like you're making progress, too. It's a bummer when fluid retention obfuscates what's going on with the scale. That happens, though, and medications can mess with fluid retention.

Here's an anecdote. A friend recently was hospitalized for an infection and later surgery. She gained 40 lb fluids in a couple days. She wasn't eating much, but she was getting tons of IV's, antibiotics, etc. It took a couple months for the fluid to work its way out of her system. It was uncomfortable and she had to wear stretchy clothes for a while, but it was not fat.

Cut yourself some slack. General anesthesia is a radical thing to do to a body. To me, it feels like it takes 6 months to feel back to normal. Take care of yourself and the good things you are doing will pay off.

Thank you. That picture was me this past summer, I updated it today to a face shot from last week but it hasn't changed. My self esteem is soooo low. I lost 100 pounds five years ago effortlessly and now have a rep for being this super skinny healthy person. Gaining this twenty crushed me. I feel like I let everyone down.

ahoy_m8

Well, I can't comment on the feeling of letting others down, but this is about you and your health and taking good care of yourself as you recover from a medical ordeal. Kudos for no binging in 6 wks, BTW. It sounds to an outsider like you really have your stuff together but are maybe getting a little impatient. Stay the course. You are on top of it.

SueInAz

A 20 pound weight gain in 2 months is pretty excessive. I know you said it was "your fault" but were you really eating enough to gain that weight or could some of it be water weight that you now can't shake for one reason or another?

I know that major water weight gains can happen suddenly. I had my gallbladder out as a planned surgery nearly 5 years ago and it didn't cause any big issues for me, BUT I had an emergency appendectomy two years ago and gained 18 pounds in 3 days while I was in the hospital eating next to nothing. I happened to be on a prescription diuretic at the time and I wasn't taking it while in the hospital, of course. When I got home, it took nearly 2 weeks on the diuretic to lose that 18 pounds again (plus a few more since I had eaten so little that week.) If you're also on medication that might cause water retention that could be a big part of your issue. I'm normally not one to suggest this type of thing but the surgery plus all of the medical issues you listed makes me wonder.

JulieAnneFIU

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

Well, I can't comment on the feeling of letting others down, but this is about you and your health and taking good care of yourself as you recover from a medical ordeal. Kudos for no binging in 6 wks, BTW. It sounds to an outsider like you really have your stuff together but are maybe getting a little impatient. Stay the course. You are on top of it.

Thanks. I appreciate it.

Francl27

Water retention from starting working out again, normal water retention before a cycle (is your period due soon?) etc can delay a loss, but if you're 100% sure that you've been eating 1600 calories, you will lose soon.

JulieAnneFIU

Francl27 wrote: »

Water retention from starting working out again, normal water retention before a cycle (is your period due soon?) etc can delay a loss, but if you're 100% sure that you've been eating 1600 calories, you will lose soon.

I had a hysterectomy from ovarian cancer six years ago. I'm on hormones that keep me steady. I am sure I average a 1200 calorie net (one day a month I eat 2000 calories because I'm in the hospital getting plasma infused but I make up for it the rest of that week). I think I just posted this for a "chin up, sparky" because I have a GP, psychiatrist, psychologist, dietician as of this weekend and am now thinking I need community support. I've been a lurker for over a year.

vivmom2014

What kind of doctor calls 38 "old"?!

JulieAnneFIU

vivmom2014 wrote: »

What kind of doctor calls 38 "old"?!

I'm paraphrasing. She said "38 is not 30. You have to expect this as you age."

kshama2001

I couldn't find a "Chin up, Sparky" meme for you but I did find these:

JulieAnneFIU

I looove looking at my boobs. And thank you.

kshama2001

JulieAnneFIU wrote: »

I went to the doctor for a full panel including liver, thyroid and diabetes. My cholesterol was the only thing high. She told me basically I'm old, the fact that I'm often hungry and my history of yo yo dieting likely screwed my metabolism but come on, science. My ci is less than my co. My macros are 50c/20f/30p and I am set to see a dietician this weekend. I'm having a problem meeting my fat macros though.

I'm not hungry on 40c/30f/30p (but I do get more calories cuz I'm bigger.)

Due to having your gallbladder out or something else, do you need to be careful about fat? However, since you said you are having trouble meeting the fat macro, have some Fat Bomb recipes. I made the first one and 300 calories worth kept me full for 5 hours, which is quite a long time for me. I made the first recipe in the second link and it was quite yummy.

http://screwedonstraight.net/keto-diet-peanut-butter-cup-fat-bombs/
http://lowcarbediem.com/fat-bombs-recipes-atkins-ketosis/

JulieAnneFIU

kshama2001 wrote: »

JulieAnneFIU wrote: »

I went to the doctor for a full panel including liver, thyroid and diabetes. My cholesterol was the only thing high. She told me basically I'm old, the fact that I'm often hungry and my history of yo yo dieting likely screwed my metabolism but come on, science. My ci is less than my co. My macros are 50c/20f/30p and I am set to see a dietician this weekend. I'm having a problem meeting my fat macros though.

I'm not hungry on 40c/30f/30p (but I do get more calories cuz I'm bigger.)

Due to having your gallbladder out or something else, do you need to be careful about fat? However, since you said you are having trouble meeting the fat macro, have some Fat Bomb recipes. I made the first one and 300 calories worth kept me full for 5 hours, which is quite a long time for me. I made the first recipe in the second link and it was quite yummy.

http://screwedonstraight.net/keto-diet-peanut-butter-cup-fat-bombs/
http://lowcarbediem.com/fat-bombs-recipes-atkins-ketosis/

If I eat a high fat meal it keeps me full but there is a solid chance I would poop my pants doing a squat. I have to take ox bile with higher fat meals.

SueInAz

JulieAnneFIU wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

JulieAnneFIU wrote: »

I went to the doctor for a full panel including liver, thyroid and diabetes. My cholesterol was the only thing high. She told me basically I'm old, the fact that I'm often hungry and my history of yo yo dieting likely screwed my metabolism but come on, science. My ci is less than my co. My macros are 50c/20f/30p and I am set to see a dietician this weekend. I'm having a problem meeting my fat macros though.

I'm not hungry on 40c/30f/30p (but I do get more calories cuz I'm bigger.)

Due to having your gallbladder out or something else, do you need to be careful about fat? However, since you said you are having trouble meeting the fat macro, have some Fat Bomb recipes. I made the first one and 300 calories worth kept me full for 5 hours, which is quite a long time for me. I made the first recipe in the second link and it was quite yummy.

http://screwedonstraight.net/keto-diet-peanut-butter-cup-fat-bombs/
http://lowcarbediem.com/fat-bombs-recipes-atkins-ketosis/

If I eat a high fat meal it keeps me full but there is a solid chance I would poop my pants doing a squat. I have to take ox bile with higher fat meals.

Seriously, laughing so hard I'm crying here. I always tell my husband after a high fat meal that "I can never trust a fart." I mostly try to spread my fat out in small doses all day. A handful of macadamia nuts is a great way to get in a few grams.