Gaining weight

3BearMomma

I'm sooo frustrated. I'm up several pounds since last Thursday and I don't know why. I've been perfect. My day consists of maybe a protein shake, meat, leafy green veg and an occassional fat bomb if my caloric intake is low.

I *know* my calories are very low (well, well under 1200), but my doctor is totally fine with it as long as I'm not starving myself. I IF so I only eat between 11 and 7. I drink plenty of water.

And yet - I'm up. And it's not like "oh I'm losing elsewhere". We're talking snug clothing and on the scale up.

Any thoughts? Am I missing something? I know I"m under my fat and calories goals... but would that really cause me to gain several pounds!?! I'm trying to eat more protein but I'm just not a "meat" girl. I have to sneak it in. But again - I would think all of this would spell slow loss .... not multiple pound gain. It just seems categorically impossible that I could gain on 700 calories a day.

ETA: I know my calories are low - I'm *trying* to get them up, but it's hard b/c I work a crazy job and don't have much time for snacking during the day. That's why I started protein shakes, but they're not particularly high in calories and pack a higher carb punch. I really hate coffee I know BPC is a good way to get fat in... but omg I hate coffee....

Gallowmere1984

Increasingn calories is not going to result in weight loss. It doesn't work that way. If you need proof that calories can go low AF and result in rapid weight loss, feel free to add me and have a look at my feed.

There is something else going on here. Either your measurement of food is off, you are using bad MFP entries, your deficit isn't strong enough, or your body is holding onto water for some reason.

3BearMomma

Thank you so much. The whole "eat more calories" thing drives me absolutely batty. It's the first thing my hubs (and everyone else says) so I feel pressured.

Yesterday I ate 4oz of chicken (white meat), 3/4 cup of roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and bleu cheese, 1 "fat bomb" and had coffee with cream (gag).

I'm definitely going to add you> Thank you for the offer.

Interesting thought about water. I feel super dehydrated. I drink about 115oz a day, but my skin is super dry, my lips are chapped and my mouth feels SO dry.

KnitOrMiss

3BearMomma wrote: »

I'm sooo frustrated. I'm up several pounds since last Thursday and I don't know why. I've been perfect. My day consists of maybe a protein shake, meat, leafy green veg and an occassional fat bomb if my caloric intake is low.

I *know* my calories are very low (well, well under 1200), but my doctor is totally fine with it as long as I'm not starving myself. I IF so I only eat between 11 and 7. I drink plenty of water.

And yet - I'm up. And it's not like "oh I'm losing elsewhere". We're talking snug clothing and on the scale up.

Any thoughts? Am I missing something? I know I"m under my fat and calories goals... but would that really cause me to gain several pounds!?! I'm trying to eat more protein but I'm just not a "meat" girl. I have to sneak it in. But again - I would think all of this would spell slow loss .... not multiple pound gain. It just seems categorically impossible that I could gain on 700 calories a day.

ETA: I know my calories are low - I'm *trying* to get them up, but it's hard b/c I work a crazy job and don't have much time for snacking during the day. That's why I started protein shakes, but they're not particularly high in calories and pack a higher carb punch. I really hate coffee I know BPC is a good way to get fat in... but omg I hate coffee....

@3BearMomma - For some of us, too steep of a calorie deficit can slow losses, but generally there is other metabolic dysfunction at play when that happens (thyroid issues, insulin resistance, autoimmune issues, etc.).

For the record, anything that you can add to a BPC you can add to a protein shake. MCT Coconut oil? Yup. Melted Butter? Yup. Cocoa butter? Yup. Nut milks? Yup. Heavy Cream/Coconut Cream? Yup. Other fat sources? Yup.

Try BOOSTING your shake...

KnitOrMiss

The dehydration feeling happens to me when I get too much water WITHOUT enough sodium and magnesium. My potassium tends to be a non-factor for me, but it might be for others...

3BearMomma

@KnitOrMiss

Oh wow! Thank you so much. I feel so ridiculous that I never thought to boost the shake, lol.

I'm insulin resistant for sure. I'm on metformin 2x a day for it. And while we suspect underlying thyroid issues, initial tests were "in the acceptable range", so insurance won't cover further testing.

And thank you for the insight about sodium. My sodium levels are definitely low... like 1800mg a day or less. So I'm going to try to get them up higher in the 3k to 5k range.

For magnesium - do you take a supplement? Or try to get it via diet?

cstehansen

@3BearMomma, you mention you are under your fat, but you are trying to boost your protein. Why? Given you are IR, you may be more prone to glyconeogenesis (converting protein to glucose). I know this is the case for me. In a totally healthy person, this is on a demand only basis, but if you have IR, you are not totally healthy. You only NEED about 0.8g of protein per kg of lean body mass to maintain muscle mass.

As far as being below calories, let hunger be your guide. Do not eat just to hit some arbitrary daily goal. Track what you eat, but don't be surprised if there is some fluctuation day to day.

I also do IF with the same time frame as you. I tried shifting to 7am to 2pm for a couple of days. It actually worked better for my BG and I felt better. The only reason I didn't stick with it was because of social reasons - going to dinner with my wife or plans with others, etc. That said, you might give it a shot to shift the IF for a few days to kind of shock your system a bit.

KnitOrMiss

@3BearMomma Unless you are eating high quality organic and grass-fed products, you are unlikely to be able to get enough magnesium from your food, due to crop depletion, pesticides, GMO's, and a huge number of other factors. So, if fabulous food is your game, you're possibly okay. If not, I'd suggest a supplement.

Personally, my favorite is the Doctor's Best brand of Chelated Magnesium Gylcinate. I've also had good luck with Thorne's Chelated Magnesium Citrate. The "industry standard" KAL brand Magnesium Glycinate and I were not friends... Remember that magnesium has a 12-hour half life, and so it's better to take it twice a day, though some folks get sleepy doing that - if so, you might consider a different form for your daytime dose than you take at night.

HERE is one of the more comprehensive explanations of the types of magnesium, so that you can determine which is best for you.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

What kind of protein are you using?

My initial inclination is to say that "since last Thursday" has to be water retention for such a short time period.

But it is worth looking at the type of protein. If you are using traditional whey, consider switching to a whey isolate (lower carb than traditional whey, but whey absorbs and converts to glucose more quickly than many proteins) or casein (slower absorption).

Gallowmere1984

midwesterner85 wrote: »

What kind of protein are you using?

My initial inclination is to say that "since last Thursday" has to be water retention for such a short time period.

But it is worth looking at the type of protein. If you are using traditional whey, consider switching to a whey isolate (lower carb than traditional whey, but whey absorbs and converts to glucose more quickly than many proteins) or casein (slower absorption).

I'd second this, and say give Casein a go. MyProtein's caseins all test well, are as low carb as you'll find outside of an isolate, and they make badass proteins fluffs. Oh, and they're notably cheaper than everyone else if you catch a sale. Casein is always more expensive than whey, but I snatched 10 lbs. of casein last month for less than $0.10 more per pound than whey would have cost.

kimbo8435

If your body doesn't have an aversion to Splenda, try bulletproofing the sugar free Oregon Chai Tea latte mix. Butter, coconut oil, and HWC make it a high cal, high fat way to make your calories for the day. I also add a splash of sugar free vanilla syrup- put it all in my thermos and I'm set for the morning.

ladipoet

You don't have to like or drink coffee. Do you like tea? What about Hot chocolate? Eggnogg?

http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2013/02/mexican-hot-chocolate-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2010/12/almond-milk-eggnog-and-a-holiday-shortbread-giveaway.html

RalfLott

@3BearMomma -

A couple thoughts to add to the pearls of wisdom above....

It is a good idea to have some go-to resources available when you embark on this adventure.

1. If you haven't stumbled across the LCD Launch Pad, I'd suggest you set aside a few hours and look through this great resource.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad

2. Depending on how much detail you want, Stephen Phinney, Jeff Volek, Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living (technical) or New Atkins for a New You (popular) are great intros.

3. Phinney's YouTube vids are very informative. He explains that can take weeks to compete the transition from carb- to fat-burning.

I'd recommend the JumpstartMD YouTube site, which has not only a long, comprehensive introduction to ketogenic diets by Phinney and Volek, but also segments of the same interview separated by topic. Handy!

erinseattle

And one more thought - if you feel good and it's just the scale that's the problem, stay the course. I felt really off for a few weeks and tried to place blame on several factors, but I now believe it was hormonal.

I have spent a good part of my life trying to put my food and exercise into a math problem so I would get the result I was looking for, but sometimes there are other factors we cannot measure. Once my hormones got settled, I dropped 6 lbs in THREE DAYS. My body was holding onto water. Please be patient.