6 pounds on in 2 weeks!

JennifrClaire

After happily low- carbing for nearly two years, I've started regaining the 50 pounds I lost- first a long plateau, from November, I'm now putting it back on: 15 pounds so far, and no end in sight.
I have a few health issues (low thyroid, lipo-lymphadedma,) that complicate matters, but I get hours of physical exercise gardening, walking/ hiking every day, and by never sitting down, except at work, and to eat, basically.
Weigh-in this morning made me want to cry. Has this happened to other LCHF people? Is it a blip?
What's the turn around? Will a hard core Low cal/ Low carb be the answer?

Lucille4444

It's time to see your doctor. A low thyroid can cause weight gain no matter how much physical activity you engage in, your doctor may change your thyroid medication dosage.

LowCarb4Me2016

A friend of mine went through that recently with the thyroid medication. Once they adjusted it the weight started coming off again.

JennifrClaire

Thanks for replying. I supposed it could be a thyroid thing, not a low carb thing. Hadn't really considered that.

cstehansen

I agree about the thyroid. Also, I heard something said recently that is 100% true which is: pounds are lost in the kitchen and ounces are lost in the gym.

Don't get me wrong, exercise is great. According to my Fitbit, it is not unusual for my exercise calories to exceed my base. There are many tremendous benefits to physical activity.
Weight loss is just not really one of them.

For many, overexercise can actually be counterproductive. It will stimulate hunger. If you are hypocaloric (eating too few calories), this over exercise will exacerbate the slow down of your base metabolism as well.

I see people in the gym every morning killing themselves and making little to no progress. For years, actually decades, my philosophy was I will work out as much as I have to in order to eat what I want when I want and how much I want. That got me to a T2D diagnosis despite only being about 10 lbs overweight while being a gym rat.

My suggestions (aside from getting the thyroid check as others have mentioned) are to make exercise deliberate but limited and to make sure you are getting adequate rest/sleep. Just like your body needs periods of eating and fasting, it also needs periods of activity and resting to be in balance.

mmultanen

I agree with the others, time to have a conversation with your dr. I'm sorry that you're struggling. Hopefully you can get it figured out. How do you feel other than the scale numbers?

KnitOrMiss

If you've had recent hair or skin changes, any swelling in your legs/arms/hands, itchy skin, digestive issues, or pooping issues, you've likely had a change in your thyroid condition.

auntstephie321

Are you tracking your caloric intake?

KnitOrMiss

Look into nutrient deficiencies and such, too.

http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2015/12/why-not-losing-weight-2.html

With my having had my gallbladder removed contributing with my hypothyroidism, it took many years for some of these to surface! Over a decade in some cases...

JennifrClaire

Thanks everyone for your insight. I think it may be the lipoedma rather than the thyroid, as we've had a week of very warm weather and this apparently, is a trigger for lipoedma weight gain. I'm back in my compression tights, drinking twice the usual amount of water, etc.
I have my thyroid tests done every few months and keep an eye out for symptoms of hypo problems, and there haven't been any so far - apart from the weight gain, I feel great.

blambo61

Have you tried IF? Are you exercising? Are you counting calories?

JennifrClaire

Yes, same as before: I keep to my 1200 and don't eat back my excerise calories. I don't really have a problem doing that, since going low carb. I'm pretty strict these days, but not keto.
Also, I use the CBT for keen eaters. This all used to work quite well, apart from the occasional blip. It all sorted of came unravelled recently. Since my top half remains the same but my jeans are up 2 sizes, I think that confirms that it's probably the lipo-lymphedema.