Carb weight gain?

witchy_wife

So I was eating low carb, about 20-30g a day but eventually decided it wasn’t for me. Along with watching what I was eating I was exercising every day, doing either 30 day shred or jogging on a morning plus walking a couple of miles at lunch time. I wasn’t losing overly fast, around 1 – 1.5lb a week but I was losing.

I decided that I didn’t want to do low carb any more so started adding carbs back in. I still don’t eat white bread, white pasta, potato or rice. I use wholemeal breads and pasta and get other carbs from veggies and fruit. I am still doing the same exercise as before.

The first week I did this I gained 2lb. I was expecting it as I know you can gain a little when you start eating carbs again so I wasn’t too bothered. But three week down the line now and the scales have not budged a single little bit! Literally same weight for 3 weeks down to the oz.

I am under my calories most days and maybe go over one day a week but on average am eating at least 6000 calories under my weekly TDEE recommendation. I do eat back most of my exercise calories so usually eat up to about 1600-1700 a day (net around 1300). I am a tad over 200lbs so still a long way to go.

Is it just the re-introduction of carbs that has caused me to stay the same or do I need to re-adjust my exercise or calories? I was eating pretty much the same amount of calories when doing low carb and was losing at least 1lb a week. Any ideas please?

GemmaRowlands

If you're burning more calories than you're eating, then it isn't possible to gain weight unless it's hormonal. White bread etc DOES make some people bloat, so try cutting it out of your diet again and see if it helps. But have a reassessment of your diet/exercise cals as you might find that the numbers aren't quite right .

axialmeow

My guess is it's water weight. You were on a *very* low carb diet. This is why some people notice a dramatic weight loss when starting a low carb diet. It's water weight they lose initially. Makes sense that you gain it back when you eat carbs again. Don't think of it as a set back. If you're taking in less calories than you're using then things will probably even out.

Helloitsdan

Every gram of carb pulls 3-4g of water.
I personally avoid pasta because I bloat like a champ when I eat it.
I stick with rice, potatoes and breads.

yarwell

So I was eating low carb, about 20-30g a day but eventually decided it wasn’t for me

Looks like it was good for your weight loss.

Brown carbs are the same as white carbs, carbohydrate content it pretty well the same.

You didn't say how many carbs you're eating, and your diary is closed. If the 20-30g was too restrictive you could probably do 40-60g and keep most of the original benefits. Alternatively do two low carb days per week.

stuffinmuffin

I guess changing from low carb to a higher carb diet might make an initial difference. I find changes like that do, along with changes to fitness regime etc etc. However, as one poster suggested, if you are eating less calories than you are burning in a day then you will be losing weight.

I have eaten carbs throughout my weight loss and maintenance and found that it didn't make a difference. I do try to eat wholemeal carbs though and try and avoid things like white bread etc.

It should balance out soon, I think the low carb idea gets a bit too much press sometimes. I think it's important to find something you can sustain for years to come. :flowerforyou:

witchy_wife

Thanks for your replied everyone.

Yarwell - yes low carb certainly seems to help me drop the weight. But as Stuffinmuffin mentioned I need to find something that I can sustain and I don't feel that I will be able to go long term on 20-30g of carbs . I am currently eating anywhere between 100-200g a day at the moment.

I've previously done on and off of low carb, and although I might have had a little gain of couple of pounds when introducing carbs it has generally gone the next week and weight loss back to normal. But I was just wondering what had happened this time as the 2lbs went on and then the scales haven't moved.

I've played around with calories in the past, sometimes eating lower on one day if I had a day where I would have a higher calorie day. Can you do this with Carbs? Would it work the same to have two very low days which would lower the weekly average carbs down?