I'm GAINING weight, HELP!

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Two things I'd like to mention first:

- I THOUGHT I was getting my "monthly friend" but have yet to, so the weight gain could be water weight ALTHOUGH I took a water pill (furosemide) and it didn't help!

- I was advised as follows:
I started a Paleo diet at the beginning of January with no problems. I lost ten pounds, but was told that it was probably water weight. I expressed interest in Keto, and was told (after a look at my MFP diary) that I needed to eat more calories. I am 5'1 and 219 lbs (I was 215 before I attempted Keto earlier this week).
He suggested I eat between 1200-1600 cal./day and add dairy back into my diet. I ate the 1200 as it was a lot of food, but then when I began to feel the weight stick on, and increase, I read that a DEFICIT is still important, EVEN ON KETO!
This gentleman told me that all that matters is that I hit my calorie mark, hit my macros and stay away from fruit (which I have not touched since switching!)

So my daily calories intake was suggested by a keto calculator to be 1,059/day. I have gained FOUR pounds and feel like all the weight I lost around my mid section has come back.

If you could look at my diary, or perhaps tell me what I THINK I already know - the dairy is stalling/making me gain weight, OR that I AM getting my monthly friend and it's just water weight. I'm so confused, I start school tomorrow and all the weight loss is gone :( Please help me, THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!!!

Replies

  • Nasheajones
    Nasheajones Posts: 6 Member
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    I know how frustrating it can be to not see the scale moving in the right direction! I have had weeks where my weight fluctuates by seven pounds from Monday to Friday. Somedays it will look like I gained 5 pounds overnight! If you stick to it and drink plenty of water you will see the scale go down. I have noticed every weekend it looks like I have gained and I do not eat any more on the weekends however I do not drink much water for some reason and it make the scale go up temporarily.

    I looked at several days in your food diary and it seemed good to me. I would just give it a little more time for your body to adapt to the changes.

    Hope someone with more experience chimes in with good advice!

    Take care :)
  • Spazzomatic
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    I know how frustrating it can be to not see the scale moving in the right direction! I have had weeks where my weight fluctuates by seven pounds from Monday to Friday. Somedays it will look like I gained 5 pounds overnight! If you stick to it and drink plenty of water you will see the scale go down. I have noticed every weekend it looks like I have gained and I do not eat any more on the weekends however I do not drink much water for some reason and it make the scale go up temporarily.

    I looked at several days in your food diary and it seemed good to me. I would just give it a little more time for your body to adapt to the changes.

    Hope someone with more experience chimes in with good advice!

    Take care :)

    Oh thank you so much for the encouraging words, I am so depressed :( I feel as though perhaps adding the dairy in was a poor idea, as I started gaining weight shortly after that. I think I will tweak the dairy down to just butter and see how it goes. Good luck to you as well, and thank you again!
  • bitingducks
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    Getting your period will DEFINITELY screw with your water-retention, pills or no.

    Other things: make sure you're measuring correctly! I've had a lot of luck this month with being super cautious about cooking at home and carefully measuring each ingredient. Also, if you've just switched to keto you are probably retaining other 'bodily wastes' (to put it gently). Wait until shark week is over, and make sure you're getting plenty of fiber (avocados are great for this diet - fibrous and full of fat!).
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
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    Gaining 4 pounds would mean you ate around 14,000 calories ABOVE your TDEE. You haven't even eaten that many calories total, let alone in excess. Depending on what your macros were with paleo, you may very well be in the post-induction stall stage of keto. Combine that with your cycle, and your scale weight is higher than normal.

    There is just no reason to assume anything is wrong at this time. Logic alone says that this can't be fat gain. The timeline of everything also suggests that this isn't abnormal. You should keep doing what you're doing and give it a few weeks (yeah, weeks and not days) to see what is happening. Eating 1200 calories a day, you will not gain 20 pounds over those few weeks, I promise. It just can't happen. Keep Calm and Keto On.
  • kickassketo
    kickassketo Posts: 42 Member
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    Two things I'd like to mention first:

    - I THOUGHT I was getting my "monthly friend" but have yet to, so the weight gain could be water weight ALTHOUGH I took a water pill (furosemide) and it didn't help!

    - I was advised as follows:
    I started a Paleo diet at the beginning of January with no problems. I lost ten pounds, but was told that it was probably water weight. I expressed interest in Keto, and was told (after a look at my MFP diary) that I needed to eat more calories. I am 5'1 and 219 lbs (I was 215 before I attempted Keto earlier this week).
    He suggested I eat between 1200-1600 cal./day and add dairy back into my diet. I ate the 1200 as it was a lot of food, but then when I began to feel the weight stick on, and increase, I read that a DEFICIT is still important, EVEN ON KETO!
    This gentleman told me that all that matters is that I hit my calorie mark, hit my macros and stay away from fruit (which I have not touched since switching!)

    So my daily calories intake was suggested by a keto calculator to be 1,059/day. I have gained FOUR pounds and feel like all the weight I lost around my mid section has come back.

    If you could look at my diary, or perhaps tell me what I THINK I already know - the dairy is stalling/making me gain weight, OR that I AM getting my monthly friend and it's just water weight. I'm so confused, I start school tomorrow and all the weight loss is gone :( Please help me, THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!!!

    Yes, a deficit counts on any diet, even keto. There are other things that come into play that may make you need more or less to achieve that deficit, but without a deficit, you will not lose weight. Many people do keto without tracking their food because eating high fat, moderate protein and low carb just keeps them from ever being very hungry and that causes a causes a natural and easily obtainable deficit. But there is still a deficit.

    I've had many people tell me to eat more food, but I know that with my body, and my recent lack of regular exercise, eating more would cause a stall and/or gain. Listen to your body; it knows more about what it needs than a stranger on the internet.

    Also, don't worry, you have not gained 4lbs of fat in such a short amount of time! The scale weird things for women, especially around that time of month.
  • Spazzomatic
    Options
    Two things I'd like to mention first:

    - I THOUGHT I was getting my "monthly friend" but have yet to, so the weight gain could be water weight ALTHOUGH I took a water pill (furosemide) and it didn't help!

    - I was advised as follows:
    I started a Paleo diet at the beginning of January with no problems. I lost ten pounds, but was told that it was probably water weight. I expressed interest in Keto, and was told (after a look at my MFP diary) that I needed to eat more calories. I am 5'1 and 219 lbs (I was 215 before I attempted Keto earlier this week).
    He suggested I eat between 1200-1600 cal./day and add dairy back into my diet. I ate the 1200 as it was a lot of food, but then when I began to feel the weight stick on, and increase, I read that a DEFICIT is still important, EVEN ON KETO!
    This gentleman told me that all that matters is that I hit my calorie mark, hit my macros and stay away from fruit (which I have not touched since switching!)

    So my daily calories intake was suggested by a keto calculator to be 1,059/day. I have gained FOUR pounds and feel like all the weight I lost around my mid section has come back.

    If you could look at my diary, or perhaps tell me what I THINK I already know - the dairy is stalling/making me gain weight, OR that I AM getting my monthly friend and it's just water weight. I'm so confused, I start school tomorrow and all the weight loss is gone :( Please help me, THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!!!

    Yes, a deficit counts on any diet, even keto. There are other things that come into play that may make you need more or less to achieve that deficit, but without a deficit, you will not lose weight. Many people do keto without tracking their food because eating high fat, moderate protein and low carb just keeps them from ever being very hungry and that causes a causes a natural and easily obtainable deficit. But there is still a deficit.

    I've had many people tell me to eat more food, but I know that with my body, and my recent lack of regular exercise, eating more would cause a stall and/or gain. Listen to your body; it knows more about what it needs than a stranger on the internet.

    Also, don't worry, you have not gained 4lbs of fat in such a short amount of time! The scale weird things for women, especially around that time of month.

    The weird thing is that since starting keto, I've actually been HUNGRIER!? I think, honestly, that it's the dairy. Before when I didn't eat it I could eat my meat, eat my veggies, get my oils/fats and be full. Now i'm starving AFTER meals! It's so strange, but I will listen to you and all the rest of the posters and give it a few weeks. I just started school today and will be more busy running around campus and studying to be worrying about shoveling food in my mouth. Thank you, and thank you to every body else. It is very much appreciated!
  • Apinget
    Apinget Posts: 41 Member
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    It took me a few months for keto to work it's wonders on my body, but it was originally due to excess calories. I cook meals for my boyfriend and I in bulk and package them for the week. I was making the mistake of portioning out the same amount for my boyfriend and myself, when in reality he needed way more calories than I did, which makes sense since I'm a 4'11" woman and he's a 5'8" man.

    Once I got on the proper calorie range for my body (around 1200-1400) the weight stubbornly held on for another month but I've been seeing positive gains now for 3-4 months, slow yet steady gains. I do not menstruate due to my birth control but still get pms including bloating and mood swings. I would assume that even though you aren't bleeding that you're still going through hormone fluctuations which are affecting your weight. It's also important to keep in mind that as long as your hitting your calories and macros you will begin to lose weight, will it be as quickly as you experienced with paleo? Maybe not, but I would allow your body some time to adjust to this new way of eating and living.

    As far as hunger goes, I checked out your diary and noticed that you do seem to skip breakfast and have a coffee, or go long periods of time without eating. I have hypoglycemia so if I go extended periods without food I not only feel weak, irritable, and tired, but I start to feel sick to my stomach. While you probably don't have this issue I would recommend trying to eat as though you do, start with a delicious breakfast quiche or good ol' bacon and eggs and then a snack between breakfast and lunch if hunger strikes. Something filling like avocados, nuts, hardboiled eggs, or vegetables should help keep you going and ensure that you're not only eating enough but eating enough of the right things.

    Don't give up hope! I was frustrated for months before keto finally started working (granted, as mentioned above, due to my own error) but now that I'm a full fledged keto gal I feel great with tons of energy, a sunny disposition and a shrinking waist line! Good luck~
  • butterbear1980
    butterbear1980 Posts: 234 Member
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    i've been in a stall this week too and this morning have an extra 1/2 pound, which is so frustrating because i'm being so strict with my eating. but i'll tell you what i'm telling myself; our bodies are incredibely complex and have faith that keto is working, your metabolism is getting stronger and healthier, and eating clean is a wonderful gift to give yourself. This weight will come off. Keep at it!
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Cross posting from the FAQ on /r/keto, but this may be relevant to your situation.
    What will my weight loss progress look like?
    Results vary, but you will typically go through three phases

    Honeymoon: Lots of weight comes off fast. This is water that was tied up with glycogen. Note: if you don’t experience rapid weight loss in this period, do not despair. Not everyone is so lucky, and men may be more likely to see rapid initial weight loss than women.
    Post-Induction Stall Syndrome (PISS): Water and glycogen find a new balance and this causes a stall or even weight gain, which lasts for a week or two. Relax, PISS is both normal and temporary.
    Fully keto-adapted: After 3-4 weeks the body is burning fat as its main fuel and the brain has switched to running on ketones. A bumpy downward trend in your weight will begin. The trend is "bumpy" because there will be days or weeks when your weight stalls, or even goes up slightly. This happens to everyone, on every kind of weight-loss diet. Please don’t post to /r/keto that you gained a pound or two, or plateaued for a week. The trend will be especially bumpy if you are female. In particular, shark week will play hell with your scale weight.
    If a plateau lasts more than a couple of weeks, you may need to make adjustments to your lifestyle to break it. See the plateau section.

    I'd also add, make sure you're using a food scale. Logging your calories/macros doesn't help a lot if your numbers aren't accurate. :smile:
  • crepes_
    crepes_ Posts: 583 Member
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    Are you tracking everything by weight and as accurately as possible? When you can't track by weight, are you using measuring spoons/cups? Are you drinking enough water during your day (should aim for 3L)? Are you tracking your exercise based on a HRM reading, or using the estimates on MFP instead?

    I notice that you aren't tracking your fiber. On keto, your net carb count is very important. You get this by subtracting fiber from carbs. There are scripts out there that calculate the net carb and macro percentages for you automatically, but only if you're actually tracking your fiber.

    It's normal for you to be hungrier at first on keto. Your body hasn't adapted to it yet, and it may not help if you eat gluten free breads in the beginning. Drink more water, try to be accurate, and give it some time. Monitor and if there's no change, you can reevaluate.
  • snoopyjet
    snoopyjet Posts: 82 Member
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    Hi, I've beem on keto for about 5 months. I've lost 10 kg but last 2 months it was zero, nada. So I've been reading and talking with some more experienced and they said that Keto is ok in the begginig, but eventually your metabolism slows down and it's better to zig zag. I'm so confused i don't know what to think and who to believe. Some says just stick to keto, and others suggest go with zig zag.
    I workout, I watch my macros and callories but nothing happened for 2 months. I even think I gained some fat instead of loosing it.

    Any advise, thoughs, research, anything?
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    @snoopyjet - There are people who have committed to keto as a lifestyle change - I've read about people maintaining a strict keto diet for years. Sometimes weight loss stalls, and to get your body to jump back into gear there are a few options: try intermittent fasting, fat fasts, cutting out dairy, lowering calories or upping exercise. Maybe one of those options will work best for you!
  • ABaggett2010
    ABaggett2010 Posts: 33 Member
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    Lovely AF always makes me gain for that week. Keep on track and it will come off
  • Spazzomatic
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    Just wanted to update!!! Not sure what the initial weight gain was (maybe TOM water weight swelling?), but I am currently in a good place. I slipped up TWICE, and never will do it again. Believe this or not - last week I cheated and IMMEDIATELY felt nauseous. I felt like I had the flue for THREE days!!! I will never ever EVER cheat again, at least until a SUBSTANTIAL goal weight is reached (at 207 now, would definitely treat myself at 180!) The weight is coming off slowly due to my lack of aerobic exercise and strength training. Honestly, I have no drive to exercise. I don't know if it's an energy thing, or just laziness, but the weight is coming off on it's own. The inches lost outweigh the lbs. I had gained a ton of weight and all my clothes were snug and uncomfortable, but now they're big on me!! This diet, without cheats, is my thing now. It is the one thing that I took control of that I am seeing IMMEDIATE results from. Thanks to everyone who wished me well and provided advice!!!

    Feel free to add me ; )
  • ABaggett2010
    ABaggett2010 Posts: 33 Member
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    Yay I'm so glad you are seeing results! I had a bit of a stall and fat fasts have been working for me. About to add you :)