Sudden Weight Gain.... Alcohol? Meat/dairy?

Hi everyone,

I have been very active on MyFitnessPal in the past but found the calorie logging produced too much of a focus on numbers for me. I am 24 and have weighed the same thing (within a few lbs) for about 6 years. For those six years I have weighed 149-151 with basically no effort involved in maintaining (would occasionally jump as high as 153 after particularly indulgent periods like vacations/holidays but was EASILY back to normal within days just by returning to my more normal habits). This has been true in periods of consistent exercise and times of complete sedentary living. This has been true through 2 years of veganism (the most carefree period of my life, weight-wise), periods of vegetarianism, pescatarianism, and times of being pretty omnivorous (for me at least, not really that into meat).

However, about 1.5 months ago I weighed myself and suddenly I weighed 156.5 lbs. I had weighed myself a week before and it was 151. I had been a bit more indulgent and was PMSing so I tried not to freak out and chalked it up to water weight and figured it would come off soon with a return to normal habits/hormonal fluctuations. Now here I am a 1.5 months later and it has not budged. I have been pushing the water (I already drank a lot of water) and have tried to be a bit more mindful about my eating habits. I feel so gross, like someone taped a layer of fat to my stomach and it feels like there is constantly something in my belly. Its weird, even when I'm hungry I have this half-full feeling, and then when I eat I feel super full and fat.

ANYWAY, I am trying to pinpoint what this could be. Looking at the last year, there are 3 things I can see have been different.

1. I started eating meat and dairy almost as much as the typical American. I noticed this effected my digestion but not largely so. I have a strong stomach that isnt often bothered by anything at all. I have not had a period where I have been so willing to eat meat (and the many iterations and types) and dairy probably EVER in my life, but definitely in 7+ years. Growing up, before I became vegan, my family ate meat but only turkey/chicken breast and fish and low fat dairy, as my dad had heart problems, so the world of red meat and processed meats has been a new adventure for me over the last year. I don't put a lot of weight in the blood type diet, but I am type A (for which the recommend a plant-based diet), for what it's worth.

2. Alcohol. Being a graduate of a big party school, I definitely drank in college, but it was pretty much relegated to going out on weekends. About a year ago, I started to drink more habitually/routinely? (i.e. 1-2 beers/glasses of wine every day minimum at home with dinner or whatever, more when out with friends). In the past drinking hasnt seemed to have any impact on my weight in either direction. I once drank nothing alcoholic for 3 months and lost no weight (however, I had only been drinking 1-2 days a week before that, so it was not as dramatic of a change). Is it possible/probable that the more routine drinking for the better part of a year just decided to catch up to me one day all at once? My weight hadn't been unusual until about 1.5 months ago. I've also read that the body doesnt really absorb alcohol calories the way it does calories from food and that SOME drinking (obviously less then what I was doing) can help to maintain a lower BMI.

If so, will cutting out alcohol lead to this extra sudden weight coming off so I can get back to my normal set point at least? How long would that likely take?

3. A year ago I went off of hormonal birth control and got a copper IUD. In theory it should not effect weight at all, but I have read some scary stories about copper toxicity producing weight gain.

Thoughts? Any suggestions are appreciated.