Weight Gain/Loss

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stealtharsenal
stealtharsenal Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Good morning all,

Thought it was about time I asked for a little bit of help. I have discussed this with all of my doctors (I will note that I have MS and psoriasis). Over the last few months I have noticed a rapid weight loss (back to my usual weight) and then rapid weight gain (midsection specific) without a change in diet. Little background, I am very serious into cardio work, I spend about 6 days of the week on the treadmill or my mountain bikes/road bike. I eat a relatively healthy diet. Generally consists of a coffee and Greek yogurt in the morning. Sometimes a small mid morning snack of a banana or carrots. Lunch is either a Greek yogurt or small salad. Dinner is typically chicken or pork with a salad. I also do usually consume some peanut butter and fitness gels before and during a workout. Now, I know there are some unwanted carbs such as pretzels and such in my diet, but they always have been. I also consume unearthly amounts of water, seltzer and powerade zero throughout the day. Something like 6 liters or more. I exercise a minimum of a. Hour of cardio a day with 2-3 hours on Saturdays a s sundays. I noticed in September leading up to MS ride, I dropped 15 pounds in 2 weeks putting me at about 160-162 pounds. Have since put it all back to the tune of 175 pounds.

I am at a loss right now as nothing has changed other than my water intake going back into overdrive.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Chris

Replies

  • LioTrn
    LioTrn Posts: 16 Member
    edited October 2018
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    Quite difficult to know. It might be a change in the daily diet or sports habitudes. Did you change your sodium and carbs intake ? Sodium and carbs are known to help retaining water in your body and you can lose weight significally (you will lose the retained water by cutting sodium, not the fat).
  • stealtharsenal
    stealtharsenal Posts: 10 Member
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    @LioTrn

    I havnt changed anything. I don't do a lot of sodium (salts) as I do not like salt at all. It's an anomaly that nobody can figure out. Very much a discouagement. My activity levels are way up since my MS has no hindered me at all in 2018. I just cannot shake this constant bloat feeling.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
  • stealtharsenal
    stealtharsenal Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks for the insight all. I am fairly certain my doctors and I have looked at everything this far and have no come up with anything. I personally think there is a thyroid issue, but hey what do I know. I should say that 7 or so years ago when I first started my diet I was 280 pounds. Took me roughly 11 months to hit 170ish and up until a couple years ago (before my insane water intake) I was 150 pounds. I bulked up muscle wise to 160 to regain my strength as I was too frail and stayed there up until 6 months ago and then all hell broke loose. Sorry for the language there, but it's my feel at this point. Honestly nothing has changed. Same food regiment, same drinks, same exercise (treadmill, cycling. Mountain biking, trail running). Since the weather is changing, during the week I train indoors and weekend ride about 50 miles mountain bike. During the summer, I typically ride 200ish miles a week and trail run twice a week totaling 20 miles.

    My rheumatologist has some ideas so we are going to explore some more endocrine ideas, but I figured maybe some fresh eyes might be warranted.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited October 2018
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    When you mention rapid weight loss and gain, how rapid is rapid... what kind of time frame are we talking about? And how much weight are you gaining/losing?

    Are you saying you lost 15lbs in 2 weeks, then put 15lbs back on in a similar time frame?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,872 Member
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    And has there been any notable change in your job, living habits, home, etc., over this time period?
  • stealtharsenal
    stealtharsenal Posts: 10 Member
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    Hello all,

    Sorry for my delayed response. I have tracked on myfitnesspal for about 8 years now. My daily caloric intake is generally 1500 to 1700 calories (usually less than that though). So since September 26th, I have put on 15 pounds for seemingly no reason. All my habits are the same. Best way to say it is that I am a creature of habit. I do not deviate from my typical routine. Prior to that, I dropped the say 10 to 15 pounds like about 2 to 3 weeks. Definitely 10 in two weeks and it was faster than that. I would say at that time, I wasnt eating a lot (just wasnt hungry at all), riding my roadbike 30+ miles a day (road riding just gets boring to do more than that) and it was 90 to 100 degrees outside. It should also be noted that for about a month my water intake normalized for absolutely no rhyme or reason. I think this definitely aided in to getting back to a flat chest and stomach and the lack of a bloated feeling or stomach distention. As I had mentioned early on, I do have two auto immune conditions. I also have a testosterone production issue so I have been supplementing with injections for roughly 2 years now. Strength wise I am in a better place. However the weight gain is scaring me at this point. I have brought this up with my neurologist, rheumatologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, GP, and urologist and pretty much every other specialist I have. To me, I wonder if it's a couple of things. Obviously thirst is an issue so associated water retention. But I cant help but thing something like a thyroid condition (something that shows normal on a blood test, but isnt normal) or maybe a Cushing's condition. Now I will also say that I do go on spurts where i dont sleep well, but as.of late that's not too big of an issue. Now as stress is related, this doesnt seem to compound the issue. I wish I was stressed because I would lose this weight. Under stress I am never hungry nor do i really need to drink habitually.

    I'll keep going as I have with my workouts. I'll try to keep fluid levels down. I'll chew gum or something like that. I'll cut back on coffee and see if that helps. I'll just try going back to what I used to tell myself when I first started losing weight. You are weak.

    Thanks
  • peggy_polenta
    peggy_polenta Posts: 325 Member
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    you are super thirsty ("overdrive". you rapidly lost weight then gained it back in your belly. could you be diabetic? have you been tested?
  • viajera99
    viajera99 Posts: 252 Member
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    stealtharsenal wrote: »
    I noticed in September leading up to MS ride, I dropped 15 pounds in 2 weeks putting me at about 160-162 pounds. Have since put it all back to the tune of 175 pounds.
    The exact timeline of what happened is still a little unclear to me, but almost certainly that 15 lbs was 90% water. So there's no surprise that it has come back.
  • stealtharsenal
    stealtharsenal Posts: 10 Member
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    @karen8787

    I have been, numerous times. There is a history in my family which is why I continuously ask to e tested. Everything is perfect everytime.

    @pismodiver

    I do not disagree with you at all. I suppose the question is what is doing this. I have ventured down quite a few avenues, and honestly cannot find the trigger. The level of frustration makes me just want to start smashing things. Listen, my issue is far less severe than many others, but my paranoia about putting significant weight back on and being in pain again is enough to put me on a mission to figure this out.

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