Despondent over apparent gain, please help

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I am so so upset. I got on the scale this morning and it claims that I am up 3/4 of a pound. No! No!

This was a particularly shocking blow, since I just finished my cycle and therefore as history has shown, should be at my truest weight. I'm so upset. I have not "cheated", I'm walking the treadmill every morning for 30 min., I am so upset.

Anybody that is on fatsecret.com, please, look at my food and tell me if you see something different that I don't. The only thing I noticed is this;

from the 2nd to the 10th I had steady weight loss of about a pound a day. During this time, the average fat content of my daily food total was higher than it is now, a lot higher, averaging about 21g's a day. Now it is in the low teens. Could that have done it? I'm just so upset, I was starting to get so positive and hopeful about this, thinking I might actually lose the 75 lbs by my 3rd month like my surgeon wants. Now I am very very blue. :crying:

[Tiffykins 673]

Don't be blue, as difficult as it is, your body is still adjusting.

I'm one of those that believe we need good fat content/counts to lose weight. I never cut my fat, and I never stalled nor did I ever gain an ounce during my losing stage.

The losing a pound a day thing definitely stops. I dropped from a pound a day to 3-5 pounds per week, and I weighed daily, multiple times a day on most days.

You'll lose that 3/4 of a pound and then some, but your body is going to settle in. Also, a pound is a pound. If you're gaining muscle, you're losing inches, and the scale may not show you the results. The muscle is lean while fat is bulky and bumpy taking up more space in the body, but a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle by weight. Take some measurements, are your clothes fitting differently? Having to tighten your duty belt, or are you tugging at it more to keep it up?

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I just got a tape measure so I don't have historic measurements to compare to. My ACUs are baggy but there's been no change in a week. I have had to move my belt in a notch, but again, no changes since. To see a gain at this point is just heartbreaking.

[Tiffykins 673]

I just got a tape measure so I don't have historic measurements to compare to. My ACUs are baggy but there's been no change in a week. I have had to move my belt in a notch, but again, no changes since. To see a gain at this point is just heartbreaking.

I imagine it is, but try to hang in there, and know that you are doing everything "right". Don't let this speed bump become a roadblock ! ! ! You'll lose, and you're doing really fabulous.

It could be Water weight from your muscles repairing. I can give you tons of reasons why it's logical to see a 3/4 of pound gain during this stage, but it's not going to change how you feel about it.

Just know that you will lose it PLUS more. That's all I know to say because the reasons behind a tiny gain is not going to make you any less heartbroken.

[chilo1 62]

Hi Globetrotter, I was looking at your food journal at myfatsecret, mine is embarrasing compared to yours, I'm eating way too many carbs! What I did see is that your only having and average of 600 cal/day which seems like a bit too little maybe? I had my sleeve done end of july, and now I'm consuming on average 900 cal/day. I haven't weighed myself in a while though, waiting for my docotors appointment next thursday, I think I've lost about 23 pounds by now, I could be wrong, but my clothes are way toobig, so I know i'm loosing inches at least. I think tghat your body might be going into starvation mode and holding onto every single calorie not knowing when and if it's going to get more food. I would try upping your calories a bit more and maybe upping your GOOD carbs a bit more as well maybe. Best of luck!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I am sure it's Water weight. don't stress about this.You will lose. You can't help but lose!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Thanx guys for the support! Chilo, I'm doing 600 a day because that is what my surgeon told me to do. With the limited food supplies we have and further limited by what I can eat, I find it difficult to eat right and get in enough calories to hit 600. Peanut Butter is starting to piss me off, delicious but not high enough Protein to justify it so I'm going to stop keeping it around - too easy to just mindlessly reach for.

Edited September 15, 2010 by Globetrotter

[breezy 8]

One morning I weighed in, then a little later had to have a bowel movement (sorry for the indelicate subject). I weighed again because I was curious if that made a difference, and I lost .6 lbs! I no longer get upset at small gains like that. I even laugh to my hubby when I go to the bathroom that "I'm going to go lose some weight!"

Even though I weigh every day, I look at it as a general direction. For instance, if I lose a pound, I don't consider it really lost until I maintain it for several days.

It sounds like you are being very diligent with counting your calories. May I suggest that the best therapy for being despondent may be some aerobic exercise? It will release the good hormones into your blood stream and help you feel like you are DOING something toward your goal!

You are moving in the right direction. You're doing great! :lol0:

[mp8btpc 33]

I am with Chilo, I consume around 900 calories a day sometimes a little less and I like Tiffany am not really limiting the fat. I am not going toward high fat foods just foods that have a good Protein content that may have a bit of extra fat in them. I haven't updated my ticker but I am at a loss of around 5 more pounds over the last 9 days. Since I started exercising.

Your gain probably isn't from not eating, I think it is from Water weight or maybe fecal matter.. who knows. I do think to keep it moving the other direction you might try to get a few more calories.

I know it is hard with your limited choices. I had some shrimp the other night and they had a TON of protein. Low carb too.

Chin up your not going to keep gaining.

Added: I looked at your diet journal on fatsecret, wow it looks really low and it doesn't seem like your getting enough veggies possibly? I also wonder if the Jerky you are eating isnt jacked up in sodium and making you retain water.

Edited September 15, 2010 by mp8btpc

[chilo1 62]

Thanx guys for the support! Chilo, I'm doing 600 a day because that is what my surgeon told me to do. With the limited food supplies we have and further limited by what I can eat, I find it difficult to eat right and get in enough calories to hit 600. Peanut Butter is starting to piss me off, delicious but not high enough Protein to justify it so I'm going to stop keeping it around - too easy to just mindlessly reach for.

If your surgeon told you to do 600 cal then 600 cal it is! You're doing really well, I agree with the others about Water retention/bowel movements, I'm sure you'll be fine!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Thanks everybody, update!:

I upped my fat, included some cheese. I also knew from lower right abdominal pain that I was probably a bit constipated. Took some Miralax, got things moving, and when I weighed myself I was minus the "gain". I then took my shoes off and "lost" another pound and a quarter!! Who knew that keen hiking sandals weighed so much!! I don't know if it is because of my nearly all-meat diet or if I am the only one but, does anyone else have issues with regularity and um, dryness of bm's? If I don't use a laxative, I don't go. Well, I can go, but without help it is just once a week and really painful. Anyhoo, TMI I know!! But thanks for the encouragement everyone and if you come up with any higher fat foods I could eat that are still good for me, let me know!:scared0:

[Tiffykins 673]

YAY YAY ! ! ! I'm so happy. . . I tell my friends here that have these little gains to take a good poo and all will be fine.

Protein definitely causes diarrhea. I know a few people that add benefiber to their water/clear fluids and they say that it definitely helps.

I drink coffee so I have had zero issues with regularity. During my low carb days, I did have Constipation a couple of times, and Miralax with a little grape juice worked wonders.

So ecstatic that you hung in there, and saw the loss on the scale ! ! !

[thinoneday 445]

I am so so upset. I got on the scale this morning and it claims that I am up 3/4 of a pound. No! No!

This was a particularly shocking blow, since I just finished my cycle and therefore as history has shown, should be at my truest weight. I'm so upset. I have not "cheated", I'm walking the treadmill every morning for 30 min., I am so upset.

Anybody that is on fatsecret.com, please, look at my food and tell me if you see something different that I don't. The only thing I noticed is this;

from the 2nd to the 10th I had steady weight loss of about a pound a day. During this time, the average fat content of my daily food total was higher than it is now, a lot higher, averaging about 21g's a day. Now it is in the low teens. Could that have done it? I'm just so upset, I was starting to get so positive and hopeful about this, thinking I might actually lose the 75 lbs by my 3rd month like my surgeon wants. Now I am very very blue. :scared0:

Don't worry about that. . want to know what my success secret was? THROW AWAY THE DAMN SCALES! When we obsess so much over our weight it's like time. . . it never moves! Get rid of that stupid scale! Don't weigh yourself except for 1 x per month. . . it's tough but damnit be tough! Throw away the scale! Good luck!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Don't worry about that. . want to know what my success secret was? THROW AWAY THE DAMN SCALES! When we obsess so much over our weight it's like time. . . it never moves! Get rid of that stupid scale! Don't weigh yourself except for 1 x per month. . . it's tough but damnit be tough! Throw away the scale! Good luck!

Lollollollol! I don't actually have a scale - I weigh at work on a big old fashioned doctor's scale in the medic's bay. I try to only weigh once a week - but I cave every time, it seems now that I weigh once every 2 days. I will try to be stronger and not wander to the medics bay. :scared0:

[stcyt 15]

Awe globetrotter... I hate to hear about your struggle. I know exactly where you are... it sucks so bad when that mindset creeps in. I can't weigh because I'm devestated all the time.

I start feeling defeated fairly frequently... but.... when its all said and done... I continue to loose weight.... slowly.... but it goes.

I promise, if you just keep plugging along it will happen. Sometimes I think its hard for us to take in the reality that we are going to be successful... most of us have had so many failures by this point.

I agree about upping the calories though... my weight loss seems to slow when I don't eat enough.

Hang in there.

Stacey