WTF - I've gained 6 pounds and DID NOT CHEAT!

retainingwater
(Melissa Feather) #1

Hello Keto Friends, @Brenda, especially hoping you have some thoughts around this.

I’ve been Keto since last September. I don’t measure my macros every day and I don’t test for Ketosis every day - but to be fair, I’ve never had to. I’ve learned how to manage my food and portions I’ve lost 20 lbs doing it “my way”.

In mid-Feb I was down to 113 lbs - some may say that’s insanity but I’m 5’1" and I still have flab around my mid-section that I’m working on. Anyway, I’ve had issues with constipation my entire life so I started taking magnesium SRT from Jigsaw Health. It’s a great product and it started out helping. I also added their night time magnesium drink to further help my cause. Anyway, for some reason, I started slowly gaining weight. My food hasn’t changed a bit. My exercise is still going on and on as usual. I feel like I’ve retained water weight and not gained fat because my waist hasn’t increased in size but I honestly feel like I’m carrying around a poop-baby along with a ton of water. I take electrolytes daily to keep my other minerals in check and I use pink sea salt on my food but not to excess. Nothing else has changed. Meanwhile, my husband is looking like a walking stick because he’s so lean and hasn’t gained an ounce of weight during this same time. My research says magnesium shouldn’t affect weight and I’m not saying that it does…but I’m trying to figure out WTH I’m 6 lbs heavier in just 1 month’s time. Oh, lastly, I drink 3/4 to a gallon of water a day. I mix things up by drinking sparkling water, still water and real lemon water. Any thoughts why I’d be retaining so much water and not getting rid of it even with the lemon water? I’ve also been drinking Apple Cider Vinegar water at night to see if that helps - but nothing so far. Thanks Keto Friends!

(Ashley Haddock) #2

Does the nighttime magnesium drink have sweetener in it?

(Michelle) #3

I would totally mix some things up to see if that helps. Eat nothing but fat for 2-3 days straight. Or, cut out the magnesium drinks for a few days. Or stop exercising for a week. Something really different for you. A poop baby maybe just needs a surprise jolt.

I bought this for the ECGC component for my skin (not for weight loss) and let me tell you… no more constipation issues for this girl. I take magnesium supplement at night before bed, and one of these in the am with coffee. whoosh.

#4

I’ve used EGCG supplements (green tea extract) in the past, although not this one specifically, and I’ve had good results from energy levels, etc. and some weight loss when I didn’t rely on the supplement itself to get me to lose weight.

“Oh, I’m taking blah, blah, so I can eat a little extra whatchamacallit”, is what I would sometimes tell myself and that never worked. :wink:

(Todd Allen) #5

Weight is a poor way to track body composition. As you point out retaining water and bowel transit time can both impact weight. Building/losing muscle can have a big impact and even bone density can play a role. Some find dexa scans useful to understand/track what is going on.

I found a scale motivating when I was heavier and rapidly losing weight. But now that I’m much closer to my goal weight and more focused on building muscle the slower rate of fat loss is buried under the noise of all the other factors affecting weight. I still use a scale but I pay it less heed. I’ve been taking weekly photos of myself and though I’m currently 5 lbs heavier than my lowest reading from 11 weeks prior and had peaked at 12 lbs above the previous low I see steady improvement in the photos and have continued to feel very much on track and highly motivated. I’m confident I could quickly set a new record low with another fast but I’m trying to focus on eating to maximize health and fitness versus continually setting record low weights.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #6

You’re not eating enough.
6 months is the magic number for your weight to come back when energy restriction has been too great. The body takes approximately 6 months to readjust it’s metabolism and then yes, you can begin to gain on the
Exact.
Same.
Food.
And the
Exact.
Same.
Energy expenditure (exercise).

I know it isn’t what you want to hear.
Now, I’m no expert, you can toss my opinion out the window, but I won’t kiss ass, meaning I don’t sugar coat things. I call it as I see it. We’re all adults here.

So here it is.

I think your weight is too low, even for 5’1".
113? Unless you have a tiny petite frame and no muscle I’m not buying it as being a healthy weight.

Maybe then, I am not the one to consult if you do not agree with me, and that’s ok. I don’t want you to try and convince me 113 is a healthy weight. I won’t agree. Ever.

(Melissa Feather) #7

@Brenda - I know you don’t kiss ass (nor do I)…that’s why I value your opinion so much! :wink:

So - the reason this is an “issue” is because I’m a skinny fat girl, seriously. My mid-section is still holding on to a fair amount of fat. If I were completely lean muscle mass I would agree it may be too lean. However, I’d expect some of the mid-section to reduce further since there is definitely lingering tortilla chips. So, when you say I’m not eating enough, does that indicate that after 6 months my intake of fats should increase beyond what I’ve been practicing up to this point? What’s interesting is that my appetite seems to be off most of the time too - I LOVE to eat but am finding it difficult to eat larger volume - though I can eat the hell out of butter! I really do appreciate your guidance - rest assured, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t expect you to kick my ass (if needed!). Thanks!

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #8

TOFI? T2DM issues?
Have you tried fasting?
Wait.
First.

Do you have eating disorder issues?

(Melissa Feather) #9

Great question.

No eating disorder.

I’ve maintained a healthy weight between 113 and 115 the majority of my life. That has been pretty much normal for my height/activity level. I’ve never been super skinny but very healthy looking. I have a more stocky build which once was muscle but once I quit lifting super heavy and working out as much (grad school) I gained about 20 lbs and was very soft. I wasn’t comfortable/happy with the 20 lb gain as it was not “me” to feel so unhealthy. I wanted to get back to feeling energetic and happy and that’s pretty much where I am right now. I’m mainly concerned with understanding the gain so I don’t find myself 20 up again scratching my head and wondering WTF happened. I’m committed to this WOE and LOVE how I feel (minus the poop baby and fluid feeling). My workouts are fantastic, my mood is happy, on and on. My blood work is stellar as I just got advanced panels run. I have really scary potentials based on mom/dad health issues so that’s been one main reason for me having a life-long dedication to my health which also includes managing my weight. It’s less about the number on the scale and more about understanding my chemistry and what could potentially cause a change I wasn’t expecting. Make sense?

(Melissa Feather) #10

Also - great point about TOFI.

I have a DEXA in a couple of weeks so that will help provide more stats. I have 2 other DEXA’s from 5 years ago so it will be interesting to see the comparisons.

(Todd Allen) #11

113 lbs at 5’1" is a BMI of 21.35 which is just slightly under the middle of the normal weight range 21.75. She could easily have a higher body fat percentage than is desirable if her frame is petite or she is lightly muscled. My BMI is much lower and I still have a lot of fat to lose due to having lost most of my muscle before I learned how to manage my muscle wasting disease. I’ve shifted my priority to the harder for me task of building muscle as if I continued to prioritize losing excess fat I’d weigh less than McFeather and I’m 5’10". But McFeather’s case is not extreme and prioritizing weight loss over building muscle could be a reasonable choice for her.

(Melissa Feather) #12

Yeah…I really need to get back to weight lifting. I’ve been focusing on cardio cause I feel so damn good after a hard workout. Plus, it keeps my work anxiety to a manageable level. :smiley:

(Melissa Feather) #13

Ohhhh - definitely going to try this…thank you!

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #14

The BMI chart is pure bullshit.

This does not convince me, but as I’ve said, I don’t need convincing.

(Sondra Rose) #16

I see that you are 50. As you approach menopause, your hormones will fluctuate and so will influence water retention. Normal and not anything to worry about, IMO.

My water weight can easily fluctuate by 5+ pounds right now. I maintained a weight between 118-122 (5’6", slim athletic build) most of my adult life, until I entered peri menopause. Now I am about 125-128 pounds.

I’m 54 and have decided to accept that things won’t be stable until I am fully through menopause. Much easier to relax and enjoy the ride! :slight_smile:

(Melissa Feather) #17

Ahhhh, I was wondering how pre-change activities transpire. Good to have guidance around it, thank you!

(Jacquie) #18

I can report on the other side - post-menopausal. I’m 69 yrs. old, 5’2" 110lbs. and small boned with a delicate frame (think ectomorph with endomorph tendencies). I used to run in my 20’s, loved high impact aerobics until a knee injury (not from running but from stretching). Started weight training in my 30’s and it was the best thing ever since it was hard for me to put on muscle. Haven’t been more than 10-15 lbs. overweight and that was perimenopausal with hormones unsettled. I’ve never been accused of under eating and don’t count calories at all, just keep carbs low and watch protein. I’ve been lc since the mid’ 90’s, paleo and primal. Been keto for over 2.5 yrs. and discovered that I was pre-diabetic when I went from Whole30 to keto and started testing my FBG and BG. Starchy carbs and too much protein spiked me. What a surprise! Now have great FBG #'s. I lift weights 2-3x’s a week, HIIT, once or twice a week. I’m also very active outdoors. I plan on living a very long time and am keto for life! :slight_smile:

(Kel Ta) #19

I dunno- going against the grain here- if you are concerned about body composition I would go back to heavy lifting and skip the cardio for a while…

(Karen Parrott) #20

I have to pay a lot more on insurance if I’m over 25 on my BMI. I had an 8-10 lbs weight gain, unintentional after a 3.5 year maintenance - formerly obese from age 6-46.

I reversed all the weight gain (gain took me 1 year) and the loss took me about 6 months by IF daily 17:7 so I ate 6am to 1pm daily. Worked like a charm. I’m able to maintain the loss. I’m now keeping 72 pounds off over 5 years.

I’m short and just feel way, way, way better in my skin when I’m at a BMI of 23.5 or lower. BMI of 22-23 is optimal for me. Small boned. I’m 5’1" and now almost 51 years old.

Good luck and don’t stop until you feel good and where you want to be for total body weight and strength. It’s so important to get to that place. I promised myself I would and I did, but it did take a while to find what would work. I have a lot of obesity genes, plus extra ghrelin… so I do gain weight if I eat too much of total intake- Keto or not.

Hang in there. PS- I’ve been in menopause almost 4 years and had Hashimotos in 1997, so almost 20 years of thyroid meds. It is what it is but my knees thank me for maintaining my best weight. Next 40 years are MINE. Since the first 40 years sucked so badly.

PS, PS, all my carbs from non-starchy veggies needed to be placed up in the AM. In the past, I skipped breakfast and ate later in the morning or early afternoon. It seemed to only increase my subcutaneous fat.

(Melissa Feather) #21

@Jacquie - thanks for sharing! Excellent story/outcome. I’m definitely thinking I need to move back to weights at least 2-3x week and as much as HIIT is not my favorite thing to do - I need to change things up. I love HIIT, when it’s over. I just purchased a speed jump rope - barring any ER visits with broken limbs or nose, I’ll be doing HIIT jump rope in no time. I’ll update how it’s going. :joy:

Cheers!