Discouraged by Weight Gain

[Discouraged]

I know I'm not supposed to weigh myself, but I'm on day 15 and was surprised at the dramatic increase in my weight. I gained about 6 pounds between the start and finish (from 110 to 116). Am I doing something wrong? I've been getting about 6-8 hours of sleep and haven't been doing anything too stressful.

My typical meal looks like:

Breakfast: 4 eggs, spinach salad, tomatoes, carrots, 1 avocado

Lunch: 6-8oz of ground beef cooked in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Broccoli and carrots stir fried in olive oil. 6 strawberries.

Dinner: 6-8oz of chicken thighs. Red curry and 1/2 can coconut milk. Broccoli and spinach. 1 banana.

The main seasonings I've been using are garlic powder, salt, pepper and Costco balsamic vinaigrette (which was said to be compliant in another thread I was searching). I've been using the balsamic a bit liberally too, so it does give quite a sweet taste (maybe I'm using too much?)

I have been using oils (coconut and olive) rather liberally when stir frying veggies and in some meats and I have been eating the fats from the meat I'm having (though I don't count that as part of my fat portion, maybe I should?).

The only other difference was that I have been eating more than before and I've been doing a little bit more exercise, but I don't think I can gain 6 pounds of muscle in 15 days.

Can anyone help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!

[JJB]

May I ask how tall you are? 110 sounds pretty light to me. How are your clothes fitting? Are you having trouble going to the bathroom? Do you ever feel like you're overeating? Are you regularly having snacks you didn't mention? Your meals sound spot-on to me. You aren't necessarily doing anything wrong.

[Renee Lee]

a) There's a really big difference between 6 hours of sleep and 8. 8+ is where we want you to be.

JJB is on point here.

There's a reason we tell you not to weigh yourself! IT DOESN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING!

How do you FEEL? How are your clothes fitting? 110 is very light already. It's possible that a "healthy" weight for you is more than that. ESPECIALLY if you're doing more strength focused exercise. I told our forum's own NadiaB the same thing a few months ago and she finally got it last week or so: http://forum.whole9l...isnt-happening/

She gained weight initially as well.

Keep going. Focus on every aspect of what's going on EXCEPT your weight.

[Discouraged]

May I ask how tall you are? 110 sounds pretty light to me. How are your clothes fitting? Are you having trouble going to the bathroom? Do you ever feel like you're overeating? Are you regularly having snacks you didn't mention? Your meals sound spot-on to me. You aren't necessarily doing anything wrong.

I'm really short around 5'3" so it's not as light as it sounds. I didn't notice any difference in my clothes but now that I've weighed myself I can't help but feel they are tighter... Haha.

I haven't had any issues going to the restroom.

I do feel like I'm eating a lot more. When I started eating more I kept getting more and more hungry which led to eating more than I used to.

On the occasion I get hungry past a meal, I usually eat a tablespoon of coconut oil or maybe a banana. I have snacked on those a few times.

[Discouraged]

a) There's a really big difference between 6 hours of sleep and 8. 8+ is where we want you to be.

JJB is on point here.

There's a reason we tell you not to weigh yourself! IT DOESN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING!

How do you FEEL? How are your clothes fitting? 110 is very light already. It's possible that a "healthy" weight for you is more than that. ESPECIALLY if you're doing more strength focused exercise. I told our forum's own NadiaB the same thing a few months ago and she finally got it last week or so: http://forum.whole9l...isnt-happening/

She gained weight initially as well.

Keep going. Focus on every aspect of what's going on EXCEPT your weight.

Thanks for that forum link! I guess I will keep going but I am still a bit worried about gaining more weight. I think I might have been focusing too much on the higher end of the plating guide (2 palms vs 1 etc.) which might have contributed to some over-eating.

[JJB]

I didn't notice any difference in my clothes but now that I've weighed myself I can't help but feel they are tighter... Haha.

I totally get that. Try to let it go though! If your clothes aren't noticeably tighter, WHO CARES what that number on the scale says? See if you can just ride it out without any tweaking until your 30 days are up. If you start cutting back on your meal size, it could backfire by making you more hungry later. If you are stuffing yourself sometimes, well then yes you could probably cut back a little. But if you feel good/full/satisfied, you probably don't need to adjust anything right now.

[Tom Denham]

Eating more when you first begin to eat very nourishing food can be a good thing because you are satisfying deep hungers of your body. As your body becomes better nourished, some of the feelings of hunger may lessen. The concept here is that when you are eating food or food-products that deliver calories, but not good nutrition, your body develops a need and hunger at a level that filling up doesn't really satisfy. Then, when you begin eating good food, your body finally starts to get what it needs and it gets excited. Eventually, however, things find their balance and the body can relax more. Obviously this is not a sharply defined scientific concept, but it is how I understand some of what goes on with people as they shift to a more nutrition dense diet.

[PamH]

I have definitely gained weight, but for me I know it is because I am allowing myself to eat ANYTHING 'legal' to prevent sugar going into my mouth. I went into this assuming I would gain a few pounds, but hopefully be able to focus on portion control and less snacking once the sugar dragon was slayed (which is my ultimate goal). I vowed to cut back on the trail mix yesterday. Too many pieces of dried fruit is sabotaging efforts, and too many nuts is just too many calories.

I am also 5'3" with a recent injury that I'm stuck with for the rest of my days, so my exercise routine has also vastly changed. Sometimes I wonder if I'm making too many changes in a short period of time, but getting rid of sugar just had to be done and I've been unsuccessful any other way over the years. I started this Whole30 at about 117 and I'm too scared to get on the scale! I just know it would kill my morale and I'd find myself face first in a bag of chocolate chips after starving myself for the day.

Long story short, I'm there too. I know my reason behind the gain, but maybe yours is the amount of protein or maybe just a day where you had a lot of water weight? That is a lot of protein for someone your size. 1lb of meat and 4 eggs, plus the fat in the oils adds up. It is an individual dance to find the balance.

I hope it evens out for you! And me. Day 15 here. Ditch the scale until Day 31.

[Tom Denham]

That is a lot of protein for someone your size. 1lb of meat and 4 eggs, plus the fat in the oils adds up. It is an individual dance to find the balance.

No, one pound of meat and 4 eggs is well within the guidelines for a day of eating during a Whole30: http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Meal-Planning-Template.pdf

You should try eating as much protein. Many people find that eating protein makes it easy for them to pass on nuts and fruit.

[Bethany Lannon]

I am 5'4" and weighed 138 at the beginning of my W30. I am not overweight and I am pretty active (running & weight training 4-5 days/week, usually higher intensity). So when you say you're 110, now 116 at 5'3", I am inclined to say that your weight is perfectly fine. I know that, for me, 116 would be totally unhealthy for me. It wouldn't be enough to sustain my muscle mass. So, overall, I wouldn't worry.

[notacommittee]

I am 5'4" and weighed 138 at the beginning of my W30. I am not overweight and I am pretty active (running & weight training 4-5 days/week, usually higher intensity). So when you say you're 110, now 116 at 5'3", I am inclined to say that your weight is perfectly fine. I know that, for me, 116 would be totally unhealthy for me. It wouldn't be enough to sustain my muscle mass. So, overall, I wouldn't worry.

Definitely agree. I'm a little over 5'3" and I weighed 123 last I checked. I'm lean and athletic with 0 desire to lose any weight and actually I'm trying to gain weight. If I go down to 110-115lbs, my eyes start looking too big for my face and I look like a starving waif. Maybe your body is healthier at that weight than it was before!

[LadyM]

This is why we get the hell off the scale. As mentioned, it doesn't really tell us anything useful. Neither does comparing our weights even if we're of similar height. It doesn't account for build, composition, or our own comfort. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others--other people, BMI ranges, insurance healthy weight ranges, etc. The point is to discover what's healthy for ourselves by changing what we eat, paying attention to how it affects us, and turning inward.

[PamH]

No, one pound of meat and 4 eggs is well within the guidelines for a day of eating during a Whole30: http://whole9life.co...ng-Template.pdf

You should try eating as much protein. Many people find that eating protein makes it easy for them to pass on nuts and fruit.

Ugh. That is too much for me. We are little women! Doesn't it depend on your sex, size, activity level and age?

4-6 oz of meat is good enough for me. I try to do the fattier meats to keep me fuller, or add the fats in cooking (bacon grease, ghee, coconut oil). That works out to a pound of meat, I guess, but I'd be inclined to add the eggs in as a substitute instead of in addition.

BUT, I will say if eating that much meat means I eat none of the other foods outside of vegetables... then it will probably work. I am factoring in the raw coconut, nuts, seeds, dried fruits that are so caloric. I might try it? I sadly love the fatty cuts of meat and not the chicken or fish. 1lb of bacon. Yum.

[Robin Strathdee]

I am 5'4" and weighed 138 at the beginning of my W30. I am not overweight and I am pretty active (running & weight training 4-5 days/week, usually higher intensity). So when you say you're 110, now 116 at 5'3", I am inclined to say that your weight is perfectly fine. I know that, for me, 116 would be totally unhealthy for me. It wouldn't be enough to sustain my muscle mass. So, overall, I wouldn't worry.

Just to add to the "scale numbers are irrelevant, use different markers" notes:

I'm 5'0 and 125 on most days. That may seem heavy, but I don't have more than 1% BF to lose before I'm considered "unhealthy". Did you take measurements to start? Use those to determine what's happening on Day 30 (not 16).

Additionally, there are a lot of things that change during these 30 days and SO many factors to consider when it comes to a scale number. The advice above is good, and we look forward to seeing where you are on day 31.

[LadyM]

Ugh. That is too much for me. We are little women! Doesn't it depend on your sex, size, activity level and age?

4-6 oz of meat is good enough for me. I try to do the fattier meats to keep me fuller, or add the fats in cooking (bacon grease, ghee, coconut oil). That works out to a pound of meat, I guess, but I'd be inclined to add the eggs in as a substitute instead of in addition.

BUT, I will say if eating that much meat means I eat none of the other foods outside of vegetables... then it will probably work. I am factoring in the raw coconut, nuts, seeds, dried fruits that are so caloric. I might try it? I sadly love the fatty cuts of meat and not the chicken or fish. 1lb of bacon. Yum.

Pam, I get the sense that you're stuck on old dieting ways of thinking. Fatty cuts of (ruminant) meat from grass-fed sources is preferable to chicken and fish in the paleo/Whole30 world. And I think you're onto something about what you're eating instead of the healthy proteins.

[Renee Lee]

LadyM, it sounds like she is eating the fatty cuts of meat. If Pam's eating at least a palm of protein per meal and she's not hungry between meals, she's doing fine! (If you aren't Pam, then start!!!)

I personally would perish if I did that any longer than one meal, but other people have different needs

[PamH]

Pam, I get the sense that you're stuck on old dieting ways of thinking. Fatty cuts of (ruminant) meat from grass-fed sources is preferable to chicken and fish in the paleo/Whole30 world. And I think you're onto something about what you're eating instead of the healthy proteins.

It is a process, for sure! I've been slave to trying many ways of maintaining my weight or reducing my weight over the years, and certainly EATING MORE has never been one of them. I need to remember the reason I stumbled upon Paleo in the first place: a trip last year when I ate primarily grass fed beef (was in cattle country) and vegetables left me several pounds lighter with tons of energy.

Perhaps I need to stay on perpetual vacation? Navigating the real world of too much bad food at my fingertips is tough. I keep thinking I can handle 'a little bit of this' and 'just a bite of that'... which puts me back to eating a diet consisting primarily of nut butters and chocolate (literally) with long trips to the gym to work it off.

At 48, you'd think I'd know better.

[DianaBanana]

For me personally, if I'm eating two palm sizes of meat (protein), I'm not able to eat any veggies or good starch. I'm 5'1", and my tummy just won't hold that much food at one sitting without getting seriously uncomfortable. So my first thought was that maybe your proportions are off on your plate. When I look at the diagram, it looks like veggies should be taking up more space on the plate than the protein. But listen, I'm coming from a place of eating disorders and just disordered eating in general. I can't be told eat all the protein and don't worry about the scale. I need to study that diagram and try to copy it because my disordered brain will have me eating steak for every meal with two bites of broccoli. And then when I start gaining weight, I'll be eating all the broccoli with two bites of steak. I need the guidelines and follow them as closely as possible, regardless of what my brain is telling me. I do realize that not everyone has the same problem, though.

[PamH]

LadyM, it sounds like she is eating the fatty cuts of meat. If Pam's eating at least a palm of protein per meal and she's not hungry between meals, she's doing fine! (If you aren't Pam, then start!!!)

I personally would perish if I did that any longer than one meal, but other people have different needs

And, no, I'm hungry (Pam is hungry).

Tonight I am having a rib eye, and I'm ignoring the look from my MD husband who is on a statin drug for an LDL of 110! He thinks I'm crazy, but my cholesterol profile was fantastic after 6 months of Primal eating with ample amounts of saturated fat; improved actually (I'm blessed with super high HDL and super low LDL with low trigycerides). I started adding in the sugar and the nuts which led to reducing the fatty meats to save calories. Vicious cycle.

On a side note of cholesterol: my battle is to keep my total cholesterol above 150. It has been as low as 103 in years past, and I'm convinced it is behind my chronic depression.

[Renee Lee]

And, no, I'm hungry (Pam is hungry).

BOO!!! Eat more, lady!

[Robin Strathdee]

I find that my ability to consume two portions of meat plus all my veggies is directly proportional to my love of the meat. This little woman can put away a 12 oz steak with all the veggies! But chicken, meh, I'm good with one palm size.

[PamH]

I find that my ability to consume two portions of meat plus all my veggies is directly proportional to my love of the meat. This little woman can put away a 12 oz steak with all the veggies! But chicken, meh, I'm good with one palm size.

That is my issue: I can easily eat a 12oz untrimmed rib eye with a plate of vegetables in one sitting. What I cannot for the life of me seem to do is curb my snacking. Together they add pounds.

So, I took a part time job after being home 14 years to raise 3 kids. Boredom eating is a killer! I am counting on this helping me. I start next week. Better yet, it is at our local food co-op, so I now get a 15% discount!

[PamH]

8oz fatty boneless rib eye and a big pile of sauteed onions and broccolini. I know I won't feel the cravings tonight, but I am also glad I exercised to a heavy sweat today.

Tomorrow? Grass fed Moroccan Beef Skillet...

Thanks for the reminder. If it is OK, I think I'll check back in about 10 days to tell you if it is working!

Back to the original shorty (like me) poster: I hope you can figure it out. One thing I might say is that 5'3" and 110 IS very small. How did you stay at that weight? Did you eat a typical diet or do you have a history with doing unhealthy things to stay so thin? Exercising too much? Restricting your eating? I guess what I'm getting at is maybe you are not supposed to weigh 110lbs. My body seems to settle at 115lbs when I eat well. It is when I struggle that I creep up to 120. We are all different, even at the same height, so I have no trouble thinking you could be a healthy 110... just curious.

[Discouraged]

Hey all,

So I adjusted my meals a little bit yesterday and I do feel like I'm not over eating anymore.

Breakfast: 4oz chicken breast, spinach, tomatoes, red lettuce, 1/2 avocado

Lunch: 4oz ground turkey, kale, cabbage, broccoli stir fried in 1 tablespoon olive oil

Dinner: 4-6oz tilapia, lemons in 1 tablespoon olive oil, cucumber and celery salad with asparagus

Salt and pepper was the only seasoning I used for that day.

I actually found myself getting full really quickly about halfway through the plate (before I would just gobble down everything), so maybe I just needed a plate size adjustment to get things on track?

[Discouraged]

8oz fatty boneless rib eye and a big pile of sauteed onions and broccolini. I know I won't feel the cravings tonight, but I am also glad I exercised to a heavy sweat today.

Tomorrow? Grass fed Moroccan Beef Skillet...

Thanks for the reminder. If it is OK, I think I'll check back in about 10 days to tell you if it is working!

Back to the original shorty (like me) poster: I hope you can figure it out. One thing I might say is that 5'3" and 110 IS very small. How did you stay at that weight? Did you eat a typical diet or do you have a history with doing unhealthy things to stay so thin? Exercising too much? Restricting your eating? I guess what I'm getting at is maybe you are not supposed to weigh 110lbs. My body seems to settle at 115lbs when I eat well. It is when I struggle that I creep up to 120. We are all different, even at the same height, so I have no trouble thinking you could be a healthy 110... just curious.

I ate pretty "normally" beforehand I feel. Before whole30 it looked something like this:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with Blueberries

Lunch: Salmon Salad (spinach, tomatoes, carrots, sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil for dressing. Some wheat berries tossed in and maybe a slice of whole wheat bread

Dinner: Chicken Breast with green beans and quinoa.

I was very into exotic grains back then so sometimes dinner would have something strange like Farro or Chia.