Vegan to Whole30 weight gain question

[JulieAnn]

Hello!

I am new to the Whole30 and just stopped eating vegan prior to my decision to do the Whole30. After reading "ISWF" and Taubes' "Why We Get Fat," I realized that my eating habits were keeping me at a weight plateau, I was always hungry, always grazing, and always bloated. While I didn't eat bad food (i.e. pizza, dairy, etc.) I realized I was filling myself up with what ended up being unhealthy carbs.

I just started eating meat about 3 weeks ago after not touching it for about 4 months, and have been slowing cutting certain food items out, such as fruit and Splenda, and including more proteins and fats and eating only foods without additives. I started my Whole30 2 days ago and it's been great. Since going vegan to Whole30 is a huge step, I felt comfortable easing into it. Now, I know that I am not supposed to weigh myself, but I am concerned. For the past 4 weeks, I have weighed myself every Monday morning. I stayed at a consistent 156, and then all of the sudden this past Monday, I weighed myself and I am at 160.2 now. As for my workouts, I attend a kettle bell boot camp for 60 minutes twice a week, and lift weights and do cardio an additional 2-3 days a week.

My question is does the body need time to adjust from going to vegan to omnivore, and does this include weight gain since my body is not used to having so much fat in my diet? My thought is that since I am now eating 3 meals a day instead of the 5 small ones I was eating, my body may be storing fat since I am now eating less.

Any thoughts are truly appreciated! Thanks Whole30 family!

Julie

[Flynn]

Unless you wear a sign around your head with that number on it, then the weight doesn't matter, and if you don't check it then you won't need to be concerned with these minor differences

If you're doing kettle bell and lifting weights several times per week and eating more protein to build the muscle that you're trying to build with the weights you're lifting, doesn't it follow logically that you will be adding more weight to yourself? It's probably not fat weight you're seeing but some muscle gain. Don't worry about the number!

[Robin Strathdee]

I agree that the weight training combined with enough protein is likely causing muscle gain. Your body has not had the resources to do so until recently :0)

I also agree that you need to put the scale away. Try coming up with 2 or 3 other markers you can use to track your progress- quality of sleep, energy level, fingernail growth, whatever! Just don't let a number define your progress.

[JulieAnn]

Thank you so much! As predicted, it was water weight, and I know I need to get rid of the scale. My sleep is already improving drastically (I have been suffering from insomnia for just over 1 month now), and the three meals a day have been keeping me full.

I appreciate the advice!!