Jump to content

Potatoes and water retention and possibly weight gain?


Recommended Posts

I made shepherd's pie with mashed potatoes a couple days ago and have been eating it for dinner for a few days. I've also added boiled potatoes in my lunch because I was feeling kind of weak when I was not eating enough starchy vegetables with my meals. I feel like I've been retaining more water because I usually wake up once a night to empty my bladder but I haven't been waking up at night for a few days. I read in Dr. Hyman's book that carbs retain water. Since potatoes are high in carbs and high in glycemic index, it is possible that it acts like refined carb and contribute to weight gain? I really do have more energy when I add starchy vegetables in my lunch and dinner but I'm afraid I won't lose any weight this way. Should I cut out white potatoes? 

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greetings.

 

"Amidst the ridiculous volume of nutritional information floating around out there, the confusing statistics like glycemic index and potential renal acid load, all of the books and diet plans and recommendations and suggestions, it’s easy to lose the beta-carotene forest through the trees." 

 

http://whole30.com/2012/08/carrot-train-to-crazytown/

 

http://whole30.com/2010/04/crazytown2/

 

Many moons ago,  I was on that sweet/white potato and carrots train, because of the glycemic index blather I'd been indoctrinated with due to years of dieting and koolaid drinking.

 

I've found out what 2 carrots aday can do for a person.  The half has not been told how good carrots really are for you.  

 

Potatoes.  Ditto.  

 

I threw all my dieting books in the trash.  I eat all of the above.  I am fruit loose, too. But I eat fruit incorporated with my meal or at the very end.  I don't have any noticeable uptick in blood sugar and I've been at this for a long, long time.

 

Do you know what contributes to weight gain.  Highly engineered to be craved foods and finely tuned snacks.   Potatoes and carrots are plants. 

 

Worrying about weight loss and scale hopping actually scares the fat.  A very wise man told me that. Google Whole 30 and look it up.  I'm telling you true.   Eat your plants and vege.  Everything will fall into place.

 

Don't let anyone ruin plants for you.  Don't let anyone ruin the Whole 30 for you.   Keep your eyes on the prize, completing 30 compliant days.  Compliant without complaint and enjoying every day.  Let's be grateful for all of the plants you can have.   Drought and lack of rainfall all over the place are what I'm afraid of.  Not potatoes or carrots.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Meadowlily, thank you for the article. Yeah, you are right. I should enjoy the whole foods I am eating and try not to worry about numbers on the scale. I'll be completing my 30 days in a couple days and it's been a life changing experience. This forum has been very helpful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

You should not eliminate starchy veggies even if you desperately want to lose weight. Failing to nourish your body properly always backfires.

 

Whether you are eating well-composed meals is impossible to judge without your reporting exactly what you are eating overall and in what quantities. If you want to do that, we might have some tweaks for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So my typical low carb day looks like this;

M1 - two eggs fried in olive oil or ghee, 1/4 can of salmon or 1/2 can of sardines in olive oil, 1/2 cup of salsa, 1/2 cup of sauerkraut, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 Apple

M2 - 1 salmon cake or chicken burger or any other Palm size protein with 1 tbsp of mayo or ranch dressing, 1-2 cup of steamed veggies with ghee or 2 cups mixed green salad with tahini dressing or some kind of dressing, 1/2 avocado

M3 - 1 Palm size protein, 1 cup sautéed veggies with ghee or coconut oil or 2 cups leafy greens with dressing, 1/2 sweet potato with 1tbsp mayo.

I was feeling kind of week eating this way so I added another 1/2 sweet potato or small size potato to my lunch. I've noticed when I add starchy veggies to my lunch, I would crave sugar but if I don't eat starchy veggie with lunch, I would feel weak during late afternoon. How do I balance my meals not to feel weak and not crave sugar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

If you check out the meal template, you'll notice that it recommends 1-2 palm-sized portions of protein, 1-2 servings of fat, and then fill the plate with vegetables (we typically say 1-3 cups).

 

You could have more vegetables at all those meals. If you have salad, be sure you either have a really, really huge salad, or that you supplement the leafy greens with denser vegetables -- throw some broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, radishes, squash, zucchini, or whatever vegetables you want in there.

 

You could go for two palm-sized portions of protein, and two thumb-sized portions of fat (one thumb-sized portion is probably a really generous TBSP at least), or a whole avocado, or a heaping handful or more of olives or coconut flakes, or half a can of coconut milk (in a curry, soup, or in your coffee), or occasionally a small handful of nuts.

 

In short, I suspect if you eat more in general, whether that's starchy vegetables or other stuff, you'll probably avoid feeling weak. If I were going to recommend one thing to focus on changing, based on what you said here, it would be to eat more fat. The starchy vegetables once or twice a day are fine, though. As long as you're eating a mix of different vegetables, not just the starchy ones, don't worry too much about it.

 

Are you working out at all? If so, are you including the pre- and post-workout snacks mentioned on the meal template? If you do work out, be sure you have at least the post-workout food.

 

Also be sure you're salting your food to taste and getting enough water -- getting too little salt or being dehydrated could also cause you to feel weak, although if eating more helps you feel better, the salt and the water are probably not the issue, I just thought I'd mention it as something to pay attention to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Shannon.

I know I could eat more vegetables with my meals but I just get so full after my meals. I do include a variety of veggies in my salad such as fried onions, broccoli, carrots, beets, etc. I also eat at least two servings of fat with every meal and I'm not hungry for 4-6 hours between meals. I could drink more water though. Maybe I'll include my strachy veggie in my lunch instead of dinner and see how I do. Maybe more salt too.

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...