Oh, no! I gained 14 pounds in 3 weeks!

[JudyS]

I fell off the wagon, and boy! Did the pounds come back with a vengence!

Here's my story. I've been overweight my whole life. (I'm 41 years old.) I had a healthly lifestyle -- regular exercise, few or no refined carbs, lots and lots of fiber -- but it just wasn't enough to control my weight . By the age of 30, I weighed 232 pounds, which, at 5"3" tall, qualified me as "severely obese" or even "morbidly obese."

The healthy lifestyle prevented my weight from going up any higher for the next decade, but I developed diabetes even with no further weight gain. By last year, my blood sugar was way too high even though I was taking oral medication, and I was afraid I'd need insulin shots.

I felt quite desperate. I'd been interested in trying Atkins for decades, but couldn't because I'm a vegetarian. But, recent research suggests that less strict low carb diets can cause weight loss, too. So, in May 2004, I went on a low carb vegetarian diet that I designed for myself.

Wow! I lost weight-- about lost 20 pounds in 3 months. But then, it became harder and harder to lose weight. I was still dieting as before, and exercising most days, but my weight loss stalled after I lost about 25 pounds. I got desperate and started using a weight loss aid (phenylpropanalomine) that had been withdrawn from the market due to safety concerns. With the weight loss aid, I lost another 9 pounds.

By this time, it was March. I had lost 34 pounds in 9 months, which better than nothing but a lot less than I had hoped. What was even more disappointing was that few people noticed the weight loss. :( I even asked a close friend if I looked thinner, and she said no. I guess the difference between 230 and 198 just wasn't enough to notice. This was incredibly discouraging -- dieting for 9 months, and no one notices?

Then, a bunch of things happened that made it hard to diet. First, I was on vacation, and was somewhat (not totally) off the diet. Then, I got quite ill, and the only foods that would stay down were ginger snaps, dry toast, soda crackers -- all pretty much pure carbs! When I got better, I thought that since I has eating carbs anyway, I'd take a "vacation" from my diet for a few weeks. I planned to restart my diet during the Jewish holiday of Passover, which started last night and forbids the eating of most foods made from grains. I thought, "How much can I gain in three weeks?"

Well, I got on the scale today and the answer is -- 14 pounds!!! I'll all the way back up to 212 pounds. I spent 9 months losing 34 pounds, and almost half of it came back in 3 weeks!

I'm determined to start over, but I could really use some encouragement! I haven't "hung out" on the WISH board before, but I love the DISboards, and I'm hoping I can get some support here.

[LittleMissMickey]

Wow...it sounds like you have really been working hard for yourself! Congratulations on having such willpower in the past months, we all take breaks every now and then, so please don't get discouraged! I know you will find a lot of support here, and having somewhere to report back to helps a lot, too. Good luck on reaching your goals, and maintaining the same determination and discipline that you have had in the past! It will be nice to have you here! (I've only been posting here for about 3 or 4 weeks, and I love it already!)
Ashley, aka
LittleMiss::MickeyMo

[luv2nascar]

this is a great place for support
I'm sure we've all been through this at one time or another

Just getting your determination back is a goal in itself

find a program or make one up that works for you and take it one day at a time
as you can see from another thread I posted I ate a hashbrown from McDonald's today
I'm laughing at this now. Compared to all the carbs I used to eat this is really nothing (14 carbs).
Tomorrow I'll just try to do better. We are all human.

Best of luck.

[JudyS]

Thanks for the comments!

I'm mostly shocked at *how quickly* the weight came back on. I know low carb diets can cause some water loss at first, so I'm hoping that some of the weight gain is just the water that I lost in the first few weeks of the diet. This may come back off again quickly (I hope!)

I've signed up at www.Fitday.com to track what I'm eating -- it's a free service where you can input your food for the day, and it will keep track of the calories and otehr nutrients.

[mowsie dreamer]

Hi Judy :wave: Welcome to WISH!! I think you are probably right about some of your gain being due to water. Do you drink water along with doing low-carb? I'll bet that weight will come right back off when you start drinking your water. Also, when you're sick, you tend to get dehydrated and that leads to water retention, too.

You've come to the right place for support!! We always notice when a WISH'er loses weight!! Grab a clippie and join the crowd!! :D

[JoshMom5]

Judy:

This is a great place to get support. I am sure some of your gain is due to water and that will come off quickly when you get back on plan.

Grab a clippie and welcome to WISH! :wave2:

One more thing I want to add:
You can come to WISH when you have good days. :D
You can come to WISH when you have bad days. :(
And You can come to WISH when your days are just okay. :scratchin

[JudyS]

Thanks for the encouragement! :D


Do I need a clippie to participate in the WISH challenge? I figured that just signing up on the challenge thread would be enough. I want to wait for the clippie until I've lost at least a moderate amount!

What is Onderland?

[LittleMissMickey]

You can at least get a DisWish Member Clippie...They add such a nice sparkle to your signature! :cool:

Onderland is for those whose goal is to get down into the one hundred pound range, from 200 on upwards. I think it is such a neat program...ONEderland...very clever!

You will find that you have fun browsing through the boards here! I felt silly at first, but now I am just so comfortable posting whatever pops in my mind! Enjoy all of these new friends you have made! (I hardly know any of their first names, though! Strange!)

Ashley, aka
LittleMiss::MickeyMo

[tiggerlover]

{{{{HUGS}}} Losing weight is such a hard, personal journey and I know how discouraging it can be when no one notices your hard efforts. Like someone already said WISH is a place when you have good days and bad days, it is a great tool, so-to-speak to a successful weight loss journey. If motivation and support is what you need this is the place to get it, so stop by often so we all can help you along in your renewed journey.

[wilderness01]

:hug: Best wishes in your success with eating healthy.:D

[JudyS]

LittleMiss Mickey said:
"Onderland is for those whose goal is to get down into the one hundred pound range, from 200 on upwards. I think it is such a neat program...ONEderland...very clever!"

Oh, I should qualify, since I'm at 212 right now and want to get (well) below 200, right?

I suppose the positive way to think about it is, "Because my weight went back up, now I qualify for ONEderland." (I wouldn't have qualified if I had started the challege at 198 pounds.) And, if I can get back down to 198 without too much trouble, I'll have almost gotten to the 15 pound clippie.

Thanks for all the encouragement, everyone! I'll keep posting on how I'm doing.

[kaylajr]

:hug: just wanted to add some hugs :hug: and som
pixie dust :wizard: headed your way

you need to put the 14 pound gain in the past and
focas on a happy healthy losing spring

this is a great place for help and encouragement

so welcome:wave:

and good luck:D

[summersfam4]

Welcome JudyS! This is a great place for support! In fact although I am not the most dedicated poster, I still feel comfortable alongside my fellow WISHer's. The best part about the clippie's is that they will help keep you on track by making you want to show off those beautiful numbers ::yes:: I find myself wanting that 10lb clippie a little more everyday, and when I post and see the five lb clippie it reminds me that even when I have had a bad day, I am doing something right and I am on the right path to good health! :sunny: You are doing wonderful and I bet you'll notice those extra pounds coming off quickly, as I bet a good part of them is water weight! Congrats on getting back on the wagon, and welcome! Onward and Downward, and to Onderland you go!
:wave2:

Kelly :sunny:

[yasuern]

Welcome JudyS

This is the greatest place to get support give support and never be judged! I too have recently begun again after gaining some of my weight back! But you are here now and we are all going to support you and each other through the ups and downs of getting healthier!


Again Welcome JudyS:hug:

[2angelsinheaven]

I lost 37.5 pounds between 1/04 and about two weeks ago, then I started to slip, a sub here, some McDonald's there... a Philly at Magic Kingdom all leading up to my 8 day cruise, where I went nuts... well I came back home to a 15.5 pound weight gain... OUCH! But, I started back on Induction Monday and I'm already down 6.5 pounds... so keep your head up it's possible to come back and beat this.

[LAinSEA]

JudyS: Don't give up. I'm also 5'3" and had dieted up to 189 lbs before re-starting Atkins and now I'm hovering at 170 lbs.

Yes, I had dieted up - I was down to 800 calories a day on a low-fat diet and gaining weight. My metabolism was so out of wack that it took almost 3 weeks on 20 carbs or less per day - watching portions sizes, weighing and measuring - before my body felt it was OK to let go of even 1 lb. I'm sure if I went on a carbo binge the weight would rematerialize overnight.

That is why I have decided that low-carb has to be a lifestyle change for me even when I get to goal weight. (I did Atkins quite successfully in 1999 - down 30 lbs, within 10 lbs of goal weight in less than 3 months. However, our doctor did not agree with the program. Needless to say the weight came back and invited friends.)

I think you have to make the commitment not just to lose the weight - but to become the healthiest you can be. That means eating right for your body, finding a doctor that assists you and gives good solid advice, and finding a way to be active every day.

I know that at my thinnest, 115 lbs, at age 24 (almost 16 years ago) - I also felt my healthiest. Today at age 40, with asthma and arthritis, 115 might not be an attainable goal. So my expectations and goals are smaller - I need 8 more lbs to hit my 10% goal. I need to walk 5 times a week to meet my exercise goal. Baby steps.

We are here for you - don't give up. And don't let the scale determine your worth or your well being.

-Laurie

[JudyS]

Thanks for all the encouragement, everyone! It's especially good to hear from other people who are having luck after restarting tehir diets!

I weighed myself today and a couple of pounds are gone already. I couldn't possibly have lost much fat in one day, so that means at least some of my weight gain was probably just water.

About the clippies -- I really want to focus on being healthy, rather than on losing weight. In the past, I've been tempted to do risky things to lose the weight -- I mentioned taking a weight loss aid that a lot of people consider unsafe. I don't want to get too obsessed with the scale!

I think one of the reasons that I got discouraged recently was that the scale didn't move, even though I was dieting. But, even with no furtehr weight loss, there was a lot of evidence that I was healthier. Not only had I been able to stop the diabetes drugs, but my blood sugar had become *normal* even without them! So, I need to keep reminding myself that the diet has benefits even if I stay just as fat as I am now!

I saw that some people have clippies that mention things like exercise instead of pounds lost. Is there a place where I can get one of those?

[DoeWDW]

Judy, glad you've joined us on the road to healthy living!!

At the top of the WISH board, there is a thread called "All of the WISH clipart all in one place". You can find the exercise clippies there, along with instructions on how to put the clippies in your signature.

I like your goal of being healthier! If you feed your body good nourishing food and help it along with some exercise, you'll be feeling so much better! The weight loss is just a nice side benefit of doing the right things to take care of your body!

[Naisy68]

Welcome JudyS - First of all I want to give you a big hug!
:hug:

Then I want you to know that you have come to the right place. You will find a lot of support and understanding here. We all have good days and some of us even have bad days. The point is, we are in this together. I can't give you any advice about Atkins but I can tell you that I am doing WW online and that is what is working for me. Each of us has to follow our own path. Some things that work great for some of us don't work as well for all of us. Just take it one day at a time and I promise to be watching for your onderland celebration. I will come and celebrate with you.

Good Luck! --Renee

[JudyS]

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the support.

I have *not* been doing well at dieting lately, I'm afraid. When I posted here 10 days ago, I was determined to get right back to dieting and get the weight to come off. But, it just hasn't seemed to work. I've been exercising and avoiding junk food, but I've been having a real problem limiting the amount I eat. I've been *so* hungry, unable to concentrate or sleep unless I eat more.

I was talking to a relative today, and we figured out the problem might be some new medicine I started taking about two months ago. That was when the weight started to come back on. Apparently, this medicine has a real reputation for causing weight gain, but I hadn't realized that.

I'm going to see if my doctor can switch me to a different medicine that doesn't cause weight gain. I'll report back on how it goes!

[JudyS]

I'm feeling very frustrated! I've been trying to reach my doctor to see if we can switch me to a medicine that doesn't cause weight gain. I've been trying to reach him for almost two weeks now -- this medicine has been causing other problems for me, so I already wanted to switch to a different medicine even before I learned that it can cause weight gain. Now that I think the medicine may be behind my hunger and weight gain, I'm *desperate* to switch to a different medicine instead. But, I haven't been able to reach my doctor. He's never in when I call, and doesn't return my calls. I can look for another doctor, but I'm worried that I'll have gained *all* the weight back by the time I can get in to see someone else.

I've gained 3 more pounds in the two weeks since I first posted here. I am exercising fairly regularly, but it doesn't seem to help. What really upsets me is that it took me about 7 months to lose 30 pounds, and I've gained most of that back in just a few weeks! I feel *so* fat and I think I look fatter already, too. The new clothes I had gotten after losing weight don't fit now.

I'm considering trying to order a different medicine on my own, over the internet.

[Lynn CC]

Judy we have a lot in common!
I'm 41 as well, I'm a vegetarian (no red meat)and if I go off my low carb diet I gain weight.
I was on Atkins for a year the first time, went back to my old ways of eating and gained all my weight I lost back plus some. I went back on Atkins last April and I lost all my weight again.
I think if you can just give yourself a goal of one year with Atkins, give yourself a chance you will do just fine!!!
If you cheat, go right back on induction and don't let yourself cheat for another month. Then if you cheat in a month and eat something tempting, get right back on induction again. You will see the weight just melt off and you'll be very proud of yourself. You can do it!!
If you need help, just pm me:D

[Tiggerlover91]

Oh bless your heart. I don't know what else that hasn't been said by a lot of WISHERS already. :grouphug: :hug: I struggled with my weight loss for years....and I mean years! I'm 34 years old and have finally found something that works for me....Atkins. I've been "stuck" at 40 pounds loss for a couple of months now, but I really shouldn't be complaining when I hear your story. When I stop exercising is when I notice that my weight loss stalls or I may gain a pound or two. As soon as I get out and start walking...off it comes! :thewave:
Please keep visiting us here and keep us posted on your progress. Don't give up, don't ever give up!! If you need more words of encouragement, just PM me or email at yashuaschild1969@yahoo.com I'm on everyday and will respond as soon as I get your PM or email.

Blessing to you always,

Denise :rose: :wave:

[JudyS]

Thanks for all the encouragement!

I got fed up with waiting to hear from the doctor who put me on the medicine that might be causing the weight gain. So, I called another doctor that I see, and she prescribed a different drug for me. I've switched to this new drug, and today I re-started my diet. I'll let you know how it goes!

My weight has only gone up a little more in the past two weeks. So, now I've gained a total of 16 pounds in 5 weeks. Not quite as scary as gaining 14 pounds in 3 weeks, but still pretty bad! I hope it comes off as fast as it went on!

The diet I used to lose the weight originally wasn't Atkins. I'm a "pretty intense" vegetarian -- no fish, no chicken, no red meat. I ate a few eggs while on the diet last summer, but found it hard to do. I didn't use to eat eggs at all. Still, I lost weight about as fast as Atkins dieters do -- 20 pounds in two months. I limited myself to 100 grams of carbs a day, and most of that came from fruit and vegetables. Although the carb content was higher than Atkins, the food had "low caloric density" meaning lots of water and fiber and not as much fat as one gets on Atkins. Maybe that's why it worked.

I don't think I could do 20-40 grams of carbs a day as a vegetarian -- anyone here manage that?