Gain After Exercise?

As I posted previously, I know our buddies that had surgery in June and July hit a stall at four or five months out that lasted 4-5 weeks. I posted on their boards in December because I did not lose anything for five weeks. I ended up losing eleven pounds in November and and eleven pounds in December as well, but it was a long hard ride. I am now frustrated once again. A few days after Christmas, I got down to 206 (a 70 pound weight loss). During the Holidays, I did not do exactly as I needed to do. I snuck some snacks in that I did not need and did not exercise like I needed to either. However, since the new year, I have ran almost two miles a day while holding three pound hand weights every day for the past couple of weeks plus walked during my morning and afternoon breaks at work and I HAVE GAINED FOUR POUNDS! Like most of you, I am eating, drinking and exercising like I am supposed to do. I hate these head games! I have not lost anymore inches either. Has anyone else gained when they began exercising more? How many of you are getting stuck for long periods of time? 276/210/130 (I was 206 until I started exercising a lot)

Hi Sherry. Ever since about 3 months post-op, I've flucuated between 2 and 5 pounds. So, I can gain, say 3 pounds and it will be gone by the end of the day or the next day. I have no idea why, but it's been that way for me. I know it sucks to be working out and stuff and then gain weight - makes no sense! I basically haven't lost anything in about a month. That's discouraging, but I've been exercising alot more and drinking plenty of fluids. Just keep up all the good work and I'm sure it will come off again! Good luck...

It sounds like you gained muscle mass, not fat, b/c you were using hand weights. Don't worry, soon you will be losing faster b/c of those new muscles! -Lynn Lap RNY 8-16-05 297/217/140

Hi Sherry Lee, Congratulations on your weight loss . I think the weight gain that you are experiencing is muscle. Did you know that muscle weighs more than fat. Girl I think that you are doing a terrific job . We all go through plateau's and it is very frustrating . Keep up what you are doing and you will find that you will soon be on your way to losing again. I was stuck for at least six weeks and started losing again. I'm losing slower than you, I lose a pound plateau lose two to four plateau again, but I'm trying not to be frustrated. I wish that I could lose 11 pounds in a month . I've been eating since I was eight weeks out, I mean every thing. I still have a problem with meat every once and a while, but nothing like it was in the beginning. GOOD LUCK! Toya 284/222-223/175?

Hi Sherry, I feel your pain. I gained four pounds last week even though I was running, walking, elliptical training, and stairmastering 5 miles, 5 times per week. And walking the other two. The four pounds did fall off this past weekend but they might be back today. Who knows. I'm glad you were honest about this because I felt VERY alone and very ashamed. My stomach has stretched some since surgery (of course) but I don't know if it's more than the normal person's or what. I exercise an hour a day HARD (like you are) and eat 1500 calories, but the weight isn't coming off. I have to say I don't think all four pounds you gained are muscle since it takes a LONG time to build that much muscle. I think our bodies just have a mind of their own now and need to do their thing for awhile. Have the people from June and July talked about passing this period and going on successfully? I'm very worried "this is it. I won't lose more and now I'll gain." You know, the usual fear we all have. The surgery has failed. My hair loss finally slowed considerably, thank God. So hopefully this, too, shall pass. Let me know what you think! Donna 333/249/165?

Thanks for the responses, you guys. It feels great that we can be honest with one another and still get the support that we need. Donna, I was reading some of July's posts today (looking for some more insight on my weight loss stalls). It looks like some are still going through the same thing. Some don't lose for three or four weeks, then they lose five pounds. So weight loss has slowed way down for them. All I know, is that you and I are doing the right thing by exercising everyday. Eventually our bodies will have to respond to what we are doing. Right? I read an article today on exercising after WLS. According to the article, exercise is the key to not gaining any of the weight back as we are builing muscle mass that in the end will increase our metabolism. That sounds all good but it doesn't make me feel any better about gaining and not losing right now! LOL!

Weighed this morning and had gained even more weight. I am up to 212. I am still exercising everyday. My calories run about 1100, Fat 53, Carbs 80, Protein 99. It is getting worse. I think I will call my doctor today. 276/212/130 (was 206 until a week and a half ago)

Hi Donna I posted too! AND I noticed Im stalled at the same place you are and started at similar weight 325//250//145? I'm 5-4" and am working the program.. I dont think this is the end of the weight loss..I think our bodies are just trying to "catch up" to us..Someone explained it like this- that if you had to run up ten flights of stairs- you couldn't do it all at once, right? You may have to stop a one or more landings to get to the top, and certainly wouldn't fly from blottom to top stiarcase, right? Same thing here We are pressing forward to lose all this weight- and our bodies are hanging back on the "landing plateau" and catching itself before it handles the next staircase of weight loss.. Kinda puts it in a different perspective right? Of course it still doesn't stop me from wanting to throw my scale out the window! Hugs, Donna M

Hi Sherry!! ME TOO! I JUST posted about this! usually I can break a plateau in 3-4 days, but this is rediculous..I have been gaining and losing the same 4 lbs since New Years! One day I was even 248m next I was 253, today I was 252! ..I lost 4 lbs over the holidays without any effort- and NOW I am watching what I eat- drinking water - checking the protein- and watching my scale yo yo. I thought I was close to my monthly cycle, cause thats the only real time Ive seen 4 lbs gained for a week. I have worked out every day for the last 7 days- upping my aerobics/ swimming/ weight training, and doing kick boxing.. so I came to one conclusion.. I must not be taking in enough calories. I fell victim to this logic many years ago when working out- I would think- the less I ate the more fat I would burn - but we know- it only causes your body to struggle and thats what I think.The body feels that its being "starved" and is refusing to let go. Makes sense right? So today, I made it a point to begin eating right way this morning with a cheese stick, had protein shake at work, folowed by a Wendys salad lunch and drank 40oz water so far. Tonight Im not going to work out and see what the scale does - why don't you do something similar and lets see what happens tomorrow? OK? Hugs, Donna

Hey, Donna. I increased my calories to 1383 yeterday and I am back down to 210 this morning. Could it be working? We will see. I posted yesterday on the May board and got a huge response. They are full of knowledge over there. Thanks ladies!! This is some of the advice that I recieved. Hope it helps y'all too! *Are your muscles sore from beginning exercising? If so, I would bet they are holding onto water/fluids hence the gain. Kathy *Kathy, I am a little sore. Do muscles retain water when they are breaking down and rebuilding? Thanks. Sherry *Sore muscles do retain water. That much I do know. Just like every injury we have whether self-inflicted, accident or even surgery. Water/fluids build up. It is how our body responds to traumas of all kinds. Kathy *Are you taking in more salt than normal? It sounds like the majority of it is water weight, to me, especially the two pounds overnight... That plus muscle being denser than fat could be it...I would try and add another 20 oz of pure water every day and monitor your salt intake and see what happens. Becky *Losing weight is not quite as simple as cut-calories = lose-weight. In theory yes, but if you cut back too low...you body slows down to a crawl due to fear of starving and it will hold onto every calorie that you eat. Your body needs fuel to be efficient. Finding the right balance of calories and activity is difficult, challenging, confusing, frustrating, etc. If you take in 1000 cals a day and exercise and burn 200-300 calories that is only 700-800 cals for your body to survive on and that may or may not be enough. Depends on how your individual body works. A plus is that as you exercise...you are building more muscle and the more muscle you have the faster you burn fat. (Men have more muscle mass that is why their metabolisms work faster than ours.) Muscle does not weigh more than fat. 1 lb of muscle is the same as 1 lb of fat when it comes to WEIGHT. A pound is a pound. But when it comes to volume or the space it occupies...muscle because it is dense takes up less space. A pound of beef is going to take up alot less space then a pound of popped popcorn. Often when folks start to exercise, the scale doesn't seem to move much as your body adjusts to it. I remember years back when I started running. I did so a few times a week and the scale really didn't budge for weeks. But I did lose inches which in my book was a-okay. What I would/do suggest to people is that if you start exercising and are going to be to adding more muscle tissue (for us post-ops I guarantee that in the process of losing weight so fast that we have lost muscle tissue) that you add extra protein to help build/heal your muscles. Muscles get sore and then rebuild. Protein really helps with this. Did any of that help? Kathy