Help! Rebound Weight Gain After GBS and Quitting Drinking Wine

I have to agree with these other folks, only diet will help weight loss, exercise is nice but doesn't do near what most think it does for weight loss unless you are a professional athlete working out 6-8 hours a day. Diet is most important for weight loss. I think your doc is mistaken as are quite a few when they say some one needs 1200 plus calories a day when the rest and successful WLS vets are eating 600-800 calories a day to be successful. The proof is in the results so you can either keep beating your head against the wall or try what has been suggested for the next few months and see what works best. The choice is yours.

FWiw, I don't know any vets who eat only 600-800 calories a day in maintenance. No one.  Most DO eat 1200 or more calories a day once they are in maintenance.

I also, however, know no one who eats 2000 calories a day and doesn't gain weight, either...

I think there might be some confusion. I eat 1500 calories in food a day - I am on a keto/paleo type diet with 120 grams of protein a day. 

I was consuming 1500 calories a day (same diet) AND drinking wine everyday to the tune of 500+ calories. I attributed my 12 pound weight gain (since Aug 2014) to the empty wine calories. So I gave up the wine 7 days ago - expecting a little drop down in the scale, because my fitness has always been very strong - I work out everyday since before my GBS (with the exception of a few days of sports injury but even then I will still swim or run in the pool). But instead I gained 3 pounds in a week! Making my grand total rebound weight gain 15 pounds....  

Maybe the 1500 is still too much. I know I need to create the deficit - but I know that 600-800 calories a day would be pretty light. 1200 seems more reasonable so ill rest my goal to that and see what the results are.... I am happy that my measurements and dress size has stayed the same but I don't want the scale to continue in the wrong direction obviously! 

 

On keto diet, you need to be very conservative with proteins. More fat than proteins. The body can turn protein into sugar, plus protein stimulate release of insulin. Insulin=weight gain. 

Most people on real keto diet keeps their protein at 50-70 gr a day, carbs at 5%, (20-40 gr per day) rest calories from fat. 

Some people on keto still need to count calories and stay under 1200-1500 to lose... (depends on a person). 

I think you answered your own question.  cut back to 1200 calories a day. try that but give it more than a week to see if you lost anything. Wait 2 or 3 weeks before you hop on the scale. Try that and see how that works. Best of luck to you! 

You are absolutely correct my fingers got ahead of my brain. What I meant was that the vets when in weight loss stage ate about that little in calories. In maintenance of course you are eating more and I'd say that can vary per person but yes around 1200 calories. So yes you are right and thanks I'm glad you caught that!

When I was losing I kept my calories under 1000 and burned about 300-400 exercising give or take.  I kept my carbs low too.  For maintaining I stay around 1500-1800 and still watch carbs but eat fruit and veggies.  I still exercise.    

You really can't depend on the equipment in the health clubs to give you accurate calorie counts.  It's been proven that they way over estimate.  There are calorie burn estimators that figure in your weight, sex and heart rate.  Even then I think of it as an approximation. 

I see just from reading this everyone is different and can lose weight at different calorie levels and exercise efforts.  You have to find what works for you.  Keep in mind as you lose weight it takes more activity to burn one calorie.  As you age it's harder to lose weight.  When you enter menopause it's harder to lose weight.  Stress can work against people.  There are many different reasons why what worked for you before isn't working for you now.  Try something different.  Also give it time.  Sometimes it takes more than one week to see your efforts reflect on scale. 

Good Luck 

I was having some issues with weight gain and it just seemed like whatever I did I couldn't lose it. Then I had a hypoglycemic event (passed out-scary) THEN I really started watching sugar and carbs. I lost almost 5 pounds in one week. Didn't realize how eating carbs had snuck up on me. I was eating rice cakes for one....anyway, I would check what you are eating and check the carbs, processed foods and empty calories. Good luck!

Thanks Deb - As suggested by my pre-op friends I have dropped my calories down to 1200/day and maintained my fitness at 1-2 hours a day in HIIT cardio, power circuit and swimming.... I will see what the scale says next weight day Tuesday! I would love to see the big drop like I used to!! 13 lbs a month was my average loss during the slim down phase!! But I suspect it will more slow and steady - goal would be to back at 145 by August - think that is a realistic target 

I am not sure where everyone is at here. I am 7 years plus out...and I never count calories and hardly ever weigh. I can tell by how my clothes fit (and how my boobs look- sad, but true). And I have a fitbit, but I never focus on working out that much anymore...mostly because I work full time and well, life. But I do feel better when I work out. And I like to be active. So my first 6 months I got way below goal (too skinny actually) and I really had to focus on eating a lot to keep my weight half way decent. I added a lot of nuts and fat. But after awhile the losing stops (thank goodness). Since my lowest, I am up 15-18 pounds, and it really looks better on me and it is now, more what I consider my goal, around 135. I still watch what I eat, the hardest thing about the hypoglycemia, is that I have to eat, even when I don't want too, or I pay for it later. So for me, just staying active (not intense) and staying away mostly from sugar and processed foods I do fine and maintain where I want to. When I was working out more intensely I didn't get all hung up on the scale, because muscles can weigh more....you can tell by your clothes and how you look (use that mirror). If you have gained weight and it is muscle you can probably eat more .....but maybe each person needs to find their own practice and what works for them.

deb366