VSG Maintenance Group
Should I start panicking?
I posted a couple days ago about how my weight has creeped up a bit. Well, now I am in full-on panic mode. I have gained 5 pounds in the past 3 weeks. Honestly? I cannot figure out why. Nothing has changed. I am eating roughly the same I have and getting the same amount of expercise, if not a bit more. Last week I started working with my personal trainer again. I've had 3 sessions in a 7 day span. Yesterday she worked me really hard. I know when you are building muscle that your muscles will retain water. Could this be happening? I will say that I am eating an average of 1000 calories with about 60- 80 grams protein (I have to drink a shake to get closer to 80) and 80-100 carbs. I can still only eat about 1 1/2 ounces of dense protein (I weighed it today). So I know my restriction is still really good.
I do have a plan in place, like I mentioned earlier. I am upping the protein but keeping the calories about the same and lowering my carbs. I am trying to do what Elina mentioned and that is eating meat and veggies for my main meals. Today I had an egg and about 3 ounces of greek yogurt. Snack was a beef/ostrich stick. Lunch was 1.5 ounces of port chop with veggies. Snack was 5 ritz crackers and a cup of coffee. I'm still not sure what I'm having for dinner. I may have chili.
Please help me off this ledge!
I do have a plan in place, like I mentioned earlier. I am upping the protein but keeping the calories about the same and lowering my carbs. I am trying to do what Elina mentioned and that is eating meat and veggies for my main meals. Today I had an egg and about 3 ounces of greek yogurt. Snack was a beef/ostrich stick. Lunch was 1.5 ounces of port chop with veggies. Snack was 5 ritz crackers and a cup of coffee. I'm still not sure what I'm having for dinner. I may have chili.
Please help me off this ledge!
There is nothing wrong with your eating, so something else is going on. I can think of a few things, but I do think you need to have your blood-work done. I am curious about your thyroid, and other hormones, and I would like to see any medical reason for the gain being ruled out. At that point, I would consider this being water retention from building muscles or possibly a bit or muscle buildup. Have your measurements changed?
There is no need to panic at this point, but I agree, I would start ruling things out. I hope this helps.
There is no need to panic at this point, but I agree, I would start ruling things out. I hope this helps.
If you are doing weight training and upping your exercise, you really do need more protein 80-100 grams/day. Carb cycling seems to work for some people. Having a couple of days/week of low carbs, alternating with higher carb days. I'm surprised that you can only eat 1.5 ounces of dense protein at almost 2 years out. Are you using any cottage cheese? Safeway has a low sodium version that doesn't taste that great, but when mixed with NF Greek yogurt and a few berries makes a good meal or snack and gives you a good boost in protein. This would be better than Ritz crackers. Also, unflavored protein added to your chili would give you some extra protein. I have done this in the past, when I have eaten chili.
I've been up about 3 lbs, going down a bit. Sometimes, I do notice an upswing in weight after heavy aerobic or weight training. The muscles hold onto some extra water for awhile. The extra exercise could account for some of it. I agree about getting your thyroid tested. Weight loss can cause some thyroid problems. I have had my thyroid medication adjusted a couple of times during this process.
Finally, I would strongly encourage you to get your body fat tested, either through the hydrostatic weighing or the Bod Pod test. Since I had that done, it has helped a bit to be less obsessed about the scale. I'm having mine retested this weekend., since I feels some changes in my body.
How do your clothes fit? Are you measuring?
gail
I've been up about 3 lbs, going down a bit. Sometimes, I do notice an upswing in weight after heavy aerobic or weight training. The muscles hold onto some extra water for awhile. The extra exercise could account for some of it. I agree about getting your thyroid tested. Weight loss can cause some thyroid problems. I have had my thyroid medication adjusted a couple of times during this process.
Finally, I would strongly encourage you to get your body fat tested, either through the hydrostatic weighing or the Bod Pod test. Since I had that done, it has helped a bit to be less obsessed about the scale. I'm having mine retested this weekend., since I feels some changes in my body.
How do your clothes fit? Are you measuring?
gail
" 
It is a mobile truck that visits various locations in the Bay Area and other areas of the country. I missed the last one in March, when it was in Benicia. I'm having it done at the Sports Basement in Walnut Creek this Sunday. The company is there every three months. The testing is from 8 AM (I think) to about 3 PM. One does have to sign up ahead of time and give a check as prepayment. The cost is $49 for the first time and includes three dunks and you are given the average or the best result. When you retest in the future, the charge in $39.00.
When I first I had it done last August, I asked the Benicia Fitness Center if they would be interested in having the testing done there. The owners contacted the company and they have been in Benicia twice since then. The last time was in in March, so they should be there again in July. You don't have to be a member to have the test done. Some fitness centers do limit the testing to members only.
The website is:
www.bodyfattest.com
It was great seeing you, too!
gail
When I first I had it done last August, I asked the Benicia Fitness Center if they would be interested in having the testing done there. The owners contacted the company and they have been in Benicia twice since then. The last time was in in March, so they should be there again in July. You don't have to be a member to have the test done. Some fitness centers do limit the testing to members only.
The website is:
www.bodyfattest.com
It was great seeing you, too!
gail
"
Gail,
I agree that it seems unusual that I can eat so little dense protein but that is how it's been since I had surgery. I constantly weigh to see if I can eat more, but I really can't. Some days I can eat 2 ounces but never more than that. However, I can eat plenty of other things (lol). Even softer protein, like flaky fish, I can't eat much more than 2 ounces. Tonight for dinner I had chicken tikka masala and only ate maybe 4 pieces of bite sized chicken. You would think that because I can eat so little that I would be as thin as a rail, but nope, not the case.
Also, as far as thyroid and other testing, I feel absolutely great!! I have tons of energy. Wake up invigorated, I can literally last all day. This is the best I have ever felt. I do have a call into my primary care doctor for testing so hopefully that can shed some light on what's going on.
I like your idea of the cottage cheese and greek yogurt. I will have to try that. I am trying to shake up my snacking options. I have great intentions, like a hard boiled egg, or fruit but sometimes I just want something crunchy. I do snack on almonds.
Again, thanks for your input. I am meeting with my trainer tomorrow and I will pick her brain.
I agree that it seems unusual that I can eat so little dense protein but that is how it's been since I had surgery. I constantly weigh to see if I can eat more, but I really can't. Some days I can eat 2 ounces but never more than that. However, I can eat plenty of other things (lol). Even softer protein, like flaky fish, I can't eat much more than 2 ounces. Tonight for dinner I had chicken tikka masala and only ate maybe 4 pieces of bite sized chicken. You would think that because I can eat so little that I would be as thin as a rail, but nope, not the case.
Also, as far as thyroid and other testing, I feel absolutely great!! I have tons of energy. Wake up invigorated, I can literally last all day. This is the best I have ever felt. I do have a call into my primary care doctor for testing so hopefully that can shed some light on what's going on.
I like your idea of the cottage cheese and greek yogurt. I will have to try that. I am trying to shake up my snacking options. I have great intentions, like a hard boiled egg, or fruit but sometimes I just want something crunchy. I do snack on almonds.
Again, thanks for your input. I am meeting with my trainer tomorrow and I will pick her brain.
I'm just about at the same point and was up over 3 lbs within a few days period of time. Boggled my mind, because I wasn't really doing anything different. I started cutting back my calories last week (not drastically) and a couple of pounds have come off. I think and hope that it was related to water retention from the weight training. The body fat test will give me an idea of what is going on.
I wonder, if there is a change in metabolism that happens? I am seriously considering getting a Body Bug, so that I can have a better idea of how much I am burning through exercise and other activity throughout the day. It may also be time to have my thyroid checked again.
It is baffling, isn't it? I think if you were eating off plan, it would be clearer to you. When you haven't been doing anything very different and this happens, it can be frustrating and scary.
I wonder, if there is a change in metabolism that happens? I am seriously considering getting a Body Bug, so that I can have a better idea of how much I am burning through exercise and other activity throughout the day. It may also be time to have my thyroid checked again.
It is baffling, isn't it? I think if you were eating off plan, it would be clearer to you. When you haven't been doing anything very different and this happens, it can be frustrating and scary.
"
