Digusted with weight gain on Atkins

I lost 150 lbs with RNY gastric bypass and decided to do Atkins for maintenance.  I am a carb addict so it seemed like the right thing for me.  I love this way of eating.  So much better than low fat!   In the past six months since starting maintenance and Atkins, I've gained 10 lbs.  The first 5 lbs were a good gain.  I looked and felt better.  But these last 5 lbs are not good.  I don't know what to do.  I'm not eating a tremendous amount of food - I can't with the pouch restriction.  Maybe I'm eating TOO MUCH fat, even though I thought, if I keep the carbs low (I usually eat only 25 net carbs a day) that I didn't have to worry about fat grams.  This is an average day for me:

(about 23 net carbs)

protein shake (3 nc)
Crystal Light (1 nc)
cup of tea w/ Splenda, S&L and 1heavy cream (3 nc)
cup of Sanka w Splenda, S&L and heavy cream (5 nc)
1 bottle of Diet Snapple Ice Tea (0 nc)
4 16 oz bottles of water (0)

2 oz Provolone cheese + 1 oz salami (2 nc)
small scoop tuna salad, 1 hard boiled egg, 5 grape tomatoes, lettuce + 4 T dressing (6 nc)
Atkins Advantage bar (2 nc)
5 oz Brie cheese (0 nc)
2 pieces sugar-free chocolate (1 nc)
2 to 3 T butter

When I've posted my diet on the Atkins website, I got some good advice, but there is not much understanding of the gastric bypass way of eating and how many of us do not tolerate fruits and vegetables, and I was told that I MUST eat 12 to 15 net carbs of veggies a day.  My pouch will NOT tolerate that!  I'm doing my best to eat enoug protein every day.

All in all, I feel good and I'm told all the time how great I look, but I'm just frustrated about gaining a few pounds.  I'm scared to DEATH of being fat again. 

Thanks for listening and reading, my fellow low-carb friends!

I wish I had an answer for you because I face a similar problem.  My post op plan is low carb.  I have remained low carb to goal and after.  I have been faithful to my plan.  However, I struggle with a 15 lb range of weight gain no matter what I do.  It began five weeks post op. 

Thankfully, I have a good surgeon who understands some of us are hormonally predisposed to slow weight loss and unwarranted weight gain even after wls.  We will always have to work harder.  That is why this is no "lifestyle change" for me as others claim it is for themselves.  I am on a diet for life. 

My wl surgeon, and my cardiologist separately came to the conclusion that this is how I am built.  Finally since I am no longer obese an endocrinologist is taking me seriously.  I only hope she can help. 

Recently I realized that I need to vary my diet every few weeks.  It has not totally halted the weight gain but in has reduced the range from 15 lbs to 5 lbs at the moment.  I vary calories, carbs, and fat levels but always low carb.  If I go off low carb for more than a day or so my weight shoots up and my clothes don't fit. 

I can only tell you you are not alone.  There are others on these boards struggleing with metabolic issues as well.  The hardest part of this is our peers assume we are unfaithful to plan just as do uninformed medical staff.  Its easier to lable us as cheating the plan than to determine why we do not respond to weight loss as expected. 

Hang in there.  It took 17 months post op for me to loose just 98 lbs.  As a no op it took me 5 years to loose nearly 50 lbs.  My surgeon assured me I would make it although slowly.    He was right.  Now I will loose this extra five pound regain and drop ten for a cushion as well. Some way some how.  You will get there too.  Just stick with it. 

Thanks again MSW!  I'm glad I'm not alone.  It IS frustrating to be following the Atkins "rules" and still be seeing a gain, albeit a small one.  But I know all too well that a small gain can lead to a big one.  I just don't know what to do.  Maybe what you're doing is worth a try, varying things occasionally.  I don't what to do to vary it.  Like I said, my net carb level to maintain is so low to begin with, no more than 25 nc a day, and if I go even up to 30 nc, I will gain.  So I guess I can't expect a huge loss at 20 nc (even though that is what Atkins calls Induction). 

My low weight was 135.  It was fun seeing that number on the scale, but my hubby and many people said I looked too thin and gaunt and sickly at that weight, and I agree.  I looked good at 140 and  now at 145 people are still telling me how great I look, and hubby said I look much better now.  But I am frightened.  I don't want to see that scale going up, up, up!

Thanks again for the support!  

Your protein looks really low. Maybe add another protein shake or some more dense,heavy hitting  meats?

Just a thought,and good luck,
Holly

Hi Holly!

My protein shake that I have every morning has 50 grams of protein, so I love that I'm starting every day with that.   Some days I do better with the meat/poultry eating.  I usually get at least 100 grams of protein a day on most days.  If I'm feeling like I'm running low, I'll do a second shake. 

Thanks for your input!   :)

Hi Michelle --

Metabolism is shockingly individual.  But since you're asking for advice, I'm going to offer my suggestions:

1)  Track your intake on a site such as thedailyplate.com -- There are others, I happen to like this one, but find one that's effective for you.  It will be helpful to measure every single bite or sip that goes into your mouth, and the software will enable you to track the foods that cause you to gain or lose;

2)  50 gm protein at one sitting is just too much.  You can only utilize a maximum of 25-30 at one time, and the rest is processed by your body's insulin -- dang, can't find the research link but maybe YOU can.  A good rule of thumb is 20-30 grams of protein spread out over 5-6 feedings.  Take a look at what the low-carbers are eating, on the CARb Accountability Roundup threads, there are many useful suggestions there.

3)  Track your intake

4)  Also, track your intake!

None of us can really tell you what is causing your gradual weight gain -- only you will be able to find that out for sure.  Good luck, and keep us posted!

Hi Whacka Doodle!

BTW, love your screen name!  My boss calls us Whacka Doodles in my office sometimes when we do something crazy!   :)

Thanks for the info on the protein intake at one sitting.  My protein shake has 50 grams of protein in a two-scoop serving, so I will make a one-scoop shake in the morning and a one-scoop shake at night from now on.

I do track my intake very strictly and have been doing so since my RNY almost two years ago. Oddly enough, I will even account for my "bad" eating when I've overindulged (like too many trips into the peanut butter jar.  I guess I feel like what's the point of

I just can't figure it out.  You are so right ..... metabolism sure is crazy.  I went back into my food journal for December and January.  I was eating MORE carbs than I am now (25 to 30 nc) and the same amount of fat and protein as I am eating now.... BUT my weight was hovering around 140.  Now I'm 145-ish and eating LESS carbs (20 to 22 nc).  This defies everything that the Atkins books say.

My activity level has not changed in the past few months.

The only thing that has changed lately is that I'm a bit constipated.   :(

Thanks for your input!!!  :D

Many of us have the instinct to say, "five pounds is no big deal," but I know that when I'm as high as five pounds more than my "normal," suddenly my clothes don't fit and my body doesn't feel right.

Sooooooooo ....

While five pounds is not a huge gain, it is ALSO true that UNEXPLAINABLE weight change, either up or down, can be caused by many things, and it might be a good time to go to your internist and say, "WTF?"

There are many disorders, from significant to trivial, that can cause weight change.  At this point, you should probably run this problem by your physician.

How does that sound?

Whacka Doodle......

As of yesterday, it was a 6 lb gain (ugh) but when I got on the scale today, 2 lbs were gone!  I've been a bit constipated lately, but yesterday I, uh, spent a considerable amount of time in the bathroom (you get the picture).    :)

Checking in with doc is a good idea.  My recent labs were all good including thyroid functions.  But can't hurt to run it by the doc.   :)

I went back over my food journal for the past six months.  Interestingly enough, my weight started going up around the time I added meat, pork, and poultry back into my diet, after not eating meat for over four years.  When I was only eating fish, dairy, and veggie proteins, I had no "bathroom problems", but things started "stopping up" upon adding in the meat.  Not sure if there is a connection.

Thanks again!   :D

 Our bodies are terribly, terribly individual.  It may very well be that meat, pork, and/or poultry are not great protein sources for you.  The oddest things can impact our well-being.  For me, it's plain black tea (which I love) that stoppers me up like cork.  And I've never heard of that happening to anyone else.  So, you  never know!