Carb gain

[Marianna]

Whoa. I have gained several pounds after two weeks on NoS. A little background--I lost quite a bit of weight on low carb, and finally got really really sick of that kind of lifestyle. About two months ago, I started eating carbs again. In that time, I was trying to eat when hungry and eat what I wanted--but in the last couple of weeks, what I have wanted is carbs. Nothing refined--oatmeal, fruit, starchy veg--I would say my diet is 80 percent whole food vegetarian, with some protein for the evening meal. I don't eat many sweets, even on S days, except for a bran muffin or a few bites of a shared dessert at a restaurant. Despite my very healthy lifestyle, I am rapidly gaining weight. By the way, I have for years tracked my calories and food, because I like to, and I would say I am eating less then 1700 calories most days and I exercise most days.

I am really really sad, because I think this tells me that I have to really back off the carbs. I refuse to eliminate them, but this can't continue. I guess I hoped the NoS lifestyle would take care of this problem, but I suspect my years of lowcarbing have done something to me.

Thanks for listening

Marianna

[vmsurbat]

Whoa. I have gained several pounds after two weeks on NoS. A little background--I lost quite a bit of weight on low carb, and finally got really really sick of that kind of lifestyle. About two months ago, I started eating carbs again. In that time, I was trying to eat when hungry and eat what I wanted--but in the last couple of weeks, what I have wanted is carbs. Nothing refined--oatmeal, fruit, starchy veg--I would say my diet is 80 percent whole food vegetarian, with some protein for the evening meal. I don't eat many sweets, even on S days, except for a bran muffin or a few bites of a shared dessert at a restaurant. Despite my very healthy lifestyle, I am rapidly gaining weight. By the way, I have for years tracked my calories and food, because I like to, and I would say I am eating less then 1700 calories most days and I exercise most days.

I am really really sad, because I think this tells me that I have to really back off the carbs. I refuse to eliminate them, but this can't continue. I guess I hoped the NoS lifestyle would take care of this problem, but I suspect my years of lowcarbing have done something to me.

Thanks for listening

Marianna

Although I can readily understand your disappointment in weight gain, I wouldn't immediately switch back to a lowcarb diet. If I understood your post correctly, you have only been following NoS principles for a couple of weeks. I think it takes about 3 months to begin reaping the most benefits of "the NoS lifestyle."

So, don't give up hope. I think it is much too soon to start pinpointing culprits in your weight gain. The first thought I had was that you are experiencing some water gain from the carbs, especially if indulging to a greater extent that you used to. That is water gain, not fat gain, and will dissipate over time. FWIW, when I first started NoS, I found that I experienced several weeks of bloatedness--I'm not sure why-- but it went away and has not been a recurring problem.

If you are struggling with keeping NoS principles (No snacks, sweets, or seconds), I recommend you focus on getting those habits. If you have them down, I would focus on developing moderate meals--it sounds like you might have gone from one extreme (almost no carbs) to another (indulging in carbs).

It is possible that your years of lowcarb are having an effect, but I think that beginning and maintaining a diet of moderation for the long haul may overcome many of those problems. I suggest a trial run of AT LEAST 3 months of moderation.

It sounds like you have a good sense for healthy eating in general. I personally find the "eat what you want" idea unhelpful in the long run. I know that I have to plan meals around both what I want and what is good for me--in that way I get the best balance. If I focus only on what I "feel" like eating, I miss out on some important food groups (eg. fruit--I like fruit and know it is good for me, but I rarely "feel" like eating fruit.) Thus, most of the time, I choose to eat fresh fruit because I know it is good for me, not because of any great desire for the fruit itself.

HTH,

[Thalia]

I agree that you are probably seeing water retention, which will resolve itself. But I'm sure it's tremendously frustrating in the meantime!

[brotherjohn]

I think it takes about 3 months to begin reaping the most benefits of "the NoS lifestyle."

I agree with Vicki. This has certainly been my experience, and I am enjoying the plan and having good results now. But...it takes a little time for your body to change over.

[apomerantz]

The first thought I had was that you are experiencing some water gain from the carbs

I'm pretty sure this is what you are experiencing. On a low carb diet, your muscles have very little glycogen stored in them. Glycogen is coupled with water. So, the amazing weight loss you see in the first week of a low carb diet is water.

So, if you go off the low carb diet, those fluids are doing to come back.

It's still annoying - - so I'm empathetic to your feelings. But on the other hand, you may not want to eat low carb for life . . .I know I didn't. I think you'll experience this initial water weight gain regardless of diet plan (cept more low carb), so maybe just write it off mentally as a one time thing and then go from there.

[Kathleen]

One of my sister in laws has been on and off low carb for years. I loaned The No S Diet book to another sister in law who showed it to the low carb sister in law. She was quite dismissive of No S: It's just common sense. I'll lose weight faster than you will.

My response to her was that I don't want to lose weight fast. I want to lose weight permanently.

I last saw her at Thanksgiving when I weighed around 205. Today I weighed 200. Not much of a difference. However, the weight is not coming back. By the end of the year, I'm hoping to weigh below 193.5. Since I started out at 215 in early September, 193.5 would represent a 10% loss in body weight. Not bad for a diet that is easy and takes very little time!

Kathleen

[guadopt1997]

I'm kind of low-carbing myself right now. But not Atkins hugely high fat. I eat lots of vegetables and a salad at lunch, and strawberries at dinner when they're around. Just no bread, pasta, or starchy vegetables, and, of course, no sweets. On weekends, I snack on nuts if I get hungry or just feel like having a treat.

I did it for a month when I first started no-S, then went about 7 weeks eating all kinds of things (following no-S rules, except when I travelled to deal with my mother's affairs when she passed away in February) and maintained my low-carb weight loss plus lost 2-3 more pounds.

I'm planning to low-carb 'til memorial day weekend, but no biggie if I stop earlier.

[Marianna]

just to be clear, I reintroduced carbs a few months ago--so whatever water weight I was gonna gain, I should have gained then. What has been different with NoS is that I have given myself a little more leeway to eat carbs at every meal: oatmeal and raisins for breakfast, fruit and starchy vegetables for lunch, whole wheat pasta for dinner. I am wondering if I am really carb sensitive--reacting badly to pasta and fruit etc--I don't intend to go back to lowcarb--I know I can't. But I am thinking about eliminating the fruit for awhile, and maybe sticking with hearty salads for lunch and saving my carbs for dinner. I don't know. I do agree with sticking to NoS--I am loving No S--I just feel unable to cope with weight gain rather then loss!

Marianna

[vmsurbat]

just to be clear, I reintroduced carbs a few months ago--so whatever water weight I was gonna gain, I should have gained then. What has been different with NoS is that I have given myself a little more leeway to eat carbs at every meal: oatmeal and raisins for breakfast, fruit and starchy vegetables for lunch, whole wheat pasta for dinner. I am wondering if I am really carb sensitive--reacting badly to pasta and fruit etc--I don't intend to go back to lowcarb--I know I can't. But I am thinking about eliminating the fruit for awhile, and maybe sticking with hearty salads for lunch and saving my carbs for dinner. I don't know. I do agree with sticking to NoS--I am loving No S--I just feel unable to cope with weight gain rather then loss!

Marianna

What struck me in your original post was your line "but in the last couple of weeks, what I have wanted is carbs." And based on what you say you were eating recently, I still think your weight gain can be water gain due to the increase in carbs.

I still stick with my recommendation of waiting three months of moderate eating before adding more restrictions for yourself. Part of the problem of restricting "carbs" is that it is a huge category of food: salads are just as much carbs as pasta and fruit.

Edited to add: One of the best things about NoS is the *freedom* many of us gain when following its commonsense principles--the diet mentality is gone forever. I would hate to see you shortchange yourself in this. However, you can *do* what you feel is best: NoS is a few strict guidelines (No sweets, snacks, or seconds); the rest is up to us.

Wishing you even greater NoS success,