How do you gain weight?

[EarthyGoalie 253]

2 weeks ago, instead of losing weight, I gained a few pounds. But I know how it happened. I basically ate carbs, unhealthy ones too, junk, and forgot about Protein and Water. I beat myself up about it and tried to get back on track....

How do you all gain weight, whenever or if ever you do? Is it the same as me? Or is it because you didn't exercise or simply just didn't have enough protein? Or jut water weight?

Because I mean, I REALLY did bad to gain those few pounds. So I guess I'm trying to find out if I'm the only one who has been SO bad since surgery.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I am just coming off of three weeks where I lost no weight and in fact went up three pounds. It was really frustrating because I was eating 100% on plan. I weigh or measure everything -- every gram of Salad Dressing is assessed and accounted for on MFP. How can you gain weight on under 800 calories per day? But I figure it must have been hormonal weirdness and Water weight. Those three weeks where I was stalled/gaining were the same three weeks that my period was late. So maybe my body just bloated up like it usually does pre-period, and then when no period arrived, it kept on going in pre-period mode?

I finally got my period on Friday night and when I weighed in Saturday morning I was down 2 lbs from the week before. Hopefully things keep going in this direction.

This is the only time I've gained weight since being sleeved 11 months ago. I don't know if you'll find this helpful . . . I hope so!

[EarthyGoalie 253]

I can imagine how frustrating that must have been! At least you're losing now :-)

[elfnow 277]

To actually gain a whole pound it takes eating 3500 calories more than you burn, which is basically impossible in my body right now... But that doesn't mean I don't have Water gain!!

When I flex "up", it's because of carbs and hormones. Your body has to retain more Water to balance out carbs, so eating a lot of carbs means retaining more water. I am also breastfeeding (STILL...) - so some days I have more milk than others. I usually retain some weight right after my cycle ends (and my chest measures a little bigger), and then lose like crazy for a week or 2 right after I ovulate, then stabilize or flex up a little for a week, then lose again.....

It's very very hard to actually put fat back onto your frame. You'll have to eat too many calories over the course of a week or more to add up to a pound "gained". But you "flex" a little throughout the day/week based on hormones and water intake and carbs and such.

Go back to basics and take a half-hour walk.

[Miss Mac 6,261]

My grandfather was a farmer. The way he fattened cattle was to pull them off the field where they ate grass and other vegetation and walked around freely. Then he put them in a feed lot to restrict their activity for a while, and fed them corn and grain. So.....I try really hard to stay away from corn and grain products and get my exercise in. If I slack up on carb accountability (as in potatoes) or go three or four days without burning some extra calories, my weight will bounce back up a pound or two. Also, I have learned to keep those Protein and Fluid levels as high as I can stand.

[Emarie07 47]

My grandfather was a farmer. The way he fattened cattle was to pull them off the field where they ate grass and other vegetation and walked around freely. Then he put them in a feed lot to restrict their activity for a while, and fed them corn and grain. So.....I try really hard to stay away from corn and grain products and get my exercise in. If I slack up on carb accountability (as in potatoes) or go three or four days without burning some extra calories, my weight will bounce back up a pound or two. Also, I have learned to keep those Protein and Fluid levels as high as I can stand.

That is such a good example to give! It's so simple and almost common sense but saying in those terms really just made my mind click and think about it differently! I'm only 1 week post op but I'm going to remember this when I hit foreseeable stalls!