Well, apparently being nonstressed and not counting calories to the exact number isn't the way to go

[thistlechaser]

Shoot me now, please. I stopped counting calories to the exact number, just kept a rough running tally in my head, and I gained weight this week. It wasn't a one-time odd day or something, my midweek spot check confirmed the same thing.

I do not understand how it is physically possible to gain weight with what I'm eating. This is my daily diet:

Breakfast: Cheese stick (the snack-for-kids kind) and 10 matchstick pretzels. (Total calories: 105)
Lunch: 2 Laughing Cow cheese wedges, 2 Ritz crackers. (Total calories: 125)
Dinner: Lately it's been one slice of sandwich meat, one slice of cheese, rolled up and tossed in the frying pan to melt. 1-2 of them. (~250 calories for 1.5)
Snack: Slice of turkey or half of an apple. x2 (~100 calories for both)

That's nearly 600 calories on the nose. How on earth is it possible to gain weight while eating like that? (My period ended last week, so it can't be related to that.)

This process is so disheartening. This is my last resort, it's succeed at this or die of being fat. It's bad enough to go weeks without losing anything, but I thought it would be impossible to gain...

Edit: Reminder: 600 calories/day is the surgeon's plan and what everyone eats in the first year post-surgery. It's not some wacky thing I'm trying on my own.

Comments

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I can understand your frustration, but I'm sure there is some kind of medical logic to it.

It's a marathon not a sprint, no?

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yep, it's a marathon not a sprint, but in no race do you want to walk backwards. :P

I wish I knew the logic, I'm sure it would be interesting.

[elo-sf.livejournal.com]

FWIW, I've found from years of weight watchers, sometimes you gain the most when you've been good all week and lose the most on weeks when you're bad. It's basically that the scale is a very noisy instrument and it takes a while to catch up.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I've seen that too, and I hate it so much. I wish there were a more accurate way to track things. (Yet also as easy as stepping on a scale.)

[diello.livejournal.com]

How much did you gain? Did you weigh after a meal, or after some heavy lifting? Or in the morning when you haven't had anything to drink all night? Water-retention is a sly fucker. With that diet, I can't even say it's the carbs (it could be, but for as little as you're eating, I doubt it would would make that much a difference).

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I always weigh myself the same time of day, same day of the week. 6:15 on Friday, after shower but before I eat anything.

Water-retention is the only thing I can think of... I'm getting so few carbs (and I am supposed to have some), few calories, I can't think of anything else it could be.

[avocado-love.livejournal.com]

Have you been walking around/exercising more? It could be a gain in muscle to replace the fat you're losing. I've been physically slimming down, but have actually gained a few pounds due to muscle. (Been exercising like a mofo). I mean, think about it. You've lost a lot of weight recently -- are you up and about more? A little goes a long way when it comes to muscle.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I walk 15 minutes a day five days a week, but I didn't think that was enough to gain muscle. (Maybe it is, since it's really easy to do that now and I used to huff and puff after a a minute or two of walking...) I hope that's the answer. Though if it is, I'd like to both lose weight AND gain muscle. :P

[avocado-love.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not a doctor, but if you've gone from getting tired out after a couple minutes to being able to walk the entire 15 without a problem I betcha you've gained some muscle. It could be part of it.

(And great job! :D )

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! For both!

Okay, I won't jump out of a window yet. (Don't worry, I live on the ground floor. :P That's my joke with myself.)

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

This! Muscle mass weighs significantly more than fat. Maybe a tape measure would be a better device to measure progress instead of, or in addition to, the scale? You might be surprised.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I might have to add that in if this keeps up. It's not as easy as stepping on a scale, but it would keep me sane.

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

Not as easy? Get a piece of thick string or something. Wrap it around you at a specific place. Mark place on string with black marker or something. Note that this will take much longer to show results.

Which may not be a bad thing. Weight loss graphed is a scatter plot. Trying to look at individual numbers is maddening - you have to look at trends, typically long term.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Good idea on the string!

And yeah. Someone described this as "a spiral staircase with a whole bunch of landings" -- you're going to generally keep going down, but there are going to be a lot of pauses along the way.

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

That is great though! Just that is a huge improvement. I think you should be looking at your overall health condition, not just staring at the scale.

[dragynsidhe.livejournal.com]

seconded =)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's just hard. I want the scale to move, too! You're right though, it's a good thought.

[gonzostar.livejournal.com]

My best suggestion is to change it up. Hard boiled eggs? Cottage cheese? Your body could be getting too comfortable. :(

[gonzostar.livejournal.com]

PS I've gained 2 lbs during this week somehow...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ack! I wouldn't wish it on somebody else! Sorry!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

That's really sad, that it could get comfortable on so little. That makes sense though...

[loup_noir]

I've spent most of my on one form of diet or another. Fluid retention, retaining a bowel movement, muscle mass and probably the phase of the moon will make the scale go up, usually by a pound or two.

The advice used to be to only weigh yourself once a week. The daily fluctuations just make you crazy. That said, I would weigh myself every single morning and that weight shift could make or break my day.

600 calories is so very small. This is probably to teach your brain as much as your belly. The portions we're supposed to consume are less than half of what we get as a "normal" meal. Teaching your brain to expect something this size not that size as a portion is a big part of managing the weight.

Best of luck!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I try for once a week, though I've started doing an unofficial check mid-week. Checking less often makes me somewhat less crazy...

This is probably to teach your brain as much as your belly.

It's only been just over two months, and I can't believe the difference in what I now think is a meal. Thanksgiving Lunch at work, they gave us each a plate. It was probably six times the amount I could eat, and yet everyone else finished everything on it. (Last year I finished it and wanted another plate.)

I suspect you're right. Fluid retention should be on my suspect list, too. (Salt is the only food-pleasure I have left.)

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Your body needs to find the a new normal. So, I'm sure there are going to be plateaus as things adjust.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think you're right. I just have to get through them...

[resonant.livejournal.com]

The only way that you could possibly be gaining weight while eating that is if you replaced your shampoo with cement, and are slowly building up a thick layer of concrete on your skin each time you shower.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

HA! A very workable theory, yes. :D

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

The worst thing about all this is that your anxiety / guilt / anger levels haven't been able to level off at all. I'm so sorry. This is more difficult than anybody who hasn't gone through what you are can know.

Love, C.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

You're right. I think I'm a lot more angry/stressed/etc than I have ever been before. Combine that with the loss of enjoyment in eating, and this is just a really depressing time.

[spike7451.livejournal.com]

How terribly frustrating it must be for you. I must admit I would also be unable to understand how you could possibly gain weight on 600 calories a day.

*hugs*

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

It must be magic or something. I can't explain it...

*hugs back!*