I have been low-carbing for 5 years. It was the most important and beneficial gift I've ever given myself. I lost 35 pounds 5 years ago and successfully kept it off. My Acid reflus went away. However, this past year I gained about 15 pounds. Actually it happened in about 3 weeks. One day I weighed 158 and the next week I weighed 168. Then it jumped to about 175. The other thing is I'm really retaining water.

And I know why. My husband I moved to Arizona 2 years ago and I started cheating. I guess it finally caught up with me. We still do not eat hardly any carbs at home...no bread, pasta, potatoes, sugar. All I drink is water. A typical day is eggs and meat for breakfast, Atkins shake or tuna salad for lunch and grilled meat, salad and a vegetable for dinner. However, we also ate out alot and instead of Outback, it was Mexican. The chips are killing me!

So I've made a committment to get back in the saddle! But I think my body has changed and I'm really discouraged. It's not working like it did the first time. Before this weight gain, the pounds just melted off. Now it's now coming off at all. Nor do my clothes fit any different. I've even purchased a treadmill and am walking every other day. The most worrisome is how much water I'm retaining. This wol is a natural diuratic...now I wake up with puffy eyes and swollen hands and feet. It was also that way before I lost the 35 pounds.

I keep telling myself to not give up and accept this weight. I've been "serious" again for about 2 weeks. I keep a food diary and have been staying at about 30-35 carbs per day. Interestingly enough when I lost weight the first time, I probably ate 50-60 carbs perday. I started with Protein Power and didn't go as strict as Atkins.

I really need some encouragement.

Thanks for letting me vent.
Regards,
Nancy

Being a first time carber, I am very encouraged by your long time weight loss. I already know that I will never again be able to go back to my old way of eating, without putting it all back on.

I was just wondering it you have gone to see a doctor about the water retention? To put on that much weight in three weeks make me think there is something else going on. (Not that it can't be done, I'm sure I could do it.)

But you really should go to a doctor to see if there is a "reason" behind the water retention.


Just a thought.

I agree with Mary. A 15 pound gain in 3 weeks can't be explained by occasionally eating chips at a mexican restaurant. To gain 15 pounds of fat, you'd have to eat 52,500 more calories than your body could burn. Given your other symptoms, (puffy eyes, swollen hands and feet), I'd say there is definitely a lot of water retention going on and you may need a trip to the doctor to find the cause, especially given the suddenness of your gain.

I agree that there might be something else going on....unless all you did for three weeks was eat 24/7, it is really hard to believe that it is only a food problem. There are many things that can cause a huge water gain...ie...CHF, kidneys, salt problems etc...I strongly recommend getting to a doctor. I had a huge weight gain in short period, and was huge with water...it turned out that I was having a high blood pressure problem...ended up on diuretics twice a day for 5 days, and then medication to get the pressure down. Am now on a regime that includes a diuretic everyday to keep the water off plus the antihypertensives.
So...hope you go to Doc. soon...and good luck....
Dar

Yes, see the doctor, if you haven't already.

8 years ago, I lost a bit of weight doing low-carb. I slacked off, staying relativley low carb, but not super strictly. I didn't gain any real weight back, but always wanted to lose a few more. I'm finding it much harder this time around! I think that it takes the two weeks of induction just to commit to it, so even though I only lost 1 lb. in the past two weeks, I have a feeling that the rewards of my diligence will come better late than never. Don't give up!