Sick of the gains!

[MindiV]

Hit a new high today: 145. Started at 138 the end of last year. Have not changed a THING about how I eat. Working out more. Still creeping up.

Since my last thread I've been watching my sodium and keeping it down, so that's not a problem anymore.

I've been taking breaks on weekends and relaxing instead of being on the move all the time. No help.

The ONLY thing I've realized since the last thread is that for the past few months I've had an increasing problem with gas. Really, really BAD gas. Like constant BAD gas. Normally I have no issue...but seriously? It's becoming a problem and I can't hold it in. It's even when I don't eat "gassy" foods. It's constant. The only thing I generally eat every day is Fiber One cereal, and I really, really don't want to cut that out of my diet because I love it.

Oh, and I failed to mention before that I've been on prenatal vitamins since January, as well, because the husband and I are going to try to conceive this year and the doctor put me on them. But the vitamins themselves shouldn't cause weight gain.

Wonder if the gas is causing the creep? All I know is that the calories are about to get cut again. Just tired of it.

[Lori Bell]

My family always groans when I pull out my box of Fibre One. Fiber One = Fibre Farts for me!

This will be controversial and I hate to even say it...but is there any way possible the extra weight is truly muscle weight? If you have been working out hard for a year, it seems pretty possible that you actually are building real honest to goodness muscle.

How do your jeans fit?

[MindiV]

It's weird that you bring up jeans, Lori Bell. After Christmas I went to buy new jeans. I was wearing an Old Navy size 2, and can still wear them without a problem. When I went to buy a pair of jeans in the same style and at the same place, I couldn't get a 2 buttoned at all. So either the old pants have stretched and I've gained weight or inches, or the style of pants changed on me.

But I'm not noticing, in general, any of my normal pants fitting too tight or anything like that.

As for the Fiber One...it's something I've eaten literally for more than a year and never had a real problem once I got used to the fiber. But I know our bodies are constantly changing, so maybe the fiber that was never a problem IS a problem now...

[silverbirch]

Mindi - you're not already pregnant, are you?

[MindiV]

Not yet, as far as I know. To account for the gains, I'd have to be about 4 months pregnant by now, and I had a normal cycle at the beginning of this month. I need to test NOW, though....guess it's possible. Though I don't think so...

I didn't think I'd gain weight so soon, if I was. But maybe...

[MindiV]

I got out of the house, got a little sun and cleared my head. Came up with a few things.

1) The gas is a problem that HAS to be solved.

2) There's not a CHANCE that I had a literal GAIN from 140 and 141 earlier this week to 145 on Saturday, with my workout schedule and eating on plan like I did all week. Not a CHANCE. So it's something else other than calories.

3) Looking through Sparkpeople, I did have a sodium spike four days ago, then again the next day. So if it takes a couple of days, that could actually account for the jump to 144 yesterday, and 145 today.

So now I'm going to take a breath and relax. I'm going to start closely, closely watching what I eat even more -- back to a "count every bite" mentality that I broke away from, which may have hurt me as well. I'm going to keep the calories where they are and try to take care of the gas situation and get a firm handle on the sodium.

Sorry I keep buggin' y'all with this only to come up with the same conclusion. It just freaks me out to see a scale jump!!!

[joyfulloser]

Try some digestive enzymes...works for me!

[Megan1982]

I was in Napa the other day to get fuel treatment for my car. My BF has advised me to ask the guy who works there and make sure I was getting the right kind. I started my sentence loudly with "I got some bad gas" and was cut off by another customer making a joke about it. Thankfully shy Megan was nowhere to be found, and I laughed with them about it.

Ok, anyway, I was also going to suggest something like Beano for the gas. I don't have personal experience but my former roommate used it often. Also I wonder if any food you eat often could have changed its ingredient list w/o you realizing, and be affecting you differently. It's so hard to figure out things like that, but you never know.

As I've heard it and experienced it, Old Navy clothing is rather inconsistent in sizing. When pieces of clothing are cut, a machine cuts them. The cloth on top of the pile gets stretched as the cutting machine pushes down. Less expensive clothing stores like old navy may have bigger piles of fabric, hence more stretching, more discrepancy in size even though that whole pile of cloth should be made into the same size. Does that make sense? I think I actually read that explanation on 3fc. Additionally sizing is inconsistent anyway. So I wouldn't freak out about that second pair of size 2's not fitting, rather, how does that first pair (that you know how it should fit you) fit? And/or do you measure your waist size? I think that would be a more consistent measure.

Keep us posted on how things are going and if you figure anything out about the gas! And don't go talk about it in Napa.

[Mudpie]

I had the same experience with Old Navy jeans. I bought 2 pairs 2 years ago and they fit perfectly. Now that same cut, same size, no longer fits at all. I'm still the same weight and measurements.

I think Beano is only for legume products - we use it faithfully on black bean burrito night. What is Fibre One made of?

Dagmar

[ncuneo]

Hmmm...how long has the gas been going on...maybe you are pregnant if it's time to test.

Otherwise it certainly could be muscle. I was also 138 at the end of last year and then 143ish by mid April. that was *some* muscle gain. Now I'm 148, and that's food gain and I know it. Funny thing though is my pants aren't that much tighter, but I also had some clothing issues when trying stuff on that *should* have fit me.

Honestly, just hang in there. Our bodies do weird things and sometimes we just have to be patient and forgiving. I'd wait it out a little longer and if things keep creeping it might be time to start cutting your cals back...I dunno, it's such a crap shoot sometimes.

[MindiV]

I'm going back and forth....may just give it a couple of days and see. It could be that I may be actually about to start my TOM....or could be pregnant. I'm at that point of the month where it could go either way. We will see....

[fruitlady]

If you have alot of gas, you could be bloated. Bloating can make clothes fit tighter. I had the same problem, I ate 1 serving of Fiber One Cereal every morning. I cut down to a 1/2 serving of Fiber One mixed with 1/2 serving of Bran Flakes. I didn't change anything else i was eating. The gas is gone! I also have been eating Fiber One for years, never bothered me before. I keep track of how many grams of fiber I eat, if I go over 40g , my stomach really bothers me.

[MindiV]

I've been taking in quite a bit of fiber for a while, so I thought I was used to it. I'll cut back on the Fiber One over the next week and see what happens....I'll start mixing it with another, non-fiber cereal or extra fruit or something.

[Shannon in ATL]

I've had similar issues with bad gas, bloating and constipation for the last few months and have also wondered if it is adding to my crazy weight gain, too. I know some is food related, but not all of i t- like you, I haven't changed how I eat or exercise in the last year. I did gain from 124 to 129 and dropped a pants size at the same time, so that was muscle like you have seen. I've been taking a probiotic for about a month now and have upped my yogurt - the gassy, bloated feel is a lot better. The constipation still a struggle.

And I can eat just a little extra sodium one day and hang on to five pounds for a week, too.

And had to cut out Fiber One products completely. Can't even eat a little bit of one or I blow up like a pufferfish.

Hope you figure it out soon and get the weight back under control - I know it is making you crazy. Or that you are pregnant. That would be cool, too.

[MindiV]

Probiotics and yogurt. I'll definitely up the yogurt intake. I've been eating a lot, but I use it to make a breakfast "parfait" using Fiber One and a banana. Yogurt by itself just makes me more hungry, and I like the crunch the Fiber One adds. Maybe less Fiber One and more fruit.