I started eating meat again after not eating it much. Now I'm gaining weight. Has that happened to you?

[sejla]

Ever since I decided to add more meat to my diet I've started gaining weight. I'm eating mostly healthy versions of meat. I felt brain sluggish and low on energy so I thought it might help plus my immune system was low while I was living in a moldy apartment. It did help some but now I'm gaining weight kind of fast for me. I've gained almost 8 pounds since I started eating meat about 2 months ago.

I started adding the meat in because I was really craving it. I had taken it out for digestive reasons. According to the whole Keto thing which I really don't want to follow I should be losing weight but the opposite is happening.

I went off all meat today and will probably just eat seafood and eggs until I can see what is going on. I think I"ll have to be resigned to being a vegetarian or a pescatarian. It's easier on my body.

Updates

+1 y

I'm thinking eating lighter meats like seafood, eggs and drinking bone broth might be the way to go.

Updates

+1 y

I think my very high cholesterol is part of the picture. I don't treat it with statins because my mom and her brother both has issues with statins affecting their muscles. My heart is healthy, strong and almost normal arteries from all the scan and heart tests I've had at a cardiologist office.

[spuitkaas]

Meat is a very calorie dense type of substance. Imagine instead of digesting the veggies the cow eat, already been digested by the cow and eating all the essential macronutritients that were left.
Therefore it's very useful as a supplement, but calorie dense as well.
I'm not sure how much meat you eat, but 2/3x per week should be more than enough to get all the macronutritients you need and also don't eat too much. A little bit of ground beef in your pasta bolognese is already enough. Try to eat enough fibers with your meat, because your body is used to a high amount of fibers. Meat does not have fibers at all so therefore you need a little bit more help to digest your meat. Fibers can be found in veggies, fruits and whole grains.
I think a keto diet for you at this moment is not a good idea, because your body is used to that high amount of fibers and keto tends to be quite low in fibers (depending on how you keto). Also, I don't really want to say it, but you're nearing the 60 years old and therefore your digestive system can be less active and some extra fibers are needed to prevent constipation.

[sejla]

I'm eating a huge amount of fiber. My digestive system has been a mess since my gall bladder removal back in 2012 and my hormone drop. Honestly I think I have thyroid issues because I have growing nodules but my blood levels are still normal. I tend to do better on a high vegetable, fruit, whole grain diet and lower protein diet.

[coka10]

I don't know if the meat is what is causing you to feel ill — it's possible — but is is not what's causing you to gain weight. The only thing that would affect fat gain is a constant caloric surplus. I would suggest trying to count calories and determine exactly how much you need to cut to be losing weight.

[sejla]

I'm not sure either. I think something is going on.

[meesegoMoo]

Meat (in basically all forms) is more calorie and protein dense than any other source. If you were vegetarian before, you probably learned about the amount of legumes/nuts required to equal a given portion of meat. With beef especially you have to remember a little will do you.

Also, the body handles an excess of protein much the same same way a caloric excess is handled. Now that you have more iron and protein readily available, you may find it easier to build muscle.

You didn't say, are you gaining muscle, fat? You can somewhat control muscle gain.
Try squats. Men on this site will tell you, they don't mind a women with a booty (men off this site might tell you as well). Squats mostly add muscle to the legs and buttock.

[meesegoMoo]

Saw what you said about bone broth. If you live where guns can be fired, squirrel broth is the best part of the animal. I thought it would be gross too, but they eat nuts all day and are delicious.

[sejla]

I do think it is giving me muscle strength but fat in the mid section. I talked my friend into making bone broth but I dropped it. She's trying to talk me into making it again. It might be a good option. A friend of mine who can't meat easily after her gall bladder removal too eats a vegetarian diet but has recently added bone broth.

[meesegoMoo]

Rice made with homemade chicken broth is the only proper way to do it. Just remember it's better to use a whole chicken to make the broth, rather than drumsticks/feet. If your using red meat like deer or beef, chuck works good for beef. Whatever your using has got to be done slow.

[Anonymous]

Your low carb intake has increased your stress hormones, along with decreasing thyroid activity and metabolism with it. Now that you've started upping your calorie intake, you've gained weight because your metabolism is still lower after removing carbs from your diet.

Eating seafood and eggs sounds great because it contains plenty of vitamins and iodine to support your thyroid and restore metabolism. You should add some carbs back though, preferably sugars because your thyroid also depends on sugars.

Do this and you should no longer feel sluggish within several days. You should begin to drop weight too once you get your thyroid working again.

[sejla]

I didn't realize the thyroid relies on sugar. I don't think I reduced my carb intake because I really need fruits and vegetables to feel good. I'm trying to eat sea shrimp versus farm raised so I have more iodine but sea raised shrimp has it's own issues.

[Opinion Owner]

Yeah, your thyroid thrives on carbs, especially the abundant simple carbs found in fruits and vegetables to a lesser extent. That's why you feel so good when you eat fruits and vegetables, because you get carbs from them and it enables your liver to produce more thyroid hormones. This keeps your metabolism, pulse, and temperature, as well as your energy levels high. As long as you are getting plenty of sugar but not eating too many calories or unhealthy fats, you should effortlessly lose weight and feel good at the same time.

If you're more interested in finding out about how your diet affects your metabolism, thyroid, and overall wellbeing, definitely search up Ray Peat. He's written a lot of interesting stuff about how the food industry is taking shortcuts to cheapen food production and how it's negatively affecting our health.

[DoggyLover]

a lot is happening but simply your calories went up due to the meat and portions. Your body got used to being starved now its getting more so it stores what it does not burn. Increase work out or lower how much you eat. Simply dieting is starving yourself and when you stop your body stores what it is not used to.

As for meat it is hard on your body and after you lose the ability to digest it then it takes a while to gain it back.

Also your feeling bad is a very bad sign get a real nutritionist not a dietition. Your objective is nutrition not to diet.

[sejla]

I don't diet. I try to eat a good amount of healthy food. I am wondering If I need to check in with a nutritionist. Maybe there is something I'm missing.

[Anonymous]

Your comment about keto and losing weight tells me you do not understand what keto is. To lose weight from keto you actually have to be in the metabolic state of ketosis, and just eating more meat does NOT put you in ketosis.

Ketosis is a very fragile metabolic state. It's difficult to achieve and maintain without a very specific, focused diet, and that has little to do with meat. You have to get about 70% of your calories from fat. And if you eat too much protein you body will convert it to carbs and knock you right out of ketosis. And it you're not actually in ketosis, the additional fat from the meat you're eating is just going to be stored by your body as fat, and I suspect that is why you are gaining weight.

If you're interested in ketosis, which is a very effective weight loss diet, I would suggest reading up on it rather than just eating more meat.

[sejla]

I'm not following a ketp diet. I just mentioned it because Keto tends to be more protein higher fat diet with vegetables. I usually can't eat a high animal protein high fat diet without feeling sick unless it is like avocado type fats. I'm not really interested in weight loss just not going up in weight. I'm at around 125 pounds when I was around 118 when I was mostly on a plant based diet. I'd like to be around 115 so my body can move comfortably and it helps with my joint pain.

[ArdianValleth]

You just miss count your calories intake, but yes meat easier to convert to fat than vegetable.

As long as your calories intake are just enough it should be no problem.

But if your calories intake enough but getting fat, it mean hormone problem, most likely your insulin. Try fasting with 16/8 schedule.

[sejla]

I think I'm always one step away from diabetes. I watch my sugar intake. I went off a bit with a piece of pie, a store bought birthday cupcake, and two servings of ice cream over the holidays which I never eat. I had gestational diabetes so I have a 50/50 chance of it coming back.

[fdietzman]

Yes!! I used to be anorexic because I never ate meat. Then I ate it more.. Went from 90 pounds to now 190 in 4 years because I started eating meat. I do look healthier now, but I was 150 before I got pregnant and had my twins 😂😂

[sejla]

I was super thin naturally when I was young and tried to be completely vegetarian and it didn't work. I went back on meat. I think I can handle fish and such. I feel like my skin is looking better with the additional protein.

[fdietzman]

I was thin naturally as well. Never was overweight or considered overweight until I ate meat. At least I'm healthy now 😂

[wankiam]

i think maybe you could have done with a health check from a medical professional to see what, if anything, was missing from your diet because i doubt meat was the issue.

[sejla]

Got multiple health issues going on. Trying to find out a reason is like whack a mole.

[wankiam]

well i doubt its about meat... in many ways going back to eating meat after a long period of not doing so can make you feel like shit so i have heard from some of my hippie friends who gave up

[wetsock]

You gaining muscle , you need to eat meat and balance it with a little bit of exercice you might gain weight but not in form just in mass , it must be good

[sejla]

I don't think it is all muscle. I'm gaining in the midsection. I do agree I do see some positive things too.

[Anonymous]

Carbs sugar dairy fruits puts body fat and weight on proteins like meat and vegetables reduces weight. You're eating a surplus in calories and not burning enough off OR you got a ton of shit and rotting meat sitting in your guts/intestines/stomach that's putting the weight on and causing your intestines to smell. Add fiber to your diet to help you shit more to get the meat out of your stomach. Lots of fiber

[sejla]

I don't think I'm digesting the meat properly. Have had that problem since I had my gall bladder out. I do think on some days I might be eating a surplus of calories but compared to most Americans my diet is pristine.

[Opinion Owner]

Talk to your gi doctor

[Dennis_Rodrigue]

Red meat is heavy to digest it requires time to digest. If you consume meat then try to avoid other eating other food at least 8-10 hours and do some physical activity during that period.

[sejla]

It's the digesting that's part of the problem. It takes me a couple days to digest red meat.

[I-C3_ME]

Yes, meat is filled with protein. Protein is one of the building blocks of your body ( likd bricks in a house) so it's builds fat but also is key to building muscle. In short what u are expiring is completely normal

[arabgoddess]

If you have blood type A then you should be on a vegetarian diet.

[sejla]

B negative. I have a friend who is a fitness person. She like me lost her gall bladder and she can't eat meat either any more. She mentioned that book. Maybe I need to borrow it.

[Testaccount65754]

What kind of meat are you eating? Eat things like grilled chicken, salmon, eggs, etc. Make you get all the nutrition you need too, eat a diverse diet with meat, vegetables, fruit, carbs, etc. Take supplements for anything you're missing out on.

[sejla]

That's basically what I'm eating. When I upped to beef it was too much for me.

[Anonymous]

Don’t eat a lot of it. Your body is adjusted to “no meat” so it’s kind of freaking out. Smaller portions!!

[sejla]

Yes smaller is the key I think.

[Liz_thorne]

If you don't want to gain weight, count your calories.

[sejla]

I'm honestly not eating that much. I did eat a store bought cupcake and ice cream twice around the holidays which isn't my norm. I don't usually eat refined sugars but it was the holidays and a birthday party. .

[Liz_thorne]

My mom said the exact same thing and when she started counting calories like I suggested she did have to accept that, although she was convinced otherwise, she did eat at a caloric surplus

[itsmeamy]

Yeah ur body has to get used to diejesting meet again

[thederekmichael]

I didn't eat meat for 3 years and i lost a lot of weight. I got sick due to it and now am back on it again due to the doctor recommending it. Now i have started to gain weight

[Jinda]

How much do you eat in a dat

[Jinda]

Day*

[thederekmichael]

Upto a kilo of chicken, red meat and seafood

[sejla]

When I was young and skinny I tried going off meat and I had to go back on because I had no energy plus I already had a hard time keeping my weight on. Super high metabolism I think. Now slow metabolism.

[thederekmichael]

Metabolism changes with time for some. But i have had low metabolism since childhood

[Prof_Don]

The gain is probably muscle mass (presuming your calorie intake and exercise is airtight)

[sejla]

I think I am gaining muscle but definitely fat too. My stomach area when from relatively lean for my age to round.

[myanders]

I believe u are just going a phase lm sure you look just fine it's not like you have gained a lot of weight

[sejla]

I've had more people say I look younger. I do think I've been somewhat protein deficient.

[ChefPapiChulo]

Weight is probably water weight. Meat can have lots of moisture, paired with salt and you’ll gain some weight. It’s more important to judge off a mirror. Especially if you're lifting weights.

[BoxySama]

Be careful you are not even any of those artificial hormones, you are not used to them till the effects might be drastic

[BoxySama]

Your body is not familiar with those trash chemicals put into that meat

[sejla]

I'm mostly eating organic or grass fed meat. I'm avoiding corn fed beef except for some beef I ate at a friend's house on Christmas eve.

[BoxySama]

Kk
At least you have that front covered

[Ianto]

I can't relay my experience yet, but I'm trying "veganuary", so will see what happens when I stop.

[sejla]

A month is probably a good indicator if it is going to work.