struggling some, advice needed

Hello everyone, 36M and new to IF I lost 70obs with Noom (calorie counting) but due to a severe back injury and I think medication, I put it all back on. My ability to workout has diminished a lot while I wait for surgery, however I decided to try IF as it's working for my sister. I am doing 16:8 and try to eat around 2000-2500 cal per day, while I do mild bike cardio and sauna 3-5 times per week and burn on average 600cal / session. My question this. Last week I lost 14lbs, this week I've put 4 back on and seem to be climbing around 1lbs per day. I don't think I'm doing much different and I'm wonder if the Gabapentin I'm taking may be causing this. Any insight, or tips/tricks would be appreciated.

Answer

As far as I know, weight gain is a possible side effect of gabapentin, but it’s rare. I also feel like if it was the gabapentin, you probably wouldn’t have lost in the first place. 14lb is a lot to lose in a week. It could be that your body shed a ton of water weight or “waste” and it’s slowly building back up. I would say that if you end up back at starting weight and continue to gain, then talk to your doctor.

As for tips, are you wanting tips for losing weight while fasting, or how to make fasting easier?

Answer

Not really familiar with Gabapentin. However most medicines do have a plethora of side effects. It could be you’re doing something wrong without realizing it. Are you breaking your fast with carbs? Are you getting enough vitamins (B12, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Salt)? Are you breaking your fast early? Any noticeable eating behavior changes? Dietary changes? Amount of food during the fasting window can impact it aswell.

There’s so much you could be doing, I recommend researching the side effects of the meds, aswell as well as maybe start breaking your fast with protein instead.

Remember the weight fluctuation could be from retaining water, stress leading up to a surgery could increase cortisol and make you hold more water. Salt intake aswell.

Answer

From Jason Fung videos:

Exercise is great for overall health, but it’s overrated as a weight loss tool.
Make sure you’re eating at a calorie deficit. If your body naturally burns 2000 calories and you’re eating 2500 calories, you’ll still gain weight even with fasting.
Eat healthfully when you do eat. A lot of people pair IF with a high fat, low carb diet to keep insulin levels down.

If you lost 70 pounds with Noom, you can totally do this. I’d start by watching his videos on YouTube. Good luck!