To not understand how I've put weight on?!

[Snowcherriesfromfrance]

I'm trying to lose 7lbs at least for summer.
I'm 5"6 and started out at 9stone and 6lbs.

For ten days I've eaten only fruit and salad, no bread, biscuits, pasta or starchy carbs.
I've upped my exercise.

And I've put weight on! How?! I think I'm only having maximum 1200 calories a day which is definitely less than before and I've been walking everywhere rather than driving and going swimming.
Ad I'm 2lbs heavier than when I started! I may as well go back to eating what I want!
If I hadn't lost any yet I could probably live with it but to gain weight?

Period due?
Pregnant?

Only fruit and salad? Its not enough. Your body is probably panicking and clinging on to what you're eating. Fruit is great but also has plenty of sugar. You need to include some protein in your diet, and a small amount of healthy oils. [Not medically qualified in any way but have lost 108lb in the last year].

Fruit is very sugary, and your overall calorie intake is too low.

Result: Your are grabbing onto all that sugar, and converting it for long term storage as this sort of regime will trigger your body to prepare for a possible famine.

Sadly not pregnant, preparing for yet another cycle of Ivf.
I think the previous cycles are partly why I've put weight on. I started out under 9stone. I'm going to be gigantic by the end if I don't get it in hand now.

I'm veggie and allergic to quorn and soya so struggle with protein.
I've been eating plain yogurt too.

Breakfast has been some plain yogurt and strawberries.
Lunch has been more yoghurt and an apple.
Dinner has been some salad, some brown rice (low GI) and some more fruit.

I don't think you are increasing your chances of getting pregnant if you are putting your self into famine mode.

How often are you eating? I have to eat little (but often) to keep my metabolism ticking over. Have you tried upping the calorie intake (healthy snacks) a little but spreading it over 5/6 smaller meals. Some body types need to do it this way.

By the way - that weight for that height is no-where near overweight!

What about eggs, whole grains like quinoa, beans and lentils, tofu, nursand seeds,for protein?

Nuts are so fatty though.
Could maybe have eggs and seeds.

I will up my healthy fat intake whilst having Ivf and I'm expecting to put more weight on then, hence why I need to lose some now.
Since I have zero chance of a natural conception (husband has no normal shaped sperm and they don't swim) it doesn't make any difference at the moment.

I'm just worried at the moment that we are going to end up 20k poorer and I'm going to end up 20lbs heavier and we still won't have a baby to show for it!

Exercise will temporarily hide the benefits as building and strengthening muscle holds extra water as the muscles adapt. It is worth it though and will make you leaner.

Use a tape measure rather than scales. Increase the calories and the proteins and reduce the fruit. Also if it's a sudden increase of fibre, your body may not have got rid of it yet.

Your body has went into starvation mode because your calories are too low, you need carbohydrates for energy plus protein to. Your diet is way too restrictive. Don't understand how carbs get such a bad press.

Beans or chickpeas in your salads for protein and super low GI carbs. Or cheese, or eggs for protein. What you are eating doesn't sound very balanced. You need some fats each day to stay healthy. And if you cut down that low on calories you actually slow your metabolism down so kind of defeat the object really.

Op to be really really blunt you are hugely jeopardising your chances of conceiving right now. Healthy fats are your friend, they will boost your chances. I have seen story after story online of people upping their fat and getting pregnant.
Nuts are good for you, don't buy salted, coated ones, but plain ones are good for your health. Greek yogurt, lots of cheese. Cut the fruit back a bit and I promise you will lose weight rather than gain it.

Also even if you aren't going through ivf right now, what you eat now helps. If your body is getting the message 'there is no food around' you are creating an environment where the body will go 'best not get pregnant right now, no resources'. You need to show it, essentially, that there is lots of food around. By eating! I eat lots of fat everyday, and am losing weight.

I think this is probably a fairly stupid way of eating if you're shelling out thousands on IVF. Starving yourself will jeopardise your chances of falling pregnant.

Your weight sounds very normal for someone your height. Will losing those 7lbs really be worth it?

I am highly doubtful that the Ivf will be successful anyway.
Our chances even with Ivf are fairly low.

I know it sounds stupid but I just find it so depressing that basically I'm ruining my body with all these stupid hormones and every time I look at how big I've got it reminds me how we've failed.
Depressing.

Maybe it is just because I've started exercising then, perhaps it will even out. I will try and eat more protein and healthy fats.

I've put on 5lbs every go so far though Becca, I have lost some of it afterwards but not all. If I put another 5lbs on this time im going to be nearly 10stone.
I will look pregnant but sadly probably not be!

It doesn't sound as if you need to lose weight. I would just try to eat healthily at the moment if you want to get pregnant.

If you continue on the diet you will very probably lose weight but if not check that you haven't got a thyroid problem.

Use myfitnesspal to truly track your calories.

9.6 at 5' 6" is very slim.

This is raising a lot of flags for me. You are eating an extremely restrictive diet, you are obsessing about food and weight, you are depressed, you are imagining you are over weight, there are a lot of things going on in you life you can't control, you don't seem to be able to hear what other posters are telling you.

Are you using control over food to compensate for lack of control in other areas?

If you were my sister I would be very very concerned.

I hope your IVF is successful, but whether it is or it isn't, please take better care of yourself than this.

You seriously believe you are overweight and that is worrying because you are no way overweight at 5ft 6 and 9 stone.

Eating just fruit and yoghurt will not sustain your body and it will go into starvation mode and hang on to every calorie and pretty soon it'll start eating your muscles just to survive. If you think your diet is 1200 calories judging by what you've written you don't understand the calories very well.

Our bodies need a bit of everything in moderation. How you expect your body to fall pregnant & sustain a pregnancy when you are depriving it so badly I can't fathom. Your body will reject pregnancy as it's trying to survive on next to nothing.

Your starting to sound as if you are on the verge if an eating disorder now.

You are very slim. I'm also 5'6 and was 9'5 at my wedding and looked brilliant then .

We then went through the fertility mill and yes, with each round of IVF I put on a few pounds. I think it is inevitable with the drugs and lower activity levels. But it was worth it. Pregnancy is fairly likely to wreck your body anyway (at least temporarily) so you just need to get your head around that. I'm no oil painting but have always had a fairly nice figure, so I had to deal with that.

BTW, I read that the ideal BMI for fertility is 22, so when I was a similar size to you, I was actually trying to put on a few pounds to get to that.

And bear in mind that your body starts preparing your eggs before a cycle starts, so to give yourself the best chance, you need to be upping your protein and healthy fats now, not depriving your body of calories. Protein is particularly important. IVF is a helluva a big ask for your body so you need to nourish it, not deprive it in the run up.

Even at 10 stone you're not overweight.
I agree, it does sound like you're a bit obsessed with your (non existent) extra pounds. Be gentle with yourself, don't go down this self destructive route.
Check online bmi calculators, ask your friends, your parents. I bet they are worried too if you tell them what you wrote here.