Vitamins + Weight Gain

Good morning.

I don't like supplements much, but I'll skip why I'm taking a vitamin now. (I prefer more variety veggies over the pills, but no, I'm not a vegetarian.) That said, it seems like I gain weight whenever I take vitamins. I realize that this might also be caused by whatever other factors are going on, even those related to why I'm taking a vitamin.

Those factors aside or dealt with, has anyone else noticed this? Is the cause usually the surrounding factors?

We really can blame whatever we want on weight gain. For a while there, I was also blaming my vitamins, and then I even gave up my allergy medication because I thought I was stagnating on my weight loss attempts.

However, a month later, after eating what I thought was normal, working out about an hour a day, and being completely miserable with my allergies, my mom said I was "fat". We were on vacation in Arizona.

That really stung--and it doesn't make any sense because my mom isn't the skinniest lady around either, but she said she doesn't want me to end up on her route of 'yo-yo' dieting.

In the grand scheme of things, I'm not fat at all, but probably at the upperend of my weight range. So after I got back from Arizona, I really started eating the fruit, veggies, and meat, cut out some carbs (not all), and I work out at both of my gyms 2 hours a day 4 days a week.

I'll do an hour of Muay Thai or boxing 2x a week and then I'll drive down to the UVA gym to run, do some elliptical, weights, or swim. I also walk on lunch break. Physical activity is key. It's the simple math, since 3500 calories = a pound. Just cuz back 500 calories a day and you'll lose 1 pound a week. Or, if you like to eat a ton, just make sure you work it off.

Losing weight is not easy, but neither is gaining it. I don't know anyone who puts on 30 pounds overnight. It takes time to get bigger, and it takes time to get smaller.

This summer, I went from 162, and I weighed myself last night and I was 147. I'm also about 5'6". I can see the muscles building up and I fit into some size 8 shorts again

I'm being completely honest here--most women will fudge their weight numbers to make themselves feel better, but the scale doesn't lie, and we shouldn't lie to ourselves either.

Unless the vitamins are making you retain water, I doubt they're causing weight gain. No calories in vitamins (that I know of) so they wouldn't increase your bodyfat. It's probably just the donuts.

Originally Posted by County Mike

Unless the vitamins are making you retain water, I doubt they're causing weight gain. No calories in vitamins (that I know of) so they wouldn't increase your bodyfat. It's probably just the donuts.

Wait, there are doughnaughts? I'm always the last to know.

Thanks Mike. That may be it. I've looked at the other factors (am I eating crappy, sleeping enough, exercise, etc?). In a way, it makes sense. I'm not overly concerned with holding some extra water. This is Arizona and it's hard enough to stay hydrated. That's something I didn't think of is that I've increased my electrolytes too. (duh)

Thanks Mike Hick, too. It's all in the basics.