Gaining Weight After Trying So Hard

[tman666]

The first part is correct, 3 pounds can easily be water weight due to various reasons and a sudden increase in carbs will also cause it. The bolded part is stupid advice, current research has shown that meal timing is irrelevant. Eat as many meals as you prefer, your body composition will not be affected by the number of meals but by the total number of calories and macro breakdowns.

 

 

 

More stupid advice. There is no need for calorie cycling, keep the calories the same on both workout and nonworkout days, the body needs them to repair itself.

 

OP, if your goal is fat loss, I gave you advice in the other thread. Stick to it, fat loss is not linear..you might not drop a pound in a week, and then drop 2 in the next one.

 

I find it amusing that you have been doing this for 3 months and are ready to call it quits. I hope you realize it takes YEARS to get a body you would be happy with! 3 months..lol

 

Btw, my stats are 5`3, 126 pounds with a decent amount of muscle. I deadlift 250lbs and squat 205lbs, DB press 30lbs, BB curl 65lbs just to give you an idea. I have been at it for 2 years and still have a long way to go. Better get your head in the game if you want some results. The world is full of quitters and whiners. Just saying.

 

/thread. This is all that needs to be said.

 

Verhrzn, if you're ready to throw in the towel this soon, then I might suggest you pick up a new hobby.

[tman666]

You're a woman right?

 

That's some pretty impressive numbers, most girls look like that can't even squat half their weight.

 

Most people (men and women) don't actually bust their asses in the weight room either.

[aj22one]

I'm in my early 50's and haven't ever gained or lost more than 5 lbs in 30 years.

 

More or less the same routine...3 times a week at the gym and I run 5 days a week. My girlfriend also has about the same workout.

 

I'm 5'8" 148lbs...she's 5'3" and just under 120lbs.

 

No 'mixing' anthing up. Calories in and calories out. No strenuous workouts or no overly long runs. Just enough to keep the heart strong and the muscles toned.

 

Someone wanting to give up after 3 months approaches keeping healthy as 'a chore'. In contrast, I don't find it much effort at all. I enjoy going to the gym, enjoy thinking while running. I enjoy the taste and variety of healthy food.

 

It's been said as thousand times..it's about lifestyle.

 

I think some of it is genetic. I'm only 25, I spent most of my childhood obese. I'm 6'1" and my weight has fluctuated between 245 and 175 pounds. I'm about 230 right now and trying to get back into a healthy weight. But sometimes a box of cereal or sleeve of crackers calls to you even though you love the taste of apples and oranges and carrots. Or you get lazy and tired and don't feel like hitting the gym. So sometimes it feels like a chore even though you don't want it to be. It's very hard to describe. And I'm someone who actually likes sports and going on bike rides and hiking trips and such.

 

I've found that mixing up calorie counts and avoiding sodium works best for me which is why I advised the OP to do so. I also think it's harder for girls to lose weight than boys. I've lost 40 pounds once over a 3 month period so if I dieted for 3 months and had little results I'd be frustrated too.

[Kamille]

I think the potential reasons for the lack of weight loss have been explored, so I just want to say that I can understand vrhzn's frustrations as well. I too tend to be scale-focused when I'm trying to shape up. The scale has served the purpose of keeping me motivated to work out and eat right. Many other reasons have also served to do this: managing stress, getting rid of moppy feelings/obsessive thoughts, a cure against insomnia, to maintain my energy levels up, because it can feel great (usually when I work out extra hard and feel powerful). When it comes to health and fitness, my motto is: whatever reason keeps me going is worth it. So piece of advice number one: try to focus on the other benefits of your healthier lifestyle. I'm willing to bet the scale will soon tip in the right direction again.

 

I Or you get lazy and tired and don't feel like hitting the gym.

 

This is O/T and slightly counters the point I just made, but it made a huge difference in my life, so here goes:

 

The best advice I was ever given was this: Motivation follows action.

 

My career as an academic depends on writing. It's a fallacy to think you have to feel like writing in order to sit down and write. Even if you don't feel like writing, sit down, commit to 15 minutes, open your document and see what happens. If after 15 minutes of trying to write, you're going nowhere, walk away. You're having a bad day. More often than not, you will find yourself getting caught up in the activity. (This advice was in an excellent book by Wendy Belcher).

 

I find the same applies to working out. It's a fallacy to think you have to feel like working out in order to put some sneakers on and go out for a run. Motivation follows action: once you start running, there's a good chance you'll soon find yourself motivated to run for longer than 15 minutes. Same with gyms, once you find yourself in your work out gears surrounded by other people working out, you'll likely find yourself motivated to work out.

 

(Another useful bit of advice, this time found a yahoo advice column: remember, no one ever regrets working out after the fact.)

[Feelin Frisky]

Ugh, I freaking GIVE UP. I've spent the last 2-3 months being insanely diligent with my diet and my work outs (cardio and weight lifting.) I've getting much stronger (I up my reps every week, and up the weight by 5 pounds every month.) I was SLOWLY, painfully slowly, going down from 125 lbs to 119 last week. (I was at 24% body fat.)

 

And then this week, I shot right back up to 122 lbs. And I look in the mirror, and I look worse than ever before. It's like nothing at all happened.

 

Seriously, I've tried everything I can think of short of surgery and starvation. Has anyone ever just reached a point where they say "Screw it" and just get lipo, or become anorexic?

 

verhrzn, please, please, please get a hold of yourself and consider getting professional help. You're weight range is what most women would kill for. You are showing classic signs of anorexic thinking--that doesn't mean you have to be 80 lbs, it means that you are obsessed with irrational beliefs about yourself. Don't take this as an attack--it's a life line. I know what I'm talking about, have a sister who almost died from it, have it myself in some ways and have been bulimic in the past. You are not "fat" and your body is not your enemy. You need help learning to like yourself and how you cope. You can PM me if you like. I promise nothing but insight and encouragement.

[verhrzn]

Can you post a typical day's nutrition and your workouts?

 

Thanks.

 

I'm following the Primal Plan, which allows for dairy but is very strict on grains, processed foods, and sugar. Very limiting on carbs. Typical Day's Nutrition:

 

8 am: Hard Boiled Egg. 10 am: 10 almonds. Lunch: some type of meat (chicken breast, pulled pork, carved roast beef), a cup of various vegetables (sliced red peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes), half a cup of cottage cheese.

2-3pm: 10 almonds with 1/2 cup of blueberries, and 3/4 cup of whole milk.

Dinner: homemade chili (Paleo style) OR breaded homemade chicken breast (with nuts and herbs instead of flour for the breading) OR homemade chicken nuggets (chicken breast tenders with herbs.)

Bedtime snack: if it's an exercise day, I have an apple with almond butter. Or else I have some carrots/tomatoes with a little homemade cream cheese dipping sauce.

 

All told, it's about 1500-1600 calories with a lower percentage of carbs, and a nice mix of protein and fat.

 

Twice a week I have a "cheater" meal, which is something like a sandwich. When pressed, I do sometimes order a burger, but without the bun. (Wendy's 1/4 hamburger is actually surprisingly nutritious, so long as you wrap it in lettuce instead of bread.)

 

My workouts are 3 days a week at the gym. 15-20 minutes of interval cardio (so jogging for 2 minutes, 65% run speed for 30 seconds, jog 2 minutes, 75% run speed for 30 sec, etc.) Then I do 3 free weight lifting exercises, 1 for each muscle group. So Mondays are shoulder press, squats, and dumbbell row. Wednesday is bench press, dead lift, and lat pull down. Friday is push-ups, lunges, and pull-ups. I usually do 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets, depending on the weights.

 

Right now my max squat is 30 lbs at 12x4, bench press is 55lbs at 10x3, and deadlift is 55lbs at 12x4.

 

verhrzn, please, please, please get a hold of yourself and consider getting professional help. You're weight range is what most women would kill for. You are showing classic signs of anorexic thinking--that doesn't mean you have to be 80 lbs, it means that you are obsessed with irrational beliefs about yourself. Don't take this as an attack--it's a life line. I know what I'm talking about, have a sister who almost died from it, have it myself in some ways and have been bulimic in the past. You are not "fat" and your body is not your enemy. You need help learning to like yourself and how you cope. You can PM me if you like. I promise nothing but insight and encouragement.

 

I'm.... not quite sure where you get the impression I'm anorexic? I get told very often that I'm overweight and need to drop about 10-15 pounds. I don't think I'm really at a risk for those sorts of behaviors. I like food too much, and I can't make myself throw up. But thank you for the concern, I'm glad to hear your sister has recovered.

[Chocolat]

My workouts are 3 days a week at the gym. 15-20 minutes of interval cardio (so jogging for 2 minutes, 65% run speed for 30 seconds, jog 2 minutes, 75% run speed for 30 sec, etc.) Then I do 3 free weight lifting exercises, 1 for each muscle group. So Mondays are shoulder press, squats, and dumbbell row. Wednesday is bench press, dead lift, and lat pull down. Friday is push-ups, lunges, and pull-ups. I usually do 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets, depending on the weights.

 

Right now my max squat is 30 lbs at 12x4, bench press is 55lbs at 10x3, and deadlift is 55lbs at 12x4.

 

 

I recommend that you get yourself a copy of The New Rules of Lifting For Women and follow on eof the workouts there. What you are doing -- especially doing cardio before you lift weights -- is not helping your goals. If anything, it is a recipe for increasing fat while wasting muscle. You want to do the exact opposite. Not only is muscle smaller than fat (pound for pound), but it is more metabolically active, so the more you have, the more you can eat without gaining weight.

 

If you absolutely must stick with your current program, at least be sure to do your lifting first. Also, you should be working with weights that challenge you. The first time through, it should be difficult to get 8 reps. Once you get to the point where you can complete all 12 reps, increase the weight and start over. Waiting a month to increase 5 pounds is pointless.

 

Remember - this is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

[J322Y]

Honestly, looking back over my food logs, I'm wondering if it's all the carbs I'm eating. I've stayed well within my calorie range, but I've been having a lot of Subway sandwiches (no dressing.) I was losing the weight when I was sticking to about 50-100g of carbs a day, and now I'm averaging about 150-200g. (Stupid bread.) Whadaya think?

 

I recommend this program: primalblueprint.com/pages/What We Do

 

I've been experimenting with this program to increase my energy and I've noticed a big difference.

 

Mark's Daily Apple

[verhrzn]

I recommend that you get yourself a copy of The New Rules of Lifting For Women and follow on eof the workouts there. What you are doing -- especially doing cardio before you lift weights -- is not helping your goals. If anything, it is a recipe for increasing fat while wasting muscle. You want to do the exact opposite. Not only is muscle smaller than fat (pound for pound), but it is more metabolically active, so the more you have, the more you can eat without gaining weight.

 

If you absolutely must stick with your current program, at least be sure to do your lifting first. Also, you should be working with weights that challenge you. The first time through, it should be difficult to get 8 reps. Once you get to the point where you can complete all 12 reps, increase the weight and start over. Waiting a month to increase 5 pounds is pointless.

 

Remember - this is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

 

Yeah I go to failure each time. 12 reps is my ceiling... If I can do 12 reps of 4 sets on an exercise, the next week I increase the weight.

 

I'm interested to hear why you think cardio before weight lifting is bad.

[aj22one]

Yeah I go to failure each time. 12 reps is my ceiling... If I can do 12 reps of 4 sets on an exercise, the next week I increase the weight.

 

I'm interested to hear why you think cardio before weight lifting is bad.

 

I've heard the same thing: do cardio first thing in the morning before breakfast or do it after you lift.

[Chocolat]

Yeah I go to failure each time. 12 reps is my ceiling... If I can do 12 reps of 4 sets on an exercise, the next week I increase the weight.

 

I'm interested to hear why you think cardio before weight lifting is bad.

 

Because when you enter the gym with your muscles full of glycogen, you want to use it for lifting. Then, when you do cardio, the only thing you have left to burn is fat. If you do the cardio first, you blow out the glycogen there but, since lifting is anaerobic, you can't use fat to fuel it. As a result, your body breaks down the protein in your muscles to fuel your lifting, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do.

 

Your weights puzzle me. If you can bench press 55 pounds for 10 reps, then you should be able to squat a whole lot more than 30 pounds and deadlift far more than 55 pounds. I do not recommend going to failure on every lift every time, but you do want to be sure you are truly challenging yourself.

 

I really think the book I mentioned can help you. It provides excellent advice about nutrition, lifting (there are multiple workout programs presented -- all focused on compound movements and periodization), and cardio. If you can't afford it, see if your library has it.

[verhrzn]

Because when you enter the gym with your muscles full of glycogen, you want to use it for lifting. Then, when you do cardio, the only thing you have left to burn is fat. If you do the cardio first, you blow out the glycogen there but, since lifting is anaerobic, you can't use fat to fuel it. As a result, your body breaks down the protein in your muscles to fuel your lifting, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do.

 

Your weights puzzle me. If you can bench press 55 pounds for 10 reps, then you should be able to squat a whole lot more than 30 pounds and deadlift far more than 55 pounds. I do not recommend going to failure on every lift every time, but you do want to be sure you are truly challenging yourself.

 

I really think the book I mentioned can help you. It provides excellent advice about nutrition, lifting (there are multiple workout programs presented -- all focused on compound movements and periodization), and cardio. If you can't afford it, see if your library has it.

 

The deadlift is low because I'm still working on my form. I'm 60% sure I'm doing it wrong, but I can't figure out how, so until my next trainer session I'm trying to go light so I don't pull something. The squats I know I could do heavier legs wise, but my back is still a little too weak to take on a bigger amount.

[Lauriebell82]

I'm interested to hear why you think cardio before weight lifting is bad.

 

According to trainers, you are SUPPOSED to weight lift prior to cardio because it puts you in the "fat burning zone" and you will burn more calories. I personally was never a fan of doing that because lifting would make me too tired to get a good run in. I think those guidelines are there in general, you should do what you feel comfortable with and what works for you individually.

 

I have tried both ways and haven't seen a huge difference personally.

[aj22one]

Perhaps. One can gain a pound or so by now and again by eating a few crackers or a box of cereal...but not gain 40 pounds. That's not giving in to a craving but rather not having a healthy lifestyle.

 

If one has 'genetics' then it means that if the aveage male eats 2,400 calories a day to mainbtain weight, then you need to adjust accordingly eat 2,200. People who cite genetics as a reason for not being a healthy weight may not be leading a healthy lifestlye for their given genetics.

 

I mean committing to the lifestyle itself might be genetic. Giving into cravings and laziness might be more genetic than we realize. I'm far from a determinist so I'm not trying to get rid of all blame.

[poodle]

Make sure you eat the right amount of calories to lose weight for your height.

The 2000 calorie recommendation is for people with an average height. I'm very short and remain stable at about 1500 calories a day. Experiment around a bit with what your body needs to stay at a certain weight.

 

I also have a strong feeling that the number of calories listed on products is never accurate. Try sticking to unprocessed food so you know the exact number of calories you take in.

 

Good luck & don't give up! You will lose the weight eventually.

 

Edit: I'm no fitness guru, but I thought lifting weights was all about building muscle. Google fat burning exercises or ask someone at your gym for tips.

Edited February 27, 2012 by poodle

[Chocolat]

According to trainers, you are SUPPOSED to weight lift prior to cardio because it puts you in the "fat burning zone" and you will burn more calories. I personally was never a fan of doing that because lifting would make me too tired to get a good run in. I think those guidelines are there in general, you should do what you feel comfortable with and what works for you individually.

 

I have tried both ways and haven't seen a huge difference personally.

 

Goals vary from person to person; physiology does not.

 

If your goal is fat loss, weights should be done first. You also need to work with weights that challenge you and have your nutrition in line to support your goals.

 

If you are using weights and not seeing a difference in your body, something about your program needs to be tweaked.

[smokey bear]

Im not being funny but just stop putting so much in your mouth!

 

 

I used to diet and exercise and it never done anything or it came off the wrong places.

 

Recently i had a leg injury, i couldnt exercise, i couldnt walk actually for 4-5 months.

 

I had to take medication every 3-4 hours and eat with the meds each time.

 

I would eat toast with the meds every 3-4 hours and when it came to dinner time i was actually not hungry because of the small snacks low in calorie all day long, i skipped meals.

 

With the toast my cravings naturally changed and i didnt crve fatty or sugary foods anymore, i craved cereal or toast. Unhealthy food made me feel sick.

 

Over time it just developed itself introducing salad etc, remembering all the time i wasnt able to walk let alone exercise.

 

Over 8 months ive lost 2.5 stone, my diet is healthy and the important part is that it came off all the right places. When i lost the weight my muscles also reappeared, the muscles i thought that had gone or turned to fat where actually still there just hidden under my extra fat.

 

Think of it this way, we add these extra pounds onto places we dont want it by eating too much, reverse that, to lose it off the places it has appeared, eat less.

 

A lot of people may say its unhealthy but your body actually has to eat itself, eat the extra fat off by not providing yourself enough via food.

[Leigh 87]

122 lbs is perfectly healthy for 5 foot.

 

The reason u may not be losing, is because yout body does not NEED to lose - and therefore, is happy where is, and sees no reason to let go of weight that is purely for vanity.

 

 

I am in the same boat, as arre many people: 130 lbs, 5 '5Curby body type. I can lose weight, sure - but vanity weight is much harder to shift. It comes down largely to diet at THIS point.......

 

Reduce your carbs if u felt u lost weight easier before, on slightly lower carbs. Have some, though, so u have good energy to work out with. Also, so u do not crave carbs too much, which can lead to carb binges.

 

 

 

 

 

BASICALLY: your at a healthy weight for your height, and your body is NOT going to let go of ANY weight easily, because your body DOES NOT WANT to lose weight. it wants to maintain your current weight.

 

Like me, u will have to eat perfectly , with maybe once or two cheat meals a week: u will also have to work out 6 days w eeek. IT IS HARD to shift the last five - 10 pounds, when it is for VANITY - not health reasons.

[FitChick]

When I eat starchy, sugary or salty foods yet my calories haven't gone up by much (I track them) I know it's just water retention. One pound of fat = 3500 calories. So if you've been eating 3500 calories OVER your maintenance calories (that would be close to 5000) you'd gain one pound. Eating 500 calories a day extra everyday and you'd gain one pound in a week.

 

What you need to do is continue your lifestyle change and create habits in eating and exercising. I've reached the point where I feel bad if I don't exercise at least every other day. My body craves it. So I don't worry about exercise, I worry about overeating and my sugar addiction.

 

Jillian Michaels, who used to be a trainer on the Biggest Loser, once said that just because you blow your diet one day or don't exercise, don't totally give up. It would be like if you got a flat tire so you said, "The hell with it" and shot out the other three tires. I like her analogy.

[Krios]

Wear a heart rate monitor and keep your heart rate between 120 and 140 bpm, which is the aerobic range. Believe it or not, the best runners of the world tend to train within that bpm range. Staying within that bpm range will train your body maximally in terms of endurance and fat burning.

 

The aerobic range is not the bpm range where you nearly kill yourself due to exhaustion, it's the bpm range where your comfortably work out. Note that your body tends to feel glowing warm after an exercise in the aerobic range, because it is transporting/shedding a lot of heat away due to calorie burning.

 

Top endurance athletes have noticed that their performance was BETTER when they trained in the aerobic range, rather than above it. Some people give it all and push very hard, however that does not yield the maximum results (for endurance sports).

 

And notice that I said WEAR your own heart rate monitor, rather than using the one in the gym. Why? Because the portable ones are actually more accurate and they allow you to input all sorts of information about yourself, like weight and age, while the ones at the gym tend to be defaulted at a certain weight and age, which makes them less accurate.

 

I just finished a 2 hour run in the aerobic range, took a shower and I feel great.

 

I've also been on 6 hour runs in the aerobic range and I lost 6 to 7 pounds during those runs, though I didn't carry any water, which I don't recommend. However, that gives you an idea of how effective it is to keep your heart rate in the aerobic range.

[redhighheels]

You're a woman right?

 

That's some pretty impressive numbers, most girls look like that can't even squat half their weight.

 

Yes, I am a woman. Thanks for the compliment Most girls don`t even try to go heavy in their workouts..which is a shame. They`d surprise themselves if they did.

[Kamille]

Low-carb diets are coming under scrutiny lately. They're effective for rapid weight loss, namely because the depletion of glycocen that eating low-carb produces leads the body to let go of some water. Study have also shown that low-carb diets affect muscle mass. In the long-run, low-carb has been shown to reduce the basic metabolic-rate.

 

So, while I don't think a 3 pound gain is anything to worry about, here are something to consider: perhaps your body is simply adapting an retaining the percentage of water it needs to function at it's best. If you've been on a low-carb diet for a long time, it could also be that your metabolism is adjusting by slowing down. Of the two, I think the water gain is the most likely explanation.

[D-Lish]

You want to lose that pesky weight, cut out carbs and sugar- plain and simple. I cook with butter and eat a lot of veggies and red meat- but I gave up the carbs and the sugar. It's made a huge difference. I'll have a very small portion of carbs here and there, but no sandwiches. I don't miss bread. I won't go back to eating bread again besides special occasions.

 

The US govt recommends far too many carbs for a healthy daily intake.

 

I'm 5'7", and I take in between 1200- 1500 calories a day. I used to be able to eat more, but I am over 40 now, so everything I eat affects my body.

I was settled in at 125-128lbs, but with this new change of habit, I'm back down to 119lbs and I feel and look so much leaner. I don't formally work out- I just walk a hell of a lot.

 

I don't crave carbs or sugar anymore after not having them in my diet for 6 weeks.

 

I saw this Documentary called "Fathead" which changed how I view diet, and that's what put me on this new way of eating. It's made a major difference in how my body looks.

[J322Y]

You want to lose that pesky weight, cut out carbs and sugar- plain and simple. I cook with butter and eat a lot of veggies and red meat- but I gave up the carbs and the sugar. It's made a huge difference. I'll have a very small portion of carbs here and there, but no sandwiches. I don't miss bread. I won't go back to eating bread again besides special occasions.

 

The US govt recommends far too many carbs for a healthy daily intake.

 

I'm 5'7", and I take in between 1200- 1500 calories a day. I used to be able to eat more, but I am over 40 now, so everything I eat affects my body.

I was settled in at 125-128lbs, but with this new change of habit, I'm back down to 119lbs and I feel and look so much leaner. I don't formally work out- I just walk a hell of a lot.

 

I don't crave carbs or sugar anymore after not having them in my diet for 6 weeks.

 

I saw this Documentary called "Fathead" which changed how I view diet, and that's what put me on this new way of eating. It's made a major difference in how my body looks.

 

Same here. Search for "paleo diet"

 

My energy level has increased noticeably since I mostly stopped eating carbs. I eat tons of butter, rib eye steaks, bacon, eggs, lots of vegetables and fruit. I don't miss the carbs and when I do eat them on occasion I get bloated as a result.

[D-Lish]

Same here. Search for "paleo diet"

 

My energy level has increased noticeably since I mostly stopped eating carbs. I eat tons of butter, rib eye steaks, bacon, eggs, lots of vegetables and fruit. I don't miss the carbs and when I do eat them on occasion I get bloated as a result.

 

Me too, I'm eating like you- and losing weight and looking leaner.

I cook with butter and coconut oil.

 

I eat red meat, bacon and eggs- I drench my veggies in melted butter.

 

People think I am talking crazy when I speak of this new way of eating... But the results don't lie. I'm really lean, and I've lost weight since changing my eating habits.

 

I think sugar is such a major enemy.