Getting Discouraged
Replies
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MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
My husband is right at your height. At 145, he's cut. He has a full 6 pack always visible, no spare weight at all round his middle, obvious pecs, shoulders, nice shape, gets looks on the beach, etc. Benches over 160 every time he goes to the gym, which is 2x per week for about 45 minutes at a time. Well-developed legs and glutes, too.
He got really enthusiastic at lifting for a while. Over a year--and it took a year--he bulked to nearly 160. He looked, at that point, like a fitness model. His daily bench went over 180, and his max over 200. Again, not huge, but very good for his size.
I think 165 is a realistic upper extreme. And if you are already lifting and are cut at 145, a pound of weight a month is really as much as you'll probably be able to put on in muscle.
I have a decent shape at 140 with no abs tho (not that I personally care). I mainly would like more developed legs and to be in general stronger. I understand 165 would be the upper extreme, but I can't say I am unhealthy where I am currently.
I wouldn't call it "unhealthy" not to have abs.
It sounds like you have a good amount of room for recomp, so you might want to slow down the weight gain by a lot to give yourself time to put on some muscle. How much you can put on partly depends on genetics, partly by your frame size, partly by how much (and to a lesser extent WHAT) you're eating, and partly by how much you lift.
Since you have a lot of room, aim for a super-slow bulk of no more than a pound a month. That'll give you MORE than enough calories for recomp while letting you put on a little more muscle if you can. Someone who's 6'2" and in identical shape just has more mass on their frame to bulk, so your gains won't be as much in pounds, but they can be as much PROPORTIONALLY.
Oh, an my "skinny" 145lb-husband? He has a bodyweight exercise group at work that meets for short workouts a couple of times a day with other people in a field that has a lot of former military, and he has great fun wiping the floor with everyone else. One of the guys challenged him to do a one-handed pushup (because no one else in the group can do it), so he's currently working on that.0 -
acorsaut89 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »I have been bulking since June 8th when I thought I dropped 10 pounds randomly to 130. However, a couple days into the bulk I got back what I thought I lost to 138 (my usual weight that I maintained this whole past year). However, I want to build muscle and strength so took the plunge into a bulk (plus. I like to eat and thought I would be happier with a little more food). I am now getting really discouraged, I am weighing in at around 146 (8lbs above what I weighed to start basically) and I am afraid I am gaining way too fast. Everyone around me (my bros and friends) just recommend that I just eat frequently, as they have done this before and succeeded pretty well (all have gained quality muscle) . But I just feel like maybe I'm different and can't gain the same... My clothes fit the same although I am noticing pants getting tighter in the legs (not waist). I made a mistake and didn't start by taking progress photos or measuring or anything (as my two brothers never did that stuff). Anyway, should I loosen up and continue what I am doing? I am loving the new strength and my eating habits (which are about 6 times a day...3 meals and 3 snacks basically). But just don't want to end up obese as I used to be (200lbs and 5'8 all through my teens). So basically this is my background:
20years
Male
146lbs (now)
5'8
Moderately active (I have a pedometer that logs me close to 4 miles a day and frequently over 5 not including workouts and about 20 flights of stairs...I take stairs everywhere...also, I am up every morning during weekdays at 5:30 for school)
Workout in addition to that 5 days a week
Meals:
Breakfast:
pb sandwich and banana
OR
a little over a cup yogurt and banana with a drizzle of honey and about 1 moderate scoop of peanut butter (with a smaller sized spoon not a big one)
OR
bagel, 2 fried eggs (in a little oil and I mean a little), as much fruit salad as I want (as an example) probably close to 1.5 cups
Snack:
Cliff bar or chobani yogurt or protein shake with 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 scoop whey
Lunch:
Sandwich with cheese turkey mustard or chicken salad or leftovers from dinner
About 2 cups grapes
Snack:
Chobani yogurt
OR
1 cup cottage cheese and some fruit salad (like a cup)
OR
cliff bar
dinner:
About 9 oz (raw) protein (usually fish or chicken) occasionally a hamburger (8oz before cooking) or something but I try not to have too many sides with this
With leaner proteins: about half a plate of veggie (some times my mom puts some Olive oil on it) and about a half cup of starch like potato or rice (not a big starch guy at dinner)
Snack:
Protein shake prepared same as above, cottage cheese with fruit salad as above, or Chobani flip yogurt, on weekend I may have a serving of ice cream but I don't really indulge in sweets...
Am I overdoing it? I'm just really unsure and I'm not sure if this weight gain is a bit of water or mostly fat of mostly muscle. I just don't know and my family doesn't really let me weigh food so I don't count too closely (though in my head if I try to be honest I would put this intake close to 3000 cals sometimes a bit less sometimes a bit more...)
Is there a reason your family doesn't "let" you weigh food? Have you have some form of an ED previously? I would suggest that you portion your food. If you haven't had an ED, why does your family control what you do? I have a family who eats whatever they want, whenever they want and it shows. I don't follow what they do and they don't control what I do - if I want to eat 6 times a day that's what I do. If I want to spend two hours at the gym after work, I do it. This is your chance, and your life. If you wanna weigh food - do it up.
They don't mind my eating habits and my workout regimen. They think that I could eat more sweets and things that I don't exactly crave, but they have said they think my mindset is completely healthy. They also fully support my want to gain muscle but like I said my two brothers who are college athletes didn't need to weigh food to gain muscle. They just "eat a lot" to get muscle. So my family would find it weird and unhealthy for me to weigh my food. They have already gone through it being a weird habit. And I do honestly care about what my family says, as they are my family.
Ok yeh, but if they're supportive and don't mind it then you can weigh your food. My mom thinks me waking up at 4:45 am to hit the gym is crazy and weird but she's very supportive of the fact that I do it. I care about what she thinks too, but she's not stopping me from what I want because it's what I want.
This isn't about bringing home a mate that your parents don't like, this is about being healthy and changing your lifestyle, right?
If you say in one sentence they don't mind your eating habits/work out routines and then 3 sentences later say they would find it weird and unhealthy to weigh food . . . . I just don't get it. Part of your healthy eating habits would be to routinely weigh food and figure out how much you're eating. So either they mind, or they don't and they rag on you about it? You totally contradicted yourself in the exact same response paragraph.
I'm not seeing the contradiction...I said they support what I am doing, but the extent of their support ends with weighing. They think that I am already very healthy and "don't need to do much more, just eat a lot and gain muscle". They feel like eating healthy and weight lifting is healthy, but don't group weighing food in with this.
Dude, think of it like a bank account.... if you're tracking your spending/earnings, you have a greater overall understanding of what is going on with your bank account. The same can apply to nutrition... If you are tracking and have data, you have a better understanding of how to go about things, where to make adjustments and tweaks, the overall trending, etc.
You can still gain but generally speaking you have the opportunity to be much more optimal with data. If you're not going to track then control what you can control.
1. Eat around the same amount
2. Lift progressively
3. Track measurements on scale, waist, etc
4. If you're gaining too rapidly, eat a little bit less.
5. Repeat over
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LolBroScience wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »I have been bulking since June 8th when I thought I dropped 10 pounds randomly to 130. However, a couple days into the bulk I got back what I thought I lost to 138 (my usual weight that I maintained this whole past year). However, I want to build muscle and strength so took the plunge into a bulk (plus. I like to eat and thought I would be happier with a little more food). I am now getting really discouraged, I am weighing in at around 146 (8lbs above what I weighed to start basically) and I am afraid I am gaining way too fast. Everyone around me (my bros and friends) just recommend that I just eat frequently, as they have done this before and succeeded pretty well (all have gained quality muscle) . But I just feel like maybe I'm different and can't gain the same... My clothes fit the same although I am noticing pants getting tighter in the legs (not waist). I made a mistake and didn't start by taking progress photos or measuring or anything (as my two brothers never did that stuff). Anyway, should I loosen up and continue what I am doing? I am loving the new strength and my eating habits (which are about 6 times a day...3 meals and 3 snacks basically). But just don't want to end up obese as I used to be (200lbs and 5'8 all through my teens). So basically this is my background:
20years
Male
146lbs (now)
5'8
Moderately active (I have a pedometer that logs me close to 4 miles a day and frequently over 5 not including workouts and about 20 flights of stairs...I take stairs everywhere...also, I am up every morning during weekdays at 5:30 for school)
Workout in addition to that 5 days a week
Meals:
Breakfast:
pb sandwich and banana
OR
a little over a cup yogurt and banana with a drizzle of honey and about 1 moderate scoop of peanut butter (with a smaller sized spoon not a big one)
OR
bagel, 2 fried eggs (in a little oil and I mean a little), as much fruit salad as I want (as an example) probably close to 1.5 cups
Snack:
Cliff bar or chobani yogurt or protein shake with 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 scoop whey
Lunch:
Sandwich with cheese turkey mustard or chicken salad or leftovers from dinner
About 2 cups grapes
Snack:
Chobani yogurt
OR
1 cup cottage cheese and some fruit salad (like a cup)
OR
cliff bar
dinner:
About 9 oz (raw) protein (usually fish or chicken) occasionally a hamburger (8oz before cooking) or something but I try not to have too many sides with this
With leaner proteins: about half a plate of veggie (some times my mom puts some Olive oil on it) and about a half cup of starch like potato or rice (not a big starch guy at dinner)
Snack:
Protein shake prepared same as above, cottage cheese with fruit salad as above, or Chobani flip yogurt, on weekend I may have a serving of ice cream but I don't really indulge in sweets...
Am I overdoing it? I'm just really unsure and I'm not sure if this weight gain is a bit of water or mostly fat of mostly muscle. I just don't know and my family doesn't really let me weigh food so I don't count too closely (though in my head if I try to be honest I would put this intake close to 3000 cals sometimes a bit less sometimes a bit more...)
Is there a reason your family doesn't "let" you weigh food? Have you have some form of an ED previously? I would suggest that you portion your food. If you haven't had an ED, why does your family control what you do? I have a family who eats whatever they want, whenever they want and it shows. I don't follow what they do and they don't control what I do - if I want to eat 6 times a day that's what I do. If I want to spend two hours at the gym after work, I do it. This is your chance, and your life. If you wanna weigh food - do it up.
They don't mind my eating habits and my workout regimen. They think that I could eat more sweets and things that I don't exactly crave, but they have said they think my mindset is completely healthy. They also fully support my want to gain muscle but like I said my two brothers who are college athletes didn't need to weigh food to gain muscle. They just "eat a lot" to get muscle. So my family would find it weird and unhealthy for me to weigh my food. They have already gone through it being a weird habit. And I do honestly care about what my family says, as they are my family.
Ok yeh, but if they're supportive and don't mind it then you can weigh your food. My mom thinks me waking up at 4:45 am to hit the gym is crazy and weird but she's very supportive of the fact that I do it. I care about what she thinks too, but she's not stopping me from what I want because it's what I want.
This isn't about bringing home a mate that your parents don't like, this is about being healthy and changing your lifestyle, right?
If you say in one sentence they don't mind your eating habits/work out routines and then 3 sentences later say they would find it weird and unhealthy to weigh food . . . . I just don't get it. Part of your healthy eating habits would be to routinely weigh food and figure out how much you're eating. So either they mind, or they don't and they rag on you about it? You totally contradicted yourself in the exact same response paragraph.
I'm not seeing the contradiction...I said they support what I am doing, but the extent of their support ends with weighing. They think that I am already very healthy and "don't need to do much more, just eat a lot and gain muscle". They feel like eating healthy and weight lifting is healthy, but don't group weighing food in with this.
Dude, think of it like a bank account.... if you're tracking your spending/earnings, you have a greater overall understanding of what is going on with your bank account. The same can apply to nutrition... If you are tracking and have data, you have a better understanding of how to go about things, where to make adjustments and tweaks, the overall trending, etc.
You can still gain but generally speaking you have the opportunity to be much more optimal with data. If you're not going to track then control what you can control.
1. Eat around the same amount
2. Lift progressively
3. Track measurements on scale, waist, etc
4. If you're gaining too rapidly, eat a little bit less.
5. Repeat over
Yep. Explain that you're doing it to gain, and people without histories of obesity tend to have a better mental tab of what they eat, and so they may not need this (if their goals aren't that ambitious) but that it will help you gain at the right rate.0 -
LolBroScience wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »I have been bulking since June 8th when I thought I dropped 10 pounds randomly to 130. However, a couple days into the bulk I got back what I thought I lost to 138 (my usual weight that I maintained this whole past year). However, I want to build muscle and strength so took the plunge into a bulk (plus. I like to eat and thought I would be happier with a little more food). I am now getting really discouraged, I am weighing in at around 146 (8lbs above what I weighed to start basically) and I am afraid I am gaining way too fast. Everyone around me (my bros and friends) just recommend that I just eat frequently, as they have done this before and succeeded pretty well (all have gained quality muscle) . But I just feel like maybe I'm different and can't gain the same... My clothes fit the same although I am noticing pants getting tighter in the legs (not waist). I made a mistake and didn't start by taking progress photos or measuring or anything (as my two brothers never did that stuff). Anyway, should I loosen up and continue what I am doing? I am loving the new strength and my eating habits (which are about 6 times a day...3 meals and 3 snacks basically). But just don't want to end up obese as I used to be (200lbs and 5'8 all through my teens). So basically this is my background:
20years
Male
146lbs (now)
5'8
Moderately active (I have a pedometer that logs me close to 4 miles a day and frequently over 5 not including workouts and about 20 flights of stairs...I take stairs everywhere...also, I am up every morning during weekdays at 5:30 for school)
Workout in addition to that 5 days a week
Meals:
Breakfast:
pb sandwich and banana
OR
a little over a cup yogurt and banana with a drizzle of honey and about 1 moderate scoop of peanut butter (with a smaller sized spoon not a big one)
OR
bagel, 2 fried eggs (in a little oil and I mean a little), as much fruit salad as I want (as an example) probably close to 1.5 cups
Snack:
Cliff bar or chobani yogurt or protein shake with 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 scoop whey
Lunch:
Sandwich with cheese turkey mustard or chicken salad or leftovers from dinner
About 2 cups grapes
Snack:
Chobani yogurt
OR
1 cup cottage cheese and some fruit salad (like a cup)
OR
cliff bar
dinner:
About 9 oz (raw) protein (usually fish or chicken) occasionally a hamburger (8oz before cooking) or something but I try not to have too many sides with this
With leaner proteins: about half a plate of veggie (some times my mom puts some Olive oil on it) and about a half cup of starch like potato or rice (not a big starch guy at dinner)
Snack:
Protein shake prepared same as above, cottage cheese with fruit salad as above, or Chobani flip yogurt, on weekend I may have a serving of ice cream but I don't really indulge in sweets...
Am I overdoing it? I'm just really unsure and I'm not sure if this weight gain is a bit of water or mostly fat of mostly muscle. I just don't know and my family doesn't really let me weigh food so I don't count too closely (though in my head if I try to be honest I would put this intake close to 3000 cals sometimes a bit less sometimes a bit more...)
Is there a reason your family doesn't "let" you weigh food? Have you have some form of an ED previously? I would suggest that you portion your food. If you haven't had an ED, why does your family control what you do? I have a family who eats whatever they want, whenever they want and it shows. I don't follow what they do and they don't control what I do - if I want to eat 6 times a day that's what I do. If I want to spend two hours at the gym after work, I do it. This is your chance, and your life. If you wanna weigh food - do it up.
They don't mind my eating habits and my workout regimen. They think that I could eat more sweets and things that I don't exactly crave, but they have said they think my mindset is completely healthy. They also fully support my want to gain muscle but like I said my two brothers who are college athletes didn't need to weigh food to gain muscle. They just "eat a lot" to get muscle. So my family would find it weird and unhealthy for me to weigh my food. They have already gone through it being a weird habit. And I do honestly care about what my family says, as they are my family.
Ok yeh, but if they're supportive and don't mind it then you can weigh your food. My mom thinks me waking up at 4:45 am to hit the gym is crazy and weird but she's very supportive of the fact that I do it. I care about what she thinks too, but she's not stopping me from what I want because it's what I want.
This isn't about bringing home a mate that your parents don't like, this is about being healthy and changing your lifestyle, right?
If you say in one sentence they don't mind your eating habits/work out routines and then 3 sentences later say they would find it weird and unhealthy to weigh food . . . . I just don't get it. Part of your healthy eating habits would be to routinely weigh food and figure out how much you're eating. So either they mind, or they don't and they rag on you about it? You totally contradicted yourself in the exact same response paragraph.
I'm not seeing the contradiction...I said they support what I am doing, but the extent of their support ends with weighing. They think that I am already very healthy and "don't need to do much more, just eat a lot and gain muscle". They feel like eating healthy and weight lifting is healthy, but don't group weighing food in with this.
Dude, think of it like a bank account.... if you're tracking your spending/earnings, you have a greater overall understanding of what is going on with your bank account. The same can apply to nutrition... If you are tracking and have data, you have a better understanding of how to go about things, where to make adjustments and tweaks, the overall trending, etc.
You can still gain but generally speaking you have the opportunity to be much more optimal with data. If you're not going to track then control what you can control.
1. Eat around the same amount
2. Lift progressively
3. Track measurements on scale, waist, etc
4. If you're gaining too rapidly, eat a little bit less.
5. Repeat over
This is why I am doing currently. My waist is literally the exact same, though I have seen the scale up at about 8lbs now. And I keep posting cause these two different sides seem to constantly keep me in conflict.
On one hand, my friends who lift and my brothers all have put on mass extremely easily by just "eating a ton" if I search the Internet, I read a lot about how 6 meals a day (essentially what I am doing though my three main are bigger and my three others are more like snacks) works best and kids my age can pack on weight optimally.
But here and in some other places I've read, it seems like tracking religiously is the only way to achieve optimally.
My little brother (5'9 and about 170lbs now) gained thirty pounds in a year and looks great and is extremely strong, but I know for a fact he just ate junk food and didn't give a crap about what the scale was doing as long as it went up and he was stronger. I am very torn on what to do here and this is why I continually am asking.
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LolBroScience wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »I have been bulking since June 8th when I thought I dropped 10 pounds randomly to 130. However, a couple days into the bulk I got back what I thought I lost to 138 (my usual weight that I maintained this whole past year). However, I want to build muscle and strength so took the plunge into a bulk (plus. I like to eat and thought I would be happier with a little more food). I am now getting really discouraged, I am weighing in at around 146 (8lbs above what I weighed to start basically) and I am afraid I am gaining way too fast. Everyone around me (my bros and friends) just recommend that I just eat frequently, as they have done this before and succeeded pretty well (all have gained quality muscle) . But I just feel like maybe I'm different and can't gain the same... My clothes fit the same although I am noticing pants getting tighter in the legs (not waist). I made a mistake and didn't start by taking progress photos or measuring or anything (as my two brothers never did that stuff). Anyway, should I loosen up and continue what I am doing? I am loving the new strength and my eating habits (which are about 6 times a day...3 meals and 3 snacks basically). But just don't want to end up obese as I used to be (200lbs and 5'8 all through my teens). So basically this is my background:
20years
Male
146lbs (now)
5'8
Moderately active (I have a pedometer that logs me close to 4 miles a day and frequently over 5 not including workouts and about 20 flights of stairs...I take stairs everywhere...also, I am up every morning during weekdays at 5:30 for school)
Workout in addition to that 5 days a week
Meals:
Breakfast:
pb sandwich and banana
OR
a little over a cup yogurt and banana with a drizzle of honey and about 1 moderate scoop of peanut butter (with a smaller sized spoon not a big one)
OR
bagel, 2 fried eggs (in a little oil and I mean a little), as much fruit salad as I want (as an example) probably close to 1.5 cups
Snack:
Cliff bar or chobani yogurt or protein shake with 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 scoop whey
Lunch:
Sandwich with cheese turkey mustard or chicken salad or leftovers from dinner
About 2 cups grapes
Snack:
Chobani yogurt
OR
1 cup cottage cheese and some fruit salad (like a cup)
OR
cliff bar
dinner:
About 9 oz (raw) protein (usually fish or chicken) occasionally a hamburger (8oz before cooking) or something but I try not to have too many sides with this
With leaner proteins: about half a plate of veggie (some times my mom puts some Olive oil on it) and about a half cup of starch like potato or rice (not a big starch guy at dinner)
Snack:
Protein shake prepared same as above, cottage cheese with fruit salad as above, or Chobani flip yogurt, on weekend I may have a serving of ice cream but I don't really indulge in sweets...
Am I overdoing it? I'm just really unsure and I'm not sure if this weight gain is a bit of water or mostly fat of mostly muscle. I just don't know and my family doesn't really let me weigh food so I don't count too closely (though in my head if I try to be honest I would put this intake close to 3000 cals sometimes a bit less sometimes a bit more...)
Is there a reason your family doesn't "let" you weigh food? Have you have some form of an ED previously? I would suggest that you portion your food. If you haven't had an ED, why does your family control what you do? I have a family who eats whatever they want, whenever they want and it shows. I don't follow what they do and they don't control what I do - if I want to eat 6 times a day that's what I do. If I want to spend two hours at the gym after work, I do it. This is your chance, and your life. If you wanna weigh food - do it up.
They don't mind my eating habits and my workout regimen. They think that I could eat more sweets and things that I don't exactly crave, but they have said they think my mindset is completely healthy. They also fully support my want to gain muscle but like I said my two brothers who are college athletes didn't need to weigh food to gain muscle. They just "eat a lot" to get muscle. So my family would find it weird and unhealthy for me to weigh my food. They have already gone through it being a weird habit. And I do honestly care about what my family says, as they are my family.
Ok yeh, but if they're supportive and don't mind it then you can weigh your food. My mom thinks me waking up at 4:45 am to hit the gym is crazy and weird but she's very supportive of the fact that I do it. I care about what she thinks too, but she's not stopping me from what I want because it's what I want.
This isn't about bringing home a mate that your parents don't like, this is about being healthy and changing your lifestyle, right?
If you say in one sentence they don't mind your eating habits/work out routines and then 3 sentences later say they would find it weird and unhealthy to weigh food . . . . I just don't get it. Part of your healthy eating habits would be to routinely weigh food and figure out how much you're eating. So either they mind, or they don't and they rag on you about it? You totally contradicted yourself in the exact same response paragraph.
I'm not seeing the contradiction...I said they support what I am doing, but the extent of their support ends with weighing. They think that I am already very healthy and "don't need to do much more, just eat a lot and gain muscle". They feel like eating healthy and weight lifting is healthy, but don't group weighing food in with this.
Dude, think of it like a bank account.... if you're tracking your spending/earnings, you have a greater overall understanding of what is going on with your bank account. The same can apply to nutrition... If you are tracking and have data, you have a better understanding of how to go about things, where to make adjustments and tweaks, the overall trending, etc.
You can still gain but generally speaking you have the opportunity to be much more optimal with data. If you're not going to track then control what you can control.
1. Eat around the same amount
2. Lift progressively
3. Track measurements on scale, waist, etc
4. If you're gaining too rapidly, eat a little bit less.
5. Repeat over
This is why I am doing currently. My waist is literally the exact same, though I have seen the scale up at about 8lbs now. And I keep posting cause these two different sides seem to constantly keep me in conflict.
On one hand, my friends who lift and my brothers all have put on mass extremely easily by just "eating a ton" if I search the Internet, I read a lot about how 6 meals a day (essentially what I am doing though my three main are bigger and my three others are more like snacks) works best and kids my age can pack on weight optimally.
But here and in some other places I've read, it seems like tracking religiously is the only way to achieve optimally.
My little brother (5'9 and about 170lbs now) gained thirty pounds in a year and looks great and is extremely strong, but I know for a fact he just ate junk food and didn't give a crap about what the scale was doing as long as it went up and he was stronger. I am very torn on what to do here and this is why I continually am asking.
You are not your brother, and you clearly don't share the same sort of psychology. You have voiced concerns over how rapidly you are gaining weight, so I would advise that you keep tabs on it weekly and make adjustments accordingly since you do care.
Yes, tracking will allow you to be more optimal... but it doesn't mean you cannot make significant progress with out it. It may just be more difficult as you will not have any data to base decisions on later on down the road.0 -
I have a decent shape at 140 with no abs tho (not that I personally care). I mainly would like more developed legs and to be in general stronger. I understand 165 would be the upper extreme, but I can't say I am unhealthy where I am currently.
There is almost no way that you are 140 with no abs. Everyone has abs just some have move body fat that covers them, core strenth is another thing. You are also playing lacrosse so that means you have low body fat there for you should have abs.
Also I don't get what the problem is here last year I was 132 pounds when i was soaking wet over 8 weeks I gained 32 pounds while going to the gym and eating ( didnt count calories then ) had about 7-8% body fat.
I can't just kinda want to do something buddy that is why some people are better then others coz they know what they want and how to get it. You my friend want something half way and if you dont start taking the right steps to get it you will stumble over and over. Speak with your family and sort it out or find a way to measure. You should know whats in the mean and approx. how much stuff weight.
Read one of Bear Grylls books and he said it quite nice "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Stop asking silly questions and start asking the right ones like: hey guys i cant weight my food any ways around it how can i get good measures without scale. and if they tell you that you can't prove them wrong fuel yourself. Again its all about how much you want it.0 -
Funny thing is, I hardly ever still spend time reading in here anymore, but I saw this thread earlier and thought I would keep tabs on it given the situation. (But you already know it's not me since you know approximately how much I weighed during my teen years).OP - you have already started several threads about bulking and received advice such as in this one - http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/32959257#Comment_32959257
asking the same questions over and over and doing nothing is not going to get you anywhere.
pick a lifting plan and stick to it; eat in a consistent surplus; consistently hit macros/micros; accept that fat gain is gong to happen.
I wouldn't say I am doing nothing. Bulking is a new thing I am not entirely familiar with. I lift very frequently and finally decided to make progress. I understand that weighing and counting is most efficient, but sometimes there are constraints. Namely, I live in a big, very close family that cooks all their meals at home and frankly has the mindset that weighing is abnormal. While I want to make progress, I value not worrying the rest of my family with my habits.
I keep a decently good eye on what I eat, and for 85% of what I put in my mouth, I know the calorie count of. This is way I am shocked by a gain of 8lbs in 5 weeks and feel discouraged. I was more seeing if this is a routine jump in the first few weeks or not. I am sorry if the mass of posts has bothered you.
Jason - is that you??
In a way I can relate to how you feel. My family members think I should put on muscle, but they truly think it's too dangerous for me to squat with 40 lbs (2 20 lb dumbbells).LolBroScience wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »I have been bulking since June 8th when I thought I dropped 10 pounds randomly to 130. However, a couple days into the bulk I got back what I thought I lost to 138 (my usual weight that I maintained this whole past year). However, I want to build muscle and strength so took the plunge into a bulk (plus. I like to eat and thought I would be happier with a little more food). I am now getting really discouraged, I am weighing in at around 146 (8lbs above what I weighed to start basically) and I am afraid I am gaining way too fast. Everyone around me (my bros and friends) just recommend that I just eat frequently, as they have done this before and succeeded pretty well (all have gained quality muscle) . But I just feel like maybe I'm different and can't gain the same... My clothes fit the same although I am noticing pants getting tighter in the legs (not waist). I made a mistake and didn't start by taking progress photos or measuring or anything (as my two brothers never did that stuff). Anyway, should I loosen up and continue what I am doing? I am loving the new strength and my eating habits (which are about 6 times a day...3 meals and 3 snacks basically). But just don't want to end up obese as I used to be (200lbs and 5'8 all through my teens). So basically this is my background:
20years
Male
146lbs (now)
5'8
Moderately active (I have a pedometer that logs me close to 4 miles a day and frequently over 5 not including workouts and about 20 flights of stairs...I take stairs everywhere...also, I am up every morning during weekdays at 5:30 for school)
Workout in addition to that 5 days a week
Meals:
Breakfast:
pb sandwich and banana
OR
a little over a cup yogurt and banana with a drizzle of honey and about 1 moderate scoop of peanut butter (with a smaller sized spoon not a big one)
OR
bagel, 2 fried eggs (in a little oil and I mean a little), as much fruit salad as I want (as an example) probably close to 1.5 cups
Snack:
Cliff bar or chobani yogurt or protein shake with 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 scoop whey
Lunch:
Sandwich with cheese turkey mustard or chicken salad or leftovers from dinner
About 2 cups grapes
Snack:
Chobani yogurt
OR
1 cup cottage cheese and some fruit salad (like a cup)
OR
cliff bar
dinner:
About 9 oz (raw) protein (usually fish or chicken) occasionally a hamburger (8oz before cooking) or something but I try not to have too many sides with this
With leaner proteins: about half a plate of veggie (some times my mom puts some Olive oil on it) and about a half cup of starch like potato or rice (not a big starch guy at dinner)
Snack:
Protein shake prepared same as above, cottage cheese with fruit salad as above, or Chobani flip yogurt, on weekend I may have a serving of ice cream but I don't really indulge in sweets...
Am I overdoing it? I'm just really unsure and I'm not sure if this weight gain is a bit of water or mostly fat of mostly muscle. I just don't know and my family doesn't really let me weigh food so I don't count too closely (though in my head if I try to be honest I would put this intake close to 3000 cals sometimes a bit less sometimes a bit more...)
Is there a reason your family doesn't "let" you weigh food? Have you have some form of an ED previously? I would suggest that you portion your food. If you haven't had an ED, why does your family control what you do? I have a family who eats whatever they want, whenever they want and it shows. I don't follow what they do and they don't control what I do - if I want to eat 6 times a day that's what I do. If I want to spend two hours at the gym after work, I do it. This is your chance, and your life. If you wanna weigh food - do it up.
They don't mind my eating habits and my workout regimen. They think that I could eat more sweets and things that I don't exactly crave, but they have said they think my mindset is completely healthy. They also fully support my want to gain muscle but like I said my two brothers who are college athletes didn't need to weigh food to gain muscle. They just "eat a lot" to get muscle. So my family would find it weird and unhealthy for me to weigh my food. They have already gone through it being a weird habit. And I do honestly care about what my family says, as they are my family.
Ok yeh, but if they're supportive and don't mind it then you can weigh your food. My mom thinks me waking up at 4:45 am to hit the gym is crazy and weird but she's very supportive of the fact that I do it. I care about what she thinks too, but she's not stopping me from what I want because it's what I want.
This isn't about bringing home a mate that your parents don't like, this is about being healthy and changing your lifestyle, right?
If you say in one sentence they don't mind your eating habits/work out routines and then 3 sentences later say they would find it weird and unhealthy to weigh food . . . . I just don't get it. Part of your healthy eating habits would be to routinely weigh food and figure out how much you're eating. So either they mind, or they don't and they rag on you about it? You totally contradicted yourself in the exact same response paragraph.
I'm not seeing the contradiction...I said they support what I am doing, but the extent of their support ends with weighing. They think that I am already very healthy and "don't need to do much more, just eat a lot and gain muscle". They feel like eating healthy and weight lifting is healthy, but don't group weighing food in with this.
Dude, think of it like a bank account.... if you're tracking your spending/earnings, you have a greater overall understanding of what is going on with your bank account. The same can apply to nutrition... If you are tracking and have data, you have a better understanding of how to go about things, where to make adjustments and tweaks, the overall trending, etc.
You can still gain but generally speaking you have the opportunity to be much more optimal with data. If you're not going to track then control what you can control.
1. Eat around the same amount
2. Lift progressively
3. Track measurements on scale, waist, etc
4. If you're gaining too rapidly, eat a little bit less.
5. Repeat over
This is why I am doing currently. My waist is literally the exact same, though I have seen the scale up at about 8lbs now. And I keep posting cause these two different sides seem to constantly keep me in conflict.
On one hand, my friends who lift and my brothers all have put on mass extremely easily by just "eating a ton" if I search the Internet, I read a lot about how 6 meals a day (essentially what I am doing though my three main are bigger and my three others are more like snacks) works best and kids my age can pack on weight optimally.
But here and in some other places I've read, it seems like tracking religiously is the only way to achieve optimally.
My little brother (5'9 and about 170lbs now) gained thirty pounds in a year and looks great and is extremely strong, but I know for a fact he just ate junk food and didn't give a crap about what the scale was doing as long as it went up and he was stronger. I am very torn on what to do here and this is why I continually am asking.
Lolbroscience has given great advice. It seems like the best thing you can do is to estimate as best you can how much you're eating now and adjust as necessary.
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DeyanPetrov wrote: »
I have a decent shape at 140 with no abs tho (not that I personally care). I mainly would like more developed legs and to be in general stronger. I understand 165 would be the upper extreme, but I can't say I am unhealthy where I am currently.
There is almost no way that you are 140 with no abs. Everyone has abs just some have move body fat that covers them, core strenth is another thing. You are also playing lacrosse so that means you have low body fat there for you should have abs.
Also I don't get what the problem is here last year I was 132 pounds when i was soaking wet over 8 weeks I gained 32 pounds while going to the gym and eating ( didnt count calories then ) had about 7-8% body fat.
I can't just kinda want to do something buddy that is why some people are better then others coz they know what they want and how to get it. You my friend want something half way and if you dont start taking the right steps to get it you will stumble over and over. Speak with your family and sort it out or find a way to measure. You should know whats in the mean and approx. how much stuff weight.
Read one of Bear Grylls books and he said it quite nice "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Stop asking silly questions and start asking the right ones like: hey guys i cant weight my food any ways around it how can i get good measures without scale. and if they tell you that you can't prove them wrong fuel yourself. Again its all about how much you want it.
Of course I HAVE abs I just can't see them even with flexing. And I don't play lax I follow a regimen that my brother's college lacrosse team does for conditioning and it's pretty exhausting. I am seeing the strength gains for sure, I just fear going back to being obese and maybe I am too worried but I don't know where else to communicate this stuff.
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Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?0 -
DeyanPetrov wrote: »
I have a decent shape at 140 with no abs tho (not that I personally care). I mainly would like more developed legs and to be in general stronger. I understand 165 would be the upper extreme, but I can't say I am unhealthy where I am currently.
There is almost no way that you are 140 with no abs. Everyone has abs just some have move body fat that covers them, core strenth is another thing. You are also playing lacrosse so that means you have low body fat there for you should have abs.
Also I don't get what the problem is here last year I was 132 pounds when i was soaking wet over 8 weeks I gained 32 pounds while going to the gym and eating ( didnt count calories then ) had about 7-8% body fat.
I can't just kinda want to do something buddy that is why some people are better then others coz they know what they want and how to get it. You my friend want something half way and if you dont start taking the right steps to get it you will stumble over and over. Speak with your family and sort it out or find a way to measure. You should know whats in the mean and approx. how much stuff weight.
Read one of Bear Grylls books and he said it quite nice "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Stop asking silly questions and start asking the right ones like: hey guys i cant weight my food any ways around it how can i get good measures without scale. and if they tell you that you can't prove them wrong fuel yourself. Again its all about how much you want it.
how do you know OP has no abs as he has posted no pictures…???
and your post is really not helpful at all.0 -
Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
there is your problem right there.
you are assuming your intake and have no idea what it actually is.
get a food scale
weight all solids
log everything
hit micros/macors
tell your family to back the F off…
if you can't do that then maybe you should not bulk and just go for maintenance or something.
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DeyanPetrov wrote: »
I have a decent shape at 140 with no abs tho (not that I personally care). I mainly would like more developed legs and to be in general stronger. I understand 165 would be the upper extreme, but I can't say I am unhealthy where I am currently.
There is almost no way that you are 140 with no abs. Everyone has abs just some have move body fat that covers them, core strenth is another thing. You are also playing lacrosse so that means you have low body fat there for you should have abs.
Also I don't get what the problem is here last year I was 132 pounds when i was soaking wet over 8 weeks I gained 32 pounds while going to the gym and eating ( didnt count calories then ) had about 7-8% body fat.
I can't just kinda want to do something buddy that is why some people are better then others coz they know what they want and how to get it. You my friend want something half way and if you dont start taking the right steps to get it you will stumble over and over. Speak with your family and sort it out or find a way to measure. You should know whats in the mean and approx. how much stuff weight.
Read one of Bear Grylls books and he said it quite nice "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Stop asking silly questions and start asking the right ones like: hey guys i cant weight my food any ways around it how can i get good measures without scale. and if they tell you that you can't prove them wrong fuel yourself. Again its all about how much you want it.
Of course I HAVE abs I just can't see them even with flexing. And I don't play lax I follow a regimen that my brother's college lacrosse team does for conditioning and it's pretty exhausting. I am seeing the strength gains for sure, I just fear going back to being obese and maybe I am too worried but I don't know where else to communicate this stuff.
Just throwing in that if you don't play lacrosse, their conditioning program may not be optimal for your gains. It's likely a good start, but you might do better even with just a beginning strength program. Something to consider, and hopefully someone with more lifting experience will chime in.0 -
Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.0 -
Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
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Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
OP, again the problem is because you refuse to weigh your food you have no clue what your actual intake is. At this point, you are just guessing, which is not optimal.
Here your choices:
1. continue doing what you are doing and guessing.
2. get a food scale, be more accurate, and get your intake levels down.
3. abandon the bulk and shoot for a recomp < but even then without a level of accuracy you are going to have problems.
4.
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Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.0 -
Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
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Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.0 -
jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
0 -
jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Perhaps you shouldn't take someone talking about their own experience as an attack on you and instead understand they are providing information that worked for themselves.
Yes, you will have to guess on prepared meals. However, that PB sandwich? You should know exactly how many calories are in it since there is no reason why you can't weight how much PB you put on it except that your family may "think it's weird".
People have given you a lot of advice. You can take it, or you can ignore it. Pick a method and see where you're at in a few months. If you aren't gaining at a moderate rate, you're going to need to alter what you are doing. And as everyone said, if guessing isn't working, something is going to have to get more accurate.0 -
jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Perhaps you shouldn't take someone talking about their own experience as an attack on you and instead understand they are providing information that worked for themselves.
Yes, you will have to guess on prepared meals. However, that PB sandwich? You should know exactly how many calories are in it since there is no reason why you can't weight how much PB you put on it except that your family may "think it's weird".
People have given you a lot of advice. You can take it, or you can ignore it. Pick a method and see where you're at in a few months. If you aren't gaining at a moderate rate, you're going to need to alter what you are doing. And as everyone said, if guessing isn't working, something is going to have to get more accurate.
I understand that tweaks be made. But should I tweak now? Or is it too early to assume that my gain was too much, given the tendency to jump up early on in a bulk and the fact that clothes fit the exact same in the waist and gains are being noticed almost exclusively in the legs, in addition to strength gains on the entire body in the gym?
Also to better understand my estimations I did weigh everything for that PB sandwich and it was about 100-200 calories LESS than I would estimate it to be.0 -
jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Perhaps you shouldn't take someone talking about their own experience as an attack on you and instead understand they are providing information that worked for themselves.
Yes, you will have to guess on prepared meals. However, that PB sandwich? You should know exactly how many calories are in it since there is no reason why you can't weight how much PB you put on it except that your family may "think it's weird".
People have given you a lot of advice. You can take it, or you can ignore it. Pick a method and see where you're at in a few months. If you aren't gaining at a moderate rate, you're going to need to alter what you are doing. And as everyone said, if guessing isn't working, something is going to have to get more accurate.
I have read multiple assertions of my being underweight which is just factually untrue. Both objectively and subjectively, I'm not offended by the help I'm offended when people make assumptions about me without full knowledge.
I understand that tweaks be made. But should I tweak now? Or is it too early to assume that my gain was too much, given the tendency to jump up early on in a bulk and the fact that clothes fit the exact same in the waist and gains are being noticed almost exclusively in the legs, in addition to strength gains on the entire body in the gym?
Also to better understand my estimations I did weigh everything for that PB sandwich and it was about 100-200 calories LESS than I would estimate it to be.0 -
This is not a normal response to an internet stranger telling you that you're underweight. If you don't agree, fine, but being "offended" is out of proportion to what she said. You seem to have a lot of food and weight issues that aren't being addressed, and bulking is going to be a mind-F until you get those sorted out.jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Weighing your food isn't the be-all and end-all -- people gained weight before at-home food scales were a thing -- but it IS the most efficient, accurate way to quantify your surplus. If you don't want to weigh your food, you need to find a more reliable way to measure what you're eating than what you're doing now, because you're just guessing now. Even measuring cups and spoons are a better idea than just guessing. The more accurately you track your intake, the better you can predict your rate of gain, though. It's not surprising that you can't predict your rate of gain now, because you also can't quantify your surplus.
0 -
jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Perhaps you shouldn't take someone talking about their own experience as an attack on you and instead understand they are providing information that worked for themselves.
Yes, you will have to guess on prepared meals. However, that PB sandwich? You should know exactly how many calories are in it since there is no reason why you can't weight how much PB you put on it except that your family may "think it's weird".
People have given you a lot of advice. You can take it, or you can ignore it. Pick a method and see where you're at in a few months. If you aren't gaining at a moderate rate, you're going to need to alter what you are doing. And as everyone said, if guessing isn't working, something is going to have to get more accurate.
I understand that tweaks be made. But should I tweak now? Or is it too early to assume that my gain was too much, given the tendency to jump up early on in a bulk and the fact that clothes fit the exact same in the waist and gains are being noticed almost exclusively in the legs, in addition to strength gains on the entire body in the gym?
Also to better understand my estimations I did weigh everything for that PB sandwich and it was about 100-200 calories LESS than I would estimate it to be.
Ok, from my calculation, you've gained 8lbs in 5 weeks. Given you started a bulk and the typical inflated gain from glycogen stores refilling and increase food intake, that's likely not too rapid of a gain (as others have mentioned also). It sounds like what you are doing is currently working, so keep at it. You are working somewhat blind, but you are trying to estimate correctly.
If it's working, keep at it. Keep weighing in, and aim for 1lb/wk gain. If you start gaining too fast or too slow, it will be harder for you to adjust because of the guess work, but you can aim for a little less or a little more by your estimate work.
It's going to be harder, and dialing in exactly what you need to do will take longer do to the "slush" calories that are just unknown. As everyone else has said, it's possible, but not optimal.
TL;DR: keep at it for now. Adjust in a month or so if needed.0 -
This is not a normal response to an internet stranger telling you that you're underweight. If you don't agree, fine, but being "offended" is out of proportion to what she said. You seem to have a lot of food and weight issues that aren't being addressed, and bulking is going to be a mind-F until you get those sorted out.jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Weighing your food isn't the be-all and end-all -- people gained weight before at-home food scales were a thing -- but it IS the most efficient, accurate way to quantify your surplus. If you don't want to weigh your food, you need to find a more reliable way to measure what you're eating than what you're doing now, because you're just guessing now. Even measuring cups and spoons are a better idea than just guessing. The more accurately you track your intake, the better you can predict your rate of gain, though. It's not surprising that you can't predict your rate of gain now, because you also can't quantify your surplus.
Thanks for being my therapist on that one.
0 -
jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Perhaps you shouldn't take someone talking about their own experience as an attack on you and instead understand they are providing information that worked for themselves.
Yes, you will have to guess on prepared meals. However, that PB sandwich? You should know exactly how many calories are in it since there is no reason why you can't weight how much PB you put on it except that your family may "think it's weird".
People have given you a lot of advice. You can take it, or you can ignore it. Pick a method and see where you're at in a few months. If you aren't gaining at a moderate rate, you're going to need to alter what you are doing. And as everyone said, if guessing isn't working, something is going to have to get more accurate.
I understand that tweaks be made. But should I tweak now? Or is it too early to assume that my gain was too much, given the tendency to jump up early on in a bulk and the fact that clothes fit the exact same in the waist and gains are being noticed almost exclusively in the legs, in addition to strength gains on the entire body in the gym?
Also to better understand my estimations I did weigh everything for that PB sandwich and it was about 100-200 calories LESS than I would estimate it to be.
Ok, from my calculation, you've gained 8lbs in 5 weeks. Given you started a bulk and the typical inflated gain from glycogen stores refilling and increase food intake, that's likely not too rapid of a gain (as others have mentioned also). It sounds like what you are doing is currently working, so keep at it. You are working somewhat blind, but you are trying to estimate correctly.
If it's working, keep at it. Keep weighing in, and aim for 1lb/wk gain. If you start gaining too fast or too slow, it will be harder for you to adjust because of the guess work, but you can aim for a little less or a little more by your estimate work.
It's going to be harder, and dialing in exactly what you need to do will take longer do to the "slush" calories that are just unknown. As everyone else has said, it's possible, but not optimal.
TL;DR: keep at it for now. Adjust in a month or so if needed.
Thank you for the post. I understand there are inaccuracies, but I will try to keep things under check going forward0 -
Well, you obviously need some kind of therapy, so I'm glad I could help.
This is not a normal response to an internet stranger telling you that you're underweight. If you don't agree, fine, but being "offended" is out of proportion to what she said. You seem to have a lot of food and weight issues that aren't being addressed, and bulking is going to be a mind-F until you get those sorted out.jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Weighing your food isn't the be-all and end-all -- people gained weight before at-home food scales were a thing -- but it IS the most efficient, accurate way to quantify your surplus. If you don't want to weigh your food, you need to find a more reliable way to measure what you're eating than what you're doing now, because you're just guessing now. Even measuring cups and spoons are a better idea than just guessing. The more accurately you track your intake, the better you can predict your rate of gain, though. It's not surprising that you can't predict your rate of gain now, because you also can't quantify your surplus.
Thanks for being my therapist on that one.
0 -
this thread reminds of a circular firing squad...
OP - you can take the information that you have been given and apply it, or you can continue to spin your wheels.
the choice is yours.0 -
Well, you obviously need some kind of therapy, so I'm glad I could help.
This is not a normal response to an internet stranger telling you that you're underweight. If you don't agree, fine, but being "offended" is out of proportion to what she said. You seem to have a lot of food and weight issues that aren't being addressed, and bulking is going to be a mind-F until you get those sorted out.jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Weighing your food isn't the be-all and end-all -- people gained weight before at-home food scales were a thing -- but it IS the most efficient, accurate way to quantify your surplus. If you don't want to weigh your food, you need to find a more reliable way to measure what you're eating than what you're doing now, because you're just guessing now. Even measuring cups and spoons are a better idea than just guessing. The more accurately you track your intake, the better you can predict your rate of gain, though. It's not surprising that you can't predict your rate of gain now, because you also can't quantify your surplus.
Thanks for being my therapist on that one.
I think you're overreading into my words of "offended". I'm not exactly crying over it, I was simply stating that it is strong words for someone who has never even seen me
0 -
Well, you obviously need some kind of therapy, so I'm glad I could help.
This is not a normal response to an internet stranger telling you that you're underweight. If you don't agree, fine, but being "offended" is out of proportion to what she said. You seem to have a lot of food and weight issues that aren't being addressed, and bulking is going to be a mind-F until you get those sorted out.jdscrubs32 wrote: »Just for the record, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and where I would normally assume 800 calories for the whole thing, it looks like it was more 550 for the sandwich and (this is an estimate) 150 for the banana. So my estimates seem to be over if anything at the moment. The other day I also did weigh a chicken breast that I'd assume was 5-6 ounces and it was 3 ounces. I also usually throw whatever dinner I eat to 1,000 calories, which I assume is pretty high but I think it's safest to overestimate then way under. Seeing as I do seem to occasionally overstimate I still don't exactly know how I am gaining at this rate.
How often does water retention/increased food/glycogen increase your weight in the first month, because this is my first suspicion?
You're basically taking a shot in the dark every day.
It's tough to say how much of a potential increase.... How much have you increased your carbs, and total food volume compared to when you started the program? You'll gain a few lbs, but doubtful to gain 8 lbs strictly due to glycogen and food volume.
I eat about the same sized three meals daily, plus 2 snacks I know exactly the calories of (prepackaged) approx. 200-280 calories and then one snack before bed which is usually a cup of cottage cheese and fruit to fill up a small sundae bowl. I put this at about 300 calories. So I would assume a max increase of 700 calories.
This whole year maintaining I had been having one protein shake daily after every workout that was between 130-230 calls and I maintained my weight all year with it but then I stopped and I quickly jumped down to 130 from 138 which spurred the bulk program (I quickly got this weight back two days later so probably not a reall weight loss) so if I factor that shake I used to take into what I maintained on I am up around 500-600 calories in my estimation. Again my meals are all pretty much the same size
And my trouble is, I would easily just adjust, but as of right now my waist is the same, no tightness in shorts and belt is still fitting at same whole. Clothes in general aren't tight except for in the legs (where I primarily want to gain). So from my clothes I would say I am gaining correctly but the scale is telling me differently. And I don't want to stall progress by cutting away calories when I wasn't supposed to..
You're trouble is you'd rather argue with people trying to help you.
You're underweight- and you aren't tracking food. Period. You're literally spinning your wheels- come back when you want some real help.
I am definitely going to argue with someone telling me I am underweight, I certainly am not. I'm in the middle of the healthy BMI and can max out near 200 on bench and over 245 on squat. I just would like to be stronger and have more muscle tone, but I used to be very overweight so I am trying to be conscious of how much I put on.
It's rude to assume someone is underweight, especially given that they sit in the healthy BMI. It's as bad as me assuming you are overweight. Additionally, I am not "arguing" the tracking the food, I understand this is optimal, but not very feasible at this point in my life. I do not have the funds to shop for myself and as such meals are made for me, which are healthy meals but I will not know 100% the caloric value of them. I can estimate that's where I am currently. I am trying to find alternatives that can fit my lifestyle while also still ensuring good progress. I'm not arguing, I just don't think there is complete understanding about my situation.
Btw, I'm figuratively spinning my wheels :-)
Hi. Until last year I was underweight myself as I didn't eat enough even though I thought I did. It wasn't until I joined this and measured all my foods that I realised that I wasn't eating enough. Tracking and weighing are important. Trust me. What everyone is saying in terms of weighing your food is correct. Everyone is only trying to help.
I'm not sure where "underweight" is coming from. I am at a normal range but want to gain strength. Also, eating 3 full meals and 3 snacks a day I highly doubt I am under eating. My question was more why the scale went so far up in 5 weeks....I certainly haven't been eating with reckless abandon. I simply cannot weigh. My family (a) didn't support it and (b) when they cook your dinners it's not easy to stop someone and ask them to weigh out everything they cook.
I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Weighing your food isn't the be-all and end-all -- people gained weight before at-home food scales were a thing -- but it IS the most efficient, accurate way to quantify your surplus. If you don't want to weigh your food, you need to find a more reliable way to measure what you're eating than what you're doing now, because you're just guessing now. Even measuring cups and spoons are a better idea than just guessing. The more accurately you track your intake, the better you can predict your rate of gain, though. It's not surprising that you can't predict your rate of gain now, because you also can't quantify your surplus.
Thanks for being my therapist on that one.
I think you're overreading into my words of "offended". I'm not exactly crying over it, I was simply stating that it is strong words for someone who has never even seen me
you said you hit what- 138 as a low?? as a MALE at 5'8" that's really tiny- and yeah. 165 isn't the high end for a fit male. I'm 165 pounds. And I'm in phenomenal shape. I'm also a girl. And no where close to "fat". If I were cutting for a show- I'd probably get down to 145- and it would 100% be un-maintainable for the long term and I would lose a lot of strength.
I'm not just *guessing*- it's a reality- we are the same height- and you're a man- you're genetically supposed to carry more muscle and be typically heavier. I know at 140 pounds I'd be be pushing unhealthy- lost a lot of muscle mass and lost a ridiculous amount of strength. So it's not some big stretch to say- yes you're underweight- or boarder-line pushing it.
it's not really an assumption- it's based on pretty solid body of evidence.I appreciate the help, but I also am offended by the assumption I'm underweight. This is untrue plain and simple. And I can't see weighing is the be all end all that everyone seems to be a assuming it is.
Secondly- weighing food is a TOOL. it's hard science. It takes all the guess work out of it- and that's right now what you're doing- chronically guessing.
If you want better answers- you need better data. You get data by being scientific and using the proper tools. Push comes to shove it's trial and error and feed back- but you use the scale to help get your calories dialed in- and then you use the actual person scale and tape measure to give you hard evidence of the rate of gain/loss.
It's data- it's a tool. Nothing more. nothing less.0
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