Getting Discouraged

dpr73

JoRocka wrote: »

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AliceDark wrote: »

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JoRocka wrote: »

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ndj1979 wrote: »

dpr73 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.

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.

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.

Well, you obviously need some kind of therapy, so I'm glad I could help.

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.

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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.

it's not really an assumption- it's based on pretty solid body of evidence.


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.

Your evidence is empirical about my weight, not scientific. 165 is perfect for you, that's great, that doesn't mean it is perfect for me. 140 places me within the 20's on BMI. And while I do want to be stronger and more muscular, by no stretch of the imagination do I look underweight at all. Like I said I want to gain weight and muscle to be stronger, this doesn't mean I am underweight or unhealthy currently. And you being healthy at 165 doesn't mean I am underweight either.

JoRocka

I never said it was perfect for me- I just know weights/composition ranges for people.

A big fat whatever. If you really didn't want help- why did you ask?

dpr73

JoRocka wrote: »

I never said it was perfect for me- I just know weights/composition ranges for people.

A big fat whatever. If you really didn't want help- why did you ask?

Right, and I would love to know where it states that my height and male means 140 is underweight. I've actually read 145-150 is ideal.

I asked more to find out good ways to (a) monitor miself during the bulk (b) see the best ways to proceed seeing as calorie counting is difficult to accomplish for me at the moment and (c) ascertain whether my 8lb weight gain over 5 weeks is definitely attributed to overeating or could be do to othe factors like water glycogen and regular scale fluctuation. Instead, I received a lecture on the necessity of calorie counting during a bulk.