Working Out 6 Days a Week and Clothes are Tighter!

liannejok

Hi all,

Prior to working out six, sometimes seven days a week, I wasn't in altogether BAD shape. I would run once or twice a week and do some at-home workouts in spurts. But I have a 10 year reunion coming up that really got me motivated.

I started a combination of boxing, bootcamp, and running about 4 weeks ago, and in the meantime I started eating way better than I usually do. Hardly any processed foods, or even anything I need to cook - i don't have time to cook so i end up eating raw fruits and veggies! I'm 28 and until recently I could get away with eating what I wanted, whenever I wanted.

At the beginning of this process I vowed not to put on a particular pair of jeans - THE pair of jeans, the ones that fit me just a bit too tight for my liking. So three weeks later, I put them on, and much to my dismay, they were tighter than I ever remember them being. And now the reunion is here next week and I feel worse than I did when I started!

I know it's probably just the build up of muscle but I am my own harshest critic - I feel like i need to be doing more, or eating less, and it's hard to not just give up without seeing results - or worse, the OPPOSITE results? Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks!

TeaBea

Are you logging what you eat? Eating less calories will help your weight go down. Exercise does burn some calories but in the weight loss arena.....eating less is far more effective.

Building lean muscle is hard work. Boxing - a lot of cardio (maybe some strength training), running - just cardio, bootcamp - okay there's likely a strength training element there. In other words I don't think there's much building up muscle. That takes eating at a surplus. However, sore muscles do retain water (for repair).

PhoenyxRose

Like TeaBea said, are you logging and weighing everything? Also, women can't build muscle that quickly, you'll build 1lb, maybe 2lbs if you have extremely good genes or are on steroids, per month, so it's likely not that. Check your sodium and water intake too, maybe you're just retaining water due to that.

Maxematics

You haven't built up that much muscle in a month. Your pants are most likely tighter because you're eating too much. It doesn't matter if the food is processed or not. You need to take in less calories than you burn to lose weight. Also not much is going to happen in fourweeks weight loss wise. Maybe a five pound loss, if anything, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Lleldiranne

I second what @TeaBea said. Weight loss (fat loss) comes from a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter what, or when, you are eating it, without tracking, you really don't know if you're in a deficit.

I have experienced tight clothes feeling tighter after starting a new workout - usually from water retention due to muscles repairing. It's not necessary to work out 6 or 7 days a week, unless you really enjoy it (and make sure you aren't burning out, most of us need a rest day).

Since the reunion is next week, I would suggest logging what you eat but not going crazy with cutting stuff out. Drink lots of water. And wear something that you feel great in and don't try to stuff yourself into something small. You'll have more fun, and look better that way.

kshama2001

Alas, you are likely eating much, much more than you think. Start logging accurately and prepare to be amazed.

liannejok

thanks for all your responses.

i am logging my food. in fact, if i can't log it, or if i didn't measure it, i don't eat it. i am coming in under my 1200-calorie goal most days, which means i'm not eating the calories i've earned from working out. i guess i'm just struggling believing that i need to work out twice a day several times a week and truly under eat to see a difference.

i do have an athletic build, and while i haven't actually gone up or down in pounds, my jeans are just tighter! i used to run, drink a red bull in the morning and then eat around 500 calories all day, but that sounds a bit like an eating disorder. however, my body never looked better.

maybe i just need to be patient! thanks again.

krithsai

What's your height and weight?

msf74

Temporarily stop exercising.

Drink more water.

Watch your sodium intake.

Eat at maintenance.

Report back in 3 days time with your findings.

jayjay_90

Wait, you're only eating 1200 calories in addition to all that working out? You need to eat more girl!

liannejok

@krithsai 5'5" 135 - i tend to carry my weight in my hips and thighs.

krithsai

You're already at a healthy weight so losing from here is going to involve being MUCH stricter. Everytime I restart working out, I end up eating more than I need because I feel like I've earned it. Also, a new exercise program can cause some water retention. So watch your sodium like a hawk and drink tons of water.

Side note - you have beautiful eyes!

lastinlineforlunch

You actually may be starving yourself. 1200 calories may work for someone who sits around all day but if you're working out quite a bit you may not be getting enough putting your body into starvation mod. When you enter starvation mod your body is made to keep everything you eat and store it as fat for survival. I would highly recommend visiting a nutritionist with your food diary and letting them determine what is going on. Not everyone has the same body.

richln

msf74 wrote: »

Temporarily stop exercising.

Drink more water.

Watch your sodium intake.

Eat at maintenance.

Report back in 3 days time with your findings.

Yep. OP, I would be willing to wager that you fit into those jeans much better if you did this.

kaylajane11

lastinlineforlunch wrote: »

You actually may be starving yourself. 1200 calories may work for someone who sits around all day but if you're working out quite a bit you may not be getting enough putting your body into starvation mod. When you enter starvation mod your body is made to keep everything you eat and store it as fat for survival. I would highly recommend visiting a nutritionist with your food diary and letting them determine what is going on. Not everyone has the same body.

No. Starvation mode as you're describing it does not exist.

Maxematics

liannejok wrote: »

thanks for all your responses.

i am logging my food. in fact, if i can't log it, or if i didn't measure it, i don't eat it. i am coming in under my 1200-calorie goal most days, which means i'm not eating the calories i've earned from working out. i guess i'm just struggling believing that i need to work out twice a day several times a week and truly under eat to see a difference.

i do have an athletic build, and while i haven't actually gone up or down in pounds, my jeans are just tighter! i used to run, drink a red bull in the morning and then eat around 500 calories all day, but that sounds a bit like an eating disorder. however, my body never looked better.

maybe i just need to be patient! thanks again.

Measuring with a food scale or with measuring cups?

liannejok

@synacious measuring cups. i don't have a scale, and i'd just as soon not eat something that i felt necessary to weigh on a scale - i.e. a piece of chicken. i don't know exactly what 1 oz or 3 oz of chicken looks like, but i can assure you, i'm not taking a huge bone-in chicken breast with skin and underestimating what i'm eating. more like a single boneless grilled chicken tender cut up in a salad.

Liftng4Lis

You say you're eating better, but you don't say you're in a deficit. Grab a food scale at Walmart 15$.

janejellyroll

liannejok wrote: »

@synacious measuring cups. i don't have a scale, and i'd just as soon not eat something that i felt necessary to weigh on a scale - i.e. a piece of chicken. i don't know exactly what 1 oz or 3 oz of chicken looks like, but i can assure you, i'm not taking a huge bone-in chicken breast with skin and underestimating what i'm eating. more like a single boneless grilled chicken tender cut up in a salad.

The types of things I find necessary to weigh are fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, condiments . . . basically anything except for liquids.

Maxematics

Measuring cups leave a lot of room for error. You don't have to use a food scale, but if you continue to not lose weight while eating at what you believe is a deficit, then you're most likely eating more than you think.

RGv2

Can we take a look at your diary? From what you said you do and how little you said you eat....you should only be netting about 200-300 cals a day, if that.

IMHO, this issue is probably somewhere between water retention from the heightened exercise and inaccuracies in logging.

LeanButNotMean44

liannejok wrote: »

@synacious measuring cups. i don't have a scale, and i'd just as soon not eat something that i felt necessary to weigh on a scale - i.e. a piece of chicken. i don't know exactly what 1 oz or 3 oz of chicken looks like, but i can assure you, i'm not taking a huge bone-in chicken breast with skin and underestimating what i'm eating. more like a single boneless grilled chicken tender cut up in a salad.

I will guarantee you are eating more than 1200 calories.

liannejok

i will get a food scale and report back in a week! perfect, the day of the reunion. thanks all for your insight.

successgal1

Try exercises like pilates and yoga for awhile. That always slims me. I'm probably not saying this right, but all the pushing of running (or biking in my case), uses a different action of the muscle then pulling which tightens the muscle up. I know I'm not saying this right, I'm sure someone will correct my wording. Back in my thinner days I dropped a complete dress size by doing pilates. And yes take a couple of days off and sleep. This is the specific DVD I used http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Conditioning-Weight-Suzanne-Deason/dp/B00006473D (and still have)

Note I did not drop weight, the pilates just tightened up the muscles, it reshaped me.

flippy1234

The same thing happens to me. And yes, you can gain a good deal of muscle in a month despite what others say. If you are like me, you bulk quickly regardless of what you eat. And no, you are not eating too little. I weigh everything and am in the same boat. Likely, it's water weight in your muscles. Don't work out every day. Give your body a rest to lose the water. If I work out every day, I seem to gain. So, maybe try weights 3 days a week with a little cardio and then one day just cardio and then rest the other days. See how it goes. Seems to work for me. Good luck! Oh, and watch the carbs.

mkakids

loveliftlaughxo wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

janejellyroll

flippy1234 wrote: »

The same thing happens to me. And yes, you can gain a good deal of muscle in a month despite what others say. If you are like me, you bulk quickly regardless of what you eat. And no, you are not eating too little. I weigh everything and am in the same boat. Likely, it's water weight in your muscles. Don't work out every day. Give your body a rest to lose the water. If I work out every day, I seem to gain. So, maybe try weights 3 days a week with a little cardio and then one day just cardio and then rest the other days. See how it goes. Seems to work for me. Good luck! Oh, and watch the carbs.

I've seen several experienced users claim that people must work hard to put on even 1-2 pounds of muscle in a month. When you say one can gain a "good deal" of muscle in a month, how much are you talking about?

RGv2

flippy1234 wrote: »

The same thing happens to me. And yes, you can gain a good deal of muscle in a month despite what others say. If you are like me, you bulk quickly regardless of what you eat. And no, you are not eating too little. I weigh everything and am in the same boat. Likely, it's water weight in your muscles. Don't work out every day. Give your body a rest to lose the water. If I work out every day, I seem to gain. So, maybe try weights 3 days a week with a little cardio and then one day just cardio and then rest the other days. See how it goes. Seems to work for me. Good luck! Oh, and watch the carbs.

No, no you can't gain a good deal of muscle in a month unless you make sure your diet is on point, spend hours in the gym with a progressive overload program (not boxing, running, and bootcamp), not in a deficit, and you have the testosterone level of a young male...... and to really bulk in a month...something synthetic probably also needs to be involved.

DeguelloTex

flippy1234 wrote: »

The same thing happens to me. And yes, you can gain a good deal of muscle in a month despite what others say. If you are like me, you bulk quickly regardless of what you eat. And no, you are not eating too little. I weigh everything and am in the same boat. Likely, it's water weight in your muscles. Don't work out every day. Give your body a rest to lose the water. If I work out every day, I seem to gain. So, maybe try weights 3 days a week with a little cardio and then one day just cardio and then rest the other days. See how it goes. Seems to work for me. Good luck! Oh, and watch the carbs.

Define "good deal of muscle," because unless you're a young male killing it in the gym, perhaps with pharmaceutical additives, you're not adding a good deal of muscle in a month, by any reasonable definition I've ever heard.

sweetpea03b

jayjay_90 wrote: »

Wait, you're only eating 1200 calories in addition to all that working out? You need to eat more girl!

Yeessss. People will say what they say... but when I have more than a 500cal deficit, I don't lose. Eat more. Know your numbers... stick to a moderate deficit only (500 calories) and you will lose. Also, keep an eye on your sodium. If I have a higher than usual sodium intake I will retain water like crazy also.

DeguelloTex

sweetpea03b wrote: »

jayjay_90 wrote: »

Wait, you're only eating 1200 calories in addition to all that working out? You need to eat more girl!

Yeessss. People will say what they say... but when I have more than a 500cal deficit, I don't lose. Eat more. Know your numbers... stick to a moderate deficit only (500 calories) and you will lose. Also, keep an eye on your sodium. If I have a higher than usual sodium intake I will retain water like crazy also.

I bet what they say is: you don't violate the laws of physics and there's nowhere else from which that energy can come other than by metabolizing parts of your body.