Gaining fat after working with a trainer?

evakierk

Hi all! I'm pretty new to exercise. I've been using MFP for a while now and steadily lost weight sticking to the recommended calories. I added exercise to my health/weight loss program only 2 months ago, and I finally decided to start paying a personal trainer because a.) I don't really know how to use weights and do different exercises and b.) I really needed someone to push me because I'm kind of lazy working out on my own. So I've been working out 3x a week (with the trainer) for 4 weeks now, with weights and cardio, harder than I've ever done so before. For at least 2 weeks I've been ravenously hungry ALL THE TIME and my trainer said my body is craving protein because I'm building muscle. So I'm taking the no carb, no fat, high protein whey shake he recommended and have definitely been getting adequate protein for a while now. But I'm finding it impossible to stay within my recommended calorie limit and usually exceed it by a few hundred calories each day due to gnawing hunger. I've actually gained 3.5 pounds since starting to work out with a trainer. Of course some of it is muscle, but it seems my stomach and "muffin top" are actually bigger! I'm getting so frustrated because I thought training with weights would help me lose fat and look more fit but the opposite is happening. Also I'm seriously so very hungry all the time like I've never experienced before and I'm definitely getting adequate protein and fat. Has anyone else ever experienced this and any advice?

Karen_can_do_this

I don't think it's muscle, sorry to tell you that.
Maybe you should talk to your GP?
The excess weight could be water weight from your muscles being worked. I can't really give you the scientific answer there. Someone else would be really good at that.
What type of exercises are you doing with your trainer?
Good luck op

BodyByBex

@usmcmp Thoughts? Helpful advice?

ETA: I know you know/explain better than I ever could.

middlehaitch

You will have added a little water weight due to upping your workout routine.
But mainly you are eating more than you burn.
If drinking the recommended protein shake is cutting into your calories, ditch it, and eat food with a good to high protein content instead.
Re-*kitten* your food intake and choose more filling food rather than calorie dense.
Eat back at least 50% of your exercise calorie burn.
A lot of people find protein or fat rich foods more satisfying than carbs.
Experiment and see what satisfies you the most.
You don't need a protein shake. It is just a convenient way of upping protein.

Cheers, h.

Magenta529

Yes! This happens to me every single time I increase my workouts. It's a combo of water retention and inflammation in my opinion. Usually about 6 weeks after I'll see a big drop in weight and notice a difference in my physical size and look.

You know how guys always say they want to look "swoll" (no idea the spelling of that). This is my theory, is that when I increase my exercise and strength training that I'm actually just "swoll" but I don't like it because I'm trying to look skinnier!

Hang in there, stick with it!

LKArgh

Strenght training does not burn many calories. If you are eating more than you used to, of course you are gaining.
What are you eating? Maybe you need more filling foods?
And, a bit off topic, but as someone who has spent a lot of time in various gyms for years, if a trainer tried to "sell" me a supplement, I would fire him on the spot.

elsinora

From the sounds of it you are overeating in calorie allotment. When you train, weight loss / or STS but remaining strong, healthy comes 80% your diet and 20% exercise. For example, if you're a boxer, they exercise like beasts but they're really strict on their diet still. Sorry to say it but it's the diet letting you down not the trainer. If you're ravenous, which you would be when you add exercise into the equation is to spread meals out during the day. I have 5 and always make sure protein is in each meal. No you don't have to cut out carbs - you need this for energy. Protein is more filling and good for muscle repair.

elsinora

aggelikik wrote: »

And, a bit off topic, but as someone who has spent a lot of time in various gyms for years, if a trainer tried to "sell" me a supplement, I would fire him on the spot.

Unless he takes a commission there's nothing wrong in recommending whey protein shakes or brands if you are a complete noob to this stuff getting advise on it is normal.

Muscleflex79

did you read the thread that is going right now called something like "no, it's not muscle" ??

usmcmp

What's your height, weight and current calorie intake set to?
Do you currently weigh all your food?
I ask because it's important to know how accurate you are and if your goals are set appropriately. There's a chance you could raise your calories. If you don't want to post the information here you can send me a message.

When people first start lifting weights they will retain water. Your body needs the extra water to repair your muscles. The shake you are taking may have creatine in it, which would also add water weight. Sometimes these two things mean your muscles gain a little bit of size and make your clothes tighter. Fat on top of muscles will poke out more.

You don't have to use a shake if you would rather "spend" your calories on chicken or eggs or other sources of protein. A shake usually leaves me hungrier than if I had eaten a meal.

Psychgrrl

If your trainer is telling you your body is "craving" protein because you're building muscle and that you've gained several pounds of muscle after 4 weeks of training, it sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about. Time for a new trainer!

Edited to add: Having a personal training certification does NOT make him qualified to advise you on nutrition.

Try changing up some of your food choices to combat hunger. Complex carbs like quinoa, beans and sweet potatoes, healthy fats and lean protein help me. Experiment with what works for you. Multiple, smaller meals work well for me. But that doesn't do it for everyone.

ninerbuff

If you're eating a surplus EACH DAY, that would explain the weight gain. Basically you just need to tighten up on your calories. How much are you trying to lose a week and are you under 200lbs?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

spzjlb

Good comments above. While you are watching calorie intake and starting to work out, I suggest watching your body measurement changes as well as weight. Because you think your muffin top and tummy are bigger, getting hard data will help in your reassessment. Weight shifts so much, so having other metrics of your body's changes is useful. Take photos, too. Good luck!

evakierk

Hi everyone thanks so much for the replies! It helps a lot! Btw I'd just like to clarify that my trainer did not tell me that 3.5 lb of weight gain was muscle (he said realistically about 1/2 lb. could be muscle) , nor did he sell me any protein shake. He asked me about my diet and I'm not a huge meat eater (although I'm really trying to add more to my diet) so he said I needed to supplement my protein with a shake, and he just recommended a brand he likes personally and I got it myself. He suggested it might be the reason I'm so hungry all the time and going way over my calorie limit is perhaps my body craving protein.

I'm trying to follow a ketogenic diet, I only have about 12lb of fat to lose (I'm what they call "skinny fat" with a bit of a muffin top. 5'5" 135lb) with almost no muscle or tone, but I also really need to improve my cardiovascular health. I've been physically inactive for a long time, and my doctor said I had no core strength and this is what is causing constant back problems. So I am trying to make positive changes and also to stave off things like heart disease, osteoporosis, etc. and plus I'm just tired of being a bit flabby and weak

According to all the calculators (TDEE, etc.) my recommended calorie intake before I started working out is 1200. I'm trying to keep carbs under 50 but rarely succeed. Perhaps I need to re-adjust since I'm doing some pretty tough (for me) strength training 3x per week. This training includes working with free weights and machines, lots of squats, all kinds of ab exercises and leg lifts. I'm pleasantly sore almost every day so I know I'm working muscles I didn't even know I had!

Yesterday I upped my protein to about 95 (before I was getting about 65-70), and lo and behold, I was able to stay about about 1240 calories without being so ravenously hungry! Maybe this is the answer? I will try again today and see if this continues to help me stay around 1200.
Thanks so much everyone who took the time to reply for the support!

cafeaulait7

I think your diet is too rough, so you're bound to be very hungry adding in lots of exercise. 1200 is just so low; I'd go bonkers before the exercise (I'm 5'6" but 45 years old). And the keto? Aaack, that's rough.

You have a shot at adding muscle in a deficit if the deficit isn't very low (adding muscle usually takes calories over maintenance to do). So that's another reason to up your calories and then just up your patience Do try to eat as much protein as you can, yes. Your numbers there sound like you are like me and don't like protein so much naturally. But you are doing keto, so you'd better like it, lol.

I have blood sugar problems and do moderate carbs (down from a total carb fiend). I don't like dissuading people from doing keto if that's really their thing, but if you never tried regular low-carb (avoiding the obvious carbs to avoid) then it wouldn't be a bad idea, imho.

If the 12 lbs don't bother you terribly, you could really do a recomp. If putting on muscle is your main goal for health (yay!) then you have the best shot with your calories at maintenance or above. OTOH, since you could see newb gains in muscle while you are new, I say go for a deficit but keep it small. Use those newb gains while you might have them, lol.

BTW, our stats are so close! I'm 5'6" and 134. I'm maintaining at this point (and still lifting, so that's recomp for me).

evakierk

@usmcmp please see info I posted in previous post. Oh and btw I lost about 12lb just through calorie reduction/ketogenic diet over a period of about 4 months before I added exercise and still have about 12 lb to go to be happy with my weight. I started just by walking several times a week, to then joining a gym and doing the bike and rowing machine, but realized I just wasn't working hard enough and was intimidated by the weight room side of the gym, and knowing I needed to improve core strength and muscle tone, I started working with a trainer 4 weeks ago. That's why I'm perplexed about gaining weight!

nutmegoreo

evakierk wrote: »

Hi everyone thanks so much for the replies! It helps a lot! Btw I'd just like to clarify that my trainer did not tell me that 3.5 lb of weight gain was muscle (he said realistically about 1/2 lb. could be muscle) , nor did he sell me any protein shake. He asked me about my diet and I'm not a huge meat eater (although I'm really trying to add more to my diet) so he said I needed to supplement my protein with a shake, and he just recommended a brand he likes personally and I got it myself. He suggested it might be the reason I'm so hungry all the time and going way over my calorie limit is perhaps my body craving protein.

I'm trying to follow a ketogenic diet, I only have about 12lb of fat to lose (I'm what they call "skinny fat" with a bit of a muffin top. 5'5" 135lb) with almost no muscle or tone, but I also really need to improve my cardiovascular health. I've been physically inactive for a long time, and my doctor said I had no core strength and this is what is causing constant back problems. So I am trying to make positive changes and also to stave off things like heart disease, osteoporosis, etc. and plus I'm just tired of being a bit flabby and weak

According to all the calculators (TDEE, etc.) my recommended calorie intake before I started working out is 1200. I'm trying to keep carbs under 50 but rarely succeed. Perhaps I need to re-adjust since I'm doing some pretty tough (for me) strength training 3x per week. This training includes working with free weights and machines, lots of squats, all kinds of ab exercises and leg lifts. I'm pleasantly sore almost every day so I know I'm working muscles I didn't even know I had!

Yesterday I upped my protein to about 95 (before I was getting about 65-70), and lo and behold, I was able to stay about about 1240 calories without being so ravenously hungry! Maybe this is the answer? I will try again today and see if this continues to help me stay around 1200.
Thanks so much everyone who took the time to reply for the support!

I think you're hungry because your goal is too aggressive for someone who is lifting. Just my thoughts and experiences here, but I get really hungry with lifting. I am shorter and older (but also heaver, so that can change the numbers), and have been losing on 1600/day. In fact I just bumped to 1700 because it's time to slow my losses, plus I felt my workouts are suffering.

Personally, I think you should consider increasing your calories to fuel the workouts better.

SLLRunner

Psychgrrl wrote: »

If your trainer is telling you your body is "craving" protein because you're building muscle and that you've gained several pounds of muscle after 4 weeks of training, it sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about. Time for a new trainer!

Edited to add: Having a personal training certification does NOT make him qualified to advise you on nutrition.

Try changing up some of your food choices to combat hunger. Complex carbs like quinoa, beans and sweet potatoes, healthy fats and lean protein help me. Experiment with what works for you. Multiple, smaller meals work well for me. But that doesn't do it for everyone.

Yep.

ninerbuff wrote: »

If you're eating a surplus EACH DAY, that would explain the weight gain. Basically you just need to tighten up on your calories. How much are you trying to lose a week and are you

Double yep to this.