Lifting is making my waist bigger!!!

bnmoyler
bnmoyler Posts: 133 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I do about 3 body pump and weight training classes per week along with some running and Pilates. My body composition has completely changed over the past six months and I'm definitely more fit and toned. However, about a month ago increased my weights and I noticed I really started feeling it around my waist- lower to mid back area mainly. My core muscles have definitely increased but I also notice with this, my waist is bigger. More tone, but broader. I don't want this. Is it the dead lifts and rows that could be doing this??? I'm not sure what to do.

Replies

  • bnmoyler
    bnmoyler Posts: 133 Member
    I do not have actual numbers. But my waist looks bigger. However, my pants feel looser.
  • Dano74
    Dano74 Posts: 503 Member
    bnmoyler wrote: »
    I do not have actual numbers. But my waist looks bigger. However, my pants feel looser.

    You are doing great. If you want to put your fears to rest, measure your waist once a week for the next 2-3 weeks. That won't lie.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Another vote for measuring. A few months ago, my biceps looked bigger to me but they were in fact an inch smaller since I measured them a year ago.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited September 2016
    When heavily worked your muscles will swell with water and will retain that water for a good amount of time. If you are pushing your muscles in your lower back I think it is possible that that could temporarily increase your waist size by a little bit, but not permanently.

    A symptom of that water retention would be the muscle feeling tight and turgid. Swelling will go down.


    ETA should have read thread first, if you haven't actually measured before and after then you are going off that you feel your waist is bigger. Which put another way....you don't know.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    bnmoyler wrote: »
    I do not have actual numbers. But my waist looks bigger. However, my pants feel looser.

    If your pants feel looser around the waist that's probably more a sign that your waist has gotten smaller :) Lifting weights can cause you to put on muscle in your waist but it would need to be fairly targeted and coupled with a calorie surplus. Putting on muscle isn't easy and you generally wouldn't put on a lot from body pump. The effect you're seeing might be due to losing fat that is causing you to see more muscle underneath.

    I wouldn't change anything up just yet. Measure your waist now and every week for a month or two and then worry if the actual data supports what you think is happening

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Your proportions have likely just changed--more fat lost off your hips than waist, for example.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    measure. You won't know for sure unless you measure and if your pants are looser - no way you can be bigger.

    HOWEVER - you may want to work your upper body more (not just body pumping but bro-workout back and shoulder workouts to broaden your top half and therefore make your waist look/feel smaller.

    Deadlifts will not make your waist thicker. The only exercise I was told never to do was those ones where you stand there holding a kettlebell or dumbell in one hand and crunch sideways. In order to get the V shape taper that aparently should never be done as it will "thicken" your sides.
  • bnmoyler
    bnmoyler Posts: 133 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Your proportions have likely just changed--more fat lost off your hips than waist, for example.

    I was thinking that too. I'm just going to keep going to see how it all pans out.
  • bnmoyler
    bnmoyler Posts: 133 Member
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    measure. You won't know for sure unless you measure and if your pants are looser - no way you can be bigger.

    HOWEVER - you may want to work your upper body more (not just body pumping but bro-workout back and shoulder workouts to broaden your top half and therefore make your waist look/feel smaller.

    Deadlifts will not make your waist thicker. The only exercise I was told never to do was those ones where you stand there holding a kettlebell or dumbell in one hand and crunch sideways. In order to get the V shape taper that aparently should never be done as it will "thicken" your sides.

    We've been doing a lot of oblique work too. I just know I've been feeling a lot in that General vicinity.
  • bnmoyler
    bnmoyler Posts: 133 Member
    gmallan wrote: »
    bnmoyler wrote: »
    I do not have actual numbers. But my waist looks bigger. However, my pants feel looser.

    If your pants feel looser around the waist that's probably more a sign that your waist has gotten smaller :) Lifting weights can cause you to put on muscle in your waist but it would need to be fairly targeted and coupled with a calorie surplus. Putting on muscle isn't easy and you generally wouldn't put on a lot from body pump. The effect you're seeing might be due to losing fat that is causing you to see more muscle underneath.

    I wouldn't change anything up just yet. Measure your waist now and every week for a month or two and then worry if the actual data supports what you think is happening

    I just measured and the measure hasn't changed so it has to be body composition. So frustrating!!! But I'd rather be toned than floppy so I'll take it!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    bnmoyler wrote: »
    gmallan wrote: »
    bnmoyler wrote: »
    I do not have actual numbers. But my waist looks bigger. However, my pants feel looser.

    If your pants feel looser around the waist that's probably more a sign that your waist has gotten smaller :) Lifting weights can cause you to put on muscle in your waist but it would need to be fairly targeted and coupled with a calorie surplus. Putting on muscle isn't easy and you generally wouldn't put on a lot from body pump. The effect you're seeing might be due to losing fat that is causing you to see more muscle underneath.

    I wouldn't change anything up just yet. Measure your waist now and every week for a month or two and then worry if the actual data supports what you think is happening

    I just measured and the measure hasn't changed so it has to be body composition. So frustrating!!! But I'd rather be toned than floppy so I'll take it!

    So your waist is not bigger and you are leaner. Why is this frustrating??
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    bnmoyler wrote: »
    I do not have actual numbers. But my waist looks bigger. However, my pants feel looser.

    LOL

    You see what you wrote there right?

    It's probably just your recomp...your hips are narrower and your brain isn't getting what your eyes are seeing, mixed with pump from new workouts

    My advice would be to hold steady, don't progress and let your head catch up for a few months, if you still don't like it add more glute and shoulder work to balance more
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