NSPs- Non scale problems

skymningen

Can we maybe also talk about and support each other about the non scale related problems that occur when you change your lifestyle?

I am currently doing my best do both gain weight and gain muscle, while losing body fat. For this I changed my diet to less carbs and more protein and I am going to the gym for strength training (and a little cardio as warm-up) three times a week.

But the positives don't want to happen.

• I lost 2 more lbs (which I did not want to and definitely should not lose many more).
• I strained my calve muscle (It's mostly okay now, but honestly, 2 weeks into the gym and I hurt myself on the easy beginners training).
• I keep gaining/not losing body fat while not building muscle.
• The increased protein seems to make me constipated and bloated.
• I suddenly have insomnia. I used to be a great sleeper, but now it's a struggle to fall asleep, I wake up multiple times at night and am wide awake and then I give up an hour before I would need to get up.
• My hormones/cycle are messed up.
• I feel unmotivated and unfocused at work (okay, that might or might not be related to my new lifestyle, but it increases the pain).

Don't get me wrong: I love my new gym and working out and how I feel after training. I enjoy the food and looking for tasty recipes and I have always liked healthy foods, I was just too high in carbs and too low in protein generally. I originally thought all of this is not a very big change for me. But I also hoped for sparkles and unicorns, meaning that it would have some positive and definitely no negative effects on me.

I know this is a motivational board and it is about sparkles and unicorns, but maybe it also helps to stay on track if everyone can rant about the unicorn poo in their front yard together and how the sparkles burned a little hole in their favourite workout shirt? And then we know we are not alone, because the unicorns also trampled over someone else tulips and feel better about it.

livingleanlivingclean

skymningen wrote: »

Can we maybe also talk about and support each other about the non scale related problems that occur when you change your lifestyle?

I am currently doing my best do both gain weight and gain muscle, while losing body fat. For this I changed my diet to less carbs and more protein and I am going to the gym for strength training (and a little cardio as warm-up) three times a week.

But the positives don't want to happen.

• I lost 2 more lbs (which I did not want to and definitely should not lose many more).
• I strained my calve muscle (It's mostly okay now, but honestly, 2 weeks into the gym and I hurt myself on the easy beginners training).
• I keep gaining/not losing body fat while not building muscle.
• The increased protein seems to make me constipated and bloated.
• I suddenly have insomnia. I used to be a great sleeper, but now it's a struggle to fall asleep, I wake up multiple times at night and am wide awake and then I give up an hour before I would need to get up.
• My hormones/cycle are messed up.
• I feel unmotivated and unfocused at work (okay, that might or might not be related to my new lifestyle, but it increases the pain).

Don't get me wrong: I love my new gym and working out and how I feel after training. I enjoy the food and looking for tasty recipes and I have always liked healthy foods, I was just too high in carbs and too low in protein generally. I originally thought all of this is not a very big change for me. But I also hoped for sparkles and unicorns, meaning that it would have some positive and definitely no negative effects on me.

I know this is a motivational board and it is about sparkles and unicorns, but maybe it also helps to stay on track if everyone can rant about the unicorn poo in their front yard together and how the sparkles burned a little hole in their favourite workout shirt? And then we know we are not alone, because the unicorns also trampled over someone else tulips and feel better about it.

You might have more success if you aren't trying to do opposing things at the same time.

Losing fat + maintaining as much muscle as possible by lifting = possible

Losing fat + gaining muscle, staying at the same weight = possible. Slow going, but possible, look in to recomp.

Losing fat + gaining muscle + gaining weight = not going to happen.

Your 2lb loss could be attributed to water loss from lowering carbs. Your fiber may have also decreased leading to constipation.

Messed up hormones are not cool. Exercise seems to have that affect on me - I refuse to stop training though as I'm stubborn.

Magnesium can make sleep better, it can also help recovery. And constipation. Often people need more when training. You may also need a better pre-bed routine to make falling asleep easier.

skymningen

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

Losing fat + gaining muscle, staying at the same weight = possible. Slow going, but possible, look in to recomp.

Losing fat + gaining muscle + gaining weight = not going to happen.

Sorry, but that goes against what everyone (doctors, people at the gym and a friend who has a Masters in nutrition) told me so far. Muscle is heavier than fat, so recomp in percentage would mean that I gain weight. I am not looking to gain crazy amounts, I am looking to gain muscle weight and lose fat (weight) and that is exactly what my doctor told me to do and the trainer at my gym based the plan around. I am trying to eat at a slight surplus but reduce fat and carbs (carbs not too extreme), so it should be possible to build this muscle while not retaining more fat. Which is what I want to do and what would change the percentage of muscle and fat in my body.
I lost weight before, which was because of stress mostly so I lost quite a bit of muscle. I am just trying to get back a third of my old weight in muscle, not lose "belly fat", but reduce body fat percentage this way.

livingleanlivingclean

Ok

CoueCoue

skymningen wrote: »

I know this is a motivational board and it is about sparkles and unicorns, but maybe it also helps to stay on track if everyone can rant about the unicorn poo in their front yard together and how the sparkles burned a little hole in their favourite workout shirt? And then we know we are not alone, because the unicorns also trampled over someone else tulips and feel better about it.

Awesome writing. Hilarious!

Yeah...moan away. We all need to from time to time. You've obviously just hit a "bleh" patch. Maybe your body is still adjusting to your new regime or maybe it's having a bit of a tantrum. If you're following a Doctor's and Trainer's advice, it should all work eventually. Be patient, be kind to your body....don't punish it. It'll pass. Go do something nice today that isn't about your body....see a film or read a book in the park or go shopping with a friend. Hope you feel better soon (oh, and always wipe the unicorn poo off your shoes before entering the house. It's a nightmare to get out of carpet)