bulkier

sham0968

After exercising on epplitical or exercise bike.I am bulkier and my pants are tighter. Does anyone else have this problem after exercising on certain machines...i am getting treadmill later. These exercise equipment will great for toning but I an trying to lose first and then tone.

eatlessnachos

I'm having the same problem.

I've lost 10lbs by creating a moderate calorie deficit and using mostly cardio machines, but my jeans are fitting tighter. It's very frustrating! I can see a little weight loss in my stomach area, but the bottom half of me is not improving, and it almost seems possible that it's getting worse.

I'm not sure if this is just a weight loss phase, or a perspective issue (maybe the pants were always this tight, and now I am being real about it) or if I am somehow messing up my body's muscle to fat composition.

I have been told to lift heavy, but feel like I should try to lose more fat before I build muscle. I want to get down to the 130s.

Right now I am 157 lbs, 5'5, and average about 1500-1600 calories a day (eating back most exercise calories). I can't exist on 1200 calories, it's hell for me. So it doesn't seem like I am starving myself, and I also know I'm not massively overeating.

What gives?

Rae6503

Does it go away? Cardio will not increase your muscle size especially while on a diet, not even heavy lifting would increase them by much. You're probably just experiencing swelling and/or water retention.

_GlaDOS_

Interesting. Being fat made me look bulky.

eatlessnachos

Perhaps you're right. I could have SWORN these pants were starting to fit looser a few weeks ago...maybe they really were and I am retaining water? I drink 6-14 cups a day, so my body's crazy if it's trying to hold on to water.

I want to get strong and toned, but if I'm being honest with myself, this is only half about my health, and the rest is vanity (I just want to wear my summer clothes with confidence).

Which is why I feel like cardio-ing the fat away is more important (short term) than getting strong (long term).

I don't know what the right thing to do is.

_GlaDOS_

Perhaps you're right. I could have SWORN these pants were starting to fit looser a few weeks ago...maybe they really were and I am retaining water? I drink 6-14 cups a day, so my body's crazy if it's trying to hold on to water.

I want to get strong and toned, but if I'm being honest with myself, this is only half about my health, and the rest is vanity (I just want to wear my summer clothes with confidence).

Which is why I feel like cardio-ing the fat away is more important (short term) than getting strong (long term).

I don't know what the right thing to do is.

Lots of cardio without strength training will also help in cardio-ing your lean muscle mass away.

grapenutSF

Do you mean RIGHT after exercising? Pay no mind to that. That's also when I look best flexing , so I suppose it may be similar. In general, you are not making your thighs beefier/bulkier/whatevs with that exercise.

To get leaner-- all over-- my suggestion is to not sequence your fitness the way you describe bc you'll burn more overall, and reshape your body into something leaner-- if you lift heavy (which might be what you mean with tone) now. New Rules of Lifting has a great description of this, as well as a good program to get you started if you're interested.

I apologize that wasn't your main question, but your last line sucked me in. :flowerforyou:

Yanicka1

Perhaps you're right. I could have SWORN these pants were starting to fit looser a few weeks ago...maybe they really were and I am retaining water? I drink 6-14 cups a day, so my body's crazy if it's trying to hold on to water.

I want to get strong and toned, but if I'm being honest with myself, this is only half about my health, and the rest is vanity (I just want to wear my summer clothes with confidence).

Which is why I feel like cardio-ing the fat away is more important (short term) than getting strong (long term).

I don't know what the right thing to do is.

Lots of cardio without strength training will also help in cardio-ing your lean muscle mass away.

Having a metabolism is over rated anyway. /snark
Cardio make my tummy swell but it only last a few hours

eatlessnachos

Perhaps you're right. I could have SWORN these pants were starting to fit looser a few weeks ago...maybe they really were and I am retaining water? I drink 6-14 cups a day, so my body's crazy if it's trying to hold on to water.

I want to get strong and toned, but if I'm being honest with myself, this is only half about my health, and the rest is vanity (I just want to wear my summer clothes with confidence).

Which is why I feel like cardio-ing the fat away is more important (short term) than getting strong (long term).

I don't know what the right thing to do is.

Lots of cardio without strength training will also help in cardio-ing your lean muscle mass away.

I do some strength - but it's on Cybex circuit weight machines and not free weight lifting so I was hesitant to mention it.

I do machines like hip abduction, row, fly, lat pulls, leg curl, leg press, abdominals, etc.
I can do 3 reps of around 35-50lbs on the various arm machines, 35-80 on the legs, depending on the muscle worked, and a bizarrely disproportionate 175 on he leg press.

eatlessnachos

Do you mean RIGHT after exercising? Pay no mind to that. That's also when I look best flexing , so I suppose it may be similar. In general, you are not making your thighs beefier/bulkier/whatevs with that exercise.

To get leaner-- all over-- my suggestion is to not sequence your fitness the way you describe bc you'll burn more overall, and reshape your body into something leaner-- if you lift heavy (which might be what you mean with tone) now. New Rules of Lifting has a great description of this, as well as a good program to get you started if you're interested.

I apologize that wasn't your main question, but your last line sucked me in. :flowerforyou:

I appreciate it! I am just getting so much conflicting advice that it's hard to make a game plan. I have also been recommended that book, perhaps it's time to buy it and start a new plan. Sometimes I feel sort of dumb ripping it up on the cardio machines, knowing I'm not getting strong. Being strong is a lot more admirable than being able to stair step in place for 35 minutes.

The pants fitting tighter is in the mornings when I am putting them on, not after a workout! But I'm trying not to think about it because I know whatever it is being caused by, it won't last. I'm motivated, I just don't know how to channel the motivation!

Rae6503

Do you mean RIGHT after exercising? Pay no mind to that. That's also when I look best flexing , so I suppose it may be similar. In general, you are not making your thighs beefier/bulkier/whatevs with that exercise.

To get leaner-- all over-- my suggestion is to not sequence your fitness the way you describe bc you'll burn more overall, and reshape your body into something leaner-- if you lift heavy (which might be what you mean with tone) now. New Rules of Lifting has a great description of this, as well as a good program to get you started if you're interested.

I apologize that wasn't your main question, but your last line sucked me in. :flowerforyou:

I appreciate it! I am just getting so much conflicting advice that it's hard to make a game plan. I have also been recommended that book, perhaps it's time to buy it and start a new plan. Sometimes I feel sort of dumb ripping it up on the cardio machines, knowing I'm not getting strong. Being strong is a lot more admirable than being able to stair step in place for 35 minutes.

The pants fitting tighter is in the mornings when I am putting them on, not after a workout! But I'm trying not to think about it because I know whatever it is being caused by, it won't last. I'm motivated, I just don't know how to channel the motivation!

That's the dryer.


And I agree that for the best looking body, start strength training now!

eatlessnachos

That's the dryer.

Haha I'll go with that one for now!