Weight gain since starting Insanity!

scubahsteve69

Arrrgh! Was very disappointed this morning on the scale. After nearly a month of eating good and 2 weeks, 6x / week of Insanity, and the damn scale said I gained 3 lbs. Talk about a kick in the self esteem area! I mean WTF?!?! If I wanted to gain weight, I sure as hell wouldn't do these Insanity workouts and be so critical of what I eat. Last Monday I had dropped 4 lbs from the previous weigh in and this Monday picked up 3!

I'm going to let it ride for now, but I swear to God if I gain more weight come next Monday, I'm using those Insanity discs as clay pigeons and going on a little trap shoot!

hartint

I am also doing Insanity. Just started last week. That is discouraging, your results. I would be frustrated also because the workouts are TOUGH. Please keep us updated on your results. I wont weight until end of this week. Of course I keep thinking there is no way I shouldnt lose but sure your are thinking same thing.

roberts1013

did you take your measurments? if so have they at least gone down? there is more to this process than just the number on the scale!! keep it up!

beautyreaps

It's temporary. Your body composition changes over the course of your weight loss journey. Ride it out, the results will come. Also, be sure to drink lots of water, especially before, during and after your Insanity workouts. Good luck.

cms6300

most gain a couple of pounds the first 2-3 weeks (myself included.) Don't worry about it - keep pushing play.

sandy_taylor13

Ive been doing Insanity for 6 weeks now and although i also throw in P90X, I have lost 12 lbs and I credit a ton of that to Insanity. Have you been watching the calories? Maybe you've added muscle and that's made the scale go up some. I've also found that drinking over 64 oz of water a day helps to flush out everything. Just a suggestion. I wouldnt toss the Insanity tapes just yet, give it a few more weeks.

katiefuller

I too am doing insanity, I just completed my second fit test, scale is not moving and I have been eating very well. I did do a quick check on my ,measurements and I am down 3 inches on my waist. Don't be discouraged!!!!! My brother in law has dropped 12 pounds so far, he just started his second month.

hiker282

Yeah, been there done that. It wasn't until week 3 that my weight started coming down. Keep digging!

hofficoffi

Its like any hardworkout hun, everytime i've done the shred the first two weeks I plateau or even gain, cos im sore my muscles are retaining a lot of water and then after that the scales come down again. Ignore the scales for a few weeks, just use your measuring tape and see how much you're progressing in the fit tests.
Don't get disheartened, just keep going you'll get there. xxxx

monst76

Damn Brother that sucks, keep with the workout and im sure results will follow. Might just be the building of new muscle, I'd say keep with it.

redheadmommy

I had the same disappointing result with P90X. I work out like crazy 6 times a week for a month, I ate exactly as described, except the first 3 days, and I gained 3 lb in the first 4 weeks. At the first week, I said myself, I didn't ate that well always, hence is the gain. The second week I said, it is just the start, it will come off, on the 3rd week I started to concerned, and after the 4th week I was like WTF??? It was not a weight fluctuation due to water or what not, but actually a slow and steady weight gain on a diet/exercise plan that supposed to make you lose 1.5 -2 lb per week based on calorie deficit.

Because of the disappointment ,I started to be less diligent with the workouts on week 5. I dropped the cardio , but kept the 3 x a week weight training, and I dropped 2 lb in a week. For the 6th week, I had some crazy stuff going on at home, and I was only did one P90X weight training session, plus 1 TRX training at the gym and I dropped 3 lb in a week.

Now I just feel stupid for working so hard for weight gain. I am definitely not going to get back to work my *kitten* of 6 times a week, when it is clearly not working for me. I 'll do what I have done before and worked: 45-60 minutes weight training 2-3 times a week and that is it. No more 75 minutes weight training sessions or 60 minute cardio that I feel like I die at the end.

I think these extreme workouts may work for many people, but definitely not for everyone.

HotKanye

I find with insanity I work so hard with the HIIT that I end up taking too many breaks so what I do is do the Insanity warm-up and then switch to another workout like Turbo Jam. Then at the end of that I go back and do a bit more insanity. I get a 60-70 minute workout instead of a 45 and I burn more calories switching it up as I go.

scubahsteve69

Ok...well everyone's comments are a little more encouraging knowing that it may be typical for some to gain a little before losing. I'm pretty good with my calories typically keeping a couple 2-3 hundred or more calories in deficit, and drink anywhere from 6-10 cups of water a day. Unfortunately, I didn't take any tape measurements when I first started this journey. I should probably go ahead and measure up and see if in a couple weeks they change.

I certainly appreciate your comments & encouragement!

Prefessa

Buy yourself a cheap pair if calipers and measure BOTH your weight and % Bodyfat, then calculate your LBM and Your Fat Mass....if your fat mass went down and LBM went up....celibrate!! Thats exactly what you want! LBM is live tissue that burns calories....the more you have the better chance you have of beeing lean.

scubahsteve69

Bought myself a pair of calipers and a tape last night off ebay, so as soon as it comes in I'm going to calculate my LBM. Never done that before so it may be interesting what it is and if I can change it for the better. Is it best to calculate weekly, monthly or just whenever?

jennifershoo

It's water retention!
Every time we start a new workout/training program, the muscles get sore and have to retain water in order to repair themselves.
Be patient. It could take a few weeks until your body adjusts. Keep in mind that your not gaining fat.

onek9lover

What's insanity? Lol.

ishallnotwant

It's water retention!
Every time we start a new workout/training program, the muscles get sore and have to retain water in order to repair themselves.
Be patient. It could take a few weeks until your body adjusts. Keep in mind that your not gaining fat.

Let's hear it for the voice of reason! :happy:

psuLemon

Based on your food diary, it appears you really aren't eating enough. These programs requires you to eat a ton of calories. I am doing p90x2 and I eat 3000 calories a day. I am 200 lbs and 12% body fat and I am thinking that might not be enough calories. I would seriously try to figure out your BMR and TDEE to figure out if you are under eating.

nelnova

I learned if You Push yourself while doing those DVD's all the way to the max, your body will change and the weight loss will be there. Just make sure you weight yourself the same time you did from ur last weigh in.... b/c 3-5lbs of weight gain could really just be water....I'd Worry about 6-7lbs...lol

ingfit

I had the same disappointing result with P90X. I work out like crazy 6 times a week for a month, I ate exactly as described, except the first 3 days, and I gained 3 lb in the first 4 weeks. At the first week, I said myself, I didn't ate that well always, hence is the gain. The second week I said, it is just the start, it will come off, on the 3rd week I started to concerned, and after the 4th week I was like WTF??? It was not a weight fluctuation due to water or what not, but actually a slow and steady weight gain on a diet/exercise plan that supposed to make you lose 1.5 -2 lb per week based on calorie deficit.

Because of the disappointment ,I started to be less diligent with the workouts on week 5. I dropped the cardio , but kept the 3 x a week weight training, and I dropped 2 lb in a week. For the 6th week, I had some crazy stuff going on at home, and I was only did one P90X weight training session, plus 1 TRX training at the gym and I dropped 3 lb in a week.

Now I just feel stupid for working so hard for weight gain. I am definitely not going to get back to work my *kitten* of 6 times a week, when it is clearly not working for me. I 'll do what I have done before and worked: 45-60 minutes weight training 2-3 times a week and that is it. No more 75 minutes weight training sessions or 60 minute cardio that I feel like I die at the end.

I think these extreme workouts may work for many people, but definitely not for everyone.

I agree, these programs may be too much, or workout overload for some people. I have done both P90X (9 weeks) and Insanity (7 weeks), then Insanity/P90X Hybrid (4 weeks) . My weight would go up and down the same 5 lbs. I finally just switched to Insanity 3X a week with rest days between and 1 weekend full body routine. I truely believe, for me (maybe not for everyone), that I was working out too high intensity and not enough rest days combined with inadequate calories. Since cutting down the workouts from 6 days to 4 days and eating my TDEE - 500 = 1800 cals per day, I am consistantly losing 1 lb a week. My body is thanking me now, and I have tons more energy and less soreness to really push it hard on workout days.

psych101

Having a glance over your food diary I'd like to put out there that you're not eating enough. Use the equations that came in the Insanity booklet and double check your calorie intake. You gotta fuel your body if you want to get results.


*Insanity Grad*

Prefessa

Bought myself a pair of calipers and a tape last night off ebay, so as soon as it comes in I'm going to calculate my LBM. Never done that before so it may be interesting what it is and if I can change it for the better. Is it best to calculate weekly, monthly or just whenever?

Weekly is fine...I use the 3 site Jackson Pollack method on www.Linear-Software.com, its easy. while its not 100% accurate, it is very precise, so you can spot trends.

So lets say you loose fat and gain muscle...don't change a thing! If you loose muscle and gain fat...you are over dieting! Or over exercising...eat more!! If you gain muscle and a small amount of fat....just drop 50-100 cals/day and see what happens.

psuLemon

I had the same disappointing result with P90X. I work out like crazy 6 times a week for a month, I ate exactly as described, except the first 3 days, and I gained 3 lb in the first 4 weeks. At the first week, I said myself, I didn't ate that well always, hence is the gain. The second week I said, it is just the start, it will come off, on the 3rd week I started to concerned, and after the 4th week I was like WTF??? It was not a weight fluctuation due to water or what not, but actually a slow and steady weight gain on a diet/exercise plan that supposed to make you lose 1.5 -2 lb per week based on calorie deficit.

Because of the disappointment ,I started to be less diligent with the workouts on week 5. I dropped the cardio , but kept the 3 x a week weight training, and I dropped 2 lb in a week. For the 6th week, I had some crazy stuff going on at home, and I was only did one P90X weight training session, plus 1 TRX training at the gym and I dropped 3 lb in a week.

Now I just feel stupid for working so hard for weight gain. I am definitely not going to get back to work my *kitten* of 6 times a week, when it is clearly not working for me. I 'll do what I have done before and worked: 45-60 minutes weight training 2-3 times a week and that is it. No more 75 minutes weight training sessions or 60 minute cardio that I feel like I die at the end.

I think these extreme workouts may work for many people, but definitely not for everyone.

I agree, these programs may be too much, or workout overload for some people. I have done both P90X (9 weeks) and Insanity (7 weeks), then Insanity/P90X Hybrid (4 weeks) . My weight would go up and down the same 5 lbs. I finally just switched to Insanity 3X a week with rest days between and 1 weekend full body routine. I truely believe, for me (maybe not for everyone), that I was working out too high intensity and not enough rest days combined with inadequate calories. Since cutting down the workouts from 6 days to 4 days and eating my TDEE - 500 = 1800 cals per day, I am consistantly losing 1 lb a week. My body is thanking me now, and I have tons more energy and less soreness to really push it hard on workout days.

Thats great you find what works for you. If you ever want to do the full program all you need to do is eat more. Probably around 2200-2400 calories a day.

scubahsteve69

Having a glance over your food diary I'd like to put out there that you're not eating enough. Use the equations that came in the Insanity booklet and double check your calorie intake. You gotta fuel your body if you want to get results.


*Insanity Grad*

Not eating enough? Really? Because I feel like I'm eating a lot! I've been using the caloric expectations from this site...the one that asks how active, how old, weight & how much you want to lose / week, and it's coming up to 1940. I'll check the calorie intake that the program recommends.

I may have been a bit premature (insert joke) in my "pissyness" about gaining the 3 lbs which was last Monday. Weighed in today and I've lost those 3 again, so maybe the gain was a culmination of different factors (such as SB Sunday).

scubahsteve69

Based on your food diary, it appears you really aren't eating enough. These programs requires you to eat a ton of calories. I am doing p90x2 and I eat 3000 calories a day. I am 200 lbs and 12% body fat and I am thinking that might not be enough calories. I would seriously try to figure out your BMR and TDEE to figure out if you are under eating.

Here's what I came up with from the Fitness Frog calculators...

BMI - 31.6 Obesity Class 1 (YIKES!)
BMR - 2146
TDEE - 3701

Like I mentioned, I was simply using the calculator here to come up with my calorie intake if I wanted to lose "x" number of pounds. Damn, if I need to eat another 1000 calories I would think I'd be struggling.

@Prefessa --- I'll look up that method of measurement and start keeping track.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts & suggestions! One small goal I have is a 5% weight loss challenge with some friends...and I don't like to lose!

psuLemon

Having a glance over your food diary I'd like to put out there that you're not eating enough. Use the equations that came in the Insanity booklet and double check your calorie intake. You gotta fuel your body if you want to get results.


*Insanity Grad*

Not eating enough? Really? Because I feel like I'm eating a lot! I've been using the caloric expectations from this site...the one that asks how active, how old, weight & how much you want to lose / week, and it's coming up to 1940. I'll check the calorie intake that the program recommends.

I may have been a bit premature (insert joke) in my "pissyness" about gaining the 3 lbs which was last Monday. Weighed in today and I've lost those 3 again, so maybe the gain was a culmination of different factors (such as SB Sunday).

Well most women have to eat 1800 calories for this program, and most guys are around 2400. I can tell you when I did P90X and only ate 1800 calories, I didn't lose weight at all... not inches... no body fat. I eat 3000 doing P90X2 and I am losing all of it. I am 5'11 and 200. So if you are anywhere close to my stats, you should be eating more. Also, i found this site under estimated calories for me by 400-600 calories too low.

ps- just saw you added the TDEE estimate. Aim for 2900 calories and see if that helps.

redheadmommy

I had the same disappointing result with P90X. I work out like crazy 6 times a week for a month, I ate exactly as described, except the first 3 days, and I gained 3 lb in the first 4 weeks. At the first week, I said myself, I didn't ate that well always, hence is the gain. The second week I said, it is just the start, it will come off, on the 3rd week I started to concerned, and after the 4th week I was like WTF??? It was not a weight fluctuation due to water or what not, but actually a slow and steady weight gain on a diet/exercise plan that supposed to make you lose 1.5 -2 lb per week based on calorie deficit.

Because of the disappointment ,I started to be less diligent with the workouts on week 5. I dropped the cardio , but kept the 3 x a week weight training, and I dropped 2 lb in a week. For the 6th week, I had some crazy stuff going on at home, and I was only did one P90X weight training session, plus 1 TRX training at the gym and I dropped 3 lb in a week.

Now I just feel stupid for working so hard for weight gain. I am definitely not going to get back to work my *kitten* of 6 times a week, when it is clearly not working for me. I 'll do what I have done before and worked: 45-60 minutes weight training 2-3 times a week and that is it. No more 75 minutes weight training sessions or 60 minute cardio that I feel like I die at the end.

I think these extreme workouts may work for many people, but definitely not for everyone.

I agree, these programs may be too much, or workout overload for some people. I have done both P90X (9 weeks) and Insanity (7 weeks), then Insanity/P90X Hybrid (4 weeks) . My weight would go up and down the same 5 lbs. I finally just switched to Insanity 3X a week with rest days between and 1 weekend full body routine. I truely believe, for me (maybe not for everyone), that I was working out too high intensity and not enough rest days combined with inadequate calories. Since cutting down the workouts from 6 days to 4 days and eating my TDEE - 500 = 1800 cals per day, I am consistantly losing 1 lb a week. My body is thanking me now, and I have tons more energy and less soreness to really push it hard on workout days.

Great to know it is not just me. Since I dropped out from the program , I cut back exercise to 2-3 times a week . My body is thanking me big time. I am losing weight constantly with a consistent 1-1.5 lb ever since. Also before I started I was doing 2-3 times a time Jillian Michael with the same result.
I truly think 6 times a week was an overloading. It seems my body needs 2 rest days between workouts to recover.

Once I am on my goal weight, and weight loss won't be the primary goal, I may try again . That time I will eat at least maintenance calories and focus on muscle building and don't care a few lb of weight gain.

scubahsteve69

Ok...starting to get really frustrated.

Started Insanity about 4 weeks ago at around 240 lbs.
Eat approx 1800 calories per day
Estimating that Insanity is burning around 400 calories per workout
BMR is 2146

Intake 1800 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = (-746) deficit

I'm assuming that a calorie deficit is in order to lose weight...correct? So why the hell am I not seeing it on the scale?

1/16 - 240 lbs
1/31 - 233
2/6 - 236
2/9 - 232
2/13 - 234

I know a few of you have said to increase my calories to 2900 but for the life of me can't understand that logic.

Intake 2900 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = +354. By this logic, in about 10 days I'd be gaining a pound.

I don't know...maybe Insanity isn't the answer for me. I've been thinking about getting to the 3rd fit test then switching to P90X. I do know that I've been able to go longer during the Insanity workouts without taking a break and although I didn't tape or caliper myself, I "feel" a little slimmer and my jeans fit a little better. I'd really like the scale to drop though.

psuLemon

Ok...starting to get really frustrated.

Started Insanity about 4 weeks ago at around 240 lbs.
Eat approx 1800 calories per day
Estimating that Insanity is burning around 400 calories per workout
BMR is 2146

Intake 1800 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = (-746) deficit

I'm assuming that a calorie deficit is in order to lose weight...correct? So why the hell am I not seeing it on the scale?

1/16 - 240 lbs
1/31 - 233
2/6 - 236
2/9 - 232
2/13 - 234

I know a few of you have said to increase my calories to 2900 but for the life of me can't understand that logic.

Intake 2900 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = +354. By this logic, in about 10 days I'd be gaining a pound.

I don't know...maybe Insanity isn't the answer for me. I've been thinking about getting to the 3rd fit test then switching to P90X. I do know that I've been able to go longer during the Insanity workouts without taking a break and although I didn't tape or caliper myself, I "feel" a little slimmer and my jeans fit a little better. I'd really like the scale to drop though.

So whats your fear of eating more? And because it defies your logic doesn't make it illogical. Trust me, I have been in your shoes with eating 1800 calories and not losing during P90X. I upped my calories to 2600 and did CLX (a lot less crazy than P90X) and lost 3% body fat, 5 lbs (only had 10 to lose) and 6".


So why not give it a try for a month? What do you have to lose? I am 40 lbs less than you and eat 3000 calories and lose weight doing P90X2. So why not just try it. B

BTW, most women are recommended to eat 1800 calories on that program while men are supposed to be 2400-3000 calories.

psuLemon

Ok...starting to get really frustrated.

Started Insanity about 4 weeks ago at around 240 lbs.
Eat approx 1800 calories per day
Estimating that Insanity is burning around 400 calories per workout
BMR is 2146

Intake 1800 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = (-746) deficit

I'm assuming that a calorie deficit is in order to lose weight...correct? So why the hell am I not seeing it on the scale?

1/16 - 240 lbs
1/31 - 233
2/6 - 236
2/9 - 232
2/13 - 234

I know a few of you have said to increase my calories to 2900 but for the life of me can't understand that logic.

Intake 2900 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = +354. By this logic, in about 10 days I'd be gaining a pound.

I don't know...maybe Insanity isn't the answer for me. I've been thinking about getting to the 3rd fit test then switching to P90X. I do know that I've been able to go longer during the Insanity workouts without taking a break and although I didn't tape or caliper myself, I "feel" a little slimmer and my jeans fit a little better. I'd really like the scale to drop though.

BTW, i just thought of something else. You are forgettting your TDEE multiplier. BMR is the amount of calories you would burn if you slept for 24 hours (coma state). You have to take that by a factor (see below).


Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)



So if you work a desk job, and dont' do too much walking around, it's your BMR x 1.2

2146 x 1.2 = 2575 + 400 = 2975 * .80 (20% deficit) = 2380


I have a feeling though, that your estimate is low on the calories burned but unless you have a body media or HRM, it's hard to tell. The way you beat that is simple. Start eating at 2400 calories. If you still aren't losing, then you increase your calories by 200 calories every 2 weeks until you see weight loss.