Gaining puffy fat on Insanity

kristikjm

I haven't read all of the replies here yet, but I can sympathize with you. I ride horses, and when I say ride, I mean school, jump and actually sweat and see stars that I'm so out of breath, so yes, it's exercise. And on the days I don't ride I walk or do something. Anyway, after a year of riding again (13 yr hiatus married and had kids) I was GAINING weight. It wasn't until I started watching my calories RELIGIOUSLY (and I do obsess sometimes too) that I lost weight and can finally see some of the muscle I have built. I am down 11 lbs but would like to lose another 17.
I also think your thyroid (could you possibly have graves disease?) has something to do with it as well. I hope you find your answers, I know how frustrating it is!

EmilyMarieMo

I don't agree with the fact that you can't lose weight unless you count calories! I personally know I wouldn't be able to lose as good as I have been if I didn't count calories... but I have a friend who is part of the Eating Clean "club"... she follows the eat clean diet for her lifestyle and she lifts weights and does cardio. She went from 170 to 115 (5'1), competed in a fitness competition and all... without counting calories a day in her life. Now that her competition is over, she maintains a 125-130 weight still eating clean, doing cardio 45-60 mins 5-6 days a week and lifts only 2 days a week now. Still not counting calories. And all her friends at the gym who also Eat Clean do the same! Maybe just look closer at your diet. The Eat Clean Diet Recharged book by Tosca Reno talks about how our bodies shape as we lose weight is affected by the type of food we are eating... not just the calories!

dwightdegroff

@Kenny536 I stopped counting calories before Insanity because I found that counting calories caused me to obsess over food way too much, which probably got me in this jam in the first place

This kind of goes back to what I said in my first post: you know what you were doing during the first 30 days was working for you. So, instead of counting calories to try to meet a goal, start doing what was work and then count calories so that you can see/record what you were doing before. This may take some stress out of the process, but it will also help you keep your progress moving forward if you decided to change up the types of foods you're eating again in the future.

Summary: Do what works (and perhaps more importantly), figure out why it works.

frosty73

If you just got back off honeymoon, could you be pregnant?!

^^^ This. Have you checked? Especially what you describe sounds like mood swings.

tnqnt

Yes. I used to run 3 miles every morning, work out in the gym 5 days a week for an hour. I never lost 1lb or any inches.

Once I started counting calories I starting losing 2lbs a week. Diet is everything.

@NoAdditives That goes without saying. If you are not losing weight, let's be honest, you are not filling yourself up on veggies every meal.

@Byock - I totally agree with you. Lots of healthy foods have LOTS of calories, alone, but especially as prepared. Things like olive oil can really pack on the calories, even though it is tremendously healthy. Also, many times food is prepared with LOTS of salt so that can cause you to bloat.
I, too, exercised for years with little or no results... now that I document EVERYTHING I eat, I am losing, too.
I think once I hit my goal, I may not document everything, but I will surely remember how to eat, and if I start gaining, its back to documenting. One thing I have learned by documenting things is how to tweak my recipes to get the sodium and calorie content down without sacrificing taste. Its really neat to be able to do that....

Microfiber_wechange

Change your diet back to month 1

Rikki007s

bump

kristikjm

I went back and read some and wanted to reply again Anyway, I eat VERY healthy and always have however I was just plain eating TOO MUCH. And it's obvious now that I am keeping track of calories (and losing) that I was overeating, healthy or not. Stinks, but some of us gain (me included) even eating vegetables!

Funsoaps

I believe this, it stresses your adrenals, which are already sensitive because of thyroid issues. I don't know how much you're eating, but more is better (more protein/veggies/good fats) in terms of thyroid. If your thyroid is not all the way fixed, you will be puffy from thyroid or adrenal issues. You may need to go to light workouts, like walking for awhile and de-stress, rest for awhile and eat good. Also a trip to the doc's.

If you are OVERstressing your body (working out daily, not eating enough, not sleeping enough, etc.) without any rest/recovery periods, it can actually backfire. Your hormones get out of whack, you release cortisol, your body stores fat (it's a lot more complicated than that, but that's the gist.)

Take a diet break. Take an extreme exercise break. Reset your body, then start again.

Oh, and pee on a stick, just in case.

kelsully

Hello everyone! Sorry about the title of the post, but I have searched high and low, I have asked so many people who refuse to thoughtfully consider my situation and provide a helpful response.

I am a 25 year old woman and I just finished Insanity. I didn't skip anything and I generally enjoyed the workout. for the first month I saw amazing results, not on the scale but in my body. I got smaller. For the first month, I cheated on the weekends and had ice cream sometimes during the week (I know people are going to take the ice cream part and stay on that, but let me clarify that it was once MAYBE twice aweek, and a cup if that.) I would have a measured amound of cereal before my workouts and eat stuff like small sandwiches, soup with pieces of bread, big salads...I was good during the week and cheated on the weekends. I have great day 30 photos, amazing in fact.

About a week into month 2, my husband convinced me to do better (he's always been a bodybuilder type, so I had no problem taking his advice). I started eating shakes in the morning before my workout, and lots of salad, vegetables, and low sodium soups throughout the day. I cut alot of my carbs, not all, but alot. and drink just water. I stopped cheating altogether and side note, I cut off beer during month 1 in Insanity. I have just been eating cleaner and better.

Now, to continue the story, I will say that I have alot of medical problems. stuff like various blood disorders (not anything weird, but they are there)and a thyroid problems. I dont like to use having thyroid issues as an excuse but my husband feels that I should understand that since I have them that I cant just lose the weight like that. But I myself know that I have always lost weight pretty easily in the past just by dieting and thyroid has never really affected that. One more thing, is that I just got off my honeymoon and although I did not cheat, I drank a few beers the last few nights we were there. I also worked out in the hotel room every day. I just went to the Dr. 2 days ago and when they weighed me I couldnt believe it. I gained 11 pounds.

One last thing, I added brazilian butt lift to my daily workouts about 3 weeks into Insanity and I do it religiously.

Knowing all of this, I've put together day 1, day 30, and day 60 photos.

day 1 is not good of course. I am puffy and not toned. day 30 I am alot smaller, toned, and looking slim.

I just put in the day 60 pics, and not only do I look bigger, but the extra mass is puffy, flabby fat. I would certainly understand gaining lean muscle, but muscle is not puffy and flabby. My lower stomach puffs out while in day 30 its lean and toned. and mind you, I work my lower abs alot.

I dont know what is going on here, and I am supposed to be starting Asylum next week. Most people that I ask this defer to the generic "you gained muscle/your not eating good/your too negetive/stop thinking of this as a diet and think of it as a lifestlye change".. etc etc..please, dont do that to me! I am asking for real help here. I want someone to thoughfull consider my plight and really talk to me about it. No uppity attitudes (which I have gotten ALOT of) no holier than thou, etc etc. I have been crying my eyes out all morning over this. I am really about to go into a depression. .I drink a lot of water but I work out so much that I have fainted twice in the last 3 weeks. PLease help and please be helpful. I thank anyone who really, really digs into their heart and mind.
.

I read a handful of response...but are you pregnant? Some of your experience sound a lot like first trimester issues? I don't know anything about shakeology so I cannot comment on that.

sculley

MHO I would talk to my doctor about your thyroid.

jessicakogan

Wow I have alot to think about! I cant reply to every single person, but I'll say this: I will take a pregnancy test. I have been on birth control shots for about a year, which typically are so effective that woman are prone to take up to a year to get pregnant after the last shot, but I will test myself just to be 100% knowledgeable on the situation.

I can see some trolls are here, typical. You can always expect the trolls to come out. Its ok, though, I knew that would happen. In any case, some people were very uppity and negative, not really doing what I hoped, which was to really consider the situation. every situation is different, and the negative ones forgot that. You people say that I eat too much, while Im passing out from who knows what. I eat exactly THREE times per day, usually two salads and a soup. I know about sodium and I know about sugar, carbs, fat, and calories. I know all that, which is the very reason why I posted this, because I dont understand WHY I gain.

@dwightdegroff gave me the BEST advice!! thank you!

Alot of people here are so positive and helpful. Not giving me generic or rude responses. I love the help, and I am going to start counting a little bit again just to have an idea.

ericarae33

Pregnancy? Def get your thyriod re-checked, mine was all out of whack after I lost weight at first...and I started having same issues!

albayin

Poor Jessica. I can totally relate to your possible stepping into depression after all this hard work without result.

I think a pregnacy test might be a start. One of my friends who has been skinny all her life and once she started workingout, she literally put on quite some weight...It had nothing to do with workout; it turned out she happened to get pregnant at the same time.

GOod luck. And please don't feel depressed. You are smart and will find out a good solution.

AmyLRed

i agree that calorie counting will be helpful, in your case specifically. You dont have to do it long term if thats not something you like or works for you, but you may be over eating, or as a previous poster mentioned, you may not be eating enough, therefore taxing your body with such intense workouts and dietary changes.

Also, the pregnancy bit came to my mind too, even before you mentioned the honeymoon. If it is at all possible for you to be pregnant, you may want to get a test and check it out.

Good luck! I know its hard and nobody can give you the exact answer or explanation, because nobody else knows exactly what you eat, the intensity you work out, your medical history, etc. All the answers you get are just guesses. I hope you find some suggestions that you can try.


edited to add: i just read your most recent response, and with two salads and a soup daily, you are very very likely not eating enough to fuel your body for Insanity. The passing out thing scares me a bit, to be honest! I would follow up with your doc, but calorie tracking might be really helpful, just to get an idea where you are at with your daily food consumption.

jessicakogan

@Albayin and @AmyLRed Thanks girls! Yes I will do a test probably tomorrow. Before this forum I even did tons of research about Depo Prevara and weather woman have gotten pregnant. Now if you are preganant before, you will still be pregnant after. But as long as the shots are every 3 months, you will be sterile, it has like a 3-way process of preventing pregnancy. I'll say this, I have been on it for a year, but my husband and I did not consimate the relationship until about 6 weeks ago, after we got married. So I have had the shots every 3 months for a year. HOWEVER. You just never know. some weird stories out there. So I will take a test. If I am, it would explain a lot. If Im not, that also will explain alot. Because I can put the advice that I got here to good use! :happy:

abigailmariecs

I am not very familiar with Insanity but here is just another thought...... Every time I attempt to build up muscle (ie work abs, thighs, arms ect) I am very please with the results for about a month maybe two months. Then puffy fat shows up every where. My doctor said it had something to do with all the extra muscle I add pushing on the fat making it appear to be more then it really is. She suggested holding off on heavy strengh training until I was closer to my goal weight (about 15lbs away). That instead I should do 3 reps of 15 (legs, arms and abs) 2x a week and instead focus more on cardio, this included staying away from the muscle building cardio ie rapid reps. Before I fell off the wagon I looked amazing by following her advice. I am giving it another try and hope to stay on the wagon this time around.

Ladydee33

Hi,

First off do not beat yourself up there are a lot of things going on in your life and stress causes your body to react in a lot of different ways. I have been doing Insanity and it is a great workout. You are burning the miniumum of 300 calories a workout each day and if you're incorporating other workouts keep in mind more calories burned.

You're probably not eating enought. Yes you're making healthy choices but it seems you could be depriving your body and lacking on nutrients (that's why you're passing out). Keep in mind also that when you don't eat enough your body is holding on to your last meals because it doesn't know when its going to receive more.

You need to fuel your body. So the puffiness can be many things and only a doctor and a nutritionist can really pin point the main issue.

And last thought: Keep in mind everyone does things differently, you do what you feel is best for you and only you know your body enough to know what it needs and what it doesn't. someone posted to try to go back to what used to work for you might be a good idea.

Good luck, i hope this helps and stay positive.

dlpnrn2b

I got pregnant on the Depo 11 months post delivery of my first born, if that is the shots you have been getting..? def go to the DR.

Sksieger

@Kenny536 see that is another generic response. I said that I DONT want to buy shakeology because its just way too overpriced. Life is not all about counting calories. So eating healthy means nothing? That all goes out the window if I dont know the calories?

The one and only way to lose weight ( if that is your goal) is to have caloric deficit. Healthy food does not = low calories. Low fat does not = low calories either. Eating calories from "healthy food" is better for you body and how it burns it then eating calories form "crap food" . 800 calories is 800 calories no matter where it came from. I am not say COUNT CALORIES NOW! I am saying being aware is really the only way to know and try and manage weight loss. It can come from counting what you eat and counting what your burn in your work outs. Eating lower calories or burning more in a work out are the only two ways to create a calorie deficit, which is obviously not happening.

If you just want to eat better aka more veggies, less fatty meals and be fit aka work you *kitten* off at the gym or at home then you are on the right track. Keep it up. but it sounds like you are not happy with what that means and there results.

As for your shake and your work out. I am not familiar with either. If you really want to do the shake then find out what is in it and find a cheaper alternative. There is always one.

I totally agree to go with what works. Dont do what everyone else is telling you to do. You know your body. Everyone loses weight and gains weight differently.

If you noticed results you were happy with then go back to doing that.

Health: I have some thyroid issues as well. It can effect your weight a lot but nothing that can not be managed or controlled with doing what you are doing. I dont think that really is the reason you are storing your fat the way you are. I dont know about you blood so I am not sure if that could be a cause.

I am not trying to be mean or anything or lift you up with rainbows butterfly and calorie counting, but it seems you have an answer you want to hear in your head, that on one is giving you.

People on here can only offer up what works for them and give you there own personal advice. If you are truly worried and you really thing there is no way in hell you have done anything to gain the weight you have, then go see your dr. and have him look into why this may be happening to you. It may be a bigger health issue.

I hope this helped.

Good luck!

ShyFeather

I know with the honeymoon some people are suggesting pregnancy, which is something you should check. But outside of that it could also be stress. Believe it or not, going on vacation does cause stress. Really any change from the normal routine like vacations and holidays do that. Stress can cause hormonal changes that can make weight loss more challenging. Just something to keep in mind. I hope you figure out the problem and work it out.

jessicakogan

@dlpnrn2b When did u restart the shots after delivery and did you take them every single 3 months without missing ur 2 week window?

abigailmariecs

Alot of people here are so positive and helpful. Not giving me generic or rude responses. I love the help, and I am going to start counting a little bit again just to have an idea.

When I first started counting I would obsess. One way around that is I would write everything down for a week then go back and put it in MFP so I did not worry about the numbers. I did weigh/measure everything but this kept me from knowing exactly what I was consuming until it was too late for me to worry about what I could/should and could not eat every day. Instead I would look at the week total and think okay I need to eat more/less depending on the numbers.

tnqnt

What is a generic response? ..IMHO people are trying to help..... Honestly, I didn't find anyone to be rude in their responses.

Glucocorticoid

What is a generic response? ..IMHO people are trying to help..... Honestly, I didn't find anyone to be rude in their responses.

A generic response is something she does not want to hear, despite it being reality. It also makes the response negative as well apparently. She says she knows about calories but does not count them, and then wants us to figure out why she is gaining weight.

jessicakogan

@Tnqnt I mean people who dont really think about what I am saying and just say what they would tell anyone, such as "muscle weighs more than fat" etc (a pound is a pound, if I was gaining muscle my size would be smaller, what they mean probably is muscle is smaller than fat when it weighs the same). I have consulted other beachbody coaches who were just outright rude, nasty, put me down, and said that I have zero excuses. I dont mind being told that, but when you are a coach who has not lost any weight and doesnt even post pics of yourself, how can you tell me anything?I post lots of pics of myself. I wont post the said insanity pics here because I was in my underwear but I dont mind posting pics in clothing or on the beach at my honeymoon. I talk the talk and I walk the walk. If you just talk the talk, dont give me a generic, empty response.

rebecca_d35

I don't think you are pregnant, but I know that Depo Provera makes a LOT of women gain a lot of weight. If weight loss is a priority, I would consider switching birth control methods.

littlepinkhearts

Perhaps you're over-training? http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less Another option for you to check out. Good luck

FitSuga

@Albayin and @AmyLRed Thanks girls! Yes I will do a test probably tomorrow. Before this forum I even did tons of research about Depo Prevara and weather woman have gotten pregnant. Now if you are preganant before, you will still be pregnant after. But as long as the shots are every 3 months, you will be sterile, it has like a 3-way process of preventing pregnancy. I'll say this, I have been on it for a year, but my husband and I did not consimate the relationship until about 6 weeks ago, after we got married. So I have had the shots every 3 months for a year. HOWEVER. You just never know. some weird stories out there. So I will take a test. If I am, it would explain a lot. If Im not, that also will explain alot. Because I can put the advice that I got here to good use! :happy:

Okay, not to freak you out or anything but I got pregnant with my daughter on DEPO. I was very good about going in and getting my shots. We already had one child so I planned to wait a couple of years. At any rate, it honestly can happen.
I also think pregncy would explain a lot of your symptoms.

If its not that, I would go back to what was working for you. I'm sure your husband has good advice being fit, but, your body is completely different. I would consider taking one week, record as you have been eating since the gain, and see how your sodium levels were etc. And as much as I know you hate to hear it but, doing those type of programs, it is very likely you gained muscle. So you not only look puffier but gained more. And since the fat isn't shedding and likely water Retention from muscle repair, you'll appear bigger. Did you know your BF% in the beginning ? Perhaps compare the two.

jessicakogan

Here, I know this is going to sound stupid, but here is the link to my fb, I think most of the pics are public and the profile is from last week. Im not looking for someone to say anything that Im pretty or whatever, I have my husband for that. But if I were giving advice to someone I would want to see where they are at, but that is me. Before pics can be seen as time get earlier and earlier, obviously. Sorry I have to respect my husband, cant post the pics with the underwear.