Protein Shakes are making me BULK

vikkistarr89
vikkistarr89 Posts: 122 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am taking Promax Diet half a serving every morning and even on this, my legs in particularly have got bigger and are making me bulk out. I am doing some strength training, but am I the only person that is having this problem?

I have fat on my stomach and everywhere else is muscley, it looks odd!

Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Are you consuming calories above your TDEE?
  • vikkistarr89
    vikkistarr89 Posts: 122 Member
    Are you consuming calories above your TDEE?

    Yesterday was a typical day, I ate 1700 calories and burnt 800 at the gym
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    You aren't building muscle while eating at a deficit. More likely is that your muscles are holding onto water to help repair them during your strength training, making them look bigger and firmer.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    If you're eating 1700 calories and burning 800, you are not bulking. A protein shake will not make you bulk, heavy lifting and eating at a surplus will, and, even then, as a woman, you're not going to see a ton of muscle mass, and gains will take a pretty decent amount of time to see.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    If you're eating 1700 calories and burning 800, you are not bulking. A protein shake will not make you bulk, heavy lifting and eating at a surplus will, and, even then, as a woman, you're not going to see a ton of muscle mass, and gains will take a pretty decent amount of time to see.

    (sorry JenMc14 - I swear I'm not stalking you and quoting you everywhere today!!)

    That's why I asked. You are not bulking.

    When you exercise, you are literally tearing your muscles. Then, your muscles retain fluid to repair themselves. Right now, it sounds like your legs are doing that. Take a rest day and relax. You'll be fine.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    You are either burning fat showing off the muscle you have or holding water due to repair of the body. When you damage the body with exercise the body fixes itself by taking nutrients the muscle through blood. If there is lots of damage, there is increased blood flow to said area, hence extra water.
  • dfonte
    dfonte Posts: 263 Member
    You eat 1700 calories, but burn 800...so you survive on 900 a day?

    Anyways, you might have a swollen belly from water.

    If I sleep longer than usual, I look flat in the morning. Once I hydrate and eat something - I fill out. This being said your body changes due to different conditions.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Are you consuming calories above your TDEE?

    Yesterday was a typical day, I ate 1700 calories and burnt 800 at the gym

    you are NOT building muscle on a net intake of 900 calories....
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Ummm.......NO
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
    1324905_o.gif
  • FranksRumHam
    FranksRumHam Posts: 198 Member
    bulking on 900net cals a day bringz teh lulz.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    It's fluid retention.

    ps: promax diet is a little expensive for what it is. You could look on myprotein or the bulk powders website for cheaper alternatives.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    When did you start strength training?
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    1324905_o.gif

    HA! Awesome!
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    Ummm.......NO

    :angry:
  • sz8soon
    sz8soon Posts: 816 Member
    I think you meant bloat, not bulk right? Bulking isn't going to happen from half a serving of a protein shake.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Are you consuming calories above your TDEE?

    Yesterday was a typical day, I ate 1700 calories and burnt 800 at the gym

    There's a good chance you underestimated the first number and/or overestimated the second if you're gaining weight right now.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    When did you start strength training?

    7:15 a.m.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Yeah, I agree with everyone else. It's most likely just water retention. The whey (guessing it's whey) could also cause you to feel bloated--someone else mentioned bloating. Whey does tend to do that to some people.

    You're not "bulking" on 900 net calories/day, though. I'm certain of that.
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    When did you start strength training?

    7:15 a.m.

    You. I like you.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    When you say you are doing some strength training, what are you doing?
  • vikkistarr89
    vikkistarr89 Posts: 122 Member
    I do light weights, 36 pressups, 100 sit ups and Im doing the squat challenege. Plus I run, and crosstrain.

    You can say 'um, no' all you want but if you saw me you would understand why i have asked! And i was looked for advice and reasoning, and it sounds like fluid retention could be a good reason.
  • vikkistarr89
    vikkistarr89 Posts: 122 Member
    And i log every single thing I eat and drink religiously, so i know im not overstepping calories.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    If you only lift light weights, you definitely aren't bulking up.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I do light weights, 36 pressups, 100 sit ups and Im doing the squat challenege. Plus I run, and crosstrain.

    You can say 'um, no' all you want but if you saw me you would understand why i have asked! And i was looked for advice and reasoning, and it sounds like fluid retention could be a good reason.

    Umm..... No.

    None of this would make you gain muscle mass. Bulky muscles have weight. Has the scale shown an increase while you are netting 900 calories per day. Water retention is not BULK.
  • dfonte
    dfonte Posts: 263 Member
    The guys here are just jealous of your gains
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Are you consuming calories above your TDEE?

    Yesterday was a typical day, I ate 1700 calories and burnt 800 at the gym

    You are not bulking if you are only consuming net 900 calories.

    Also, women cannot bulk up unless they use drugs.
  • RobynC79
    RobynC79 Posts: 331 Member
    No - you are most likely swollen due to fluid retention, both from the high-protein diet (excessive protein consumption makes your kidneys work hard and can cause constipation, both of which will lead to fluid retention), and from the exercise you are doing. When you work out muscles that are not adapted to it, you produce multiple micro-tears in the muscle tissue. This is injury, which in turn produces inflammation, part of which is engorgement of tissue with fluid.

    The two together are sufficient to produce your result of enlarged legs. You are more than likely building very minimal new muscle tissue with your current intake. irrespective of how much protein you consume.

    I wonder at the wisdom of exercise newbies combining sudden large increases in protein intake with sudden onslaught of muscle-injuring workout regimens. Together they result in a considerable load on the kidneys and liver.

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