Working out and gaining weight?

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Donna_DiGiacomo80
Donna_DiGiacomo80 Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone -

I have about 20 pounds to lose to be at my happy weight. (I definitely went a little crazy after my wedding last year) :/

Anyway, my question is, i'm gaining weight and working out everyday. I'm watching what I eat, following a Paleo diet but the scale is just going in the wrong direction. It's very discouraging.

This happened to me when I attempted Insanity last year too. None of my clothes fit! I was 135 and the scale was going up! Not what i wanted before fitting into a gown. Right now i'm doing Jillian Michaels Body Revolution and I love it. I am changing up with cardio days with something a little more advance, either Insanity or Tae Bo, b/c I have so many home workout discs..

So can anyone tell me what the deal is? Should I just stick with it? Will the fat eventually go away and will I lose the weight? I'm so frustrated.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    How much do you eat every day? What is your average workout calorie burn?
  • Wienerbua
    Wienerbua Posts: 19
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    This is why scale weight is totally overrated as compared to body composition. Better to rely on measurements if you don't have access to reliable body comp testing--most of us do not. Muscle is denser than fat. By going paleo, eating right, and exercising, you could be gaining more fat than muscle and still gaining scale weight. Measure your waist and hips, if those go down, even if you are gaining scale weight, so what, gaining muscle should always be a priority.
  • Donna_DiGiacomo80
    Donna_DiGiacomo80 Posts: 24 Member
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    Yesterday I burned almost 600 calories. Breakfast - was two slices bacon and one egg, Lunch - chicken breast and salad, Dinner - more chicken and tomato salad. I don't burn 600 calories a day, most days it's just about 400.

    I dont know why i'm so fixated on the scale, I feel very strong, but the other issue is, none of my clothes fit! I feel like my legs and butt are so thick and giant and i'm just not used to being this bulky.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Read this thread... it is absolutely true!!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/595473-why-the-scale-goes-up-with-a-new-workout-program-must-read
  • NikNakNoNo
    NikNakNoNo Posts: 13
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    Hey, you are doing amazingly well! What spectacular exercise - no doubt you feel strong, cardio fit and toned. And so many people miss the opportunity to feel that way about their bodies. But understand fully - I am at a point where my body shape and tone are good for me, but I am just not fitting into my old cloths. I have been skinnier and less fit - lived on booze, cigarettes, coffee and sweet carbs and was thin as a rake! But can you be really skinny and strong? I just don't think so.
  • purpleprose78
    purpleprose78 Posts: 40
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    Are you taking measurements and/or pictures? Sometimes that shows more than the scale.
  • Donna_DiGiacomo80
    Donna_DiGiacomo80 Posts: 24 Member
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    Thanks everyone!

    NikNak, too funny! I used to be the same way!! haha..but i'm really trying to do it "the right way" this time. I'm usually queen of fad diets but I just don't have it in me anymore to starve myself or only eat cabbage.. it also ALWAYS comes back.

    I will take measurements tonight. It might be just what I need to get that pesky scale out of my head.
  • Donna_DiGiacomo80
    Donna_DiGiacomo80 Posts: 24 Member
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    GREAT article.

    That was exactly what happened to be after two weeks of Insanity. I gained weight!
    I needed that. I will keep with it!

    Thanks!
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
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    How are you calculating exercise calories? 600 is a lot - depending on your weight, it is generally hard to get to that number from a video (even insanity), so you may be overestimating.
  • Kori0714
    Kori0714 Posts: 138 Member
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    I had the same problem in the past. I consulted with a trainer and I was told to stop toning and focus more on cardio. Also if you are going to use weights to use less LBS with more REPS. If you use heavier weights you will build more muscle and bulk up. I was working out with my husband and copying a lot of what he was doing and thats why i bulked up and my clothes didnt fit. Once I put more focus on cardio and used less weight i saw a much better result. hope this helped!
  • Donna_DiGiacomo80
    Donna_DiGiacomo80 Posts: 24 Member
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    I have a heart rate monitor - do you think it's off?

    I did two workouts, tae bo and cardio 2 from jillian michaels body revolution. i totaled about 567, not quite 600.
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
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    I gained weight on insanity, but it's water weight & so far i've lost inches in my waist & hips, 1" off each so far. my clothes are fitting better & even looser a little. My body is toning up everywhere & getting tighter. The cellulite on the back of my legs is almost nonexistant now. The scale is a lie. Don't rely on it so much. Focus on measurements & inches lost. I measure myeslf first thing in the morning around the same time once a week. if you must weigh yourself, do it once every 2 weeks or just once a month & do it first thing in the morning before you eat anything & after you use the restroom. This will give you your true weight as weight does fluctuate by a few pounds throughout the day. Good luck to you!
  • lonnellj
    lonnellj Posts: 4 Member
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    Sounds like you have a hormone imbalance. Try low intensity workouts instead of high intensity.
  • loragp
    loragp Posts: 19 Member
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    I am experiencing the exact the same thing! After a couple of weeks of Insanity, my jeans are so snug in the backside and thighs that they are getting uncomfortable to wear. I feel like Super Girl when I do the workouts so I'm trying to be patient and stick with the program to see what my end results will be.

    Hang in there. Don't give up. The results will come.
  • sexymuffintop
    sexymuffintop Posts: 636
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    I had the same problem in the past. I consulted with a trainer and I was told to stop toning and focus more on cardio. Also if you are going to use weights to use less LBS with more REPS. If you use heavier weights you will build more muscle and bulk up. I was working out with my husband and copying a lot of what he was doing and thats why i bulked up and my clothes didnt fit. Once I put more focus on cardio and used less weight i saw a much better result. hope this helped!

    There is nearly too much fail in this post ^^ to know where to start. I just want to say no to all advice this poster has offered, it's all wrong and based on old fashioned myth.

    OP, it's probably just water weight. It's not muscle weight. As a female you need to work extremely hard to gain noticeable muscle. Just rely on a tape measure, not scales.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
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    I have a heart rate monitor - do you think it's off?

    I did two workouts, tae bo and cardio 2 from jillian michaels body revolution. i totaled about 567, not quite 600.

    Could be, although if you did 2 workouts that makes more sense that you would be close to 600.
  • sleibo87
    sleibo87 Posts: 403 Member
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    Your HRM is about right. I burn like 250-300 calories in cardio two so if you do an extra half hr or so 500 is about right if your busting *kitten*. Yah and that comment about trainers telling you to just to cardio--save your money and cut him lose. Take a look at my photos and that wasn't just all cardio! You burn more at a resting heart rate when you have more muscle. I usually did a half hour of weights 4 times a week, and two days of cardio, maybe with some extra cardio on top of that but mostly because I come from a family with heart problems and I want to keep my heart healthy. Cardio is more for your heart health then to just lose weight. I know plenty of people who JUST did weights and HATED cardio and they look amazing. I did insanity and didn't life weights for 2 months to see what the program could do for me, and I got great at cardio but i felt 'skinny fat' just Blah and jiggly! I feel way better when I lift.
  • mxbucher
    mxbucher Posts: 2
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    Thanks for the post explaining how weight gain can occur with a new routine. I was crying before I read it because I've been working out, lightly but every day, and keeping to my calorie goal but gained 3 lbs seemingly in 3 days. Given that my food journal had been telling me that "if every day was like this one" I was doing great and was well on track, that hit me really hard.

    So thanks to pa-jorg who posted this. I'm gonna copy in in here for anyone reading my tale who wants to go straight there without searching for it:

    out-program-must-read">http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/595473-why-the-scale-goes-up-with-a-new-workout-program-must-read
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    I agree that real lifting is the way to go if you are going to lift weights.

    Apparently quite a few women have muscles that do like mine do, and they seem to get bigger very fast when they first get worked very hard. They really do get some larger. But that is temporary! It must be from holding onto water? I'm not sure, but I do know what you mean.

    It doesn't keep going that way, and even if you add more weight each session, they don't stay that large for long. Then if you really want them that large later you have to work a long time, add weight, eat a bunch of protein, etc, lol. It's even harder to get them bigger than that.

    I consider it like swelling, basically. It won't stay that way for very long. It's not bulking, because it's not really muscle growth, just muscle changes from working out hard.

    For me it appears to last about a month to 5 weeks (with progressive lifting) if that helps anyone.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    I had the same problem in the past. I consulted with a trainer and I was told to stop toning and focus more on cardio. Also if you are going to use weights to use less LBS with more REPS. If you use heavier weights you will build more muscle and bulk up. I was working out with my husband and copying a lot of what he was doing and thats why i bulked up and my clothes didnt fit. Once I put more focus on cardio and used less weight i saw a much better result. hope this helped!

    There is nearly too much fail in this post ^^ to know where to start. I just want to say no to all advice this poster has offered, it's all wrong and based on old fashioned myth.

    OP, it's probably just water weight. It's not muscle weight. As a female you need to work extremely hard to gain noticeable muscle. Just rely on a tape measure, not scales.

    Oh my...you have said it a lot more politely than what I was thinking....Probably the most junk advise that I have seen squeezed into a few lines - OP, please don't do anything like this....You will not bulk up from lifting weights - you will get smaller.....

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