Working out but getting bigger... Why?

Options
lanaloo30
lanaloo30 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been working out for about two months 5 days a week. I am very active. I am not seeing the scale change but I know that doesn’t necessarily matter. However, I am getting bigger and am not able to fit in a single pair of jeans I own, can’t get them past my thighs and even if I could I doubt they would button :( I have increased my water intake to make sure I am not retaining water but still feel bloated, can’t even get my rings on. I am starting to see my muscles defining but can’t seem to cut the fat off the top. Do I stick with what I am doing and hope that in a few more weeks I will see the fat come off or do I stop lifting weights (love the feel of listing) and just do more cardio (boring). What am I doing wrong? What should I start doing?
«1

Replies

  • christylynn622
    christylynn622 Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    Are you staying within your calorie limits each week?
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    Options
    How is your calorie intake? If you're eating at a surplus, you'll gain no matter how much exercise you do.

    How long have you been on your exercise plan? It could be just water retention.
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    Options
    less weight more reps... lift faster for cardio... walking lunges... more hills and stairs
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Options
    It's what you're eating, not the exercise you're doing.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    you are eating too much, which is putting you in a surplus, which means you are bulking....this is assumption as you provided no info about stats, current intake, etc...
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    Options
    Weight loss starts in the kitchen. If you aren't tracking what you're eating, then it's going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to lose.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    /thread
  • squirrelzzrule22
    squirrelzzrule22 Posts: 640 Member
    Options
    Looks like you only have about ten pounds to lose, which probably means you are already a relatively healthy weight. When that is the case, you have to be really strict about staying under calories in order to lose, and loss will be slow and can be masked by water retention. Right now you are probably eating at a surplus, gaining a bit of muscle, and retaining lots of water. Keep really strict with your calories for a month or so and make sure you are eating below maintenance.
  • GingerbreadCandy
    GingerbreadCandy Posts: 403 Member
    Options
    Are you tracking your calories? If you are not, it is actually fairly common for people who's tart exercising to gain weight, since you will feel hungrier and thus tend to eat more. It is also very easy to overestimate the calorie expenditure and feel less bad about overeating "because I exercised today."

    Track your calories and be really strict with them, make sure you are eating at a deficit, and report back in a couple of weeks. :smile:
  • lanaloo30
    lanaloo30 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    I know it will be a slow process... I am at 1,200 cals and most of the time I am under so that can't be it. Maybe what I am eating? I increased my protein and curbed my carbs. I am also not sure why I am retaining so much water.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    Options
    Are you using a food scale? You should be losing at 1200, because that's a low amount, but you're most likely eating more than that. What are your stats?
  • Jacqadactle
    Jacqadactle Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Sometimes you can be eating too little when you're strength training. First, make sure you're weighing your foods and super accurate about your calories, and be honest with yourself.

    If you're really at 1200, try 1300-1500. Your body might be holding on because you're not eating enough to rebuild after your break down your muscles.
  • GingerbreadCandy
    GingerbreadCandy Posts: 403 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I agree with malibu that if you really are at 1,200 you should be losing. I am a rather small woman and I still loose on 1,200 even if I nap all day. What you eat also won't affect your weight loss, only the amount of calories you eat will.

    There is also no such thing as your body "holding on" to fat at low calorie levels. If you are eating at a deficit, you will lose weight.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Options
    If you're really so bloated that you can't get your rings on, you should see a doctor to make sure there's not a medical reason.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
    Options
    You're either underestimating what you're eating or you need to get a pregnancy test.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    nilbogger wrote: »
    You're either underestimating what you're eating or you need to get a pregnancy test.

    This.
  • jwconner87
    jwconner87 Posts: 2
    edited January 2015
    Options
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/518807-negative-side-effects-of-eating-less-than-1-200-calories-a-day/

    As a physique athlete, I know it may seem strange for me to talk about day-to-day advice, but your calories are incredibly low. Weight lifting as a means of exercise is excellent because it increases energy expenditure after you finish working out for hours (aka you continue to burn calories after you work out as opposed to steady elliptical work). It also allows you to build muscle mass which increases your metabolism as well since muscle burns more calories than fat. 1200 calories a day is the daily minimum a person should eat to function. You said you're usually getting less than that, which puts you in malnutrition range. This is causing your body to go into starvation mode - siphoning off your actual muscle mass for energy and slowing your metabolism to a snail's crawl. You're also not providing enough calories for an effective workout as well.

    There is also a quality that comes with calories. Consuming 1200 calories of fat or carbs is much different than 1200 calories of protein as they are all process very differently. I won't pretend to know what your macro (protein, fat, and carb) ratios should be, but try upping your calories by a few hundred.

    Also, really pushing yourself at the gym in terms of how much weight or volume you do is a good idea. Most girls are afraid of getting too muscular, but it takes a lot of effort to get bulky even as a guy with naturally more testosterone than women, so don't be afraid.

    A good plan that my girlfriend tried and loved was Jamie Eason's 12 week live fit trainer. It has calorie recommendations, recipes, and workouts on a day to day basis.
  • jwconner87
    jwconner87 Posts: 2
    Options
    TL; DR version - eat 300 calories more, balance your diet, and exercise smarter.
  • lanaloo30
    lanaloo30 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    Thank you to those who offered genuine advice. I always work out 5 days a week but have been pushing myself at the gym hard for the last two months and eating leaner and adding more protein. Like I said, my muscle definition on my arms and legs is becoming more noticeable. Also, I wouldn’t have posted this if I was “cheating myself” on what I was eating. I dropped my calorie intake because I noticed I wasn’t losing the weight how I thought I should be and welp, this didn't work. I will try increasing my calorie intake by 300 to start and give an update in a couple weeks.
  • lanaloo30
    lanaloo30 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    jwconner87 wrote: »
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/518807-negative-side-effects-of-eating-less-than-1-200-calories-a-day/

    As a physique athlete, I know it may seem strange for me to talk about day-to-day advice, but your calories are incredibly low. Weight lifting as a means of exercise is excellent because it increases energy expenditure after you finish working out for hours (aka you continue to burn calories after you work out as opposed to steady elliptical work). It also allows you to build muscle mass which increases your metabolism as well since muscle burns more calories than fat. 1200 calories a day is the daily minimum a person should eat to function. You said you're usually getting less than that, which puts you in malnutrition range. This is causing your body to go into starvation mode - siphoning off your actual muscle mass for energy and slowing your metabolism to a snail's crawl. You're also not providing enough calories for an effective workout as well.

    There is also a quality that comes with calories. Consuming 1200 calories of fat or carbs is much different than 1200 calories of protein as they are all process very differently. I won't pretend to know what your macro (protein, fat, and carb) ratios should be, but try upping your calories by a few hundred.

    Also, really pushing yourself at the gym in terms of how much weight or volume you do is a good idea. Most girls are afraid of getting too muscular, but it takes a lot of effort to get bulky even as a guy with naturally more testosterone than women, so don't be afraid.

    A good plan that my girlfriend tried and loved was Jamie Eason's 12 week live fit trainer. It has calorie recommendations, recipes, and workouts on a day to day basis.

    Thank you!

Categories