strength training and gaining weight

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I have recently started weight training 3 x a week as well as some cardio and I have put on weight :( I haven't lost inches either :( Is this normal, or should I go back to cardio?
I have been recording my food and have between 1500-1800kcal most days. Is this too much? Macros are generally 40% carbs 30% protein and 30% fat.

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  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
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    How long ago is "recently"? How much weight have you "put on" ?

    If your muscles are sore, they are retaining water to help repair themselves and that can cause initial weight gain when you start weight training.
  • TheCalvinGaba
    TheCalvinGaba Posts: 12 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Initial changes could be due to water retention in the muscles. Generally over a very long period of time with strength training you will end up gaining weight as you build more muscle, however that is over a very long period of time and also provided that you are in a calorie surplus in order to sustain the requirements needed for that growth. But like I said it not and overnight thing.
    Usually when it comes to gaining weight you need to me eating more that your maintenance calories, or it depends on how you have balanced your macros. Without knowing what those are for you and looking at your numbers it looks like you are in a calorie deficit and you should be losing weight. I wouldn’t change the type of training immediately as it take some time for the body to adapt and change.
    One thing I can suggest is to maybe tweak your macro percentages.
    What I normally do is to set my protein to around .8-1 gram/lb of lean body mass. (I estimate my lean mass from my weight @ around 65%-75% of my actually weight depending on how I look) One other way to get is to measure your body fat percentage and subtract that from your weight.

    I set fat fats to between 20-30% of your calories, depending on the meals I’m having that day I try to end up between that and not less than 20% and not more than 30%.
    Then the rest if carbs which usually lies between 35-50%.
    I know I react to carbs well and I’m very active so in my meals I always try to go lower with my fats (trying to stick closer to the 20% than the 30%) Then the rest is filled up with carbs – NB making sure I have a lot of fibrous carbs too.
    And the last thing is water, you want to be drinking a lot of water throughout the day.
    The best way is to try things out and see how your body reacts over a few weeks or so. Remember you are unique and will react to things differently however it’s also good to remember that changes do not happen overnight. So go out there, try a lot of things over a few weeks or so, track what you are doing and keep what’s working. Leaning how your body reacts to changes you make will make future goals easier as you’ll have a sense of certainty of what going to happen.
  • milsteven
    milsteven Posts: 10 Member
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    the last 4 weeks and I have put on 5lbs :( I am not sore after workouts, have tried to increase weight but then struggle to lift them
  • milsteven
    milsteven Posts: 10 Member
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    I am 57kgs , 5ft 4 inches tall. Waist 27" and hips 34" :( If you friend request me you could look at my good diary. A few weeks ago I tried the Keto diet so during those weeks my fat intake was huge. I did however loose 5lbs and by waist and stomach was a lot slimer. I stopped as I am a keen runner and I couldn't perform, legs like lead :(
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Chances are you lost a bunch of water weight on Keto and then put it back on when you stopped plus added some water weight with the weight training. x If you're accurate with your logging it will just be water weight fluctuations and is totally normal. I don't think you'll see alot of inch changes in 4 weeks because you're already petite it may take much longer. x