Preworkout making me gain weight?

LizRN2007
LizRN2007 Posts: 12 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok I workout almost 6days a week with 60min of cardio (heart rate 140-150, along with weight training of 45-60min. I have struggled to make it through without preworkout and have so much more energy if I use it. I am on a weight loss journey and have lost about 50lb but have kind of toyed with the same 3-4 lbs this last month and a half or so despite eating well and strength/cardio workouts. I bought a new preworkout and it contains 3g of Creatine which I didn’t notice when I bought. So I did some online research and it seems like it can make you gain weight and retain fluid. How true is this? I am still overweight and would like to lose about 40 more lbs. should I just stick with what I am doing? Get a different preworkout (this one works just I’m not sure about the Creatine)? I realize that muscle weighs more than fat I just want to make sure I am on the right track. I also need to start measuring

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    maybe water weight...not actual fat weight.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Creatine is an intramuscular saturated, so it can cause a few lba of water retention, but it wont be muscle.

    If you aren losing, you may have to tighten up logging or evaluating what you are doing. Do you log daily and use a food scale? How many calories so you eat?
  • LizRN2007
    LizRN2007 Posts: 12 Member
    edited March 2018
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Creatine is an intramuscular saturated, so it can cause a few lba of water retention, but it wont be muscle.

    If you aren losing, you may have to tighten up logging or evaluating what you are doing. Do you log daily and use a food scale? How many calories so you eat?

    Yes, log everything and weigh things. My MFP goal is set at 1490cal and I usually eat back about 50% of my exercise cals...sometimes not even that much. So I would say on average about 1800 calories
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Creatine is an intramuscular saturated, so it can cause a few lba of water retention, but it wont be muscle.

    If you aren losing, you may have to tighten up logging or evaluating what you are doing. Do you log daily and use a food scale? How many calories so you eat?

    Yes, log everything and weigh things. My MFP goal is set at 1490cal and I usually eat back about 50% of my exercise cals...sometimes not even that much. So I would say on average about 1800 calories

    Can you open your food diary? Also, why do you workout so much. There is no reason to workout for almost 2 hours a day. And doing the se thing can impede recovery causing increased water retention.
  • LizRN2007
    LizRN2007 Posts: 12 Member
    Honestly I felt like I needed to do that much cardio for the fat loss, it initially helped me get off a plateau from only doing cardio about 30min
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    edited March 2018
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    Honestly I felt like I needed to do that much cardio for the fat loss, it initially helped me get off a plateau from only doing cardio about 30min

    You certainly dont and cardio daily is going to impede strength gains and recovery. And the fact that you need a preworkout to get through it speaks volumes. It might be worth tailoring down on the cardio to 2 or 3 days a week, amd following a structured lifting routine.

    And instead of the MFP way of eating where it calculates exercise calories, id follow the tdee method where exercise is included in the activity level (so you can start by setting your account to lightly or moderately active) and adjust calories based on results.

    Eta: i lost 50 lbs and have kept it off for 6 years. with only 1 or 2 days of cardio a week
  • LizRN2007
    LizRN2007 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks, so would you recommend doing the cardio 2-3x a week with my lifting? I really do enjoy cardio so it’s not a “chore”. I am set at “lightly active) now with my 1420 calories and usually earn 850-950 with my exercise which I realize is probably over...that’s why I only eat 1/2. So maybe up it to moderate? I am also a nurse so I work 3-4 days per week and on my feet 13hr at a time so no a desk job person...
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    edited March 2018
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    Thanks, so would you recommend doing the cardio 2-3x a week with my lifting? I really do enjoy cardio so it’s not a “chore”. I am set at “lightly active) now with my 1420 calories and usually earn 850-950 with my exercise which I realize is probably over...that’s why I only eat 1/2. So maybe up it to moderate? I am also a nurse so I work 3-4 days per week and on my feet 13hr at a time so no a desk job person...

    Oh, id probably set you are moderately active since you have an active job.

    And its not about being a chore. It more about allowing recovery, because that is where you make gains. I'd put your cardio days on your non lifting days.

    And don't eat back exercise calories. Once you make your activity level as active, it should be accounted for.

    Below is a good link to structured lifting routines. Following one of these will maximize lifting results while minimizing efforts.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • LizRN2007
    LizRN2007 Posts: 12 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    Thanks, so would you recommend doing the cardio 2-3x a week with my lifting? I really do enjoy cardio so it’s not a “chore”. I am set at “lightly active) now with my 1420 calories and usually earn 850-950 with my exercise which I realize is probably over...that’s why I only eat 1/2. So maybe up it to moderate? I am also a nurse so I work 3-4 days per week and on my feet 13hr at a time so no a desk job person...

    Oh, id probably set you are moderately active since you have an active job.

    And its not about being a chore. It more about allowing recovery, because that is where you make gains. I'd put your cardio days on your non lifting days.

    And don't eat back exercise calories. Once you make your activity level as active, it should be accounted for.

    Below is a good link to structured lifting routines. Following one of these will maximize lifting results while minimizing efforts.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Thank you so much! You’ve been most helpful. I do still want to lose some weight so I will try this!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    Thanks, so would you recommend doing the cardio 2-3x a week with my lifting? I really do enjoy cardio so it’s not a “chore”. I am set at “lightly active) now with my 1420 calories and usually earn 850-950 with my exercise which I realize is probably over...that’s why I only eat 1/2. So maybe up it to moderate? I am also a nurse so I work 3-4 days per week and on my feet 13hr at a time so no a desk job person...

    Oh, id probably set you are moderately active since you have an active job.

    And its not about being a chore. It more about allowing recovery, because that is where you make gains. I'd put your cardio days on your non lifting days.

    And don't eat back exercise calories. Once you make your activity level as active, it should be accounted for.

    Below is a good link to structured lifting routines. Following one of these will maximize lifting results while minimizing efforts.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Thank you so much! You’ve been most helpful. I do still want to lose some weight so I will try this!

    No problem..just trakc for 3 or 4 weeks and see how it goes. You can adjust if things dont work as expected.
  • LizRN2007
    LizRN2007 Posts: 12 Member
    PsuLemon- one more question. I of course was looking up some info on cardio and found one training/nutrition site recommended not doing any cardio for a few weeks to reset the body. Is this warranted? I may die if I have to do that but I will if needed. I’ve got to get the rest of this weight off
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    LizRN2007 wrote: »
    PsuLemon- one more question. I of course was looking up some info on cardio and found one training/nutrition site recommended not doing any cardio for a few weeks to reset the body. Is this warranted? I may die if I have to do that but I will if needed. I’ve got to get the rest of this weight off

    If you enjoy cardio, there is no reason you have to stop.
  • peggy_polenta
    peggy_polenta Posts: 325 Member
    i would suggest changing a couple of your cardio sessions to HIIT cardio sessions. you only need 20 mins of HIIT (and its recommended that you have a minimum of 8 crunch cycles in that 20 mins)...and i do 5 mins of warm up and cool down on each side of that. You will likely see some movement in a week or so.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories