Clothes are tighter since I’ve been training

GeauxL
GeauxL Posts: 57 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Over the past 2 years I’ve lost about 100lbs, I still have about 15 to go to get to “my” goal weight. In the beginning I did a lot of cardio (walking, jogging, elliptical, treadmill). Over the last 5-6 months I started a weight routine- machines at the gym & some kettlebell work. Over the last 2 months I started doing training with a trainer at the gym twice a week. One day is core & arms/back, the other day is cardio & legs. With losing as much weight as I have, I do have some saggy skin in areas but I do see some definition of my muscles too. My problem is, I’ve noticed that my shirts are tighter in the upper arms & across the back as well as my pants being tighter in the legs. This is really discouraging. For my shirts & pants to fit right, I would need to go up a size but then they’d be baggy elsewhere. Is this normal & does it kind of “even out” after a while? I don’t want to quit training because it keeps me motivated & I like the results(minus the right clothes)

Replies

  • iamallpink
    iamallpink Posts: 3 Member
    I have had this happen to me too. You are building muscle, which is a great thing! I changed up my work out routine a little bit and it seems to help. Keep in mind that if you do too much cardio, you end up burning muscle as well. So maybe now that you are defining those muscles again, they are going back to what they should be. Keep up the good work and remember - it is not the size of the clothes or the number on the scale, it is how you feel with your new body! Be proud of everything you have accomplished so far!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,400 Member
    Same here. I went from XXL to XS in shirts but after starting weights my XS are too tight acrost the shoulders.

    I feel like I’m morphing from big to small to bloated to muscular to saggy and nothing fits properly right now. Even stuff I just bought a month ago doesn’t fit this strange cartoon body of mine properly.

    I was going to get rid of some of it but decided to grin and bear it til it’s time for winter clothes. There’s no point in buying stuff this close to the end of the season.

    I’m hoping it will all balance out as well.
  • GeauxL
    GeauxL Posts: 57 Member
    That’s how I feel; it’s like every part of my body needs a different size! If I buy a shirt loose enough for my shoulders & biceps, then I look like I’m wearing a sheet around my bottom half.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 702 Member
    You need to find a friendly tailor in your area who will for a small fee take things in.

    I need to get every pair of trousers taken up for my short legs, and by the time a shirt will fit across my chest it's to big around the waist.
  • JohnnytotheB
    JohnnytotheB Posts: 361 Member
    Get you items tailored. It sounds like it may be pricy but it's not. There are online sites that can do this with a pic of you. Also, JCPenney has their new Shaq O'Neil line which is designed for men like you.
  • GeauxL
    GeauxL Posts: 57 Member
    I guess I should’ve said I’m a woman🤣. But I am a Shaq fan
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Congrats on your success ! It took me about 2.5 yr to lose 150. Since you still have 15 to go, it quite likely you'll go down another size, or at least loosen up the clothes you currently have. Great work with the weight training, keep it going!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,400 Member
    @lorrpb that is the best profile photo on MFP. Wow!!!! Utmost respect.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,169 Member
    iamallpink wrote: »
    I have had this happen to me too. You are building muscle, which is a great thing! I changed up my work out routine a little bit and it seems to help. Keep in mind that if you do too much cardio, you end up burning muscle as well. So maybe now that you are defining those muscles again, they are going back to what they should be. Keep up the good work and remember - it is not the size of the clothes or the number on the scale, it is how you feel with your new body! Be proud of everything you have accomplished so far!

    Bolded: Not true, unless the person lets the workouts take them to a point where they lose weight too fast, faster than their body can metabolize stored fat to make up the calorie deficit. One can do any amount of cardio consistent with one's conditioning and fitness level, including huge amounts of cardio, as long as it's adequately fueled (no more than a sensible calorie deficit).

    If "too much cardio burned muscle", national team (Olympic) rowers would be stick figures. They row for hours nearly every day, for years. Here's one (Megan Musnicki):

    musnicki03.jpg

    Bottom line: Effective strength training can make some body parts larger, even at consistent or lower body weight. Cardio will not burn muscles, at maintenance calories or a sensible calorie deficit. But the sensible calorie deficit can help reduce the size of some body parts (the ones with remaining fat).

    OP, there are some clothing lines available online that are designed for more muscular women (such as at barbellapparel). I know you don't want to buy new clothes now, but that's worth noting as it won't necessarily "even out". Muscular people are differently proportioned from unmuscular ones, generally speaking. In the short run, you could consider some thrift-store shopping for styles that are more muscle-friendly, such as pants with drawstrings or pleats, stretchier or less close-fitting tops, etc.

    You can also do a web search and find quite a few articles about choosing clothing as a muscular woman.

    Best wishes!

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