Not losing - gaining!!

I need some advice - I have been working out steadily for the past 8 months. I have managed to gain 20 lbs during this time. The ONLY thing that has changed is the time at the gym (0 time before, about 45 min, 5 days/wk now)
I try to keep things varied - for the first few months, I focused on aerobic activity (recumbant, jogging, power walks) That wasn't helping, so I added in circuit training. I have no desire to be "buff", but I do want to slim down. I know that the metabolism slows as you age (I am 37) but this is ridiculous! I am at a loss. I can see maintaining my weight and losing inches, but not gaining 20 lbs and staying the same. I am confused!
A typical workout for me is 9-12 machines in the circuit room, stairmaster for
15 min, followed by 3.5-5 miles on the recumbant or jogging .5-1.0 miles (i have flat feet and jogging kills my shins) Anyway-I do this 6 days/wk and my diet has not changed. I don't eat out, I don't do the daily mocha treats - probably my worst food sin is having 3-4 graham crackers in the afternoon. I am wondering if my thyroid is messed up....any suggestions???
 
Let's forget the fact that this could be mainly muscle, mainly fat or some of each. Either way, if you want to stop gaining muscle or fat you'll have to look at your diet.

It could simply be that your body is now using much more energy, but you're not feeding it more food. So how does it respond? It hangs on to every last morsel. Forget what/how you were eating before...it's not too relevant. You need to match what you're eating now and the exercise you're doing with the goals you have.

How many times a day are you eating and when? Do you know your BMR? The stickies in the weight loss section have some great info. In summary, need more info. What's your diet like?
 
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diet?

Well, I guess that my original thought was if I was consuming X number of calories in a day and started burning 400-500 extra calories through my workout, without changing my diet, weight SHOULD start to come off. I guess I was wrong! Typical day for me would be 2 cups of coffee and a bowl of cereal or a low-fat granola bar. Go workout - come home and have some peanuts and a yogurt. A couple hours later I would have 1/2 whole wheat bagel with a slice of swiss cheese. A couple hours after that, a couple of graham crackers. Dinner is usually something along the lines of a grilled chicken breast, sauteed veggies and some rice - low fat ice cream. I know it's not a great diet, but it's not the worst I've seen either.
As for muscle vs fat - my arms and legs ARE more defined, however, my hips (gotta love women's hips) are just as big as ever - I have not changed my clothing size, which I don't know if that's good or bad - I guess if I gained
20 lbs and did not change my pant size, that's good, but if I am working out all the time, I'd rather see that size go down.....
 
If you gained 20# and did not increase your pant size, you definitely added muscle. Congratulations. It is very possible that you have added all the "easy" muscle you are going to and slow down on the bulking process. If you eat less than you burn, you will lose weight. I'd give your current system a little longer to see what happens.
 
I need some advice - I have been working out steadily for the past 8 months.

Your consistency is to be admired. ROCK ON!



I have managed to gain 20 lbs during this time.

Was weight gain your goal?

The ONLY thing that has changed is the time at the gym (0 time before, about 45 min, 5 days/wk now)
I try to keep things varied - for the first few months, I focused on aerobic activity (recumbant, jogging, power walks) That wasn't helping, so I added in circuit training. A typical workout for me is 9-12 machines in the circuit room, stairmaster for 15 min, followed by 3.5-5 miles on the recumbant or jogging .5-1.0 miles (i have flat feet and jogging kills my shins)

Activity is the only thing that has changes? How about the diet.

In my opinion, if the results you seek wern't to your liking you need to look at the diet v. activity ratio.

I have no desire to be "buff", but I do want to slim down. I know that the metabolism slows as you age (I am 37) but this is ridiculous! I am at a loss. I can see maintaining my weight and losing inches, but not gaining 20 lbs and staying the same. I am confused!

We have age somewhat in common, and have a few factors we have NO CHOICE but to accept and have to just get over it, and thats the bottom line: (just some additional thoughts, may be abit off topic, but I have good intentions)

I turned 46 on August 25th, so we share age in common. Dont let this age number play a role in negative mental arena. Just educate yourself on the "Bare facts" and "Truth" that happens as we age, accept them, and then deal with them----->effectively.

What I mean by this is accepting some biological internal and external changes that naturally occur as one ages, and then take this knowledge and apply it to DIET AND TRAINING.

We cannot do anything about the natural aging process, BUT WE CAN do something with a circumference of understanding of what happens when we age, working WITH IT, not against it, and optimizing what this has to offer.

Some important biological changes that occur are: 1. The metabolism naturally slows as we age (but this can be effectively dealt with), 2. The Skin tends to be less elastic and doesnt bounce back--as quick (and this too can be effectivly deal with--if not too serious), 3. Testosterone levels tend to drop slowly as we age (and this too can be dealt with, but still will not be as good as one in their prime).

All three of these can be dealt with on a healthy individual through appropriate diet and training.

Its important to understand the meaning of compound exercises and their various uses. And, in my opinion, one needs to understand the "Power" of the Squat and Dead lift. Its not the exercise, necessarily, that I am referring to, its---the biological response--that tend to follow these types of exercises on the average AND healthy person.

While the type of exercises may be important for one in their prime, I think in our age bracket (and healthy), these can be major players when implemented correctly with Diet and Recuperation (rest). Why do I say this? Its primarly due to certain chemical releases (i.e. Testosterone, and other important stimulations) that these tend to stimulate. And, at our age we want to bring out the most that we can---though it will be limited with our age--to an extent.

Next, I want to touch on recuperation (Rest), applying simplicity. While this period may have variables like the past history of training (how many years training and dieting, etc, and knowledge of their own bodies, etc), I think its fairly safe to say that it is possible we need more recuperation time as we age and are over 45 (this isn't always true, but true in general).

For example, through MUCH trial and error, I have learned that my muscles were more than willing to ROCK ON in 3 days of rest, but my tendons were not a willing participant. Muscles and Tendons work as a unit, and its important they are both ready to Rock On.

My point here is to allow "appropriate rest" at least 48 hours before doing the same muscle again. If gains are not forthcoming, this IS one of many areas to start analyzing and one to make an adjustment if necessary. Rememeber growth occurs outside the gym while the gym is the stimulation. So ALLOW enough time.




Anyway-I do this 6 days/wk and my diet has not changed. I don't eat out, I don't do the daily mocha treats - probably my worst food sin is having 3-4 graham crackers in the afternoon. I am wondering if my thyroid is messed up....any suggestions???

It wouldnt hurt to get it checked. I had my biological functions checked before I started to ensure they were functioning properly for my age bracket. So this would be a wise idea; however, what I see missing from your post is the amount of calories ingested. I think its fair to assume from your post that if you gained weight WITH the activities your doing (and if healthy) your diet was in surplus beyond your activites you were doing.

What was your calories like? Do you know your MT Line approximation. In order to reduce weight your going to have to learn about the almighty and all knowing and all powerful: Calorie, and learn how to associate these numbers with your activity level to reduce tissue desired (again assuming your healthy).
 
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diet...exercise

I "think" it might be my thyroid - I started taking a supplement (Metabolic Advantage-Thyroid Forumula) not too long ago and I have dropped 2 lbs. That's the MOST I have seen come off in months - so, I am thinking there is a correlation. I have never been a small person - I am not obese, but I am not a slender body type by any stretch.
I'm trying so hard to keep my exercise routines varied w/the jogging, stairmaster, exercise bike and recumbant in addition to the circuit training. I've always heard that you don't want your body to "learn" a routine and have it become too easy....I guess the huge frustration was/is watching the scale go the opposite direction - no, I wasn't trying to gain weight!:)
Thank you for the posts complimenting my perserverance - I actually have several friends who have encouraged me to stop working out because I am not losing weight - I like the way that I feel after sweating for 45 min!!
 
I am all about encouraging the brotha's!!!!!!! Welcome to the forum......

I have many more where that came from.......hehe.......want more......?

By the way could you answer some of my questions, so I can help you more.


oh............by the way..........


ROCK the heck on!..........Hold the head high.......fly.....and say bye bye.... to the weight loss deny!..........................

I extend my hand..........BRO!

Chew on nails and crap out the steel..........ROCK ON!
 
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HaHa - how about the sistas?? I'm a 37 yr old mom of 2 :)

oops! This is the third post in a row, I seem to not be able to tell gender, lol.

OKay......without further ado...........I say............


ROCK ON SISTA!


Hope you can read that..........oops...... :)
 
No problem! What specific questions did you have? I know you asked about diet - I have a "general" idea of a typical day of food for me. Like I said-it's not perfect, but not horrible....the thing is - I'll try cutting out something specific - nothing changes - so I think "Why bother??"
From perusing the info on here, I can see that I am lacking protein by quite a bit and I am not giving my body much of a rest....
 
No problem! What specific questions did you have? I know you asked about diet - I have a "general" idea of a typical day of food for me. Like I said-it's not perfect, but not horrible....the thing is - I'll try cutting out something specific - nothing changes - so I think "Why bother??"From perusing the info on here, I can see that I am lacking protein by quite a bit and I am not giving my body much of a rest....

What I put in bold is the POWER behind many failing attempts---giving up when trying something, when in fact there are so many options to drive one that is virtually impossible to say one has tried everything. (I say this with much respect, if you stay around the forum long enough, you will see I mean well in most of posts---except for spammers---and attacking forum members inappropriately) so take this in the way I had intended: you havent tried everything yet---the one that works. So rise above this personal challenge and lets find the right one!

I would like to know what your caloric totals are per day (in past), and in the present, and if you know what MT LINE means. (Maintenance caloric line).

I want to begin looking at your diet first!


YES........we rock the SISTA! :)
 
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Ok-do not know my MT Line (new to this!!) Ha-with my metabolism, I probably need about 500 calories a day to survive! No problem w/time between posts. I just got home from picking my son up from school and I have calls to make for my volunteer position - I'll keep checking in.
 
Ok-do not know my MT Line (new to this!!) Ha-with my metabolism, I probably need about 500 calories a day to survive! No problem w/time between posts. I just got home from picking my son up from school and I have calls to make for my volunteer position - I'll keep checking in.

Okay, prepare for a rather length post. I will try to help you out on understanding the basics of the MT line and associated caloric content.

Remember, and I cant state this enough: you have not tried everything until you find the one that works. There is a way that works for everyone (in the context we are speaking), and YOU guide this ship to harbor or sink before getting there.

Be back in a flash to make a post splash that will cause much mental ash! :)


(edit: as your friend, I have my eye on you.....)

Best regards,



Chillen
 
Chillen is our resident rapper-cheerleader, we love him. :hug2:

Yes, it sucks when our bodies don't do what we want them to. (I have two kids, and it's wreaked havoc)

Chillen's on the right track. Line out an estimate of your caloric needs, including activity level, then create an appropriate deficit. Since he has that covered, I'll play with your workout.

I would suggest changing it up some. Try taking a week or so off, then when you start back, drop a day (5 days a week is still a lot). That can help shake things up.

If you are doing circuit style machines, chances are good that you need to change it up as well. I would prefer you do freeweights instead of machines - but that's a whole other issue. Vary your routine up on the weights.

What set/rep range do you typically work in? At the end, does it feel like a bit of a burn, or does it feel like you could only do maybe one more if you absolutely had to?
 
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Boy - I need a cheerleader! :)
Yes, I am pretty wiped out when I finish the machines - I feel like I couldn't do anymore -(burning) I DID increase the weights this past week so that it was more difficult. To be honest, I am intimidated by the free weight room....as I've mentioned - I am a novice, so I don't want to make a fool of myself!! I took 4 days off about 3 wks ago when I had pneumonia, but got right back into it. I think I'm paranoid to take ANY time off since I see so few results. I am thrilled to see the scale down 2 lbs today since I started this thyroid supplement - curious to see if it's a coincidence or more?
My legs are dead this afternoon - I keep trying to jog, but I have SO much pain as a result (bone pain) I live on Advil or aspirin.....
I did stock up on some protein foods this afternoon - trying to work in this health food as much as possible :)
Thank you for your suggestions. I am happy to say that I am going to keep going until SOMETHING makes a difference. I have worked too hard and too long to give up now.
 
Boy - I need a cheerleader! :)


oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, (Waves right hand feverishly in the air), and says: "Can I?","Can I?", "Can I?", uh, uh, "Can I?""Can I?", uh.....be the cheer leader,,,,,"Can I?"



To churn the mental ceder one needs to have a cheer leader!

ROCK It!

Im working on the post.............
 
You can and should strength train with weights even if Female. Yes, you should, and you can rise mightier than you ever thought you could!

I have written this before, so I have taken the liberty to have saved the post to repost for other new members as they come along. I hope you dont mind.

The following is "Basic" information to assist you to determine your caloric needs:


Some Basic information that can lead you to fat tissue loss

Calorie calculation is an approximation science, remember this. Through your journey WATCH, LOOK, and LISTEN, to your body..........it will TELL YOU if your doing the correct things or combination of things!


○ Change your eating habits (below are some suggestion examples)

○ Substitute an artificial sweetener of your choice in the replace of refined white sugar (Refrain from Refined Sugar like you would a disease)

○ Try eating 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day

○ Balance your meals out during the day so in one day you have a mix of protein, carbohydrate and good fats

○ Drink lots of water during the day and before, during and after exercise

○ Simple Carb Examples: Grapefruit, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples, Pineapple, etc

○ Complex Carb Examples: Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Oatmeal, Long Grain Brown Rice, Brown Pasta, Malto-Meal (Plain, whole wheat),etc

○ Good Protein Examples: White or Dark Tuna, Chicken Breast, Lean Turkey, Lean Ham, Very lean Beef, Quality Whey Protein Powder,, etc

○ Good Fats Examples: Natural Peanut Butter, Various Nuts, Flax Seed, Fish Oils.

This is what you need to do:

This an approximation science, but you can narrow it down very close, if your meticulous in your vision when looking at the data.

Tweak your desire and passion by educating yourself on the basic requirements of losing fat tissue. With your age, sex, height, and weight, in mind, find your approximated base calorie needs (this is organ function, breathing, or bodily function needs). One can use the Benedict Formula.

Calculate your BMR:

The Harris Benedict equation determines calorie needs for men or woman as follows:

• It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, age and gender.

• It increases your BMR calorie needs by taking into account the number of calories you burn through activities such as exercise.

This gives you your total calorie requirement or approximated Maintenance Line (I call it the MT Line).

Step One : Calculate your BMR with the following formula:

•Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
•Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Step Two : In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

•If you are sedentary : BMR x 1.2
•If you are lightly active: BMR x 1.375
•If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 1.55
•If you are very active (You exercise daily.): BMR x 1.725
•If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 1.9

Create a Calorie Deficit:

In order to lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. It is easier and healthier to cut back your calorie intake a little bit at a time.

Every 3,500 calories is equivalent to approximated 1 pound.

If you cut back 500 calories a day, you will lose approximated 1 pound per week. (not necessarily all fat)

If you exercise to burn off 500 calories a day you will also lose approximately 1 pound per week.

The calorie deficit margin is just an example:

Apply this knowledge by backing off the approximated MT Line (approximated Maintenance line), say for example, a -500c per day, for about 1 week. Before the week begins, weigh yourself in the AM when you FIRST get up (do not eat yet) (remember your clothing, preferably with just underwear and t-shirt or like clothes). Note the time, and the approximated wgt.
Each day spread your caloric content out throughout the day (keep the body fed, with calories in the 300 to 500c approximated calories each meal), or a like division which mirrors your end caloric deficit limit (meaning MT-500c).

This way you have your entire day and body encircled with nutrition (I assume you already know to eat clean), which if your eating right, will give an approximated good energy (not optimal because your in deficit) to fuel your training and exercising schedule.

At the end of the week, on the same day, the same time, with the same like clothes, weigh yourself again. Note whether you lost or gained tissue (or weight I mean). To further assist you, I want to tell you that for every approximated caloric deficit of (-3500c), one could lose 1lb of fat tissue. (though some may not all be fat tissue, this information is for another question, and isn't presently suited here).

Now, in this example you were calculating a -500c per day deficit. There needs to be -3500c to lose approximated 1lbs of fat. Now lets do some basic math. -500cX7=-3500c. With all things considered equal, and you were meticulous and faithful on the diet, you should have been CLOSE to losing at least one pound of tissue in the week.

If this didn't happen, this means you need to make finer adjustments, and the MT line is not accurate, and you need to adjust this on your own.

Based upon the FEEDBACK your body is giving you, ask yourself how faithful you were on the diet, AND how faithful in training (whether you kept the training schedule (if you didn't, this would effect the caloric equation, no?!), AND how accurate you figured in your activities caloric wise.........but, you have the base information to begin making adjustments.

The calorie SURPLUS margin is just an example: (attempt to gain weight)

Apply this knowledge by going OVER the approximated MT Line (approximated Maintenance line), say for example, a +500c per day, for about 1 week. Before the week begins, weigh yourself in the AM when you FIRST get up (do not eat yet) (remember your clothing, preferably with just underwear and t-shirt or like clothes). Note the time, and the approximated wgt.
Each day spread your caloric content out throughout the day (keep the body fed, with calories in the 300 to 500c approximated calories each meal), or a like division which mirrors your end caloric deficit limit (meaning MT+500c).

This way you have your entire day and body encircled with nutrition (I assume you already know to eat clean), which if your eating right, will give an approximated good energy (not optimal because your in deficit) to fuel your training and exercising schedule.

At the end of the week, on the same day, the same time, with the same like clothes, weigh yourself again. Note whether you lost or gained tissue (or weight I mean).

If this didn't happen, this means you need to make finer adjustments, and the MT line is not accurate, and you need to adjust this on your own



=========================================================

The Nutrients are an essential factor in the diet; however, the law of energy balance within the DIET, is the ultimate KING while the Nutrients can play in some decisions made within the body.

Do yourself a favor, figure out your MT line, adjust off of this, eat well balanced spaced out meals (DONT EVER starve YOURSELF), AND listen to your body for the results.

While you are trying to figure out your body, IT WILL PAY YOU BACK, I promise. You have to learn to MASTER yourself to become the master of weight loss for YOURSELF.
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"Let your inner vision cultivate your ultimate exterior expression" —Chillen

"The strongest inner feeling that prevails will result in the exterior expression" –Chillen

"Your cultivation and manifestation of thought accumulated within your reasoning will determine your outcome"----Chillen
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Deficit dieting is the fat burner, and EVERYTHING follows after this. The deficit can be implemented through the diet or exercise can cause the deficit when you know your MT line reference.

Losing fat is sort of like draining a pool. It usually leaves the shallow end first before the larger end starts to diminish. But, fat and/or tissue is lost all over when deficit dieting.

If you want to lose overall body fat, get your diet in order, eat clean, learn what your approximate MT reference line is according to activities (and back off a HEALTHY margin), and perform overall weight training, and of course, include cardio (cardio DOES have its benefits other than burning calories, carbs, fat, ect).

The most effective beginning is to look at your diet, and make a diet journal in my opinion, THEN work in a training program around this diet.

==========================================================


Best Regards,


Chillen

More to follow
 
I wrote this to a new member the other day, and I think its appropriate for you to have a read:

Your body is willing in your application, your mind is consenting in your innovation, now connect the heart for dedication to meet your destination.

(One can move many mountains with correct spirit and mental toughness, and can create their own avalanche of rocks while trying to go up if one isn't careful.-Chillen)

I write this with the best intentions.

(The following is making a personal observation of myself, please I do not want anyone offended):

When I started, I was a fat tub of lard, with man boobs (and could have flipped them over my shoulder) and they could have easily fit into my wife's bra without a problem, I wore size 38 pants, I couldn’t walk around a block without breathing heavy, I could barely do 5 pushups, barely bench press 80 pounds; I was an old (46 year old) man grossly out of shape, until one day I got out of bed and back pain brought me to my knees and brought tears to my eyes; I said no more. I set a path to educate myself. I got books from the local library, purchased books from various stores, did some research on the internet, and spoke to some knowledgeable persons I knew. I made up my mind, and anyone can ask my wife, once my mind is made up, I can bend steel with it, chew pieces of it, and then spit out the pieces from my mouth, and ask for more. I had two purposes: to prove that a mid forty and middle aged man can lose weight and have abs, and to show my kids what a determined heart can do. This a brief synopsis. I have accomplished both, but it wasn’t easy.


Your Body is distilling your willing; wake up your Spirit to bring more milling, and engage your Heart to eliminate the unwilling.

Your young body is so willing to accept this new application you started. Look at it. It is earnestly willing to accept more repetitions, but your spirit and your heart within your lack of determination to meet your goals is limiting what your body wants to care out. Thus you are stuck, and this is where you will remain--body unchanged, because your heart and your spirit remain unchanged and isn't engaged to the will of the goal you have lack luster in seeking. No one can change this but you: either you want to change this or you don’t: your body don’t mind it's blind and you have a venetian blind on your heart and spirit, that is undefined and is leaving your body behind. You have to entwine and combine to redefine to let yourself unwind.

Raise your want-o-meter and these important traits tend to follow in tandem. Don’t cry to me you can't do this, this isn't a complicated matter. You don’t have the will to push yourself reasonably to reach your goal to allow the virtues I mentioned; this is your fault. Open up your eyes, stand up, wake the heck up, open your heart and let the will and desire flow in to your goal, and just see what happens in the gym when you do.

The mind can be a friend and/or foe, in either case you are in control of variances in the equation.


“I am, indeed, a King, because I know how to rule myself.”


You are going to have to master this problem, and I believe the problem isn't in the gym nor a matter of mechanics in the gym, it’s an internal matter and the want connection with your goal.

Best wishes,


Chillen

more to come
 
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This is me at my home gym: Please use caution, one has to apply correctly:

I train at home. And bug, agitate, and piss my own ass off all the time......:).
 
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