I hope someone can explain this to me, because I am really getting discouraged. I am a 32 year old woman who has always had a pretty athletic body. I always weighed a lot more than I looked like I weighed, and I assumed it was because I was pretty muscular. Well, for the past few years I haven't been real active, and I lost about 10 pounds (without any exercise) and have stayed about the same for 2 years. The problem is, even though I was very happy with my weight, I felt like I was getting a little flabby and wasn't feeling very healthy. So, I started going to the gym about 6 weeks ago. Well, I am doing the nautilus circuit and am working my way up in time on the elliptical(sp?) trainer. ( I am a smoker and could only do about 5 minutes to start without feeling like I would pass out, but now am up to 20). I do about 2 sets of 20 with 50lbs on the leg machines (135 lbs on the squat one), and about 2 sets of 15 at 50lbs on all the arm ones, and 2 sets of 20 at 70lbs on the ab and back ones. I go about 2 to 3 times a week. In the past six weeks, I have GAINED 8 pounds! I gained 6, then I lost 2, then I just gained 4 more. I am not happy about this at all. I know I am gaining muscle in some areas (especially my legs, my calves are getting huge and my arms are getting more muscular, but bigger), but it seems like now my body doesn't look at good as it did, and I have more noticeable cellulite on my legs and my stomach is getting bigger (maybe more muscle underneath) and it seems like I'm getting love handles (which I didn't have before). It seems like things are moving around and maybe fat is coming to the surface. I don't know if it works that way or not. I haven't changed my diet at all. Can someone please explain this to me? I am feeling better overall and healthier, but I don't want to keep gaining weight, and I liked the way my body looked better before. Thanks for any advice you can give me.
HELP!! Why am I gaining weight??
- Thread starter snik225
- Start date
im wondering are you losing any pants size? if so.. then everything is fine... also when i 1st started working out around 1 month (aka 4 weeks) i gained then lost then gained.. it happens from what i hear.. then it will just start to drop a good rate..
just keep doing it.. you will see results soon your body just needs to get used to it
just keep doing it.. you will see results soon your body just needs to get used to it
Thanks for responding. I haven't dropped a pants size or anything. My pants are fitting me differently. Actually a little tighter in places. I had almost lost my butt altogether though, and now it seems to be rounder or something, maybe firmer, I don't know, but it seems bigger, and I didn't want bigger. lol.
I wanted to stay small and just be firmer. I think I am freaking out. My body image is way out of whack now for some reason. I am getting a little paranoid about it. I look in the mirror and I feel like I look like some amazon chick now or something. I'm probably over-reacting. I was skinny, and skinny was good. I was happy with skinny. lol. I just wanted to tone up and get healthier.
So you think, if I keep at it, I will start losing weight eventually and get the results I wanted and not keep getting bigger and bigger? That's what I am afraid of. I don't want to look like a body builder and that seems to be what's happening. Are some women's bodies programmed that way or something? Am I doing the right things from what I described in my workout? I'm sorry to go on and on. Like I said, I just wish I understood how it all worked.
I also have a friend who is working out with me. She is a little heavier than me, and she is losing weight. We are doing the exact same things, only I'm actually going more often than her. She's lost about the same amount of weight that I have gained. She's joking that she's giving her pounds to me. Ugh! I don't want 'em! Can you explain that?
I hope I'm not making a fool of myself by how little I know about this stuff. There are no trainers at the gym to ask advice from and no one I know really knows anything about it, so I was on here searching for answers, and this board seemed to be just the best place to find 'em.
Sorry I babble on so much. I'll shut up now. lol. Thanks again!
I wanted to stay small and just be firmer. I think I am freaking out. My body image is way out of whack now for some reason. I am getting a little paranoid about it. I look in the mirror and I feel like I look like some amazon chick now or something. I'm probably over-reacting. I was skinny, and skinny was good. I was happy with skinny. lol. I just wanted to tone up and get healthier.
So you think, if I keep at it, I will start losing weight eventually and get the results I wanted and not keep getting bigger and bigger? That's what I am afraid of. I don't want to look like a body builder and that seems to be what's happening. Are some women's bodies programmed that way or something? Am I doing the right things from what I described in my workout? I'm sorry to go on and on. Like I said, I just wish I understood how it all worked.
I also have a friend who is working out with me. She is a little heavier than me, and she is losing weight. We are doing the exact same things, only I'm actually going more often than her. She's lost about the same amount of weight that I have gained. She's joking that she's giving her pounds to me. Ugh! I don't want 'em! Can you explain that?
I hope I'm not making a fool of myself by how little I know about this stuff. There are no trainers at the gym to ask advice from and no one I know really knows anything about it, so I was on here searching for answers, and this board seemed to be just the best place to find 'em.
Sorry I babble on so much. I'll shut up now. lol. Thanks again!
allcdnboy1
New member
ok ... where to start.
Yes, some bodies are programmed to build muscle really easily.
Your friend will see more noticeable results being that she is a little heavier, but remember that every person is completely different. If you don't want to get any bigger, then don't do weights ... just straight cardio ... i don't think that's the best advice, because i think that everyone should include some sort of weight lifting program.
Also, you may be over-analyzing yourself now that you are working out again. It's entirely possible that you are just notice things more cuz you are looking for results and finding other things.
Lastly, (cuz i should be heading to bed), your weight will fluctuate anywhere from 2-10 lbs in a day. I know mine changes at least 5 lbs every day ... just use your image as a guideline. Easiest thing to do, take some pictures of yourself now and then again in a month or two ... it's easier to compare. And do the pictures at the same time of the day ... best time is first thing in the morning before breakfast.
Yes, some bodies are programmed to build muscle really easily.
Your friend will see more noticeable results being that she is a little heavier, but remember that every person is completely different. If you don't want to get any bigger, then don't do weights ... just straight cardio ... i don't think that's the best advice, because i think that everyone should include some sort of weight lifting program.
Also, you may be over-analyzing yourself now that you are working out again. It's entirely possible that you are just notice things more cuz you are looking for results and finding other things.
Lastly, (cuz i should be heading to bed), your weight will fluctuate anywhere from 2-10 lbs in a day. I know mine changes at least 5 lbs every day ... just use your image as a guideline. Easiest thing to do, take some pictures of yourself now and then again in a month or two ... it's easier to compare. And do the pictures at the same time of the day ... best time is first thing in the morning before breakfast.
im wondering how are you eating? what are you eating
i suggest just keep working on cardio try lifting a little less weight more reps... and just hit the cardio after around 2 weeks you should notice little results and anything after that should work better
for 1 month i lost not 1 pound... but i did gain 3 poundS! and looked fatter... i was doing everything right from food to cardio
so keep at it.. im sure you should see some result soon
i suggest just keep working on cardio try lifting a little less weight more reps... and just hit the cardio after around 2 weeks you should notice little results and anything after that should work better
for 1 month i lost not 1 pound... but i did gain 3 poundS! and looked fatter... i was doing everything right from food to cardio
so keep at it.. im sure you should see some result soon
Thanks, you guys!
As far as my diet, I haven't changed what I eat at all since I started working out. I usually eat a bowl of Special K in the morning, and a pop tart, mid morning, then for lunch I have a ham and cheese sandwich on a bagel with a few chips on the side (sometimes a cup of pudding, mmmm), and at night, I usually just eat a frozen dinner, usually lean cuisine or healthy choice (i live alone), or sometimes, I'll make some pastaroni or shells and cheese and mix in some grilled chicken or have a grilled chicken breast off of my george foreman grill. I usually get hungry again before bed, (I stay up pretty late), so I drink a glass of milk an hour or two before bed. I eat the same exact thing for breakfast and lunch every day and have forever. Pretty boring huh? Sometimes I do get something out for dinner, like chinese or subway, but usually just fix something simple for myself at home. I drink a ton of water every day, almost a gallon a day. I have to eat something like every 3 to 4 hours, because my blood sugar seems to drop quick and I feel pretty bad if I don't. I drink about 1 and a 1/2 cans of pepsi a day, just for a treat and a caffiene fix.
I've been eating this way for the past 3 years. I know I am probably consuming too many carbs, and I'm not good at eating veggies, so maybe it's not the healthiest diet in the world, but, I have eaten this way for a long time. I didn't do any kind of exercise at all, and I lost weight and kept it off for over 2 years. So, I figured it wasn't too bad, and I should be able to continue eating the same way, and working out would only make me lose more weight (or so I thought).
I was feeling pretty good about my body, because most of my friends my age have problems with their weight now. I've felt pretty lucky and keep thinking my day will come when I start packing on the pounds. I think that is why I am so paranoid now, and you're right about me being so conscious of the way I look and am examining every little detail of my body looking for changes now. I am 32 and never been married and haven't had kids, so I feel I need to make sure I keep looking good, so I don't end up an old maid, especially a fat or dumpy old maid. Knowhadidmean? lol.
I really hope I don't look like a total geek or I'm not being too chatty on here. I feel like I keep writing a book every reply. I've never really posted on any kind of message board before. I am glad I did though.
I do want to continue with the weights, because it does seem to make me feel stronger, and I like that, and I do want to look more defined, but just not big. I think I must be one of those people who build muscle quick. I remember this happening to me before when I went to the gym about 8 or 9 years ago. That time, I just quit going when I gained weight, because I was so upset about it. I don't really want to give up, though, this time, because it is making me feel better overall, healthwise. I was kinda depressed and getting sick a lot before I started going. Now I am feeling a lot better mentally and physically, which is a very good thing.
Like I said, I'm doing 2 sets of 20 at pretty low weights (I guess) on most of the nautilus, is that wrong? Should I do more reps than that?
Well, thanks again so much for your support and advice! I really appreciate it! It does make me feel better about things to hear advice from people who know what they are talking about.
I'm on my way to the gym now.
As far as my diet, I haven't changed what I eat at all since I started working out. I usually eat a bowl of Special K in the morning, and a pop tart, mid morning, then for lunch I have a ham and cheese sandwich on a bagel with a few chips on the side (sometimes a cup of pudding, mmmm), and at night, I usually just eat a frozen dinner, usually lean cuisine or healthy choice (i live alone), or sometimes, I'll make some pastaroni or shells and cheese and mix in some grilled chicken or have a grilled chicken breast off of my george foreman grill. I usually get hungry again before bed, (I stay up pretty late), so I drink a glass of milk an hour or two before bed. I eat the same exact thing for breakfast and lunch every day and have forever. Pretty boring huh? Sometimes I do get something out for dinner, like chinese or subway, but usually just fix something simple for myself at home. I drink a ton of water every day, almost a gallon a day. I have to eat something like every 3 to 4 hours, because my blood sugar seems to drop quick and I feel pretty bad if I don't. I drink about 1 and a 1/2 cans of pepsi a day, just for a treat and a caffiene fix.
I've been eating this way for the past 3 years. I know I am probably consuming too many carbs, and I'm not good at eating veggies, so maybe it's not the healthiest diet in the world, but, I have eaten this way for a long time. I didn't do any kind of exercise at all, and I lost weight and kept it off for over 2 years. So, I figured it wasn't too bad, and I should be able to continue eating the same way, and working out would only make me lose more weight (or so I thought).
I was feeling pretty good about my body, because most of my friends my age have problems with their weight now. I've felt pretty lucky and keep thinking my day will come when I start packing on the pounds. I think that is why I am so paranoid now, and you're right about me being so conscious of the way I look and am examining every little detail of my body looking for changes now. I am 32 and never been married and haven't had kids, so I feel I need to make sure I keep looking good, so I don't end up an old maid, especially a fat or dumpy old maid. Knowhadidmean? lol.
I really hope I don't look like a total geek or I'm not being too chatty on here. I feel like I keep writing a book every reply. I've never really posted on any kind of message board before. I am glad I did though.
I do want to continue with the weights, because it does seem to make me feel stronger, and I like that, and I do want to look more defined, but just not big. I think I must be one of those people who build muscle quick. I remember this happening to me before when I went to the gym about 8 or 9 years ago. That time, I just quit going when I gained weight, because I was so upset about it. I don't really want to give up, though, this time, because it is making me feel better overall, healthwise. I was kinda depressed and getting sick a lot before I started going. Now I am feeling a lot better mentally and physically, which is a very good thing.
Like I said, I'm doing 2 sets of 20 at pretty low weights (I guess) on most of the nautilus, is that wrong? Should I do more reps than that?
Well, thanks again so much for your support and advice! I really appreciate it! It does make me feel better about things to hear advice from people who know what they are talking about.
I'm on my way to the gym now.