Gaining weight with diet and exercise...

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2003
Gaining weight with diet and exercise...
4
Wed, 02-16-2005 - 10:23am

Hey, all...

I'm Barb, a 38yo woman who is trying to get fit and drop 30 lbs.

I cut out sugars, most fats, increased proteins. I'm taking in about 1500-1600 cals a day, with about 20% fat, 50% carbs, 30% protein. I'm taking multivitamins. I average 2 liters of water per day.

I started slowly, worked my way up to 30 min's on the elliptical, and in the first 2 weeks, I lost 2 lbs a week.

Then, I added resistance training on the weight-curcuit at the gym. I do 15-20 reps with medium weights... it's about a 15-minute program.

I started gaining weight again. I've gained 3 lbs.

OK, I know muscle mass weighs more than fat. But, it's been three weeks, and I'm still going up!

I am one of those rare women who really bulks-up with muscle (that's why I'm doing high reps). It didn't bother me when I was younger, because I didn't have a fat-layer over it, and I just looked muscular. Now, I look even fatter, because the muscles are buried under a layer of fat. I have been told that if could lose the fat, I'd be a natural at body-building. I've had guys ask what my calf routine is, because I have such large calves (I don't do anything for my calves... they're already so big that I cannot wear boots or ski boots, literally).

So, now I'm getting discouraged. I don't want to get bigger, and the fat is not coming off at the same rate as the muscle is going on! I feel huge, and with the combination of muscle and fat, my upper arms are as big as most women's thighs!

WHEN can I expect the fat-loss to increase?? Should I increase my reps, and lighten the weights to stop some of the muscle growth? Or, should I grin and bear it, and the fat will start to melt, eventually?

Thank you for any advice!!

Barb

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Wed, 02-16-2005 - 11:57am

First of all welcome to the board!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2003
Wed, 02-16-2005 - 1:13pm
I know exactly where you are coming from - I don't get bulky muscle but after just one or two wieght workouts I immediately start to see more muscle definition - which of course makes that scale # go higher and kills me. I increase my cardio so I am burning more fat, I use lower weights and do even more repitions. A trainer had told me to start out with a low weight (ie. 10 lbs) do 12 - 15 reps and then move the weight up (15 lbs) and do another set of reps. This is suppose to help build small, compact muscles. Also, depending on your weight, and goal weight depends on how many calories you should be taking in - you may actually be getting too few calories which will slow down your metabolism. Try eating different foods, your body gets used to digesting foods you eat all the time so it does not have to work as hard to digest them after a while - if you change the food you are eating in "shocks" your body into working harder to digest the food and raises your metabolism.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-01-2005
Wed, 02-16-2005 - 7:52pm
I agree with increasing your cardio (maybe up to an hour/day). Maybe try splitting it up to 2 thirty-minute workouts. Your diet sounds okay (especially the increased protein intake-that worked for me also). Keep your mind on your goal and use whatever means necessary to stay motivated. You can do it!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 02-16-2005 - 10:28pm
I had the same problem before the holidays. How tall are you? I found that I was still taking in too many calories even though I was exercising/lifting weights like a madwoman. I have cut my calories more (except tonight...if you saw my other post.) and increased the cardio. I still want to do weights, b/c I do not want to lose muscle, but I try to do several nights of long cardio w/ little resistance.