Started exercising and gained 6 lbs!!!!

chickatee

Can anyone please explain to me why it is that I have gained weight instead of lost weight. I am exercising three times a week and previously I was a couch potato, it makes no sense whatsoever. I initially started exercising because I have a sedentary job and when I came home in the evenings I was shattered. I have way more energy now and I sleep way better, but now I would like to look better physically as well. I started going to the gym 9 weeks ago and although I haven't changed my diet except to cut down on chocolate I have gained weight.

LegacyUser

post what u eat before joining the gym and after...like a typical day and leave nothing out.

monkeyman

Are ya doin weights or just cardio?

If you're doin weights, then you could be turning your fat into muscle which I believe weighs more.

AARRRGH

Are you using a different weighing scale?

Did you measure yourself before you started exercising? It's possible you are now slimmer, but more muscular.

My girlfriend is in a similar situation to you. She's gained a bit of weight, but she is much more toned.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. 9 weeks isn't a lot. If you make exercising and better diet and part of your lifestyle you'll get the great body you want

Stick with it.

kasintahan

Cardio will drop your body fat.
But at 70-80% of you max heart rate will the effect be properly realised.
Above or below that is pointless (above is not worth it, below is ineffecual).

Max heart rate is based on sex/age and current rate at rest (when you first wake in the morning BEFORE piss).

AFAIK - (there are different formula) MAX heart rate =

((220 - AGE) x 0.7 ) + at rest rate.

So.. 220 - 24years old = ((220 - 24) x 0.7) + 60BPM = 198 BPM
so 70% of that is 138 BPM.

AARRRGH

Expanding on kasintahans point -

Cardio burns muscle first, then fat (technically, it's not the cardio that does it, but the hormones the cardio releases.)

Long, moderate intensity cardio raises the following hormones: GH, TSH, T3, cortisol, Some T2. (T3 and cortisol eat away at both fat and muscle)

Short, high intensity cardio raises the following hormones: GH, TSH, T2, and some T3. (T2 preserves more muscle than T3)

Long, low intensity cardio raises the following hormones: generally little to none at all. So you are wasting your time.

The best way to increase your metabolism is a combination of doing intense cardio, and eating tons of calories all through out the day. Eating plenty of food helps your body adapt to its environment better, and in the case of cardio, it will help you lose fat.

This is the key to getting that lean small look.

chickatee

cheesedude wrote:

post what u eat before joining the gym and after...like a typical day and leave nothing out.

In a typical day I skip breakfast just can't face food straight off instead I have a can of coke, to wake me up!!! At 10.30 I have cornflakes and an actimel yoghurt drink- for lunch more cornflakes and an apple and banana or orange- when I come home often just a sandwich or maybe curry noodles. I would eat chocolate bars maybe 3 times a week. Have not had alcohol since x-mas just havne't been out. To be honest I am not that passionate about food. I don't drink tea or coffee and hence the 1 can of coke a day- my caffeine fix.

AARRRGH

chickatee wrote:

In a typical day I skip breakfast just can't face food straight off instead I have a can of coke, to wake me up!!! At 10.30 I have cornflakes and an actimel yoghurt drink- for lunch more cornflakes and an apple and banana or orange- when I come home often just a sandwich or maybe curry noodles. I would eat chocolate bars maybe 3 times a week. Have not had alcohol since x-mas just havne't been out. To be honest I am not that passionate about food. I don't drink tea or coffee and hence the 1 can of coke a day- my caffeine fix.

I think you've answered your own question. This is not a good diet.

Coke for breakfast...

Processed sugar filled cereal for lunch...

OK on the fruit...

Curry noodles for dinner...

Maybe some chocolate...

Not good. In fact, very bad. Nutritionally minimal.

Try this -

Stop skipping breakfast - you have to eat to lose weight.

Also, working out on a empty stomach is pointless.

Replace the curry noodles with a proper potato/vegtables and chicken type dinner.

Replace the corn flakes at lunch with some pasta or a decent sandwich.

Eating some chocolate is OK

chickatee

dublindude wrote:

I think you've answered your own question. This is not a good diet.

Coke for breakfast...

Processed sugar filled cereal for lunch...

OK on the fruit...

Curry noodles for dinner...

Maybe some chocolate...

Not good. In fact, very bad. Nutritionally minimal.

Try this -

Stop skipping breakfast - you have to eat to lose weight.

Also, working out on a empty stomach is pointless.

Replace the curry noodles with a proper potato/vegtables and chicken type dinner.

Replace the corn flakes at lunch with some pasta or a decent sandwich.

Eating some chocolate is OK [/QUOT

Oh God that was me being healthy- will try you approach and see how I get on- bet my metabolism is in bad shape so as well- no wonder I am going backwards- listen thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.

chickatee

monkeyman wrote:

Are ya doin weights or just cardio?

If you're doin weights, then you could be turning your fat into muscle which I believe weighs more.

Nope its not weight training actually I should have stated that it was curves- its a 30 min workout using their own resistance machines so basically you can only work what your own body allows. I have to get my pulse up to 24 beats/10sec and then just use the machines. Its like a gym for dummies- but its a start!!!!!

chickatee

dublindude wrote:

Expanding on kasintahans point -

Cardio burns muscle first, then fat (technically, it's not the cardio that does it, but the hormones the cardio releases.)

Long, moderate intensity cardio raises the following hormones: GH, TSH, T3, cortisol, Some T2. (T3 and cortisol eat away at both fat and muscle)

Short, high intensity cardio raises the following hormones: GH, TSH, T2, and some T3. (T2 preserves more muscle than T3)

Long, low intensity cardio raises the following hormones: generally little to none at all. So you are wasting your time.

The best way to increase your metabolism is a combination of doing intense cardio, and eating tons of calories all through out the day. Eating plenty of food helps your body adapt to its environment better, and in the case of cardio, it will help you lose fat.

This is the key to getting that lean small look.

heh heh heh think you are the first man who has ever said it was okay to eat tons of calories during the day- I know you mean good calories- so basically I don't have to starve myself actually the opposite is true and then exercise. Okay think I have been in starvation mode for well over ten years so might take some time to convince my appetite that it exists- will let you know how I get on.

Pherekydes

kasintahan wrote:

But at 70-80% of you max heart rate will the effect be properly realised. Above or below that is pointless (above is not worth it, below is ineffecual).

Incorrect. The thinnest people are long distance runners and people like tour-de-france cyclists. Higher intensity exercise will continue to burn fat long after you stop.

Max heart rate is based on sex/age and current rate at rest (when you first wake in the morning BEFORE piss).

Incorrect. You must void first. Then take your HR.

AFAIK - (there are different formula) MAX heart rate =

((220 - AGE) x 0.7 ) + at rest rate.

So.. 220 - 24years old = ((220 - 24) x 0.7) + 60BPM = 198 BPM
so 70% of that is 138 BPM.

The only way to establish your MHR is to perform a maximal heart rate stress test under supervision. You can estimate your own using the above formula, but it is very crude. You can also estimate yours by using a HRM. Many HRMs have a maximum HR feature, so you don't even have to keep an eye on it. There are a few recommended ways to achieve a max HR, one is to run two 800m with a short rest between them. If you aren't already fit to a certain degree it is inadvisable to try for a MHR.

Use the Karvonen formula:

MHR = 220- age = 196 for a 24 yr old.
RHR say 60
Exercise range = 196 - 60 = 136

70% of range = 0.7 * 136 = 95

Actual 70% HR = 95 + 60 = 155

(And not as above)

Chucky the tree

dublindude wrote:

IAlso, working out on a empty stomach is pointless.

is it not better to work on an empty stomach? i though the morning time before you eat anything is the best time to work out if you plan on losing fat.

meepmeep

Chucky the tree wrote:

is it not better to work on an empty stomach? i though the morning time before you eat anything is the best time to work out if you plan on losing fat.

Yup, thats right.

BaZmO*

Chucky the tree wrote:

is it not better to work on an empty stomach? i though the morning time before you eat anything is the best time to work out if you plan on losing fat.

No it is not better.

When will people stop with all these myths?

Loosing weight is not rocket science. A simple analagy is think of the body as a car and food as petrol.

Now if it takes a car a half tank of petrol to get from (a) to (b) and starting off you fill the tank to the top. Obviously when you get to (b) you will still have a half tank of petrol. In the body when this happens the extra fuel/food turns to fat. The only way to loose fat/weight is to burn more calories than you ingest. Simple as. And it is important to put the right type of fuel into your body also.

But of course once you start putting on extra muscle it will weigh more than fat but it's not going to be huge weight gains and you can always do the mirror test which tends to be the most conclusive and it doesn't cost anything!

The simplest way to lose weight is to eat less, excercise more and when you eat, rather than eat one or two big meals at lunchtime and/or dinner time, eat about four small meals over the course of the day. Stick to this and you "will" get results.

And finally, for the time being don't be worrying about dividing your age by your heartrate multiplied by one of your legs and finding the square root of your BPM, these are all too scientific for somebody that's just starting off. I always find that when a noobie asks a question more experienced people tend to blind them with science which they don't need to know.

Anyway, good luck with your training.

B.