Help !! I am working out lots, but gaining weight !!

F

fitchic

Member
A question to all,
I just started out in fitness instructing this past May and am having so much fun!!! I have a bit of a problem lately though. Since I have started working out more often ( I teach 4-6 toning clases a week each class is about an hour with the first 15 min being cardio the rest weights working equally on upper, lower body and abs ). Anyway I have sustained a weight loss of over 150 lbs. for many years now. Ten years ago or so I weighed 268 lbs. I have been a size 4 though now for about five years. Weight is around 120. I barely ever weigh myself. Our clothes seem to always tell. I did not work out regulary unitl just before I started teaching. I am never on a diet, I keep my weight off strictly through portion control. Eating only when I am physiologically hungry and only untill satisified not full. I've noticed the last few months things aren't fitting quite right. It seems my behind and thighs are bigger. It does not look good to me in clothes. I have changed nothing about how I eat. Why am I seeming to gain weight? I was wondering if anyone might have some insight. It is really discouraging, because I love to work out. Most people I would think lose or just tone. This happened to me one other time and I stopped working out and the weight seemed to come down. It's probalby just a few pounds but to someone who is 5/4 and around 120 it shows.

Rose

:(
 
Ok 120 lbs at 5'4".
I am the same and 144 and I am not a bag of bones. But, I am not a cow.
You are far from FAt or big.
MAybe you are putin on some muscle.
MAybe when you quit workin out you loose muscle.
I think you otta measure or go lighter on the leg exercises.
You are prob pumping up.
And if you are big I must be a big fat cow.
I think you are too haed on yourself.
Muscle weighs more than fat.
I personally think a little muscle and healthy looks better than skinny and scrawny anorexic.
Anne
QUIT CUTTING ON YOURSELF!!!
You probably look great!!!

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941
 
RE: Help !! I am working out lots, but gaining weight !...

If you have increased your activity, possibly you are not eating enough to sustain this? You said you have changed nothing about how you eat which is great except for the fact that you should be eating MORE than you used to now that you are exercising so much more...

Just something to consider...HTH! :)
 
RE: Help !! I am working out lots, but gaining weight !...

Both ladies are right. You may be gaining muscle mass in your legs. Maybe try using lighter or no weights while you teach.

If your activity level has increased then your calories need to increase as well. Otherwise your body will enter "starvation mode" and store most of what you eat as body fat.

Do you know how many calories you are getting in a day??
 
RE: Help !! I am working out lots, but gaining weight !...

Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS on your amazing weight loss!! That is WONDERFUL!! GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should be very proud of yourself!!
 
RE: Help !! I am working out lots, but gaining weight !...

>A question to all,
>I just started out in fitness instructing this past May and am
>having so much fun!!! I have a bit of a problem lately though.
>Since I have started working out more often ( I teach 4-6
>toning clases a week each class is about an hour with the
>first 15 min being cardio the rest weights working equally on
>upper, lower body and abs ). Anyway I have sustained a weight
>loss of over 150 lbs. for many years now. Ten years ago or so
>I weighed 268 lbs. I have been a size 4 though now for about
>five years. Weight is around 120. I barely ever weigh myself.
>Our clothes seem to always tell. I did not work out regulary
>unitl just before I started teaching. I am never on a diet, I
>keep my weight off strictly through portion control. Eating
>only when I am physiologically hungry and only untill
>satisified not full. I've noticed the last few months things
>aren't fitting quite right. It seems my behind and thighs are
>bigger. It does not look good to me in clothes. I have changed
>nothing about how I eat. Why am I seeming to gain weight? I
>was wondering if anyone might have some insight. It is really
>discouraging, because I love to work out. Most people I would
>think lose or just tone. This happened to me one other time
>and I stopped working out and the weight seemed to come down.
>It's probalby just a few pounds but to someone who is 5/4 and
>around 120 it shows.
>
>Rose
>
:mad:

Rose,

Are these toning classes that you are teaching the only workouts you are doing all week long? Do you use weights in your class? Are you doing other workouts in addition to teaching? I see that you have been teaching since May, how often do you change your routines for your classes? I see that you wrote that you are teaching from 4-6 times per week, how often are you doing 6 classes per week?

Have you gained weight? Has your body fat %increased? Or are your clothes just fitting different?


:7
 
Thanks so much for all the replies!!!

To answer a few questions. I am starting just now to eat more as I am defenitley feeling hungrier. That has just been within say this week and last though. The amount of the increase I would say is only about 150-300cal.(I'm guessing). I am just always careful to make sure it's true hunger and not just the " I deserve" attitude, if you know what I mean. I have no idea how many calories I get in a day. I eat as I said a variety of foods when I'm hungry and I have no certain rules on what I can or cannot eat.
I don't know my body composition numbers either although I am just being reminded here that my boss at the gym who is a body builder ond day commented as I was working out that I had hardly any body fat. Come to think of it I do think I am really building muscle. I just thought I'd need to be using much more weight to build I use 3-lb. dumbells mostly. My boss made this comment I know because my arms have quite a bit of defenition. In fact they were like that a bit even before I started working out. So maybe genetically I'm just one who develops muscle quicklY?? As far as what I eat, what has worked for me over the years is not to fuss over how many fats, cal. carbs or this or that, tha I eat. So I try not to keep track, otherwise I'd make myself crazy over it. I did that for years with dieting and that's what helped me get so overweight. That or up and down constantly on the scale with the yo-yo cycle. As I said I have stayed right in this same weight range (I know from a trip to the doctor's office) for about five years or so now. I do see how it would help knowing how many calories I'm taking in to try to figure this out for, but I don't know. Finally about my workouts. I have been teaching as I said 4-6 classes a week. One day within the last couple weeks I have been doing two hour classes in a row. Two of the classes are 45min. classes and the others are 1hr. I do approx. 15 min cardio and then the rest is strength training WITH weights. I pretty much focus on the entire body for muscle balance in that time. 4-6 exersizes for the upper body the same for the lower and about 3-4 ab exersizes. Everything is 2-3 sets or so of 8 reps. I almost always do squats, and never lunges, because I do have some older ladies and am concerned for them with knee injuries. Bottom line here is I love to work out , teaching, challenging myself and others. Only thing is I wasn't looking to increase the size of my muscles really just tone. I was completely fine with my weight and size. As I said some of my clothes are just fitting different and to me I look bigger in the butt and thigh area for sure! Well thanks again ladies so much, for listening to this VERY long post here. I love this board!!! Such wisdom:)
Thanks again,
Rose
 
RE: Thanks so much for all the replies!!!

You are not alone Rose.

I trained for a marathon this summer and worked harder than I ever have. I gained about 8 pounds too. I wanted to cry...I just didn't get it. But, I think drinking so much gatorade during my runs didn't help much. It was SO hot this summer on our long runs, they'd have gatorade set up for us every mile & 1/2. I drank 2 cups each stop.

I'm doing great now because I just lost 7 of those pounds. :) I think my body was just in shock and I had to adjust too.

That's the only thing I can really think of.
 
RE: Thanks so much for all the replies!!!

Forgive me as i didn't read the entire thread. Sometimes if you teach alot instructors can get "big legs" which happens alot with aerobic based workouts, especially if you each alot. Bulky legs, butt, etc... think about doing some form of freestyle weight training for the legs daily. That might help.
 
Hi Rose..I too would like to congratulate you on your amazing weight loss. And to then have the confidence to become an instructor...well...simply inspirational!!!

I totally get what you are saying...it's happened to me. I've taught for over ten years and I can tell you that when I teach more than two Step classes or Body Toning classes, I definitely increase in size in my thighs and butt. It's not fat...it's muscle and it does decrease when I cut back on those two classes. I got very frustrated with myself when it happened to me. I did cut back on teaching those type classes to once per week, each. I run and do a lot on the elliptical trainer as well as Cathe's Kickboxing to help keep my lower body as trim but not bulky (as much as possible).

I know I don't need to add any weight to my lower body workouts. I'm a size 4, 5'2" also so I feel your pain!!! You are doing mainly toning in those classes with little cardio. And I think in situations like ours, that's a recipe to build our lower bodies. Even though it doesn't make us fat...we may not always like that look on us.

Cutting back on teaching those classes is what I had to do. I also do personal training so it was kind of easy to cut back on the teaching.

I know it sucks!! But keep in mind I'm sure you are healthy and beautiful and are putting on muscle not fat. And if it still really bothers you, maybe you can cut back as well?

Feeling your pain!!x(
 
Thanks !! So should I do more cardio & what is freestyle weight training?

Thanks ladies thanks to you maybe I can figure this out!! Keep the great advice coming.
Rose
 
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