Started working out, started gaining weight

[Ber Rabbit]

I started a personal fitness program at the local YMCA. I've been doing 20 min of cardio (effort level=hard as I can go without dying) on the elliptical using the "Cross Country" program or the stationary bike (hill program) plus weight training on the following 5 machines leg press, chest press, lat pulldown, abdominal, back extension.
I don't have the attention span to spend more than 20 min on cardio, it takes everything I have mentally to stay on track for 20 min.

The weight training is set up so you do 3 sets of 10 and I try to max my weight on each exercise. Yesterday I did:
Leg press 168 lbs (3 sets 10)
Chest press 60 lbs (3 sets 10)
Lat pulldown 72 lbs (1 set 10, 1 set 5) 60 lbs (2 sets 10)
Abdominals 120 lbs (3 sets 10)
Back extension 168 lbs (3 sets 10)

Yesterday was my 6th workout and I have gone from 137.6 pounds to 141.8. I was HOPING I would lose some of the fat that I had accumulated over the last year but it's not happening. What am I doing wrong?
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[rakkis]

You're gaining muscle weight.

Think abotu it this way, less lead to carry

 

[drew52]

yip muscle weighs more than fat. When training etc don't worry about weight espcially as you first start training. Rather measure your waste line. That should start shrinking first even though you may initially gain weight.

 

[Tienuts]

Or get a body fat index done. Some gyms will offer them for free. If you gain weight, but see your body fat % go down, that's just as good if not better!

 

[Mo2vation]

The weight loss you're looking for will come in the form of body balance. You need to raise your burn rate to lose weight correctly and forever. That comes by putting on lean muscle (which will burn more) and by feeding the fire (eating more often.)

When I was 203 4 years ago (I'm 5'8) I was not doing any exercise. I was active (diving, drums, fishing, etc.) but doing no exercise. I was eating once or maybe twice a day, and often went a day or two without eating at all (just too busy...)

I've been at 168 - 170 for about 18 months now. For me, it started with eating better, and eating more often. When I started eating more frequently, I started to lose weight.

The Cardio keeps me lean and enables me to recover faster. I do about 25 minutes of mad cardio (165 - 170 BPM) 4 to 5 time a week. Its made a big difference in my diving, especially my shore diving. The weight training keeps me tone, strong and flexible. The lean muscle keeps the fire burning 24/7 so I can enjoy a balance of yummy deserts and pizza in my sensible diet. I haven't weighed over 170 in over a year now.

Your program looks solid. The body balance will come, but it takes awhile, Right now your body is going "what the heck is going on here...? It takes (for me it did) about 6 - 8 weeks to begin to notice significant differences.

You're pretty lean, anyway. You'll likely see long muscle develop and see slow progress on the softness leaving. Stick with it! I was in such denial that this would work that I just sold my fat clothes at the end of the summer... I thought for sure I'd be back in the 180's+ but its stayed off, so I killed the tents and moved forever to a size M.

The recommendation for a body fat scan is good. I take mine often (few times a week... cuz I'm a freak.) It varies throughout the day - so take it consistently at the same time. In the AM, I'm between 15% to 16.5%. In the afternoons I'm at 14% - 15%. In the evenings, I'm at 12% - 14%. I take it in the AM.


---
Ken

 

[Ber Rabbit]

The recommendation for a body fat scan is good. I take mine often (few times a week... cuz I'm a freak.) It varies throughout the day - so take it consistently at the same time. In the AM, I'm between 15% to 16.5%. In the afternoons I'm at 14% - 15%. In the evenings, I'm at 12% - 14%. I take it in the AM.

Ken

What are you using for that, something you have at home? I would definitely be interested in seeing mine.

The last year and a half I gained fat because I switched to a sedentary job. The thing is I saw a picture of me pre-weight gain and noticed how defined my ribs and even the cartilage in my upper chest were along with the six-pack abs and other muscle definition I had. Maybe the fat gain wasn't such a bad thing after all, to be honest I saw one of my wedding pictures of my dress being zipped and I couldn't remember the zipper being in the front. What I originally thought was my cleavage was actually my shoulder blade cleavage, it looked like I needed an A-cup on both my front and back :shakehead

I'm 5'7" so 140 pounds is probably pretty close to where I should be anyway. When you're used to seeing 118-123 on the scale though that 140 is scary.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[dsteding]

Another consideration:

"Maxing" your weight when lifting will build bulk, if you want to do that, then your current workout seems to be the way to go. I've recently started dropping weight and increasing my reps, the idea is to build tone and not bulk, and I've added more cardio (running before lifting, getting on the bike after) to increase fat burn rate . . .

My 2 psi, but I'm a lawyer, not a physical trainer . . .

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Another consideration:

"Maxing" your weight when lifting will build bulk, if you want to do that, then your current workout seems to be the way to go. I've recently started dropping weight and increasing my reps, the idea is to build tone and not bulk, and I've added more cardio (running before lifting, getting on the bike after) to increase fat burn rate . . .

My 2 psi, but I'm a lawyer, not a physical trainer . . .

Actually I would prefer to build some bulk, if I'm doing all this work I want to be able to SEE the results. Being a small framed female and not taking any supplements hopefully means I shouldn't bulk beyond what my body will carry gracefully. I need a challenge and a progress chart to motivate me and I don't have the attention span for a long workout so the challenge of lifting more weight fewer times with short breaks, usually <30 seconds between sets, works well for me motivation-wise.

I meet with the trainer again on Dec 28 and we will add the next 5 machines. She said they start with the ones that work the big muscles then after at least 9 workouts add the ones that work the smaller muscle groups.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[dsteding]

Actually I would prefer to build some bulk, if I'm doing all this work I want to be able to SEE the results. Being a small framed female and not taking any supplements hopefully means I shouldn't bulk beyond what my body will carry gracefully. I need a challenge and a progress chart to motivate me and I don't have the attention span for a long workout so the challenge of lifting more weight fewer times with short breaks, usually <30 seconds between sets, works well for me motivation-wise.

I meet with the trainer again on Dec 28 and we will add the next 5 machines. She said they start with the ones that work the big muscles then after at least 9 workouts add the ones that work the smaller muscle groups.
Ber :lilbunny:

We are opposites. I am a big-framed male, bulk isn't an issue, tone is. for me, I am layering large amounts of cardio on top of targeted, high-rep weight work. The cardio is a combo of running, rowing and biking. The short intervals between lifts that you have going is a great way to keep your heart rate up. Cameron (the dive fitness guy) has a good workout on his website that switches from cardio to weight lifting a few times during the workout, the idea is to get 45 minutes of concentrated weight and cardio work in.

Sounds like you are well on your way . . . exercise is addicting, I've gotten back into working out over the past few months (my second two years of law school got me off exercise for a while) and it really is satisfying.

 

[Mo2vation]

What are you using for that, something you have at home? I would definitely be interested in seeing mine.

The last year and a half I gained fat because I switched to a sedentary job. The thing is I saw a picture of me pre-weight gain and noticed how defined my ribs and even the cartilage in my upper chest were along with the six-pack abs and other muscle definition I had. Maybe the fat gain wasn't such a bad thing after all, to be honest I saw one of my wedding pictures of my dress being zipped and I couldn't remember the zipper being in the front. What I originally thought was my cleavage was actually my shoulder blade cleavage, it looked like I needed an A-cup on both my front and back :shakehead

I'm 5'7" so 140 pounds is probably pretty close to where I should be anyway. When you're used to seeing 118-123 on the scale though that 140 is scary.
Ber :lilbunny:

I realized that I wasn't going to the gym, so I sort of brought it home.

For BF, I use a Tanita. I love it.

I'm not saying its the same as a professional analysis, but its the one I use, and I use it consistently - so it serves as an accurate frame of reference of progress / regression.

---
Ken