Help!

[hyperchick]

Hi...am brand new to this forum. I have read through many posts, and I find them very informative.

I have a couple of questions. I have been gaining fat. I am 35 years old and have gained about at least 10 pounds since August. I have always done a lot of cardio. I used to do an hour of cardio at least 4 to 6 times a week and doing light weight lifting about 3 times a week. Back in September I began to gain fat - I hadn't changed anything. So in January, I took the advice of a trainer friend and cut my cardio to 30 minutes and increased my lifting to be more specific and focused and that in turn increased my lifting to 30-45 minutes 4 to 6 times a week. I continue to gain fat. I have taken pyruvate and GLA. I had my body fat measured and analyzed and compared to the measurements takin in August and I have gained 4 pounds of muscle, but 6 pounds of fat as well (that was a month ago, I have gained 3 pounds since then). My clothes are feeling tighter (I can't even fit into a pair of pants I bought in November) and I am getting jiggly around the middle. I have never had problems with gaining fat before. This is so frustrating. I have tried eating every different way that you can imagine. I even breathed in that machine and had that test done that tells how many calories I burn at rest. I've been told that I am not eating enough calories, I have been told I eat too many. I have adjusted my calorie intake on both sides. During cardio, I consistantly keep my heart rate at between 165-175. I have done everything I have been told and I am still gaining fat! It is getting to the point where I am getting so fed up that I am willing to stop gaining muscle and therefore stop lifting weights and increase cardio again and cut my calories drastically.

How do I reach my goal of loosing fat? What do I need to do? Can I gain muscle and loose fat at the same time? What is the best way to loose fat? Do you have advice for me? Help!

[threenorns]

somewhere, your math is not adding up. first off, how tall are you and how much do you weigh, and what is your current estimated body fat level?

the ONLY POSSIBLE way to gain fat is to eat more calories than your body needs. it sounds like you're taking a somewhat haphazard approach to your eating: you can't just jump from system to system. i'm assuming you've been to the doctor and ruled out thyroid issues, etc.

try this: keep your activity level EXACTLY the same. maintain 1800 calories a day for four weeks and monitor any changes. if you gain weight, take it down to 1700 calories a day for four weeks and so on until you stop gaining fat or start losing it. this way your body won't be in a constant state of shock, you'll be getting the nutrients you need, and you'll find out exactly what your caloric requirements for your current activity level are.

[midgetcop]

Have you seen a doctor and ruled out any medical problems?

[Lady C]

Sounds like more intake than expenditure to me. What is your current diet like? Post an example of what you ate all day yesterday (including cheats).

Welcome hyperchick. I have to agree with everyone - get checked by a doctor to rule out medical conditions. Then keep a food log to track exactly what you eat. This way you know without a shawdow of a doubt how your body reacts to what you are eating. Once armed with that knowledge it is easy to make adjustments.

[CF-OC_gal]

Welcome. Yes... get your thyroid checked. Rule that out first. Once that is done then take one thing at a time and make sure you track on paper the changes in your diet or routine. Make one change only at a time while investigating.

It could be something as simple as you body having adapted to the routine you've been doing. When it comes to fitness, change is good and regular change in one or more componenets of the F.I.T.T. (frequency, intensity time and type of exercise) is even better.

[hyperchick]

Thanks so much for your posts! Actally the thyroid thing is something I need to look into becuase I was under the impression that a thyroid problem was not something that one could "develop." I will be making an appointment with my doctor to have that checked out. Thanks for that tip!

To answer some of your questions....my body fat is 27%. I am 4'10" and currently weigh 105. I know that doesn't sound like much, but remember that I am only 4'10." I used to weigh (in August) 92 and I have a VERY small frame. My waist used to measure 20" and is now 26". My thighs used to measure 19" and now measure 21". My stomach used to measure 25" and now is 31". I look like I am pregnant now.

I measure my food and even chart it and everything in excel...this is what I ate yesterday: Breakfast 8:45am: 1/3 c. whole oats, 1pkg splenda, 1tsp cinnimon, protien shake in water (total breakfast calories: 232); Snack 10:45am :hard boiled egg, 15 red grapes (total snack calories: 271); Lunch 12:15pm: half chicken breast, Apple (4.4oz) (Total Lunch calories: 274); Snack 3:20pm: Celery, natural peanut butter, raisins (total snack calories 300); After Workout 6:15pm: Protien Shake (no carbs or sugars - 118 calories); Dinner 7:30pm: tuna, crackers, home-made vegetable soup (total calories 300).

The thing that seems the most frustrating is that when I was naturally thin, I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted, and believe me I ate all kinds of crap. And now that I am trying to eat healthier...I am packing on the pounds even faster. What advice do you have? Should I change my diet? I have been thinking of doing the whole "zone" thing, you know 40/30/30? What do you think of that? I really appreciate all of the advice! Thanks so much.

[threenorns]

okay, so your total intake was 1500 calories.... i'm thinking that for someone 4'10", that's a bit high. you also have to realize that we all USED to be able to eat whatever, whenever, but as we get older, our body is no longer in the frenetic growing stage and it settles down, the metabolism naturally drops a bit.

all right, according to my calculations and having done some checking, for your height, with an average build (average muscularity, average body fat, average activity level), your former weight of 92 was better. if you're moderately active, then your caloric requirements would be in the area of 1250 - 1300. if you're taking in 1500, then you're eating 200cal/day too much, which will add one pound every 17.5 days, on average (3500 cal/lb).

scale back a hundred calories and increase your activity by 100 calories and you'll see the trend reversing.

BUT!!!!!!

first go to the doctor and get a complete physical done to rule out any issues that may have cropped up.

[Lady C]

I'll second 3Norns advice!

[CF-OC_gal]

I disagree about 1500 cal being too high. Anyone doing an hour of cardio 6 days a week plus 3 weight training sessions needs sufficient calories to fuel their workouts. As far as how to create a calorie deficit I do agree with 3n's suggestion.

I'd get that physical with a doc before drawing any conclusions.

I also notice that most of your fibre is coming from fruits. Try to mix in vegetables during your day as well as more whole grains.

[threenorns]

but she's a 4'10" ectomorph and should weigh 92lbs! even at "very active", her maximum caloric requirements would be a little over 1400.

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by threenorns

but she's a 4'10" ectomorph and should weigh 92lbs! even at "very active", her maximum caloric requirements would be a little over 1400.

How does one know that for sure? You simply can't especially from a public message board. I would not jump to conclusions.

I get away with eating 2000-3000 without weight gain, I'm well over 40 and I don't really spend a lot of time doing high calorie exercise. I'm not particularily muscular or strong. Most women I know eat half of what I do and exercise more - they struggle, I don't, who could possibly know that about me?

[threenorns]

her previous post said her weight was 92lbs before the fluctuations began. i checked that with several height-weight charts, which showed that the weight of 92 is more appropriate than her current weight. i then used the online nutritional calculator at AST-SS.com to come up with the caloric requirement and cross-checked it with a couple of others i use.

finally, i compared it to my own caloric requirements: as a 125lb moderately active mesomorph, i'd need a little over 1800 calories to maintain my weight. this matches previous experience nicely and also jives with the estimate for a petite ectomorph needing only 1300 - 1400 calories.

it's not a hard-and-fast, set-in-concrete law - but it gives her a good place to start, unlike an answer that consists of "this, but maybe that, and then some others might be...".

[CF-OC_gal]

I would not be so quick to jump to conclusions about it. That's all. We've never met her.

[sillyme]

Are you taking any antidepressants or anything like that? I know lots of women gain weight on those.