Why am I gaining weight? I should be losing weight but my PBF is steady despite working HARD.
I am 54 year old female who was a smoker until August of this year (2018), was “skinny” unhealthy, flabby, and breathless. Since I quit smoking in August I am in the gym 4 – 5 days per week, doing weights/resistance training, cardio, under the guidance of a trainer (one day per week). I also started riding my bike again, 2 – 3 days per week, avg. 12 to 15 mph, 15 to 20 miles. I had added a lot of muscle and feel terrific, but I can’t lose the excess fat around my belly, butt, flabby arms, etc. My eating is improved with fewer carbs, more quality protein, supplements, etc. How do I slim down the fat?
In July my weight was 152.4 lbs. Today it is 166.3. My SMM was 56.9. Today it is 63.3. My PBF was 30.6. Today it is 30.4. My Ex. Cellular Water was 0.396. Today it is 0.389.
Congratulations on the changes that you are making to your overall health and fitness!
Have you talked with your trainer regarding your stats? They are more likely to be able to make guesses on what is happening and recommendations on what to change.
Off the cuff, I’d say:
1) Look at your total calorie intake. Smoking is often an appetite suppressant. Even if you are eating better quality food, are you eating substantially more of it?
2) Muscle is more dense than fat. So without focusing on your weight gain for a moment, how do you feel about your shape – how your clothes fit and how you look?
3) Only you know how “hard” you are working, so I trust you when you say you are working HARD! If I were programming for you for weight loss, I’d want you lifting weights that make you tired around 10 lifts.
I would also mention this – earlier this year, I lost 18 pounds and have sustained it from February until now. I used Weight Watchers, religiously counting what I eat. You don’t have to use Weight Watchers. That’s not my point. Here’s my point.
I’m nearly your age – 51. With the amount of weight that I’ve lost, I do look visibly different. However, although I’ve lost mostly fat, the skin hasn’t come down. Our skin isn’t as elastic in our 50’s. So even as you gain lean muscle and lose weight, there might still be some wrinkles, some stretch marks, and some loose skin. Most days I’m OK with the loose skin, because although it’s not super-attractive it’s a sign of my hard work and success.
So my point is, sometimes we have to look at an entire spectrum of results, not just the scale or how our pants fit. The fact that you’ve quit smoking and are getting stronger and developing endurance is TREMENDOUS.
Hello Constance Jones,
You are gaining weight from gaining muscle mass, which is a good thing. It takes a while for your body to adapt and accept a different lifestyle. Your body strives for homeostasis and you have put your body into a tailspin with a sudden shift towards a healthier lifestyle.
Keep up the great work with your personal trainer and you will see the results kick in; then there will be no stopping you.
You are most likely losing internal fat which is not visible. The fat under your skin should diminish with time.
Focus on the right decisions instead of a number here and there. The bottom line is your health. Congratulations on quitting smoking and making a change for the better. Hang in there.
Thank you,
Natalie~
Personal Trainer~NAPS 2 B Fit…
https://naps2bfit.com
Time for a little reality check. Exercise has very little to do with weight loss. You can exercise like crazy and if you aren’t restricting calories, you will get nowhere. Eating better is great. Are you really eating better? Do you keep a food journal? How do you know you are eating better without keeping track? And really truthfully keep track. You have to write down every thing you eat. How much you ate of it. And include every thing you drink. Sodas, wine, beer, juice, etc. all are loaded with calories. I recommend drinking water as your main beverage. All other beverages should be watched closely.
You say you have gained muscle. How do you know this? You gained 14 pounds in 3-4 months. Even if the body fat % is accurate, 4 pounds of that would be fat. Leaving 10 pounds of lean mass. I have been in the fitness business for over 40 years. Gaining ten pounds of muscle in 4 months would be amazing for a 18 yr old male doing everything perfectly. I don’t trust body fat measurements. Even using the most stringent methods, you have a lot of potential error. And to gain 14 pounds, you had to be eating a lot of calories. Just stating the facts.
Ok, I am not trying to burst your bubble. And I am not able to check your program from one question or from 3000 miles away. But I recommend that you find a Registered Dietician to help you with how and what you eat. I also do not recommend supplements except a high quality protein for immediately post workout. And only about 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs for that feeding. And that is only in cases where the client is not able or willing to cook/prepare a high quality meal for immediatley after their workout. And you include that in your calorie count for the day.
That is all I am willing to contribute without more information. I hope you have been cleared to exercise by a physician. You might even want to get a physician’s referral for a dietician. Good luck.