Gaining weight while exercising...

[jennykiss75]

Okay so today I have read in couple of different threads folks mentioning that they have gained weight with exercise. At the urging of my Dr. I joined GoldÂ’s Gym paid for a trainer and after 1 month of going faithfully I gained about 8 lbs. I just thought it was because I couldnÂ’t follow my trainerÂ’s advice of eating 5 small (300 cal) meals a day. I was eating the 5 meals but they werenÂ’t always small. I was getting so discouraged talked to my trainer again he suggested meal replacements (yuck) so I tried the whey protein powder drinks to supplement a few meals a day and that only lasted a few days.

Currently I have not been to the gym for a good 3 weeks. When I was going I was feeling better and could tell that I was making muscle (under the blubber) and yes I was measuring my weight by my clothes, they are TIGHT!

So now I am wondering if I should bag the gym all together. I have 2 more paid for training sessions to use and I am meeting with a new trainer this week (by the way I didnÂ’t call him, he called me). I have been pumping myself up and am determined to be very clear, crystal clear, with the trainer about the way I eat and it is not negotiable.

What to do now??? :confused:

Jenny

[spockafina]

When you first start lifting weights, you will put on muscle before you lose fat. Don't lose hope! With consistency and more time at the gym, you will certainly lose the "blubber" hiding those wonderful muscles

[misslinda]

I think it's the first two weeks usually that the body makes adjustments and "puffs" that's if you're not experiencing other health conditions. Make sure you drink plenty of water and rest days are VERY crucial for the body to recover and do all it repairs etc.


What kind of eating plan or you on? Raw or the gym's recommendations??

:) I know it's tempting to freak out as I've been thru that yera ago when I was knew to the gym and WT. YOu will get passed it.

[Jodi]

How do your clothes fit? Are they looser or tighter? With muscle gain you might gain a little weight on the scale, but your clothes should fit better.



Jodi

[rawpriestess]

I'm not sure how to say this, but the title of this forum is "Exercise and fitness while RAW", how exactly does protein powder fit into that?

I am truly curious. Even if you are 50% raw or 75% raw, you will help your body, but if you read some other posts here, you really need to be 100% raw to reap the fantastic benefits of it.

I have lost 40+ pounds with NO exercise, and within 2 months, so it can be done.


Exercise if you love it, but if you don't love it, why do it?

A personal trainer can only help you as much as they know, I had one when I first went raw 4 years ago, he kept telling me I needed to eat all of this meat, etc. I told him no way, and that I was raw, he said he couldn't help me if I wasn't helping myself.

So, I gave him the raw power information, and some websites, and he came back and said that I had enlightened him, and that he was willing to work with me.

We ended up only working together for a few months, because the gym closed down, but I never liked lifting weights or all that gym stuff anyway.

I like dancing and playing in the yard, as opposed to being inside smelling all that rubber and gym mats. ick.

So, stay raw, do what "feels" right for YOUR body, and if you are going to be raw, then be raw. Or not, that's okay too.

It is just that this is a forum about eating raw foods, and what you can expect while exercising while eating raw foods.

So, I'd say there is not much room (if any) for protein powders.

Alissa has some great things on her website, you might want to check them out

www.alissacohen.com

and no matter what your choices,

Good luck on your new healthy life plan.

[angelandarose]

Hi Jenny!

Don't listen to the trainer anymore, especially if he doesn't understand the RAW part. ;) Keep up going to the gym but don't bother with the trainer, unless you really need to use him for motivation. Trust your body and listen to it. You WILL gain weight with weight lifting, especially if you are feeding your body well. And that is what it sounds like to me. I don't know how much fat you have to loose but eventually if you stay at it you WILL tip the scale and start loosing 'weight'. Mean time don't go by the scale, go by the 'pants-O-meter'. Judge how you feel, and look and judge how your clothes are fitting now.

If you stick close to 100% Raw (and you don't have to be fanatical about it) you will not have to worry about protien shakes, replace those with green smoothies. You will get all the nutrients you need eating RAW.

Give me a holler if you want to talk more.

Love,
Angie

[jennykiss75]

Sorry,
I guess I should have clarified more, I am always afraid of rambling on and on. I am not doing the protein powder now, but at the time I was. I have been working on raw and I would say during the week I am 80% raw but the weekends I drop to about 50% raw. I have not been to the gym since I started doing raw and my clothes are now starting to feel a bit better not so tight and uncomfortable. I guess I was/am afraid to start going again only to start "puffing" up again. I guess I was also wondering if some people to never loose weight no matter how much the exercise. I don't think I have ever been very successful at loosing while working out. I kind of love hate the exercise, I don't want to do it, but if I do get off the couch and workout I feel really great!
Oh and yes I was going to explain to the trainer that I am going to be a raw girl no matter what!!

[SwishTN]

Hmmm...
From what I have read on other websites about the "puffing" you are describing, is that it seems to be a natural by-product of working out hard in the beginning stages. After awhile, it is almost like you do an overnight shrink, from what I have heard anyway. I think that you have to look at the long term benefits of working out, and decide what is truly best for you. Do you feel comforatable with the decision to cease working out completely? And, if not, are you willing to go through the difficult and uncomforatable stages in order to get to where you really want to be. Like going raw, you will have moments of detox, so you have to have long range vision. No?

As far as protein shakes, Alissa has some on alissacohen.com. They HAVE to be mixed with something other than plain water(I was trying to be cheap and discovered this the hard way, nasty!!). So, that is ONE alternative. And, didn't your trainer suggest the whey shake as a supplement to the large not small 5 meals you were eating per day? (not to supplement all 5 meals, but to help you cut some calories?)
I say, keep it up!!! But, KNOW what you want.
Ciao!
Lauri

[vixana]

Hey Jenny

Let me explain my experience..this was before raw
Before I started weight training I would Run everyday ain or shine...after about 7 years of running I needed something more to reshape my hody...I got a trainer and started pumping :D ...the first few months I was puffy .....I hated it it took about 6 months for me trial and error to find the right cardio and right diet for me to lean down.....I eventually found what worked for me...I took a year off and have decided to try raw ...I start training with a trainer next week....
Remember if you do too much cardio you can hold on to fat and you will look puffy....believe it or not I was puffy because I did cardio daily and also weight trained 3x per week...I started to lean down when i only weight trained 3x per week along with cardio for 20 min only on the same day ......I don't have raw diet mastered yet but I do know about training PM me with any questions I'll be happy to help...
As far as diet goes that is the key for getting lean...you can lose weight by changing your diet without exercise but you cant lose weight by exercising and eating like a pig