advice on balance of cardio/cutting calories

[ange987]

I am new, saw this site, thought you all could help me.So here's the deal.

2 months ago: I worked out almost everyday about 45 mins on elliptical (resistance 10) and some abs exercies occasional weights. weight: 124

Last 2 months: Went to camp and ran for 35-60 mins 3 days a week and lost 4 lbs (muscle or fat???) to be 120 lbs, watched what I ate mainly fruits veggies and protein little to no fat

Now: am trying to get back in shape and drop about 5-10 lbs to get back to my old weight about a year ago. I have been cutting calories and eating less, but also having more fatty stuff (aka peanut butter! and dark chocolate). Currently I try to consume 1400 calories (19, 5'4")

I have been going to the gym and getting into my old routine plus some (60-80 mins elliptical/running resistance at 6, abs, some weights), but in the past week my weight has steadily climbed and I have gained about 4 pounds. I have been monitoring it and I don't think its water retention or hormones.

So is the weight I am gaining
1) muscle, new muslce
2) weight gain from the peanut butter and fat content being higher
3) weight gain from too much cardio with too little calories??? body conserving fuel

I AM SO CONFUSED!!! Some help would be wonderful!
Also, any suggestiongs for losing the last weight?? I like the gym so no worries about a long routine. or not pschying myself out about gaining weight?

I know this was a long and convoluted post so apologies and thanks in advance!

Angela

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

I'm just shooting from the hip.....but I'm going to guess that your slightly elevated caloric intake is now giving your body what it needs and the go-ahead to add a bit more muscle, and that is to account for your weight gain.

I have similar issues, I continually workout like a fiend....doing long hours of cardio and working-out with weights as well. With each visit/evaulation with my nutritionist we continue to see the weight remain almost constant, BUT body-fat% continues to drop & drop.

It's very hard to say what your composition is....whether you've added fat, muscle or even water, etc. What most people will suggest is to ask yourself how you feel, how your clothes are fitting and what you see in the mirror. The scale is only a means to know what you weigh...it's really very limited in it's ability to give you a full-picture of what's going on.

For thousands of years the human body has endured both feast & famine and we've adapted to our previous environment with various coping mechanisms. Chances are your body doesn't want to be sub-15% body fat and as you get further from this number and as you age, you'll find it more difficult to get lower. Doesn't mean it can't be done, it's just tougher. The body is very adaptive and acts in mysterious ways. It would be realy valuable to assess whether you've gained muscle or have truly gained fat, otherwise we're flying blind.

Hopefully it's mostly muscle...but if it's indeed fat, then you probably wanna start getting critical on your intake by keeping a food-journal; most people don't realize how much they're eating. Beyond that, it may be time to increase your cardio...but bear in mind, the most effective way to lose fat is by caloric restriction: an hour of exercise can burn 1-1.5 ounces of fat, whereas the reduction of 500 calories from your daily diet will burn a solid 2-ounces of fat. What you eat is the main thing. Exercise helps, but watch for increased muscle when you exercise and of course we all know muscle weighs considerably more then fat.

So in conclusion, you're either being too hard on yourself or not hard enough. I'm afraid we're gonna need some pics of the bikini-clad variety. Strictly for evaluative purposes of course, we're all doctors here!!

 

[ange987]

Hey thanks for the advice! I usually do keep track of what I eat, but I'm trying to get away from the religous documentation and into the ballparking it area, beause its more realitic for my lifestyle. I might chill with the peanut butter for a bit. Now I know what happens when you're stuck in a nut free environment for two months. I was mainly worried that I was gaining weight because I was burning too many calories and eating too few and my body was thus conserving all food as energy stores aka fat!

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

I was mainly worried that I was gaining weight because I was burning too many calories and eating too few and my body was thus conserving all food as energy stores aka fat!

Dietetic myth!

I've hammerd on this concept/subject. An amazing resource gave me loads of clinical studies & medical documentation to support that:

Yes, your body can and will reduce it's metabolism when confronted with a dramatically & intense reduction in caloric intake....BUT the reduction in metabolism will NOT offset the calories lost or burned by the body.

In simple math; you may reduce your metabolism 250 calories per day, but the exertion of some 700 calories of exercise will still leave you with a NET LOSS of 450 calories and clealry an overall loss. Your reduced metabolism won't compensate entirely or even more-so such that you gain weight.

Trust me, you have no idea how frustrated I am with my body and it's metabolic way of telling me to go F myself. I compare it to biking into a 50mph headwind: progress is slow and difficult, but real progress takes time. Anyone can Atkin's their way to some quick weight-loss, but as soon as you eat reasonably the glycogen & water is replenished and who wants to look like they were stranded on an island for a year? Stay the course sunshine, leaner days lay ahead!