Ex-smoking porker asking for help.

[we5happy]

Just thought I would put in my 2 cents...

1st CONGRATS on quitting...it takes a lot...I know from experience. The gaining part I also know to well. I (and 2 of my friends) have quit and gained ALOT. One actually started smoking again because she couldnt "take" the pounds. One just complains about it but wont workout with me, and I started lifting and have lost 19 lbs so far. It was hard to give up after 12 yrs but I did it and I wouldnt start again for the world. In your case I think you may just have to deal with it because you can only do so much. I would skip the patch though otherwise why did you quit?

We

 

[takniteasy]

Hat off to ya for quitting! I quit 12 years ago when I first started working out. Had to make a choice between being able to breathe when working out or dont work out. So the smokes went out the window! I went from 95 lbs. to 115 lbs. rather quickly with an extremely high BF%. Started lifting soon after and it took about a year before my body settled into a comfortable weight and healthy BF%. Now at 38 Y/O, I still weight about 112-116lbs at any given time and maintain a consistent ~16%BF. BUT, only because I eat very clean and lift heavy for most body parts.

Continue with your lifting and maybe try Spatts carb rotation eating plan. And take W6 advice to heart. Too much cardio will rob you of any muscle gains.

Hope this helps!

 

[evilqueen]

Wilson6 (doublechecking that is is, in fact, wilson6 who made this comment--ah, yes it is): I realize it's hard to believe, but I am not overeating calories.

For the past 3 days on fitday, I've logged between 1400 and 1700 calories. I've done it because on this Schwarzbein plan, she advocates eating as much of the good fats as you want, but I've worried about calories.

Also, I quit smoking 7 months ago, so I don't have those munchies. Never did indulge them, either, even when I quit.

BUT I will say that I do eat more peanut butter than is probably good for me. (See diet, posted below.) Not so on the olive oil and sunflower seeds. still, even eating huge amounts of peanut butter before i quit, i did not gain weight, and i doubt it would cause a 7-pound gain.

Here's a sample day:

Breakfast: 4 egg whites, 1 oz. cheese, 1/3 c oatmeal dry
Snack: 1 T pb
Lunch: Huge green salad with olive oil, a 1T sunflower seeds, 2 oz. feta cheese, tuna or chicken breast.
Snack: protein shake made with water and 4 strawberries
Dinner: Same as breakfast or some kind of lean meat and another huge green salad w/olive oil and 1T sunflower seeds.
Snack: Sometimes, not always. Either a protein shake or another 1 T peanut butter.

This does add up to between 1400 and 1700 calories, even with all the fats. I've been doing this diet for more than a week, and have not gained weight. In fact, I do feel slightly smaller, and my clothing fits fine.

HOWEVER, I am going to follow everyone's advice on this one. Can Steelweaver, Wilson 6, Spats, anyone else please give their imprimatur to this strategy:

1. Diet: as wilson 6 suggested.
2. Weights: 1.5 hrs, 4 times a week. I will do squats and deads--low weights--but will charge Steelweaver for new pants if I start busting out of them again. (Also looking forward to seeing your routine--thanks for posting!)
3. Cardio, 60 mins 4-6 times a week.
4. Ritalin. (Just kidding.)

Anyone have anything to add? Thanks again.

 

[SteelWeaver]

OK, I promised you the routine, and here it is, but I don't think now that I've learnt some stuff that it's ideal - rather too many sets on the smaller body parts - it used to take me forever to get through. And no deads because I hadn't learnt how to do them yet.

I'm also glad W6 said what he did - I was tempted to say the same thing, but after reading a lot of your posts on how you've "bulked up" I thought it would be best to let sleeping dogs lie. However, he has a point - better to be bulky with muscle than fat ....

Day 1: Chest, bi's
Flat db flyes 4x12
Incline db press 4x12
Cable cross-over 5x15
Standing bb curl 4x 10
Seated db curls 4x12
db preacher curls 4x12

Abs: 100 reps in 2-4 sets

Day 2: Legs
Squats 5x8
Leg press 4x12
Single leg extension 3x15
superset with
Standing leg curls 3x15
Lying leg curls 3x12
Standing calf raises 4x15
Seated calf raises 4x15

Abs: 100 reps in 2-4 sets

Day 3: Shoulders & tris
Seated db press 5x8
Standing cable lateral raises 4x12
Bent-over db raises 4x12
Skullcrushers 4x10
Triceps pushdowns 4x12
Triceps kickbacks 3x15

Abs: 100 reps in 2-4 sets

Day 4: Back & forearms
Seated low row 4x10
Wide lat pulldown 4x12
Supported T-bar rows 4x12
Hyperextensions 4x15
Wrist curls 3x12
Reverse wrist curls 3x12

Abs: 100 reps in 2-4 sets

The program is overkill on abs and smaller parts. Nowadays I do low reps (4-6) on an initial heavy compound move (squats, deads, bb curls, etc) and do higher reps on assistance moves. I've cut the number of sets on arms and only do abs 2x per week. And I move slowly between exercises, so that's probably why it takes me so long - most people will say don't go longer than an hour. I like training though, so I tend to do more than I probably need to - I dunno - still figuring it all out.

That program was fine at the time because I didn't know then what intensity could be, and I was pretty focussed on getting form exactly right, so the higher reps were better. I seldom go higher than 12 now though, except for specific moves for legs.

I'm a bit confused though as to why you think your weight gain in the last 6 weeks is related to your quitting smoking 7 MONTHS ago

I'd follow W6's advice - he knows what he's talking about.

 

[evilqueen]

Steelweaver,

Thanks for that detailed posting...I'm going to print it out!

No, I didn't gain WEIGHT. Both in May and in July, I weighed 126--which was fine when I was 15 percent bodyfat (May), not so great at 22 percent (July).

Also, I began the weight gain in March. It was slow, but unstoppable. So between, say, March 15 and now, I've gained 6 or 7 pounds. Not sure--I've put away my scale.

I know it's hard to believe that I've not been eating and slacking off, but it's true. I'm not a person who makes excuses. I can honestly say my diet didn't change at all, and my training only a bit. And that bit was less cardio and stopping squats without changing any other aspect of my routine.

I'm wondering it's a combination of the Depo AND the quitting smoking that did such a whammy on me, especially since of my age.

Ah well...just gotta keep trying. Better to stick to a clean diet and good workout even if I don't see changes--at least I won't gain any more.

I hope.

 

[SteelWeaver]

I forgot to mention - I was doing 6 45 min cardio sessions per week at the time. I didn't lose much fat - 2 - 3 kilos, but I was happy not to put any ON, after all the horrible things I'd heard about quitting, and my sister's experience.

I think stopping squats could make a small but statistically significant difference, and the cardio too. 200-400 calories per day = 1400 - 2800 calories per week, there's half a pound. But you're talking about losing muscle and gaining fat in it's place. IMO your Tanita is up to shit, if you'll excuse the expression. YOu can't lose that much muscle so quickly unless you're starving and doing ridiculous amounts of cardio. How do things look in the mirror?

I weigh more now than I did in Jan, but LOOK quite a lot leaner. HOWEVER, I have noticed that my pants (and shirts) are tighter. My arms are busting out of my sleeves! I think I gained a fair amount of muscle post-comp, and a good portion of it is in my ABS, lol. Yeah, I have fat there, but it took so long for my abs to come through pre-comp I decided to work them really hard and heavy so they'd stand out next time, now with fat over them I just have a bigger waist than ever before ha ha ha ha ha And if you think YOUR waist is big, girl, MINE'S 34-36!!! And my hips are like 38. Think of a Doric column ... I'm working on making my legs and lats much bigger to balance things out

Pick a compound move for each body part and go low reps and heavy on it: squats, deads, chin ups/pull ups, bb curls, narrow-grip bench or dips, good mornings, SLDL's or glute-ham raises, military bb presses. Then add in 1 or 2 more moves for 2 or 3 sets each to toast everything with higher reps (8-12). Then to round each part off, do one light set of an isolation move for 20 - 30 reps. Alternate heavy and moderate - light weeks. Like, for legs, I do heavy moves, low reps, lots of compound stuff one week, then drop the weight and crank out sets of up to 50 reps (staggered with 10-20 sec breaks) and do a few more isolation-type moves the next week. With supersets and stuff too.

And, uh, I'll be HAPPY to buy you new pants AFTER you bring your legs up to match your waist (BTW - I have several pairs of pants in sizes ranging from 20 weeks out to 2 weeks out, mostly low riders, LOL!)