HELP! I'm new here...keep gaining weight

[KariB]

Hello all-

I am new here and wanted some advice from all you buff beautiful ladies. I am a 23 year old woman who is 5'5 and weighs about 155. I recently gained eight pounds because I a) cut back on smoking and b) went off the Pill, which I thought was supposed to make you LOSE weight, but hey, what do I know?

My problem is this: I have recently started going to the gym about 4 times a week, with about a half hour of weight training and 20-25 mins of cardio each session. I have noticed some improvement in my arms and legs, and overall feel better the past two months. However, my wardrobe fits a 145 pound woman, not a 155 pound woman, and no matter how well I eat or how much I work out, I continue to pack it on, especially in my stomach. I cannot begin to tell you how frustrated I am. I have given up sugar, fried foods. I am eating tons of chicken and lean beef, no egg yolks or bacon or anything else I like. I am taking supplements and eating protein bars at work (I am a bartender, so I don't get a meal for long periods of time). I thought that maybe I was drinking too much alcohol, so I cut back on that too and NO CHANGE!

Worst of all is that my fiancee started working out and he looks amazing. All his clothes are too big and he has amaing muscles now. I am beginning to look like the fat girl with the sexy, lean boyfriend. What am I doing wrong here? I am beginning to consider Weight Watchers or some god awful thing like that. Please help!

Kari

 

[velvett]

Tell us everything you're eating (everything) and what your workout's are like.

I'm confused, are you say that your clothes are fitting better or worse? If they fit better and you are heavier, you've gained muscle and perhap some fat.


Sidenote: I don't recall the pill making anyone lose weight.

 

[jenscats5]

You might want to keep a food journal for a week or use something like www.fitday.com to track every single thing you eat for a week to see how much you really are eating......people have a habit of underestimating what they eat....

And even is you are eating the right foods, too many calories will still cause you to gain weight....

 

[KariB]

Okay so, here is my standard workout...

LEG DAY

25 mins cardio

4 sets squats (with resist-a-ball) 12 reps
4 sets leg press at 150 pounds 12 reps
4 sets hip abductors 70 lbs 12 reps
4 sets hip adductors 90 lbs 12 reps
4 sets hamstring machine 80 lbs 12 reps

ARMS
4 sets assisted dips and chin ups 12 reps
4 sets kickbacks 15lbs 12 reps
4 sets arm curls 10 lbs 12 reps
4 sets military press 30 lbs 12 reps
assorted crunches, usually 10 sets 15 reps
25 mins cardio

My average day is this eating wise-

BREAKFAST

1 Luna/Clif bar and a glass of skim milk/soy milk

LUNCH

Usually a stir fry of some nature, with a scoop of jasmine rice\
Diet Coke

sometimes egg white omelettes
sometimes burgers NO FRIES

OR peanut butter on 7 grain bread with skim milk

DINNER

protein bar and or fish and veggies
chicken fajitas (no cheese or sour cream)

My diet varies a LOT because of my schedule and I get sick of stuff really easily. I very occassionally will have a few bites of dessert but not often, certianly not more than once or twice every few weeks.

Oh, and I went OFF the pill, not on. Going on the pill of course made me gain more weight. I was hoping that when I went off it I would lose weight!!

 

[KariB]

Oh, and my clothes DO NOT fit. AT ALL.

 

[velvett]

Oh, and I went OFF the pill, not on. Going on the pill of course made me gain more weight. I was hoping that when I went off it I would lose weight!!

I am a spaz.
I read that totally wrong (I'm sorry) - I never noticed weight loss going off or changing pills (I have gainned weight on certain pills - the horror).


I think you need to revamp your diet.

Lose the protein bars and for now I'd lose the milk too.


Foods to eat:

oatmeal
cream of wheat
potato
sweet potato/yams
rice brown/white
cottage cheese (this doesn't work for everyone)
all green veggies
peppers (red yellow)
chicken
fish
pork
lean beef
eggs
almonds, walnuts, pecans
peanut butter (this works for a lot of people)
avocado
olive oil (salads/ veggies)

Fruits - some people can diet with them some can't
berries
melon
apples
(I eat bananas and pineapple w/ my 1st meal even though the sugar content is high - but this works for me - doesn't work for many people)


Meal one - 1/2 cup cream of wheat or oats with nuts, splenda & vanilla extract, or tbls peanut butter. 1-2 eggs (or 3 -4 egg whites w/ 1 yolk)

Meals 2-4/5 - roughly 4-6oz of protein (I eat mostly fish - cottage cheese is a good one for the no potota/rice meals), for 2 of those meals either 1/2 potato or a real small one or 1/2 cup of rice (white or brown) and for all meals as much salad or green veggies as you want.

Good snacks - avocado and almonds, don't snack eat some of both with your meals, it's a good source of fat.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Good advice from the smart ladies.

Your diet is pretty processed, clean it up with the foods Velvett suggested. Focus on natural foods. Drop the bars, you'd be better off slamming a protein shake than a bar.

Training, go heavy and hard with the weights. If you are doing cardio, make it intense, possibly doing intervals.

 

[Joe's Girl]

Good advice from the smart ladies.

Your diet is pretty processed, clean it up with the foods Velvett suggested. Focus on natural foods. Drop the bars, you'd be better off slamming a protein shake than a bar.

Training, go heavy and hard with the weights. If you are doing cardio, make it intense, possibly doing intervals.

A good Protein too is to eat 5 1/2 ounces Salmon and take udo's 3 tbls 3 times a day. Have a protein shake after your workout...1/12 scoops upto 30 grams..with water...