Help! Need advice about exercise and diet!

I've been posting here for a while. I am on Maintenance of WW and have been maintaining the 20 lbs I lost for 6 mos. These past two months, I have been exercising more at the gym- cardio, weights etc. The past two weeks, I started group classes at Bally's and have been doing more intense workouts- sculpting, interval training- sometimes two hours. I drink tons of water and just started gradually cutting back on carbs and eating smaller more frequent meals. Now that I've been working harder, I'm starving after working out! I crave protein. Meanwhile, I am still staying within my maintenance points range and still eating good stuff (with an occasional treat).

The problem is, my weight went up a pound last week and 2 pounds this week. I suspect my period is coming. I've also had some nasty salty foods lately, which I know is bad. Could this just be waterweight or am I doing something wrong??? The salt thing is something I plan to start controlling. It's just there's this great deli where I work. I've been eating healthy there, but everything they make is salty for me. The novelty of eating there is wearing off, though.

Can some of the exercising experts like Kathy or SnowboarderGirl help me, please? Thanks!

Jen

I am not an expert , but it seems to me you're doing the right things.

The PMS thing could definitely be a factor in your slight weight gain. It happens to the best of us. Try to cut down on the salty foods, those foods will also make your body retain water.

As for your working out - seems to me you are doing more muscular activity rather than cardio. Building muscle will cause you to gain (Muscle weighs more than fat).... i'd switch between weights and cardio... You can become more toned, but end up weighing more with the weight training. I hope I helped a bit.

Hi sweetie.. I think it's waterweight..

I usually gain between 5-7 pounds of waterweight during my period and flip out EVERY month, thinking I've gained weight.. lol

I drink hot water and lemon, it does help keep the bloat down.. ;)

Also, why don't you eat protein? you should try and eat a couple peices of chicken a day to build lean muscle mass.. do you weight train at all? also, if you want you can quench that protein thirst with a shake or bar..

I hope it's muscle weight...but that's usually an excuse I use! I said that for months when I gained weight in the first place.

Since you're working out harder, you need to eat more. Protein definately curbs your appetite and keeps you fuller longer, so eat some protein after you work out with a little bit of complex carbs. I wouldn't worry about 3 measly pounds. If you're bloated, drink lots of water. It'll actually help your body release some of the water that it's retaining. And adding lemon like Marcella said is a good thing. Cleans you out!

Have you gotten your body fat checked? Now that you're at a good weight, I'd get my body fat checked and monitor that every once in a while. You may be gaining a little bit of weight, but if you're losing body fat too, then that's good! Even though you may weigh a little more, your workouts are making you smaller and tighter. Hope that helps!

I wouldn't buy one. They're too cheapy.
The ones they use at the gym are the professional calipers, so I just have one of the trainers measure my body fat every once in a while. Even those I don't like because they figure out your body fat by looking at where your measurement numbers fall within your age group. I think the numbers are a little scewed as you get older. I'd like to get one of the more accurate tests done, but they're expensive.

Sorry, going off on a tangent!

I think it's either water weight, like Marcella said, or muscle weight. What kind of weight do you use? Is is lots of reps with low weight? It is hard to figure it all out without knowing exactly what you are doing and eating. I am not good at knowing how weight 'classes' are. I have never taken a cardio or weight class before.

How many calories do you eat?
What exacly are you eating, and MORE importanly, when?
do you eat a lot of sugars?
What kind of carbs are you eating?

why does when you eat more important than what?

I'm not good at these things....

If you aren't eating enough, and you weight train, your muscles can start to break down, causing them to weaken and get smaller. This slows down you metablolism.

When I was at a plateau, my trainer, boyfriend at the tine, told me that I should eat a little more. Just add another small meal that was high in protein and some good crbs. When I mean good carbs, I mean low glycemic.

got it! Thanks everyone!

Sounds like I am on the right track (from what you all are telling me.) I'm doing cardio plus weight training, plus sculpting classes. I make a point to mix it up and combine both cardio and weights. My feelings are that it is the salty (albeit yummy) food I've been eating at the deli. It's back to salads grilled chicken and veggies for me.

As far as when you are eating...that I am also trying to be cognizant of. I never eat after like 9:00 pm and I try to eat carbs only during the day.