Exercising to bulk but I'm losing weight rather than gaining...

{JoeCool} · 09-17-2008, 10:24 PM

For the past month I've been exercising and my body seems to be toning a little bit. But it seems like I'm losing weight in the process and I really don't need to be losing more weight as I'm skinny already at 5'11 weighing 145 lb. I'm not really following a routine.. my exercises consist of 1 hour workouts daily. I'm running and walking in the morning. I lift small weights.. about 25 lb dumbbells and 15 lb ones and I'm embarrassed to say, but they're heavy enough for me to lift. After toning my arms, I do push ups and sit ups.. I know that may not be enough to bulk but I don't have the money or the equipment to get all of this fancy stuff or time to go to a gym so I have to settle with what I have at home.

I know the main thing is to eat but since money is so tight, I can't afford to get lots of food for me to chow down on. I have to settle with what's in the house. I really don't have much to eat or I can't afford to eat so sometimes I gotta just not eat much. But I am concerned about my weight because people told me I have gotten so skinny. I'm assuming it's from the exercising and not eating.. Is there possibility something I can do to bulk up more or will I bulk up eventually just by exercising more? Or could it be the rapid weight lost from something else?

Puo · 09-17-2008, 10:51 PM

I'd suggest no more running and walking. Or at least cut down on both of those a lot. Doing lots of cardio AND lifting will result in you losing weight. And if you can't afford the food to eat, then I'd suggest only saving your time to lift and do weighted exercises.

Start buying cheap food. Like McDonald's or something. You don't have to eat the fries or nothing, but try as much protein and healthy fat as possible.

minitoons · 09-17-2008, 10:55 PM

The only way to bulk is to work out heavily, EAT plenty and rest. You lack proper diet that's why you are burning away more weight. Working out without proper intake of protein can do you more harm than good.

Stinkweed · 09-17-2008, 11:00 PM

I don't really lift weights anymore, but I definitively know that doing a lot of cardio (running a lot) will help you lose weight and makes it extremely difficult to put on muscle. I would suggest doing lots of compound lifts, because those use lots of muscles simultaneously, so many muscles at the same time get to work. Then all those muscles will grow simultaneously too as you get stronger, so you'll gain weight a hell of a lot quicker than by doing exercises that require a single muscle group (ie bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc). You don't really need to do 100 repetitions of each exercise, if anything that's pretty much the opposite of what you want to do... You need more weight but less repetitions.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

That's a great beginner's program. You just need a bench and a barbell with plates. I've done it before, myself, and you get stronger very fast. As for eating, just make sure you get enough calories. You don't necessarily have to buy protein powders or consume 5g of protein per lb of bodyweight like people say on the web. In fact, what people need is much closer to just 1g per lb of bodyweight. Eat a balanced diet. Lots of people neglect their fresh fruit and vegetables, because they think eating steak or tuna and lettuce is the way to go (I know lettuce is a vegetable, but it's not really one of the most nutritive ones. Plus there's tons of vegetables of other colors that do you so much good that have stuff you need)... Whole grains are good too. You can still do some walking, but don't overdo it, just do it for a healthy heart's sake. Rest plenty and eat plenty as they mentioned above.

Perfection · 09-17-2008, 11:07 PM

eat good proteins. do some protein shakes, add a little bit of creatine in your routine. chow down on potatoes, rice, pasta. and keep working out. i'm sorry but i don't agree with the person who said no more running. keep doing some form of cardio. it is not only necessary to keep the blood flowing but also increases stamina. of course you don't have to run for hours at a time. just 20-30 minutes every other day or so is ok imo.

you need PLENTY of calories. but don't just eat and sit on the couch. put some effort and lift religiously. and pick any beginner's plan as the above poster suggested. at the beginner level, any form of exercise will give you results.

KiCkiT! · 09-17-2008, 11:13 PM

Definitely lessen the cardio, as that burns lots of calories. Like everyone on here and you said, you need to eat more. Try to buy cheap food with lots of protein. Also, you may want to work out with heavier weights while doing less reps. That'll help you bulk up your muscles while doing many reps of low weights will help your muscular endurance and make you have leaner muscles, which doesnt seem to be what you want.

leo_s84 · 09-18-2008, 02:00 AM

The only way to bulk up is eating a lot, plus lifting of course. I'm on a 3000 calories a day diet now, eating about 5 to 6 times a day. I weigh about the same as you and i'm 5'9. You need to find a way to increase the food intake.

Stardusk · 09-18-2008, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KiCkiT!

Definitely lessen the cardio, as that burns lots of calories. Like everyone on here and you said, you need to eat more. Try to buy cheap food with lots of protein. Also, you may want to work out with heavier weights while doing less reps. That'll help you bulk up your muscles while doing many reps of low weights will help your muscular endurance and make you have leaner muscles, which doesnt seem to be what you want.

Utter nonsense; no rep scheme produces 'leaner' muscles; strength 1-5 reps, hypertrophy (muscle gain) 6-10 reps, muscular endurance with some hypertrophy 11-15 reps, 16 and up...muscular endurance...

If you want your muscles to grow concentrate on a routine with 6-10 reps.

Get in at least 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight....

ghost69 · 09-18-2008, 10:44 AM

there is nothing magical out there to help you gain more weight with no food and no extra money to get more food.

Lamprey · 09-18-2008, 01:20 PM

I used to be like you - 6.1 but skinny, 140-145 lbs and not able to put on fat/weight. I put on about 25 lbs of muscle, which made a nice difference in size & definition without making me look like hulk hogan, which is not attractive to most women. What I did was this:

For a year, 1 hr workout 7 days/week. For a year after that, 1hr work out 7 days/week + 30 min swimming right after. Ate 4-5 big meals/day, so breakfast, lunch, 2nd lunch, 3rd lunch, dinner, etc. Food should be about 1/3rd protein: meat, fish, poultry, 1/3 fat, 1/3 carbs (bread, rice, pasta).

Remember: eating is as important as working out! One won't work without the other!!!

Body uses protein to build muscle after workouts. It uses carbs as fuel; if you cut them out you'll get tired to fast to get a good workout in and as a result protein will be wasted. Fat is used to dissolve vitamins etc., so you do need it if you're working out.

Don't bother with supplements, I never did.

As for a timeline, I would say you'll start noticing a difference in 3-4 months, you'll start being happy with yourself after about a year and you'll start getting laid more in about 1.5 years. Much more, in fact. Girls all say what they care about is the guy's personality, but let's be serious. Who's more likely to get the chance to show their personality to them: the fat guy, the skinny guy, or the fit guy?

09-17-2008, 10:24 PM	#1
{JoeCool} Offline Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 68	Exercising to bulk but I'm losing weight rather than gaining... For the past month I've been exercising and my body seems to be toning a little bit. But it seems like I'm losing weight in the process and I really don't need to be losing more weight as I'm skinny already at 5'11 weighing 145 lb. I'm not really following a routine.. my exercises consist of 1 hour workouts daily. I'm running and walking in the morning. I lift small weights.. about 25 lb dumbbells and 15 lb ones and I'm embarrassed to say, but they're heavy enough for me to lift. After toning my arms, I do push ups and sit ups.. I know that may not be enough to bulk but I don't have the money or the equipment to get all of this fancy stuff or time to go to a gym so I have to settle with what I have at home. I know the main thing is to eat but since money is so tight, I can't afford to get lots of food for me to chow down on. I have to settle with what's in the house. I really don't have much to eat or I can't afford to eat so sometimes I gotta just not eat much. But I am concerned about my weight because people told me I have gotten so skinny. I'm assuming it's from the exercising and not eating.. Is there possibility something I can do to bulk up more or will I bulk up eventually just by exercising more? Or could it be the rapid weight lost from something else? __________________ Joe cool.. the coolest cat around!! Check him out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm53CzqgWow

09-17-2008, 11:00 PM	#4
Stinkweed Offline Gold Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Some place other than where I wish I were... Gender: None Specified Age: 21 Posts: 2,667	I don't really lift weights anymore, but I definitively know that doing a lot of cardio (running a lot) will help you lose weight and makes it extremely difficult to put on muscle. I would suggest doing lots of compound lifts, because those use lots of muscles simultaneously, so many muscles at the same time get to work. Then all those muscles will grow simultaneously too as you get stronger, so you'll gain weight a hell of a lot quicker than by doing exercises that require a single muscle group (ie bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc). You don't really need to do 100 repetitions of each exercise, if anything that's pretty much the opposite of what you want to do... You need more weight but less repetitions. [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] That's a great beginner's program. You just need a bench and a barbell with plates. I've done it before, myself, and you get stronger very fast. As for eating, just make sure you get enough calories. You don't necessarily have to buy protein powders or consume 5g of protein per lb of bodyweight like people say on the web. In fact, what people need is much closer to just 1g per lb of bodyweight. Eat a balanced diet. Lots of people neglect their fresh fruit and vegetables, because they think eating steak or tuna and lettuce is the way to go (I know lettuce is a vegetable, but it's not really one of the most nutritive ones. Plus there's tons of vegetables of other colors that do you so much good that have stuff you need)... Whole grains are good too. You can still do some walking, but don't overdo it, just do it for a healthy heart's sake. Rest plenty and eat plenty as they mentioned above. __________________ "You just change for the same..." -Ian Mackaye "Punk rock saved my life" -Dennes Boon (R.I.P.) "Have you ever seen lips that sing on a face that screams?" -Jesse Michaels

09-17-2008, 11:07 PM	#5
Perfection Offline Silver Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 417	eat good proteins. do some protein shakes, add a little bit of creatine in your routine. chow down on potatoes, rice, pasta. and keep working out. i'm sorry but i don't agree with the person who said no more running. keep doing some form of cardio. it is not only necessary to keep the blood flowing but also increases stamina. of course you don't have to run for hours at a time. just 20-30 minutes every other day or so is ok imo. you need PLENTY of calories. but don't just eat and sit on the couch. put some effort and lift religiously. and pick any beginner's plan as the above poster suggested. at the beginner level, any form of exercise will give you results. Last edited by Perfection; 09-17-2008 at 11:08 PM. Reason: elaborated a little

09-18-2008, 10:44 AM	#9
ghost69 Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Desert Gender: Male Posts: 33,424	there is nothing magical out there to help you gain more weight with no food and no extra money to get more food. __________________ Not only am I friendly, but I'm invisible too. Too perfect of a relationship is too weird-g69 If you say you are normal, I'd think you are weird-g69 The world can only get better, it depends on how you look at it-g69 'As wicked as you are, you're beautiful to me'-5fingerdeathpunch you cannot control the world, you can only live in it the best you can for you-g69 NooOoOoooOOoOoOoooooo

09-17-2008, 10:51 PM	#2
Puo Offline Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Joisey Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 89	I'd suggest no more running and walking. Or at least cut down on both of those a lot. Doing lots of cardio AND lifting will result in you losing weight. And if you can't afford the food to eat, then I'd suggest only saving your time to lift and do weighted exercises. Start buying cheap food. Like McDonald's or something. You don't have to eat the fries or nothing, but try as much protein and healthy fat as possible.

09-17-2008, 10:55 PM	#3
minitoons Offline Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 36	The only way to bulk is to work out heavily, EAT plenty and rest. You lack proper diet that's why you are burning away more weight. Working out without proper intake of protein can do you more harm than good.

09-17-2008, 11:13 PM	#6
KiCkiT! Offline Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Running Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 166	Definitely lessen the cardio, as that burns lots of calories. Like everyone on here and you said, you need to eat more. Try to buy cheap food with lots of protein. Also, you may want to work out with heavier weights while doing less reps. That'll help you bulk up your muscles while doing many reps of low weights will help your muscular endurance and make you have leaner muscles, which doesnt seem to be what you want.

09-18-2008, 02:00 AM	#7
leo_s84 Offline Silver Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 558	The only way to bulk up is eating a lot, plus lifting of course. I'm on a 3000 calories a day diet now, eating about 5 to 6 times a day. I weigh about the same as you and i'm 5'9. You need to find a way to increase the food intake.

09-18-2008, 01:20 PM	#10
Lamprey Offline Silver Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Age: 30 Posts: 366	I used to be like you - 6.1 but skinny, 140-145 lbs and not able to put on fat/weight. I put on about 25 lbs of muscle, which made a nice difference in size & definition without making me look like hulk hogan, which is not attractive to most women. What I did was this: For a year, 1 hr workout 7 days/week. For a year after that, 1hr work out 7 days/week + 30 min swimming right after. Ate 4-5 big meals/day, so breakfast, lunch, 2nd lunch, 3rd lunch, dinner, etc. Food should be about 1/3rd protein: meat, fish, poultry, 1/3 fat, 1/3 carbs (bread, rice, pasta). Remember: eating is as important as working out! One won't work without the other!!! Body uses protein to build muscle after workouts. It uses carbs as fuel; if you cut them out you'll get tired to fast to get a good workout in and as a result protein will be wasted. Fat is used to dissolve vitamins etc., so you do need it if you're working out. Don't bother with supplements, I never did. As for a timeline, I would say you'll start noticing a difference in 3-4 months, you'll start being happy with yourself after about a year and you'll start getting laid more in about 1.5 years. Much more, in fact. Girls all say what they care about is the guy's personality, but let's be serious. Who's more likely to get the chance to show their personality to them: the fat guy, the skinny guy, or the fit guy?