Words that seem to strike fear in the hearts of dieting women across the globe. When did we start giving water so much power and authority?
Oh yes…that second word: WEIGHT. More specifically, water weight gain, has women everywhere constantly searching for solutions on how to “solve” it.
Sure, when it’s that time of month, and we can’t squeeze into our “good” clothes, it can be annoying. Or we have a sodium fest, and feel like our jewelry is cutting off our circulation…not fun.
But is water really our nemesis?
Typical concerns of Water Weight Gain
Retained water becomes contaminated because your kidneys can’t filter out contaminants properly when you’re dehydrated. The liver is then called upon to help process these waste products, which interferes with one of its main functions, breaking down body fat. So without sufficient water in your body you’re likely to end up water-logged and bloated.
This is also said to lead to a problem with sodium. When you’re dehydrated, sodium can’t be adequately flushed from the body, causing further water retention, and any additional sodium ingested in your diet simply aggravates the problem.
Water and your muscles
Sometimes it feels as if water is working against us when we develop that “soft” look to our muscles. This is because diets or activities that cause excessive fluid loss have a significant effect on muscle size. Without sufficient water you become dehydrated. Your body begins to retain water to protect itself, and much of this water is stored subcutaneously, which smooths out muscle definition dramatically. This is why you hear of bodybuilders drinking up to a gallon or more each day to offset their higher sodium diets and intense workouts, in attempt to keep their muscles “hard” and visible.
Water weight gain during new workout phases
Gaining weight (~5 lbs) when starting a new exercise program is completely normal. If you are changing up your program every 4-6 weeks, then expect a jumpy scale. Period. It’s all good. Just let your body do it’s thing and stop depending on the scale ONLY for progress reports.
This is important to remember if you are in a program that uses “phases” that change regularly (such as LU app, STS, CLX, P90X, etc). You may experience a jump with every phase, and the scale could take up to three weeks to “equalize.” This means that you may only see the scale weight drop ONE week out of the four, then see it shoot back up again when you change something up. Don’t stress about it. What’s the alternative? Doing the exact same regimen (in attempt to avoid water weight gain) and seeing NO results because your body has adapted?
Not the wisest choice.
That water retention/scale increase/DOMS combo is your sign that your body is still being challenged by the current workout, which means that changes are on the way. We just need to learn not to shun it (water retention) so much.
Constant water retention from strength training
Many ladies get so caught up in that scale number that they feel like “Why bother lifting? I don’t want to carry extra water all the time”…but we are SUPPOSED to carry that water.
Blood = 92% water, the brain & muscles = 75% water, and bones = 22% water. Yet, on the flip side, obesity decreases the water in the body, to as low as 45% (as fat weight is only about 20-25% water).
You do the water math.
Women typically have less water than men (as a percentage), because they carry more fat. But think about it, men typically have an easier time with fat loss because they have more muscle.
The more muscle you carry, the higher your percentage of water will be. All. the. time.
To put it plainly, HEALTHY, and FIT bodies SHOULD carry water!
Coming to terms with a jumpy scale
Sometimes I feel like my weight only ever goes UP. But…when I focused on staying a number on the scale, I NEVER progressed, and actually started looking WORSE. Once I let it go, the floodgates opened and my body begin to FINALLY transform. It really is a hindrance to put so much emphasis on scale weight.
If you know that a jumpy scale will depress you, stay OFF. Let the mirror, pics, the way your clothes fit, and the constant compliments dictate your progress.
Q*: I would like to lose another 20 pounds. I run 3 or 4 times a week, and will soon be training to run a half marathon. I am a 45 year old woman and my job is pretty sedentary, even though I stand most of my day. I know that as I get closer to the goal weight that things could slow down. I would just like to set myself up for success. I know that I should be lifting, but I really don’t want to. Can I still reach my goals without strength training?
A: I won’t say that you need to do something that you truly don’t want to, if that’s what you’re expecting. But…first hear me out, so that you can understand what you’re up against.
As you’ve likely have heard, there are huge benefits of strength training that have nothing to do with your outward physique. But since the question pertains specifically to your physique goals, I will only address that aspect:
First of all, there’s nothing inherently wrong with doing cardio (presuming you’re not doing a reset), and many cardio lovers have found ways to be successful with EM2WL. The key for them has been in including lifting (and even bulk cycles), for greater physique goal success.
When you choose to do cardio only, you’re left as merely a smaller version of your current self. With all the same lumps and bumps in the same areas. Combine aging with excessive cardio and dieting, and it’s a recipe for muscle loss. Losing muscle makes you “skinny fat.” This means that you will have to go DOWN in weight each year, just to look the same as you did the year before. As you can see, over time, this could become problematic. Soyour goal weight will need adjustment if you’re looking for a specific “look” and only doing cardio…and even then, it’s not so certain that you’ll get it.
Muscle is what gave us our former youthful look. Without it, we will begin to look bigger, and hence older (even if we stayed the exact same weight that we were in our youth). Lifting will not only keep that youthful tightness of the body, but also allow you to hit your goal WITHOUT having to lose so much weight.
The other thing with doing cardio only is that our body adapts to cardio. So if you’re doing a lot, then at one point you may not be eating enough for your super high burns, but over time, that amount will become too much as your body adapts to the activity to become more efficient. So you’ll be doing the exact same amount of work, yet burning much less calories.
It actually does your metabolism a disservice over time. You don’t want to get to the point that your body views running 10-15 miles, the same as going to check your mailbox: just part of the routine, and thus no changes being made.
It’s fine if running is your passion and you want to do it no matter the physique consequence (as many runners will do). If you want to get smaller, then you should fully understand how running only will play into the picture.
I’d highly recommend mixing some lifting into your routine.
Our motto, “cardio for fun, weights to transform.” If you abide by that, then you can still do the cardio that you love, simply for enjoyment. But if you really want to transform your body, allow the iron to assist you.
With all that said…if you still aren’t feeling weight lifting, then I would keep close eye on your heart rate monitor. If you notice that you are burning less calories than you used to, then you are likely eating too much, and will have to continue to adjust accordingly.
Photo cred: flickr ~ rvwithtito
Have fun in your half marathon!
How about you fam? Any tips for a newbie that’s not into lifting? Are you reaching your physique goals with cardio only? Have you had to make any adjustments in order to keep progressing?
*Q & A posts are excerpts from actual submitted emails from clients and fam. Have a question that you’d like to see addressed in Q & A or explained in a future article? Drop us a line below!
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Unless you’re fairly new to the EM2WL lifestyle (or the fitness world, in general), you’ve no doubt begun incorporating some weight training into your workout regimen for optimal results. Even newbie fitness buffs are bombarded with strong “recommendations” of weight training everywhere they turn, and typically know that they “should” be lifting (even if they still choose not to). The longer you lift, the more intensity you need — this is where intensity techniques come into play.
In the beginning, simply getting through your workouts and sticking to the basics (compound movements in pre-set rep ranges) are more than enough to stimulate changes in your physique. But at a certain point it becomes very difficult to get more out of your workouts.
What gives?
Well…the more advanced you become, the more intensity techniques your training style will need in order to produce results.
What is Intensity?
Intensity— by definition — is an extreme degree of strength, force, energy, concentration, vigor, fury, passion, etc., done through activity, thought, or feeling. It’s basically not just what you do in the work out, but how you do it, and what energy you bring to it.
Working out at the wrong intensity level for you will typically: ⦁ cause burnout or injury (if your intensity level is too high for your fitness level) ⦁ bring your progress to a screeching halt (if your intensity level is too low)
Beginner vs Advanced Intensity
There’s a huge difference in the intensity level from beginner to advanced…let’s not forget that there’s an intermediate level between the two! And there’s even a difference in intensity of advanced lifters compared to that of competitors who are training for the stage. There’s absolutely no reason for a beginner to hop right into to an advanced lifter or professional competitor’s routine. That body took them years to develop, and it will take a beginner just as long (possibly longer) to do the same. Going all out up front simply leaves you with less tricks of the trade as you progress. This is no different from our basic premise on eating too little or doing too much cardio. Doing too much, too soon is almost always a recipe for disaster.
On the flip side, if you’ve been lifting for a year or more, and are still approaching your workouts halfheartedly, or doing the exact same moves, with the exact same weights, it’s time to step it up. If you want results, then make sure your head is in it. You’re not doing anyone any favors by simply lifting because it’s on your to-do list, or because Kiki said so. Be ALL in. Pop in those earbuds or that DVD and put it on blast. Get in your “zone.” Increase your poundage, eek out an extra rep/set, lower the weights slower than usual, or lift them more powerful and explosive than usual. If you’ve been doing full body workouts three times per week, try upper/lower splits 4 days per week or concentrate (ie more sets/reps) on one or two body parts, each day for five days. When it’s time to work, put in WORK. Yet, be sure to also rest when it’s time to rest; under-recovery can also lead to a lack of energy/drive/focus and, subsequently, results.
“The harder you work, the more results you will see, assuming that your training methods are as effective as possible. ” ~Arnold Schwarzenegger
So let’s say that you’re well beyond your beginner years. When you’re in the gym, you’re in.the.gym. You’re working as heavy as you can, doing as many sets as possible, and training as often as possible without overdoing it. What worked in the beginning years, simply doesn’t work anymore, no matter how “into” it you are.
The Longer You Lift, the More Intensity you Need
This is where intensity techniques come into play. Playing with rest times, supersets, burn sets, drop sets, giant sets, forced reps, partial reps, rest/pause, German Volume Training, etc., will prove invaluable in your advanced years. (We will go into detail on this at a later date, but several of these techniques have been included many of our workout plans).
This is another reason why it’s not a great idea to totally abuse these techniques before their time. This tends to be quite common in newer lifters who were used to cardio-only workouts. They start out of the gate adding intensity techniques because they don’t feel like the slower pace of traditional lifting will “work.” In actuality, they should be taking FULL advantage of the newbie gain period, that produces results from hardly any effort. If that sounds like you, beware that you are setting yourself up for a harder road, than if you simply allow for natural intensity progression to take place. Two to three days per week of compound lifts are plenty for starters. Be assured, it IS working. Remember that there is a law of diminishing returns on ALL types of workouts. Just as with endurance workouts, the more advanced you become, the harder it is to continue to develop, and the harder you have to train.
Speaking of endurance…
Endurance limitations Affect Performance and Intensity
Increased endurance of the muscle will help you to push more weight
Without enough muscular endurance, it will become harder to get through your workouts with the same intensity. You’ll begin to feel as if you’ve hit a wall with your training: your lifts will stall out all together, or even begin to go down. This is due to the fact that endurance-style training (with weights or without) supply much needed oxygen to the muscles. If you use up your body’s ability to supply oxygen to the muscles (by never working in an endurance rep range), they will fail prematurely and you will not fully stimulate them. This can easily be remedied by taking a 4-6 week break and de-loading (reducing your weight, and increasing the reps) every 2-3 months or whenever you feel that you are entering that stall pattern. Going through a gradual endurance period (higher reps with very little rest between sets) will give your body time to adapt, and your ability to train hard, for longer periods of time will increase. You will tire more quickly, and likely feel like a punk, lol, but it’s short lived and for the greater good. So stick it out.
Along with tracking your progress via methods of tape measure, body fat percentage, and pics, be sure to examine your level of intensity. Ask yourself each time you hit the iron if your current intensity is where it should be. Do your best to bring the greatest intensity (focus, vigor, passion, energy) needed for your fitness level to each and every workout, you will continue to see changes for years to come.
Sick of trying to figure it all out on your own? Proper periodization is KEY to outsmarting your plateaus, but sometimes you need to dedicate your brainpower to more important things. I get it – so allow me to do the work for you. The EM2WL Level Up app is fully equipped with just the right amount of endurance, hypertrophy, strength, and metabolic phases (with instructions for exactly when to crank up or cut back the intensity techniques). Click here for more info.
References: Dictionary.com Mirriam-Webster.com The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Success found – losing weight and finding self-acceptance while increasing calorie intake!
March 1st 2012 I decided was going to make some changes in my life by losing weight and exercising. I weighed 255 lbs, my highest weight ever. I began logging on MFP and followed their recommendations of 1610 + exercise cals to lose 2 lbs a week. I wanted the weight off fast and at first it was. Even faster than 2 lbs a week. Which I now know means I had estimated my daily activity too low at sedentary. Every 10 lbs I lost MFP would prompt me to lower my cals. By June I was down over 30 lbs and eating 1420 + exercise cals. Then my weight-loss stalled. I was doing all the same things, exercising and eating, and yet I wasn’t losing weight.My energy seemed to be gone as well and worst of all my hair began to fall out. A lot. I basically lost about 1 1/2 inches from my hairline and the rest of my hair became frighteningly thin. I was scared.I had blood work done and everything came back normal. In my brain I couldn’t comprehend that I could be eating what I thought was so healthy and yet feeling bad and losing my hair. Something wasn’t right and everything was pointing to my diet.
By August I decided to up my cals to 1610 + exercise cals again. I also started taking a multivitamin with iron. I increased my protein to a minimum of 100 g a day. My energy came back and I began to lose weight again.
Something also changed in my thinking about this time. I realized that my focus should not be on what I can’t eat, what is not healthy, or what is bad…it should be about ADDING healthy nutritious food. My focus began to slowly shift from losing weight to being healthy. I liked feeling fit. I liked challenging my body to do things it couldn’t do before.
In October I began a new 90 day workout program called Supreme 90. This was the toughest workout I had ever done, but I loved it. I loved the sense of accomplishment in completing each month. I also started to notice my appetite really starting to rev up, so I upped my cals again to 1700. I felt better and my workouts got better and better.
In the midst of this the holidays showed up. I ate what I wanted, enjoyed my family and felt no guilt. Always in the past when I had “dieted” I would not allow myself to go off diet even for special occasions because I couldn’t trust myself to go back on my “diet.”How sad is that?
By the end of the program I had lost about 12 lbs and several inches from all over my body. Bringing my total weight loss to about 60 lbs. I had also upped my cals to 1800 + exercise cals when I began to feel hungry all the time. I was beginning to learn to listen to what my body was telling me!
Afterwards, I began to transition into heavy lifting. I had joined Eat More 2 Weigh Less and I was totally inspired by all the beautiful women there. My husband and I had found a great deal on Craigslist for an Olympic weight set and bench. My focus turned even more to what my body could do. I loved being able to lift more weight every week. I also started trying to learn more about how to eat to meet my strength goals. I’ve been challenged by Becca, Lucia, Kiki, Jennifer, Cheri and so many other wonderful women by their amazing examples of hard work and dedication. Thank you all.
Since May I have basically maintained my size and stayed within 5lbs of my low weight. I’m not really sure because I have stopped weighing myself. I’ve learned that the scale is a poor judge of my health, size, weight or even character. It’s a number that can’t measure my attitude or love for myself.And that has grown so much since I started this journey. I’ve learned perseverance, patience, dedication and I’ve also learned that I am much stronger than I ever thought. Not only physically but mentally. This past July I injured my back and was flat on my back for several days followed by about 6 weeks of slow recovery. It was hard, but I did what was best for my body and rested. I couldn’t lift and was able to only do light stretching and some low impact cardio, but I did what I could. I was tempted to drop my calories because I didn’t want to gain weight, but I also knew that I didn’t want to lose muscle or hamper my recovery, so I continued to eat about 2000 calories a day. I didn’t gain weight, I didn’t grow out of my clothes and when I could finally lift again I could even still bench press what I had been previously.
I have gone from a very tight size 22 jeans to a size 12-14 — losing weight by doing the opposite of what all the popular diets tell you to do. I’ve upped my calories. Seems counter intuitive but I’ve learned to listen to my body and trust what it is telling me. Am I recovering well from workouts? Am I feeling rested? What is my body craving and why? Are my lifts feeling strong and consistently getting stronger?
For me, those are all indicators that tell me if I am fueling my correctly. Food and my body are no longer the enemy to be subdued. Cravings are not a sign of weakness, they are my body talking to me. I move in a way that makes me feel happy. I lift because I love feeling strong. I eat food I love and that help fuel the wonderful machine that is my body. I’m proud of my thick thighs and booty that have more fat and excess skin than is “socially” acceptable. People may look at me and still see a fat woman, but that is ok, because I look in the mirror and love the woman looking back at me, for the first time ever. I don’t weigh myself because there is no scale that can measure that. I am free. Free from the voices in my head, on the magazines and TV that tell me I need to be less. I am enough…actually I am more than enough, I am perfectly and wonderfully made. Right now, not someday. I eat and exercise because I love myself. I love myself because I was first loved by Him who created me. Whatever size I am or become is just a result of the love I have for me and the love I have from Him. What an amazing place to be.
I’ve been EM2WL for about a year. I recently started my official “bulk” – eating at a surplus, with limited cardio, and weight training as my primary focus – in August 2013.
•When did you first learn that you needed to eat more to reach your goals? What was your original response?
I learned this last year after reading some of my MFP friends posts about TDEE. I was actually eating below my TDEE for a few months but didn’t know it. (I was eating approximately 1400-1600 calories daily, depending on my workout, but I should have been somewhere around 1950 calories.) I was nervous to increase my calories, especially since I still had about 10-15 more lbs to lose. But the risk of compromising my metabolism, plus I found myself getting hungrier, made me increase my calories. I did it slowly though, as I was very cautious. Each month, I increased my calories by 100 until I hit 2000. I continued to lose weight until I hit 2000, which was perfect for me because by that point, I had reached my weight loss goal and I was at maintenance.
• How did others around you act about your decision to discard the usual low cal methods for weight loss?
As I increased my calories from about 1600 to 2000 many of my close friends and MFP friends followed suit, especially when they saw that I was still losing weight. They experienced similar results. Now with my decision to bulk, I received mixed responses. Even split with health conscious folks – some gave me the “more power to you, but no way I’m trying that because I refuse to see the scale go up,” while others, primarily those that are about this weight lifting life, agreed “it’s the way to go if you want to put on muscle and transform your body.” Everyone was shocked to see me indulging in bread regularly!
•How did your body react to the initial increase in cals?
Gains! In the gym and on the scale. My energy during my workouts skyrocketed. My bootcamp instructor noticed it immediately; I was able to keep up with the “stars” in the class. I was able to lift heavier and my endurance increased. I gained 1.25 lbs steadily for the first 2 months and went up a size in pants. Going into month three; the weight gain has stalled a bit.
•What results have you seen from sticking to it and “trusting the process?”
The biggest change has honestly been my overall mood. Along with the increase in calories, I changed my macros. I used to carb cycle so my macros were 20c/40p/40f with 1-2 days a week where I would double my carb intake to about 200g (instead of the usual 70-100g). With the increase in carbs, came an increase in serotonin. And while I’m not doing a “dirty” bulk; I’m not as strict with my eating as I have been in the past (I was following paleo/primal), which has taken a lot of the stress out of eating, especially when I’m at a restaurant with my family and/or friends. So, overall, I’m a much happier person; my family and co-workers have even noticed it. People actually like to go out to eat with me now. We can all indulge in bread together!
The second biggest change I have seen is my body. When I lose weight I tend to look “straight” and immediately lose what little curves I have. Now my curves are accentuated and my muscles, particularly my biceps, are bigger. My shoulders are also more pronounced. I can’t fit any of my cap sleeve shirts now. And I love it. My quads are bigger than ever. And I finally have a tush!
•Can you describe your typical weekly workout schedule and a sample day of meals (or macros)?
I weight train 4-5 days a week with about 2 hours of cardio per week and eat about 2300-2500 calories on average, loosely following Tosca Reno’s eat clean plan. Macros 40c/30p/30f
Typical workout schedule Monday – Back and Cardio (Kickboxing) Tuesday – Chest and Shoulders Wednesday– Legs Thursday– Biceps and Triceps and Core (Jillian Michael’s 30 minute ab workout) Friday– Rest Day Saturday– Boot Camp (45-50 minute full body circuit workouts with weights, 5-10 minutes warm-up/cool down/stretching) Sunday– Rest Day
Sample day of eating
Breakfast
1 C Oats with blueberries and walnuts
4 egg whites
1 slice nitrate free bacon
Snack
1 oz planters mixed nuts
Lunch
6-8 oz grilled chicken breast seasoned with Mrs. Dash fiesta lime seasoning
1 C sautéed kale with sliced garlic and ½ TBSP olive oil
1 medium baked yam with cinnamon
Snack
1 medium granny smith apple with 1 TBSP all natural peanut butter or almond butter
1 hardboiled egg
Snack (pre-workout meal)
Ezekiel English muffin with 1.5 TBSP cream cheese and ½ TBSP low sugar smuckers strawberry preserves
Snack (post-workout meal)
2 scoops protein powder mixed with 3 C baby spinach, ½ C vanilla unsweetened almond milk
Dinner
6 oz ground turkey mixed with celery, peppers, taco seasoning, kidney beans, shrimp
½ C marinara sauce
1 medium baked yam with cinnamon
Snack
Chocolate chip cookie dough Quest Bar In the spirit of transparency, on the weekends and during my TOM, my nutrition isn’t as clean as I’d like:
Breakfast is usually gluten free protein pancakes with dark chocolate chips, butter, and 100% maple syrup or IHOP pancakes or a Dunkin Donuts croissant with egg and cheese with a glazed sour cream donut
Lunch may be a bacon cheeseburger with ketchup and pickles and sweet potato fries with bbq sauce (Red Robin, Chili’s, or TGI Friday’s)
Dinner is usually pizza (local pizzeria or Pizza Hut) or shrimp fried rice with a shrimp roll (Chinese local takeout) with a cup of Breyer’s butter pecan ice cream and two (warm) Mrs. Field’s semi-sweet chocolate cookies for dessert
I have no issues going to the gym and getting my workouts in; in fact, I have to make sure I keep track of my workouts to make sure I take 2 rest days. I would have no problem working out 7 days a week (but we all know muscles grow during rest periods so I make sure I rest 1-2 days a week, sometimes three if I’m suffering from DOMS). Nutrition is where I struggle and work to improve on a daily basis.
•So…what led to the bulking decision?
After the birth of my third child who is currently 21 months (my twins are 8 years old), I gained 70 lbs. I lost all the baby weight and dropped down from a size 16 to a size 4. I was content with my size but not my body composition. Even though I was size four, I was still 26% body fat and really didn’t have much muscle definition. So, I decided to bulk in an effort to gain muscle and muscle definition and increase my strength. I also decided to bulk because the carb cycling was making me crazy. I was excited to switch my macros, making complex carbs my highest macro percentage.
•What changes are you hoping to see from bulking?
muscle, muscle, muscle!
•What are your biggest bulking fears?
gaining too much fat in my midsection and not enough muscle everywhere else
•Do you have a specific look you would like to attain, or are inspired by?
My Fitspo?
Alicia Harris
Katie Chung Hua
Lindsay Kaye Miller
Britney Spears (MTV Awards 2000)
Ruthie Bowles
Kiki <what’s your last name?
Ultimate personal goal would be 18% body fat
•Any parting words of encouragement to those who are new to eating more, or struggling with the decision of whether or not to fuel properly?
I’m one of those people that love to try different eating plans, fitness workouts, etc. to see what works for my body and how my body will respond. Everyone is different; therefore, our bodies will respond differently to eating plans, macros, and workouts. If you were willing to try low-carb, low-cal, primal, paleo, etc. and were unsuccessful, you might as well as try the EM2WL method and see how your body responds. Do research, connect with other EM2WL folks, and ask questions! And once you start, before you decide to abort the process, give yourself 2-3 months to adjust/respond and take notice to the changes. Take pictures, take pictures, take pictures – before and after! You will be surprised and pleased with the way your body transforms and the gains that you will make in the gym. And if you’re not happy with it, try something else and keep trying/tweaking until you find the plan that works for YOU.
•Thanks SO much for your time! How can our readers hear from/see more of you?
Have an EM2WL transformation to share? Willing to let us tag along on your journey? We’d love to see it! Be featured on our Transformation/Journey page by submitting your story to Success@EM2WL.com
Water and your muscles
Constant water retention from strength training
Coming to terms with a jumpy scale
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