Increase in waist size

[tn81]

Hey guys,

I recently started a strength program having never done one before (although I have lifted weights for about 5 years, usually 3-4 sets, 6-10 rep range, 1 min rest between sets).

I'm doing Rippetoe's 3x5 beginner's strength program (3 compound lifts per session, 2-3 mins rest between sets, 5 reps per exercise).

I've added 500 cals to my BMR as I am aware that a calorie surplus is needed to make strength gains too. I also want to add some muscle. Thing is, I was going to add an extra meal to my daily diet until I discovered my waist size had increased so much. I'm meant to be getting 3,400 cals but am only getting about 3,000. Yet my waist size has increased!

Here's the thing. I've put on weight but my waist size is also creeping up (1.5 inches in two weeks!).

I'd describe myself as an ectomorph but I've carried excess fat around my waist for years. I addressed it for the first time in the summer by sorting my diet for the first time and going on a cut. I had great results with my waist coming down almost 3 inches.

That was part one of my long term plan. This strength/bulking phase is meant to get lean mass up (without putting on too much fat) and improve strength.

I'm worried by the speed of the waist increase and if it were to increase at the same rate I'd be back to square one pretty soon. Is it normal???

I don't know why my waist size is expanding so quickly but maybe it's because of one of the following reasons????:

-I'm taking creatine twice a day along with protein shakes (I've heard you retain water with creatine. Perhaps it has led to temporary bloatedness?)

-My last meal is usually late (9 or 10pm) and it's carb heavy (usually pasta with chicken)

-Perhaps the program isn't taxing enough and maybe as I have more experience lifting I should opt for a more advanced strength program (5x5??)

-My diet is pretty good but there are fatty things I eat (cheese, the odd pizza, a chocolate bar here and there).

-Maybe I'm just not genetically suited to a bulk and I'll inevitably put on fat

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys

[LtL]

Originally Posted by tn81

-My diet is pretty good but there are fatty things I eat (cheese, the odd pizza, a chocolate bar here and there).

1.5" in 2 weeks is too much. The above quote leads me to believe that you're not eating 100% clean.

What does your diet look like at the moment? Please include calories, protein, carb's and fat for each meal.

Oh and you only need one thread per question

LtL

[muscletrainerdh]

How much weight have you gained?

Typically you will gain an inch around your waist for every 5 pound weight gain. But you tagging yourself as an Ectomorph seems like this would be unlikely.

Have any of your other measurements gone up? Chest/ Arms/Thighs?

Another thing to consider is what types of food you are eating and if they may be causing your to bloat in your abdominal region.

You probably can do without taking creatine twice a day.

Hope that helps,

Dave

[BolanRox]

when did you measure yourself? if you did it at night, its a good chance the increase if from the food in your stomach along with water and standing all day. It can easily change a few inches of the course of a day. The best time to do it is first thing in the morning the same day each week after you used the bathroom

[tescott]

A few points:

1) eating fat is not what makes you fat.

2) if your goal is to get strong, you will need to eat enough to put on fat. Especially in the initial stages, if you were skinny to start with, fat gain is inevitable. It will slow down as you add more and more muscle.

3) genetics determines where you store fat. For you, you obviously naturally store fat around your belly. Join the club. That's life.

4) your goal is to 'get cut'. Starting Strength is not at all conducive to that goal. Starting strength will get you really strong, really fast, and allow you to add on a significant amount of muscular body weight.

5) if you decide that you would like to get big and strong, you better decide to say goodbye to your dreams of a six-pack - at least for the time being.

6) check out 70sbig.com and the forum and Q&A at www.startingstrength.com

[mjr24]

One thing I see is you said you are eating your last meal carb-heavy......sounds like an hour or two before bed.

I think you should switch up and eat a protein heavy diet during that last meal....keep your carbs early in the day such as the morning and after workout. Late carbs are a big problem.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by mjr24

One thing I see is you said you are eating your last meal carb-heavy......sounds like an hour or two before bed.

I think you should switch up and eat a protein heavy diet during that last meal....keep your carbs early in the day such as the morning and after workout. Late carbs are a big problem.

As long as the carbs are within a calorie balance it should make no difference, and there really isn't anything wrong with eating carbs late at night....it's a MYTH.

[tescott]

That's assuming that in the equation:

ΔΕ (fat, muscle) = Εin (food) - Eout (metabolism, exercise etc)

ΔΕ is a completely independent variable and the others are completely independent. In reality, it's not as simple as that. For example:

Eout can increase appetite, increasing the desire for Ein
Particular types of Ein changes the hormonal milieu, which increases or decreases ΔΕ, and regulates hunger for Ein.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by tescott

That's assuming that in the equation:

ΔΕ (fat, muscle) = Εin (food) - Eout (metabolism, exercise etc)

ΔΕ is a completely independent variable and the others are completely independent. In reality, it's not as simple as that. For example:

Eout can increase appetite, increasing the desire for Ein
Particular types of Ein changes the hormonal milieu, which increases or decreases ΔΕ, and regulates hunger for Ein.

Not eating enough lowers the metabolism and a persons feeling of hunger

[ssslayer]

Originally Posted by tn81

Hey guys,

I recently started a strength program having never done one before (although I have lifted weights for about 5 years, usually 3-4 sets, 6-10 rep range, 1 min rest between sets).

I'm doing Rippetoe's 3x5 beginner's strength program (3 compound lifts per session, 2-3 mins rest between sets, 5 reps per exercise).

I've added 500 cals to my BMR as I am aware that a calorie surplus is needed to make strength gains too. I also want to add some muscle. Thing is, I was going to add an extra meal to my daily diet until I discovered my waist size had increased so much. I'm meant to be getting 3,400 cals but am only getting about 3,000. Yet my waist size has increased!

Here's the thing. I've put on weight but my waist size is also creeping up (1.5 inches in two weeks!).

I'd describe myself as an ectomorph but I've carried excess fat around my waist for years. I addressed it for the first time in the summer by sorting my diet for the first time and going on a cut. I had great results with my waist coming down almost 3 inches.

That was part one of my long term plan. This strength/bulking phase is meant to get lean mass up (without putting on too much fat) and improve strength.

I'm worried by the speed of the waist increase and if it were to increase at the same rate I'd be back to square one pretty soon. Is it normal???

I don't know why my waist size is expanding so quickly but maybe it's because of one of the following reasons????:

-I'm taking creatine twice a day along with protein shakes (I've heard you retain water with creatine. Perhaps it has led to temporary bloatedness?)

-My last meal is usually late (9 or 10pm) and it's carb heavy (usually pasta with chicken)

-Perhaps the program isn't taxing enough and maybe as I have more experience lifting I should opt for a more advanced strength program (5x5??)

-My diet is pretty good but there are fatty things I eat (cheese, the odd pizza, a chocolate bar here and there).

-Maybe I'm just not genetically suited to a bulk and I'll inevitably put on fat

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys

You wanna know the truth?
In Most Strength gain programs (inlcuding very dear Rippetoe's) - you would never feel your heart beat increase, and breathing would be as shallow as during the sleep.

(Pardon my exaggerations - but its gets the message across).

For most ppl. this is not such a problem, because htye have decent metabolism, and theor body consumes calories, normally, however for ppl like you and me, we have slow metabolism, and if we don't burn it, we add it as fat around waist.

Clean eating or sh|t eating, nothing will help, because you have to eat excess of atleast 500 Cals. And that is getting added as lard.

Forget 5 rep programs, they would help you increase your lifts, but anything beyond that (= putting on muscles, reducing fat) is at god's mercy.



First of all why are you doing strength program?

Before you answer that - if you are planning to bulk - to put on muscles - would you care to have look at Hypertrophy inducing programs rather than strength training?

PS: are your bones thick or thin?