Pump pump pump rest rest rest pum-- ... damn.

September 23, 2005 5:39 PM

GymFilter: I'm going backwards.

I have the amazing ability to gain muscle faster than almost anyone I know. I also have the amazing ability to lose muscle faster than almost anyone I know. After one week of not working out at least every other day, I gain 5 lbs or so, and drop 15 lbs on my bench press. It takes me at least two weeks to get back to where I was.

Some weeks, I just don't have the time or energy to work out. What can I do to hold where I am for a short amount of time, and not have to spend 2 weeks getting back to where I was to begin with? At the very least, staying a constant weight might be nice.

posted by devilsbrigade to health & fitness (8 comments total)

Sounds like it could be a diet thing to me. Are you using any sort of supplements (creatine, etc) when working out that could cause you to lose or retain water differently than the rest of the time that you're working out?

A 5 lb real gain in 1 week when not working out sounds unlikely without some sort of water retention thing going on. It could also be that you're weighing yourself after a workout when you've lost a lot of water weight from sweating.
posted by freshgroundpepper at 5:49 PM on September 23, 2005

Wow, that's a really wide spread in weight and very drastic gain/loss. Do you use the same scale (for precision over accuracy)?

Usually, a once-a-week workout is sufficient to maintain weight/strength. Have you considered an abbreviated alternative workout that you *can* do once a week?

... and seconded on freshgroundpepper's "do you take supplements" question.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 6:14 PM on September 23, 2005

No supplements. I usually will try to eat a pretty big chunk of protein after I work out, but that's about it thats different. The only time I weigh myself is after a workout, so water loss should be roughly the same (although I know it can vary with how much I've had that day/etc, so its definitely not completely accurate).
posted by devilsbrigade at 6:20 PM on September 23, 2005

It's my understanding that the most accurate way of weiging yourself on a daily basis is to do it in the morning right after you've voided.

I use an excel spreadsheet that I got at the Hackers Diet website to monitor my weight loss/gain. Just enter your morning weight every day and it will shows you your "real" weight using the trend over the last few weeks.

5 pounds of real weight gain translates into about 17,500 extra calories that you'd need to consume in that week. It's unlikely that you'd consume that much over your regular amount and not be aware that you're overeating. I'd bet that the weight gain that you're seeing is probably some water retention and variability in when you're weighing yourself.

As for the losing of the weight on your bench press, how does that compare to the overall amount that you bench? If you're benching a really high amount (like 250+) losing 15 pounds isnt surprising at all as you need to be pretty conditioned to get to that level, and it's a relatively small percentage loss.
posted by freshgroundpepper at 6:45 PM on September 23, 2005

Keep in mind that bench pressing is very much a trained skill. You're off by 15 lbs...because you haven't been doing it.

And please dont' say you've been going for a max BP weight. Max weights are all about ego and not about measuring strength. Bonus, they're near the amount of force necessary to get injuried.

Most people I know of...get stronger with a one week layoff...because most people, on the whole, are over trained.

If your'e off for a week...and keep intaking as much food...you'd have to be eating approx an extra 3k in calories a day to gain 5lbs in a week.

Now, realistically, you're likely weighing yourself after your workout...and comparing it to your hydraded self at some other point. 2-3lbs woudl be easy
posted by filmgeek at 8:13 PM on September 23, 2005

The weight is probably water weight. I drink about 3 pounds of liquids (a 32 oz dasani and a 20oz Gatorade) when I do the elliptical at my gym, and during the summer I would weight about the same before and after (that was before I gave up weighing myself after working out).

If I were you, I'd try measuring my muscles to see if they're actually 'shrinking' or if you're just imagining things.
posted by delmoi at 11:39 PM on September 23, 2005

I do 3 sets of 10 of 130lbs, 'normally.' After a week, I can't get through 10 after the first set, and have to drop down to 115-120 to get 10 again. I have no idea what my max bench is. I'm not very serious about lifting, just for staying in shape.

Weight could well be water weight. I don't have a reliable scale at home. Still, it feels noticable to me.
posted by devilsbrigade at 12:55 AM on September 24, 2005

Are you doing warm-up sets at all? A set or two of 50% to 60% of your normal weight first might be what you need to get those three sets of 100% - after a break.
posted by jopreacher at 2:06 PM on September 24, 2005