Still gaining weight

So I started working out for the past couple weeks. I also reduced the amount of calories I take it. I started taking protein after workout drinks (about 36g of protein). I started working out I weighed ~210, and in 1 week I gained almost 6-7 lbs. Im assuming that this is due to putting on muscle and from the protein drinks, but I would ultimately like to put on muscle and lose weight. I also suffer from having not the greatest backs so one reason I take the protein is to help recover quicker. I dont overlift either since I know the toll it can take (I had hurt my arm a while ago overlifting). Also something funny that happened, on new years I had a party at my house, and my friends from college who I hadnt seen in about 2-3 weeks came over. They all said it looked like I had been losing weight, but it was just weird because I knew I had put on weight lol so im assuming either A) they were being nice, but I dont think this was the reason. Or B) I actually cut fat and put on muscle.

So my main questions, in order to lose weight:
Should I cut out the protein, and see if this makes me lose weight.
Should I add more cardio to my workouts. (I do very little, and to me I believe this is indeed the problem)

Thanks everyone for your help.

Originally Posted by TowleY

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I started working out I weighed ~2010

For a guy weighing in at 2010, I wouldn't worry about weight fluctuations of 6-7 lbs.

Originally Posted by TrH

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For a guy weighing in at 2010, I wouldn't worry about weight fluctuations of 6-7 lbs.

Woops haha, 210***

Originally Posted by TowleY

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.
Should I add more cardio to my workouts. (I do very little, and to me I believe this is indeed the problem)

I think a cardio program is an important part of a workout routine. I have the same problem. I am toned in all areas of my body but don't have a flat gut. I avoid cardio as much as I can. I do P90X and it has done great for all other parts of my body.

You should also take into account the type of calories you are consuming. Fats, protein, carbs. That 6-7 lbs you gained wasn't muscle, I don't think gaining that much muscle at week is possible, much less at a caloric deficit like you think you are in. Are you counting the calories you are eating. Start out with 2k a week and if you lose weight then keep that going for a while. Do cardio 2-3 times a week. Depending on your BF%, you will need to do more or less to get visible abs, if that is the goal.

Originally Posted by rahimlee54

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You should also take into account the type of calories you are consuming. Fats, protein, carbs. That 6-7 lbs you gained wasn't muscle, I don't think gaining that much muscle at week is possible, much less at a caloric deficit like you think you are in. Are you counting the calories you are eating. Start out with 2k a week and if you lose weight then keep that going for a while. Do cardio 2-3 times a week. Depending on your BF%, you will need to do more or less to get visible abs, if that is the goal.

Before I cut calories I would be suprised if I was eating 2k calories let alone now haha.
The only time I can imagine myself currently eating a lot of calories is during dinner. Since my mom makes dinner it is hard for me to deviate towards something else however I guess I can always pick more on vegetables and less on the other stuff.
Visible abs sounds so nice haha. But right now I would just be satisfied with any weight loss.
And Im assuming for the visible abs I would have to do more since I cant picture myself doing much less lol

fat/weight loss is primarily a function of diet.

1. track your calories using fitday.com. enter in exactly everything you eat for a week. not what you should be eating, what you're actually eating.

2. tally up your weekly calories, divide by 7. that's your average daily calorie total. chop 500 from that number.

3. eat at your new calorie total for the week. continue tracking your diet. monitor whether or not you have lost or gained weight. if you're still gaining weight, chop more calories off your daily total. if you've stayed the same weight, add in more cardio. if you've lost weight, continue what you're doing.

4. continue to track your diet. you say you eat what mom makes for dinner, which makes it hard to track what you're actually eating. one thing that will help is cutting out starchy carbs - bread, pasta, etc. only consume starchy carbs post-workout or post-cardio.

Make a commitment to the P90X program. Its simple, complete and works mainly on fundamentals. You can do it at home. You don't even need to go to the gym. You won't regret it.

If you want to just purely lose weight you shouldn't lift at all, instead just eat less calories. If you want to lose weight AND gain muscle then you should eat low fat high protein and lift but more importantly do cardio and drink lots of water.

I dont know how tall/muscular you are (so i dont know if 210 is a lot or not that much) but i would begin with insanity. That will make you loose fat like crazy. I would focus off loosing fat first then building muscle.

Originally Posted by jarude

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fat/weight loss is primarily a function of diet.

1. track your calories using fitday.com. enter in exactly everything you eat for a week. not what you should be eating, what you're actually eating.

2. tally up your weekly calories, divide by 7. that's your average daily calorie total. chop 500 from that number.

3. eat at your new calorie total for the week. continue tracking your diet. monitor whether or not you have lost or gained weight. if you're still gaining weight, chop more calories off your daily total. if you've stayed the same weight, add in more cardio. if you've lost weight, continue what you're doing.

4. continue to track your diet. you say you eat what mom makes for dinner, which makes it hard to track what you're actually eating. one thing that will help is cutting out starchy carbs - bread, pasta, etc. only consume starchy carbs post-workout or post-cardio.

1) Ill do this and update the thread day by day. Its funny my friend who I work out with just gave me a website to do this make an hour before you posted it lol. Said its a big help.
2) Will do
3) After I get my calorie total, how should I track it. Daily im assuming?
4) Im sure if I tried I can find out how much im eating for dinner, ill do it tonight and see how we do with it. Its gonna be hard to cut back with a hardcore italian family and the home made tomato sauce and pasta haha.

Originally Posted by mkarim

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Make a commitment to the P90X program. Its simple, complete and works mainly on fundamentals. You can do it at home. You don't even need to go to the gym. You won't regret it.
Ive heard about the p90 program and really considered doing it. I heard that it was a great program and very very tough. I was considering doing it but I dont think between school and exams and stuff I would be able to commit for the full 90 days. Also I prefer working out witih friends since it adds motivation, and I actually did p90 for maybe 20 days and one of my friends dropped out, then the other,then me.
Ive also heard people calling it a "fad" diet.

Originally Posted by Harbin

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If you want to just purely lose weight you shouldn't lift at all, instead just eat less calories. If you want to lose weight AND gain muscle then you should eat low fat high protein and lift but more importantly do cardio and drink lots of water.

Drinking water wont be hard considering thats all I really drink haha especially if I am at home.
And yes I would like to more or less cut fat add muscle and lose weight.

Originally Posted by ImaPro

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I dont know how tall/muscular you are (so i dont know if 210 is a lot or not that much) but i would begin with insanity. That will make you loose fat like crazy. I would focus off loosing fat first then building muscle.

Im around 5'10'' ish 210 lbs. I would say that I am not too muscular anymore and now I am more "flabby" haha. And what do you mean "begin with insanity". Is it just a workout?

Thank you everyone so much for your input. Everything is helping a lot.
Ill also continue posting my calorie intakes and stuff as the days go on.

If you have just started your exercise, it is like this. The muscle gain in the first weeks actually is higher than the fat loss. After hitting the first plateau in muscle gain, you will lose weight (fat) much faster. Nevertheless it depends on eating healthy and enough to sustain a many month long routine (2000 calories at least, with heavy work outs way more). Educate yourself on nutrition and how many calories your usual meals have without counting each calorie.

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Originally Posted by TowleY

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1)
Ive heard about the p90 program and really considered doing it. I heard that it was a great program and very very tough. I was considering doing it but I dont think between school and exams and stuff I would be able to commit for the full 90 days. Also I prefer working out witih friends since it adds motivation, and I actually did p90 for maybe 20 days and one of my friends dropped out, then the other,then me.
Ive also heard people calling it a "fad" diet.

P90X is actually a lot easier than it looks. Its definitely a lot easier than most of the programs these professional trainers put you on. There are 3 levels to it: one is mainly toning (cardio-based), one is building muscle and toning and the third is building pure mass. I am on the second level (muscle and toning). I also thought the program is very hard so I decided to do some exercises from it at random just to build endurance (for 2-3 weeks). Then I started the program. Its very important that you also follow the nutrition guidelines as well as that gives you the strength to do the workouts. Anyone who thinks its a fad diet doesn't know what they're talking about. Its the real thing.

Originally Posted by mkarim

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P90X is actually a lot easier than it looks. Its definitely a lot easier than most of the programs these professional trainers put you on. There are 3 levels to it: one is mainly toning (cardio-based), one is building muscle and toning and the third is building pure mass. I am on the second level (muscle and toning). I also thought the program is very hard so I decided to do some exercises from it at random just to build endurance (for 2-3 weeks). Then I started the program. Its very important that you also follow the nutrition guidelines as well as that gives you the strength to do the workouts. Anyone who thinks its a fad diet doesn't know what they're talking about. Its the real thing.

Ill maybe consider trying it again when I go back to school so I am doing it with the people for the 90 days straight.

If anyone wants to check out my diet:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/impulse155

According to it one thing I noticed is that I consume a lot more protein than I should. But I knew this to begin with. Is that a red flag or no? Also I think the chicken I used was a bit skewed but I am not 100% sure