I'm 17, male, I just started working out a month ago, why am I gaining fat?

Question

I started working out about a month ago. I've always been really skinny and never have gained a pound of fat. So I started going to the gym and lifting to gain muscle and in turn, gain weight. I am gaining muscle, but I'm also gaining fat around my stomach. Any explainations and also any solutions?

Answer 1

Just remember that muscle weighs more than fat. So continue to work out, watch what you eat. After you work out, you should do some cardio also. Get on a treadmill or an eliptical trainer and do about 2 miles. You don't have to run on the treadmill, a brisk walk will do fine. If you're getting some fat around your abdomen, this will help get rid of it. As a basic explaination, your liver stores carbs. When you work out, you'll burn your carbs first, then you'll start burning fat. So, while you're working out, you're burning your carbs and some fat, then when you get on the treadmill or eliptical trainer, you're burning nothing but fat. Plus it's good for the heart, thus the name cardio. Do a workout routime...legs one day, arms and shoulders another day, and chest the next day as an example. Try to do your whole body in a week. You can do abs every day. Chicks love a good ripped six pack. Hang on something and do vertical and oblique leg lifts. This is even better than crunches, and you won't hurt your back. Be careful, you don't have to do the heavy weight thing just to look awesome. Low weights and high reps will make you ripped. You'll never look like the guys in the muscle magazines unless you're on the juice (steriods--very unhealthy, can cause cancer) and are constantly dehydrated. These guys look all buff, but actually they're very unhealthy. It's not worth it to abuse your body like this. All this info I got from a friend who used to professionally body build. He's got scars on his hips from shooting up the juice so much. Best of luck to you..........

Answer 2

Eating after a workout is the best time to do it, because your metabolism is higher and you will burn more calories. And you probably are gaining muscle weight too. As for the fat around your stomach, try combining your weight training with some cardio.

Answer 3

thsi is because you are burning more claories than usual and your body need more intake, so you have a tendency to eat more than usual, so thats why you are gianing fat, also it will even out the number of calories that you need as your body adjusts to the dramatic change

MUSCLE WEIGHS A HECK OF A LOT MORE THAN FAT

Try easing into your new schedule

the first week do 30 min of trainng a day, the second week try 1 hours of trainnig a day, and so on and so forth, just trust me, everything is going to be fine

Answer 4

Read the recommendations below. Also, go to the book store and locate the book "Weight Training for Dummies". In chapter 15 you will find excellent information on how to perform abdominal exercises correctly. Page 218 of the book dispels all the myths surrounding abdominal training.

The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:

*1) Burn more calories then you're consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity. Get a diet and fitness calculator that you can put on your computer or cell phone. This will allow you to easily calculate this formula, set goals, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.

*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.

Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as potatoes) and drink lots of water. Read this article for more information on high GL Carbs:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates.html

Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Here is an excellent food pyramid that anyone can follow: http://www.rayandterry.com/html/images/PyramidLRG.gif?osCsid=26a424be471d1337e7c2f105d5c64d9d

*3) Exercise on most days by doing cardiovascular training and/or resistance training activities.

Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure your doing all resistance training exercises correctly. A great book to buy that teaches you the resistance training basics is “Weight Training for Dummies”. A superb magazine to buy with resistance training routines that will not get you bored is "Muscle and Fitness". Signup for the free newsletter. An excellent free online resource is at http://www.exrx.net/

A good book to buy that teaches you the cardiovascular training basics is “Fitness for Dummies”.

*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.

*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A superb book to read is “You The Owner’s Manual”. An excellent periodic publication is the “Nutrition Action Health Letter”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at http://realage.com

Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier. Send me an email or yahoo instant message to "gainbetterhealth" if you want an indoor air purifier recommendation and if you have any questions.

*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Answer 5

sounds like your power training, which does bulk you up and builds strength, but also adds a little fat, its just the way that it works....its called anaerobic exercises....look at the guys on ESPN Worlds Strongest Man Comp , almost all of them have a gut, but they are strong as hell.

keep working out, but change up your program, more reps less weight, also throw in some aerobic exercises, stair master, tread-mill, elliptical, so on.....you need to balance anaerobic with aerobic exercises to get what I think your looking for

Answer 6

I work out everyday of my life. You are gaining muscle, but aparently - even though you are "skinny" you have a bit of flab around your stomache - may I suggest crunches..... Good luck and don't quit.

Answer 7

You probably eat a lot after exercizing. Try eating like two hours before going to the gym so you loose all the calories.

Answer 8

Well hers a question for you, are you eating healthy? Don't work out and then go off and have junk food what the whole use of working out any way. And don't stop eating. look up healthy food and exercising online.

Answer 9

How do you know you are gaining fat? Couldn't it be your non-existent abs growing and pushing out your stomach? Also you gotta eat right.

Answer 10

your probably eating to much after burning all that sweat off it probably makes u want to eat that's how i get when i work out and burn some sweat.