Stim break weight gain

[Sss23]

I was on 5-10mg adderall per day and a cup of coffee for about 2 years, always been around 185.. I’ve stopped all stimulants for 6 months, I’ve put on 15 - 20 pounds even though I’ve been working out more? Is this normal? Is it because of dopamine?

 

[cheftepesh1]

It can be. Without all the stims you metabolism will slow down. Try reverse dieting. It might help a little.

 

[Ricky10]

I was on 5-10mg adderall per day and a cup of coffee for about 2 years, always been around 185.. I’ve stopped all stimulants for 6 months, I’ve put on 15 - 20 pounds even though I’ve been working out more? Is this normal? Is it because of dopamine?

Adderall is infamous for reducing appetite, but probably less so on a chronic basis of two years. Has there been a correlating change in diet/nutrition as well?

 

[Sss23]

What’s reverse dieting?

And no, if anything I’ve been eating healthier/working out more thus why I’m confused

 

[rascal14]

What’s reverse dieting?

And no, if anything I’ve been eating healthier/working out more thus why I’m confused

Is it muscle, then?

 

[heavylifter33]

I was on 5-10mg adderall per day and a cup of coffee for about 2 years, always been around 185.. I’ve stopped all stimulants for 6 months, I’ve put on 15 - 20 pounds even though I’ve been working out more? Is this normal? Is it because of dopamine?

You've obviously increased calories. Adderall and caffeine aren't to blame for keeping your weight down, and they aren't to blame for your increase in weight when you ceased taking them.

 

[Sss23]

Is it muscle, then?

Definitely some but 15-20 pounds of muscle in 6 months seems extreme.. but I did go from not lifting for a year due to a busted shoulder, to lifting 4-5 days per week so maybe? Since I was starting from a lower base

 

[john.patterson]

Definitely some but 15-20 pounds of muscle in 6 months seems extreme.. but I did go from not lifting for a year due to a busted shoulder, to lifting 4-5 days per week so maybe? Since I was starting from a lower base

What is the timeline that you stopped stims and started training again? If you previously lifted weights and stopped for a year, adding training 4-5 days per week could be the cause for some of your weight gain.

As others have said above, the caffeine/adderall helped to suppress appetite and slightly speed metabolism. I don't think that removing these from your daily intake is a direct correlation to a 15-20lb weight gain though. It might be a factor, but your calorie intake must have increased in order for you to put on this much weight.

Also, how old are you? Have you been tracking calorie intake over the periods of change (stim intake change and training change)?

 

[InItForGainz]

I was on 5-10mg adderall per day and a cup of coffee for about 2 years, always been around 185.. I’ve stopped all stimulants for 6 months, I’ve put on 15 - 20 pounds even though I’ve been working out more? Is this normal? Is it because of dopamine?

Definitely some but 15-20 pounds of muscle in 6 months seems extreme.. but I did go from not lifting for a year due to a busted shoulder, to lifting 4-5 days per week so maybe? Since I was starting from a lower base

Forget about what the scales are telling you. How do you look and feel?

 

[Sss23]

Previously lifted weights for about 5 years consistently before my injury, lost most of my muscle during year off, I roughly track calories and would say they have increased slightly post adderall/caffeine but not substantially..

Mirror I look bigger in a good way and bad way, arms/shoulders/ legs much stronger but have gained more fat in stomach/ face it appears to me

 

[InItForGainz]

Mirror I look bigger in a good way and bad way, arms/shoulders/ legs much stronger but have gained more fat in stomach/ face it appears to me

Most of the time scale weight means very little in a hobby/lifestyle aimed at asthetics, it's more about how you look. With any muscle building/bulking programme there's going to be some unavoidable fat gain. So again it's probably a mixture of things that have increased your scale weight but you have to look at it from an asthetical view. If you think you're gaining too much and getting a little too porky then look at your diet and adjust your surplus.

 

[AntM1564]

I was on 5-10mg adderall per day and a cup of coffee for about 2 years, always been around 185.. I’ve stopped all stimulants for 6 months, I’ve put on 15 - 20 pounds even though I’ve been working out more? Is this normal? Is it because of dopamine?

There is some good advice in here OP. Stimulants do have a small thermogenic effect, but not enough to make one gain that much weight. As stated, stimulants and adderall can help decrease appetite. The only thing that makes sense is you have been eating more since you've been off all stimulants.

Do you track your calories with an app such as MFP? If you do not, it is difficult to tell if you are eating more or not. I would first figure out how many calories you are eating and then figure out what your TDEE is and go from there.

It looks like the mirror is telling you good things though. If you look bigger and fuller in some areas, that's great! Do keep in mind then when eating in a surplus, even a small surplus, gaining fat is inevitable. One is not going to put on 100% lean muscle when they gain weight. If you look a little bigger in a bad way in some areas, that is probably where you hold your fat. We all hold our fat in different areas.