[RoRo84]

I need help...before i become a house (not literally) but i feel like im getting fat and i dont no how to stop it! Im currently taking celexa it's an anxiety medication and i know that it is said that you can gain weight uncontrollably while on it.....(sooo true) I have gained 15 pounds since i have been on this medication i gained 5 from the prozac switched to the celexa and gained 10 pounds in less than two months! I have changed alot in my diet i hardly eat any junk food and i stoped all soda...all i drink is water and smart water! i work out 5 times a week i do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio on an arch trainer and then sprint for 20 minutes on a tread mill....and this is also with weight traning (working hard especially on my abs) I have skinny arms and legs and my most problem areas are my stomach and hips! Can someone tell me what to do?? Is there anything safe over the counter that i can take while on my medication? Pretty much what the meds i am on now they slow down my metabolism i just want to be back to what i used to be and thats 120 pounds! Any suggestions!

[wastedwhiteboy2]

I am against all mental medications so I'll skip that part. you need to stop eating so much food. the meds will make it tough to build muscle and convert your food to fat, but gaining weight is from eating too many calories. if you have the apple body type I would suggest weight training to build muscle. I would concentrate on your legs. most people I see with that body type eat horrible and dont have any muscle. keep some cardio days though. diet pills will not help you.
sorry to be the Ahole.

[MakaveliThaDon]

Originally Posted by wastedwhiteboy2

I am against all mental medications so I'll skip that part. you need to stop eating so much food. the meds will make it tough to build muscle and convert your food to fat, but gaining weight is from eating too many calories. if you have the apple body type I would suggest weight training to build muscle. I would concentrate on your legs. most people I see with that body type eat horrible and dont have any muscle. keep some cardio days though. diet pills will not help you.
sorry to be the Ahole.

I have somewhat of a different view on it myself. Although I do agree with some of what you said, and I think it was good advice. But I've also been in a similar situation myself, and seen and made diets for many people who have been in the same situation as well, and the answer WAS NOT to not eat as much.

First of all I think it's fair to assume that anybody who finds themselves in this situation to begin with is leaning more towrds the endomorph side of the scale, rather than the ectomorph side. An ecto wouldn't ever have this problem to begin with.

With an endo, the metabolism is by nature slower than the average person. To the point where the answer is NOT to not eat as much. I've seen people cut back to the point where they only eat maybe 2 or 3 meals a day, and when they do eat it's hardly anything at all, like maybe a pop tart or toast or something extremely small. Well obviously there not eating very many cals, and should be losing weight, but it doesn't work like that. When you quit eating like that, you take your already naturally slow metabolism and almost totally shut it off.

Well, we all know what happens when your metabolism is going slow, you don't burn calories. The people, myself included, that have done this, have actually GAINED weight on that kind of diet. Not the answer.

The answer was to eat more, keep it clean of course, keep your carbs up, to keep your metabolism going, if you go real low carb, and up your fats, your metabolism will slow down.

My advice to you would be to set up a diet where your cals are a little bit below maintenance level. Then take that number and set up a macro ratio of something like 40/40/20 of protein/carbs/fat. Six to seven meals a day. It's important for you to keep doing that working out 5 times a week and doing that cardio though. Cardio and working out speeds up your metabolism incredibly.

So personally, I would keep the cardio and working out schedule, just change the diet to something along those lines and you will be amazed how eating more food and more frequently will actually make the fat disappear faster than trying to not eat as much.

[workin2005]

Originally Posted by RoRo84

I need help...before i become a house (not literally) but i feel like im getting fat and i dont no how to stop it! Im currently taking celexa it's an anxiety medication and i know that it is said that you can gain weight uncontrollably while on it.....(sooo true) I have gained 15 pounds since i have been on this medication i gained 5 from the prozac switched to the celexa and gained 10 pounds in less than two months! I have changed alot in my diet i hardly eat any junk food and i stoped all soda...all i drink is water and smart water! i work out 5 times a week i do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio on an arch trainer and then sprint for 20 minutes on a tread mill....and this is also with weight traning (working hard especially on my abs) I have skinny arms and legs and my most problem areas are my stomach and hips! Can someone tell me what to do?? Is there anything safe over the counter that i can take while on my medication? Pretty much what the meds i am on now they slow down my metabolism i just want to be back to what i used to be and thats 120 pounds! Any suggestions!

Hello Roro84...Welcome to AM!

Post your current diet and exercise program (particularly diet)as that will make it easier to give you proper advice.

Workin

[RoRo84]

Hey Workin 2005.....This is pretty much how my diet has been going for the past month or so.....Since i have been hearing so many different things from people i kind of just did my own thing some people said less calories, others said less carbs, then others said eat 7 times a day and other said only eat 4 so this is what ive been doing and how i have been eating...... I work 5 times a week so when i get to work at 9:00am i eat either a bowl of special K cereal with fat free milk, or something simple like fruit and yogurt....about 12:00 i get a little hungry so i snack on 100 calorie packs of wheat thins or i have a handful of peanuts....(i do not snack on chips or any other junk food...if i do have something like that its literally 3 chips and thats it just to get rid of my craving for it...and this is not everydays or all the time), for lunch around 2:30 i have a Tossed Salad with chicken and light italian or balsamic and oil dressing i dont have this everyday for lunch but some of the foods i will have for lunch would be.....chicken breast (deli) on wheat toast with spicy brown mustard, provalone cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Veggie Melts with Broccoli, provalone cheese and Mushrooms. Grilled or oven roasted chicken sandwhich with lettuce and tomato on wheat bread with Sweet corn. (stuff along the lines of that stuff...i like alot of chicken not big on fish unless it's sushi. Then for Dinner sometimes i'll have a really small bowl of pasta with homemade red sauce (just enough to fill me), Asparagus, Corn, Broccoli, Baked Potatoes with butter and a little salt, oven roasted chicken, salad no heavy dressings i dont really like dressings just oil and vinegar, Rice pilaf, if im in the mood ill have an egg white omlette with cheese, broccoli and mushrooms. (i eat that for breakfast as well sometimes)....Im not big on snaking but if i do it's usually jello (sugar free) yougurt, fruit, Nuts and Sherbert, Slush! .....i think i pretty much sumed it up sorry for the whole story but i just really need some help......also you should no that i do not like fast food like miky d's burger king or wendy's i have not had that stuff in over 4 months and i dont drink soda because im really trying to get this diet going the only thing i love to eat on a cheat day is french fries (my favorite food) and i only eat them once a week as to where four months ago it was almost like 4 times a week

[RoRo84]

Oh yes and for working out i listed that at the very top....i spend about 2 hours at the gym usually on a good day....i work out on an arch trainer for cardio for about 30-45 minutes....Then i do about 15-20 min on a treadmill where i walk for three minutes to get system going and then i sprit for 45 seconds, walk for 1:15 second and then sprint every 45 seconds for 15-20 minutes....then i work out on my abs im not sure what the work outs are called but i do alot of bicycle crunches, the ab work out where you lie on the floor and lift both your legs up and have someone push them back to the floor, side abs with a weight, ab machines and a few others....then i work out my arms and legs i switch up on that everyday one day abs and arms...next days abs and legs and cardio and abs i do everyday i got to the gym 5 times a week

[workin2005]

Originally Posted by RoRo84

Hey Workin 2005.....This is pretty much how my diet has been going for the past month or so.....Since i have been hearing so many different things from people i kind of just did my own thing some people said less calories, others said less carbs, then others said eat 7 times a day and other said only eat 4 so this is what ive been doing and how i have been eating...... I work 5 times a week so when i get to work at 9:00am i eat either a bowl of special K cereal with fat free milk, or something simple like fruit and yogurt....about 12:00 i get a little hungry so i snack on 100 calorie packs of wheat thins or i have a handful of peanuts....(i do not snack on chips or any other junk food...if i do have something like that its literally 3 chips and thats it just to get rid of my craving for it...and this is not everydays or all the time), for lunch around 2:30 i have a Tossed Salad with chicken and light italian or balsamic and oil dressing i dont have this everyday for lunch but some of the foods i will have for lunch would be.....chicken breast (deli) on wheat toast with spicy brown mustard, provalone cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Veggie Melts with Broccoli, provalone cheese and Mushrooms. Grilled or oven roasted chicken sandwhich with lettuce and tomato on wheat bread with Sweet corn. (stuff along the lines of that stuff...i like alot of chicken not big on fish unless it's sushi. Then for Dinner sometimes i'll have a really small bowl of pasta with homemade red sauce (just enough to fill me), Asparagus, Corn, Broccoli, Baked Potatoes with butter and a little salt, oven roasted chicken, salad no heavy dressings i dont really like dressings just oil and vinegar, Rice pilaf, if im in the mood ill have an egg white omlette with cheese, broccoli and mushrooms. (i eat that for breakfast as well sometimes)....Im not big on snaking but if i do it's usually jello (sugar free) yougurt, fruit, Nuts and Sherbert, Slush! .....i think i pretty much sumed it up sorry for the whole story but i just really need some help......also you should no that i do not like fast food like miky d's burger king or wendy's i have not had that stuff in over 4 months and i dont drink soda because im really trying to get this diet going the only thing i love to eat on a cheat day is french fries (my favorite food) and i only eat them once a week as to where four months ago it was almost like 4 times a week

The first thing I notice is a HUGE lack of Protein in your diet. Every meal should contain about 30-50 grams of protein. After you have that taken care of, it's simply a matter of balancing carbs and fats.

Your meals should be planned better and you should shoot for 6 per day. There are a ton of "diet tricks" that work for some and not for others, but the 6 meals per day plan has proven effective for people over and over again across the board.

Shoot me an email at: aaron@nimbusnutrition.com
I will be happy to pass along a diet and exercise program that should help you tremendously. It the very least, I will be a good starting point.

You also may want to contact our latest edition to Nimbus Nutrition, Aaron R. Smith. He is excellent at outlining particular diet and exercise programs to meet the needs of each individual. His board name here on AM is "AlphaAnabolic". You can also read more about his background here:
Welcome our latest Edition to Nimbus Nutrition!

Many times, the most difficult thing to do is ask for help. I commend you for taking the first few HARD steps to a better, healthier lifestyle. I wish you great success!

Workin

[AlphaAnabolic]

Yes sir, I would be most happy to help you out in any way possible my friend. Aaron B is a VERY well versed man in the science of this sport; but I know he has a business to tend to, so please e-mail me.

I am Nimbus' head of nutrition and training, and have a massive arsenal of techniques to manipulate the body, burn fat, and as hard as it is it believe I have nailed down the process to GAIN muscle, while dieting. Please refer to my progress pictures on this forum, as I am preparing for a couple national qualifiers.

At any rate my friend, my e-mail is ALWAYS open for customers of Nimbus, and anyone who wishes to improve themselves, Take care and good luck!

-Aaron

Originally Posted by RoRo84

Oh yes and for working out i listed that at the very top....i spend about 2 hours at the gym usually on a good day....i work out on an arch trainer for cardio for about 30-45 minutes....Then i do about 15-20 min on a treadmill where i walk for three minutes to get system going and then i sprit for 45 seconds, walk for 1:15 second and then sprint every 45 seconds for 15-20 minutes....then i work out on my abs im not sure what the work outs are called but i do alot of bicycle crunches, the ab work out where you lie on the floor and lift both your legs up and have someone push them back to the floor, side abs with a weight, ab machines and a few others....then i work out my arms and legs i switch up on that everyday one day abs and arms...next days abs and legs and cardio and abs i do everyday i got to the gym 5 times a week

[PHWSSJ]

i hink your biggest problem is those pills you take. if it is at all possible.... get of the pills! There are a bunch of different natural ways to help your situation.

try some muira puama. i dont know exactly what your condition is but most of the time the types of medications your taking do more harm than good.

you cant go wrong going the natural way, you just cant so give it a try.

[somagish]

RoRo... I feel for you. I actually used to take Celexa because I was depressed and down about how I looked with weight. Then, I actually put on .5lbs per day for 40 days in a row. Needless to say, the pill I was taking to cure being depressed actually caused me to be more depressed.

I am not a doctor and do not know your specific issues, but honestly, I think the best thing I ever did was stop taking those pills. I just went cold turkey on the anti-depressants. The best thing I have ever done for my mood and wellbeing has been to change my diet. Although it is not the best for building muscle, try to do a raw or natural food diet for a few weeks. I think you will have more energy and more importantly I promise that you will feel like a new human being. Once you get all the crap out of your body you will most likely not need any antidepressants... then you can go back to eating clean food with more protien and get back in shape. Give it a shot!

[lkmisc]

Originally Posted by RoRo84

Oh yes and for working out i listed that at the very top....i spend about 2 hours at the gym usually on a good day....i work out on an arch trainer for cardio for about 30-45 minutes....Then i do about 15-20 min on a treadmill where i walk for three minutes to get system going and then i sprit for 45 seconds, walk for 1:15 second and then sprint every 45 seconds for 15-20 minutes....then i work out on my abs im not sure what the work outs are called but i do alot of bicycle crunches, the ab work out where you lie on the floor and lift both your legs up and have someone push them back to the floor, side abs with a weight, ab machines and a few others....then i work out my arms and legs i switch up on that everyday one day abs and arms...next days abs and legs and cardio and abs i do everyday i got to the gym 5 times a week

-----------
This is my first post to this group, so I hope I am doing it correctly.

I'm in the same boat as Roro84. I have been running 4-5 times per week (typically 45 minutes each time) and started lifting weights in January (2xs per week). I'm not a bodybuilder. I've got the cardio down pat, but I know there is something wrong with the other half of the nutrition equation.

I have just been putting on more and more belly fat and have gained a handful of pounds in just 6 weeks. I'm female BTW.

I eat very healthy, but never know if I'm eating too much or not enough. My caloric intake is around 2000 calories, but I have changed my diet since I last kept a food diary back in January. I am now experimenting with the moderate carb, moderate protein, higher "good" fat program eating lots of wild salmon, veggies, omelettes, nuts, etc.. I don't eat meat.

I just can't seem to figure out the correct balance and quantities. I eat three meals with snackes in between, typically a piece of string cheese and an apple and/or some nuts.

Any guidance you can provide would be much appreciated!

[wastedwhiteboy2]

you need to eat meat. if that is really not an option then look into milk, whey, something with protein in it. nuts are great but full of calories.

[lkmisc]

Originally Posted by wastedwhiteboy2

you need to eat meat. if that is really not an option then look into milk, whey, something with protein in it. nuts are great but full of calories.

I eat lots of salmon (4-5 times per week), tuna, and eggs (daily egg white omelette), so I do get plenty of protein. I also eat low fat ricotta cheese as a dessert, which is also high in protein. I have cut out all bread and grains two weeks ago and use only low carb tortillas. I'm not sure what else I can do. I have gained 13 pounds over the past year. I am not "fat", but all the excess weight is distributed around my middle, which is so unhealthy.

Prior to a year ago, I used to eat out 3 times per week, eating the bread in the basket, and had a glass of red wine every night, but yet, I was 13 pounds lighter back then. I still ran 3-4 times per week (45 minutes), but did not lift weights.

I would guess that I ate more back with all the restaurant meals.

Which makes me question the theory that perhaps I am not eating enough calories now, though I find that hard to believe since I'm at roughly 2000-2200. I have used some of the calculators to determine my basic caloric needs, not accounting for exercise and it came to about 1700-1800 calories just to exist.

However, I did just experiment with eating more healthy fats (and more calories), (e.g. nuts, avocados) and I ended up gaining weight so that theory seems to not hold water.

I have the workouts down pat, but the nutrional side of the equation is where I am lacking since that is 50% of the equation.

I do have whey powder, but have not used it lately.

[caffeineadct]

What is the difference you've felt since you started taking it... I suggest switching to something like Kava Kava or valarian root, if it is less anxiety. That should solve the low metabolism issue

[wastedwhiteboy2]

one year is not going to slow down your body enough to say your older now and have a slower metabolism. there had to be a change that is making you gain weight. eating more calories makes me gain weight. I have problems believing you can eat more calories and lose weight. timing of your meals is important. sounds like the types of food you are eating is good. is it possible you have gained muscle weight? women's weight will fluxuate more than mens, but the average should be the same. it seems like you are either eating more calories or burning less.