125 lb PUFF

[EmAzing]

OKay guys, I don't know what to do- or what's going on with me.
I feel helpless as I work out and watch my diet and I'm watching my definition go away. I don't know what to attribute it to- my weight has pretty much stayed the same, but the mirror doesn't lie. I'm thinking that I am becoming "skinnyfat".
I'm looking at ordering DCP and Venom 3.0 to see if that can mix things up a bit.
I attached some pics to show you guys what I am talking about. Never in my life have I been this puffy. My upper abs are puffing out and not in a good way. What should I do?

[T-Bone]

I think you should change your diet maybe. You are already extremely skinny, so much that it looks like you have an eating disorder. I'm not trying to be mean, just trying to help. I would re-evaluate your diet and training.

[EmAzing]

I think you should change your diet maybe. You are already extremely skinny, so much that it looks like you have an eating disorder. I'm not trying to be mean, just trying to help. I would re-evaluate your diet and training.

No offense taken. I've been changing the diet to eat more and incorporate more protein. I'm trying to put on muscle but keep the BF low, or at least maintain where it's at.I'm just concerned about losing the definition lately

[bigstabile]

Are you staying properly hydrated? Are you taking or eating anything that could cause you to hold water?

From what I can see you don't look "puffy" at all, but that is with only seeing after pictures.

[David Dunn]

Just my opinion so take it for what it is worth

I looked at your other thread where you mentioned your body fat being aroun 12%. I also got a look at that diet.

That is a very lean physique for a women or a man for that matter. By the looks of your pictures you apear to be in great shape. It does not seem to be that you are holding water weight. It does, though, seem like you may need to eat some more. More specifically complex carbohydrates.

Let me explain. You have a nice frame with a lean muscular midsection. What is lacking is fullness of your muscles. Deflated muscles are making your body look smooth(er). Carbohydrates will inflate those muscles with glycogen. This will in turn cause them to swell and draw tight any loose or smooth skin you have. The carbohydrates will also add back some of that vascularity. The carbohydrates will also stimulate your metabolism (leptin) which is probably tanked from excessive dieting. If you diet to long without refeeding this is what happens and is indeed what can cause the skinny-fat physique.

You have a great body. By the looks of your waist line you are as 'small' as you are going to get. Please don't get caught up in that 'skinny girl' eating mentality. It is counterproductive to achieving the athletic physique you are after.

My suggestion to you is to consider adding some complex carbohydrates to your diet. This will fill the muscle in your upper body and legs which will further complement your trim midsection as well as make you look leaner.

Quit dieting and start to eat and train to grow some muscle in your arms, back and legs.

Did I mention you have a great midsection

[Jstrong20]

You look great to me and very lean. I can't compare because you may be even leaner before. I agree with b5150 that if your muscles are flat and lack definition its probably do to little carbs. Mess with upping carbs or maybe have a carb up day. You may also be overtrained and reducing the weights in the gym for a week may help.

[EmAzing]

Thanks so much guys, and B5150 Lots of great info about the fullness of muscles. Thanks for understanding about the vascularity as well.. I'd cry if that went away!!!
So.. complex carbs being sweet potato, oats.. etc and aren't kidney and pinto beans a complex carb?
I'll start introducing them into my diet and see what that does.

[yeahright]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to B5150 again.

[bitterplacebo]

Thanks so much guys, and B5150 Lots of great info about the fullness of muscles. Thanks for understanding about the vascularity as well.. I'd cry if that went away!!!
So.. complex carbs being sweet potato, oats.. etc and aren't kidney and pinto beans a complex carb?
I'll start introducing them into my diet and see what that does.

Now that I see the pictures, I'm going to agree with what's been said about the carbs. You don't need to diet anymore and don't really need any fat loss supplement products. With more carbs, things will probably fill out nicely even if you do a less cardio and continue with resistance training.

Yes, the carbs you mentioned are good complex carbs, they also happen to be lower on the glycemic index also, which I think would work best for you to start with. For the beans, just don't overdo it, because they're often one of the more discomforting foods to digest. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite.

[EasyEJL]

You could also incorporate yellow gold / anabolic pump / p-slin or perhaps neovar into your diet. Any of the nutrient repartitioning substances would help as well with the adding of the complex carbs to insure hitting the muscle with the carb intake. I'm also considering (for myself) incorporating vegetable glycerin into that mix as the same time to help additionally puff the muscles. That does increase water retention, but taken properly (and at the same time as the nutrient repartitioners + complex carbs) it should get all shuttled to muscle. I'm still iffy on that part tho, I may try it this week

Do you have any similar earlier pictures?

[prld2gr8ns]

Some more info for you:

Carbohydrate Intake

The important thing to understand about carbs is that they have a " protein sparring " effect. Which means when your body has enough carbs to fuel itself, it will be able to more fully utilize amino acids for the maintenance, repair and growth of muscle tissues. This is why carbs are so vital to a bodybuilder who is trying to gain mass. In edition, eating too few carbohydrates can leave your muscles feeling and looking flat. Muscle fullness depends, to a large extent, on the glycogen stores within them. Likewise, your vascularity also depends on your carbohydrate intake. A prime example of this can perhaps be traced to your last cutting or dieting cycle. When dieting your veins disappear between meals and appear after meals. Top bodybuilders note that ingesting some simple sugars before a competition brings out their vascularity.

Carbohydrates are also chiefly responsible for inducing the release one of our bodies most anabolic hormones, Insulin! As I have stated many times before, insulin literally shuttles amino acids and other vital nutrients into our muscles for growth. However, insulin is also the chief hormone responsible for fat storage. My suggestion is to stay as clean as possible with your carbohydrate intake. Eat clean starchy carbs such as sweet potatoes and oatmeal. Also eat fibrous green carbs such as lettuce, spinach, and any other green veggy. Stay far away from anything that is bleached or processed such as white bread, candy, white rice and other carbs along those lines. Cleaner, fibrous carbs digest slowly and do not induce an overproduction of insulin. Hence, you get a steady even stream of this hormone, reaping the anabolic effects of it, while suppressing the fat storing side of it. Remember, processed foods usually always induce an overproduction of insulin.

[EmAzing]

I definetley get my share of green carbs- tons of spinach and veggies- Its the addiction to portein shakes I have to work on. Too much "liquid food" not enough real food. lol
Today I made an awesome baked bean dish with some white beans- starting slowly to get those carbs in.

I do have earlier pics, but they are from last year- I wasn't quite as lean as I am in these.

[bitterplacebo]

I usually don't even count the carbs from vegetables. They're a part of every meal I have usually, but I'll always have some other carbohydrate.

I think you might feel better if you start having less protein shakes. How many is it that you have per day? Do you ever feel tired sometime after you have a protein shake instead of a regular meal? This was brought up somewhere else recently, but whey protein alone might cause some elevation in blood sugar, meaning you will crash from it. If this is true, it would be best to avoid doing this for as many meals as you can, ie. eat whole food instead.

[prld2gr8ns]

I definetley get my share of green carbs- tons of spinach and veggies- Its the addiction to portein shakes I have to work on. Too much "liquid food" not enough real food. lol
Today I made an awesome baked bean dish with some white beans- starting slowly to get those carbs in.

I do have earlier pics, but they are from last year- I wasn't quite as lean as I am in these.

Getting carbs in with a protein shake is easy... just add in a cup or 2 of raw oats and viola you have a good healthy carb source to take with the protein. Personally I like to add a cup of flax seed cereal(nature's path makes a really good brand) to my 2 protein shakes everyday. Has a good dose of fiber, healthy carbs from wheat bran, and a decent serving of Omega 3's.

[EmAzing]

Well.......................... I'm at about 3 shakes a day in addition to 2 other meals. I would just rather have the shake than anything- kinda weird, but I love them.
I don't really even count my carbs- I just eat a dump load of veggies- looking at my diet though, they are my primary source of carbs.
Today I am doing a liver cleanse that will hopefully mix my schedule up and help me break this cycle of the protein shake addiciton..
lol

[EasyEJL]

Well.......................... I'm at about 3 shakes a day in addition to 2 other meals. I would just rather have the shake than anything- kinda weird, but I love them.
I don't really even count my carbs- I just eat a dump load of veggies- looking at my diet though, they are my primary source of carbs.
Today I am doing a liver cleanse that will hopefully mix my schedule up and help me break this cycle of the protein shake addiciton..
lol

Carbs from veggies are almost negligible really. a 13oz can of popeye spinach has less than 15g of carbs. Most veggies are carrying tons of water in them, so they provide good fill factor and good nutrients too. But starches like rice, potatoes, oats, etc are where you get significant volume of carbs per volume of food. I'm thinking that the rest of the people here would expect you to be taking in 150g of carbs a day, which is nearly impossible on a volume basis from green veggies. Picture eating 5 pounds of broccolli a day cause broccoli only has 30g per pound.

[David Dunn]

The point about veggies is true. Ground oatmeal with those protein shakes pre and post w/o. Maybe 1/2-1 cup (25-50g) pre and post.

[prld2gr8ns]

The point about veggies is true. Ground oatmeal with those protein shakes pre and post w/o. Maybe 1/2-1 cup (25-50g) pre and post.

I concurr.

When you factor in the fiber content and the total amount of carbs your getting, say 1cup broccoli contains 4gr CHO, 2 of which is fiber. Your actually getting next to no carbs. A good CARB source is all dependent on it's ability to effect insulin and blood glucose levels to promote glycolysis and (in your case) glycogenesis. Fiberous vegetables have next to no ability increasing circulating glucose. Add in some good complex carb sources in a way similiar to how B mentioned and you should be set.

[texxlnghorn]

Sorry, I just don't see the puffiness your talking about.