Uncontrollable weight gain, help!!!

[megad]

Ever since high school basketball season ended, my weight gain has been through the roof. If I wasn't a basketball player, this would be a good thing, but I need to be able to jump and move quickly.

At the end of the high school season (in Feb), I was 6'4" 195 pounds. Now I am 6'5" and 240 pounds. Alot of this gain was muscle, but alot was also fat. It is getting hard for me to dunk a basketball (which is embarassing for my height). I want to be 215-220 pounds.

Should I go on a diet? or Just do more cardio?

What are your suggestions?

Thanks alot.

 

[Lao Tzu]

how many hours a week did you practice during season and how many hours a week do you practice now.

 

[megad]

During season, we practice 15 hours a week. The practices are tough... lots of sprints.
Now, I'd say 5 hours a week.

 

[KWKSLVR]

What are you eating?

 

[megad]

eating alot... i try not to eat fast food or drink sodas

dont have a specific diet, or even know how many calories im taking down

 

[MissChris]

First things first:

Figure out your average daily calorie and macronutrient intake. While it's awesome that you're avoiding the fast food and sodas, and even if you don't plan on dieting, you should probably at least be aware of how your eating habits break down. That should be the first step to addressing the cause of your gain. (Plus, from my experience, gaining/losing/maintaining have infinitely more to do with your diet than with how much cardio you are/aren't doing).

You might find www.fitday.com to be very helpful.

Second, are you lifting?

Let us know on both accounts!

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Good Call MissChris. If you don't keep a food journal or even know what you eat, there isn't alot you can do about it. One thing is for certain. If you are very active and maintaining a certain weight and body fat, then cut down on the amount of activity you do, if you do not reduce calories accordingly, you will gain body fat. Its that simple.

 

[KWKSLVR]

Sounds to me like you definately need to cut back on quantity some. You've put on 45lbs in 5 months - 9lbs/month.

Thats 2.25lbs per week. Thats definately a serious calorie overload lol.

 

[Lao Tzu]

Thats 2.25lbs per week. Thats definately a serious calorie overload lol.

He also grew an inch in the last 5 months which will add a few pounds. Plus he gained some muscle. I'd wager the fat gain is closer to 20 lbs or so.

 

[KWKSLVR]

Well, 2.25lbs of weight loss or gain a week is pretty up there. Your probably right, 45lbs of fat gain would definately be noticeable. Hell, I've put on about 20 over the past 9 months or so. It can creep on you easily if you aren't careful. Especially if you have no metabolism like me .

 

[megad]

Yea... to give you a brief overview, heres what ive been eating:

id say every 2-3 hours id have a "meal"

40g protein
50g carbs
30g fats

seem too much?

 

[KWKSLVR]

So thats around 630 cals per meal.

I take it your eating 6 a day then?

With 6 meals, thats 3780 calories a day.
Calorie Needs: (from http://home.howstuffworks.com/calorie3.htm )
Adult male: 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

So for you:
66 + 1512 + 980.4 - 115.6 (assuming your say 17?)

That all equals = 2674 calories per day would be your maintenance cals. Of course, there is the fact that you do work out. However, with the calories you are consuming, you'd have to be burning around 1000/day with your workouts to stay at your current weight. (If your eating 6 meals/day that is)

 

[MissChris]

Need to know more about calorie breakdown and what it is you're eating rather than macronutrients at this point.

While the ratio is important, we first need to establish a base for calories in vs. calories out.

 

[bbock7272]

lol , that fitday site says at 165 and 5'10 im almost moderately overweight-bull$hit it also says 45 min of the most active sex burns 20 cals. bull$hit too

 

[megad]

I am lifting, btw. I dont think that I'm burning 1000 cals in the gym. I usually stay in the gym about 30 min. I usually do about 4 exercises and they are all compound lifts. (i usually do 3x5 or 2x8)

I think that the easiest solution to this is just to eat less. I'll go back to 3-4 meals daily + my pre/post workout meals.

The only problem is... my appetite. Its uncontrollable. Are there anyways to help this?

 

[KWKSLVR]

Chromium and lots of water will help. Give us an example of what your eating in these meals, that can have a lot to do with it.

 

[megad]

Before, I wasnt really concerned with what I ate... as long as it had carbs/protein, and low fat.

Now I'm really watching it. My usual meal will include: meat, potatoes/rice/pasta/bread, and veggies. I'll prolly eat 3 of these per day along with sips from my "protein gallon" (100 g protein with water). Plus no eating after 8pm.

 

[KWKSLVR]

I'd say the bread and pasta pretty much sums up your reason for hunger.

 

[megad]

Why? Before this, the problem was just that I was eating too much. All I'm doing is eating less of what I ate before.

 

[bbock7272]

eat meats- red meat, chicken , fish.. get rid of the carbs for a while and ull lose weight fast. if you need carbs have complex carbs like multigrain bread or wheat pasta.

Btw that workout routine will not do much for losing weight. Being at the gym for 30 min dont really burn many calories especially since you leave by the time your gonna break your first sweat.

You should take out alot of the carbs in your diet and replace them w/ leans meats and greens. Then increase your working out to at least 1hr. You dont need to do cardio, but those 20 min workouts u see on tv just dont work

 

[KWKSLVR]

Why? Before this, the problem was just that I was eating too much. All I'm doing is eating less of what I ate before.

Because your whole diet it essentially sugar. Bread, pasta, white rice, all of that stuff equals simple carbs which are basically sugar. Your always hungry because your blood sugar is out of wack. You've probably got some pretty sweet insulin spikes and crashes