OT Workout crew: What am I doing wrong?

If you're developing muscle mass, you add to your weight.

You added water and muscle weight

"Working out is a marathon, not a sprint"

So basically I'm going to see results but not yet and begin doing more reps? Thanks a lot btw, def appreciate it man.

All I've ever really known is cardio and I just began introducing weights because I wanted to transform fat to muscle as opposed to having saggy skin, etc.

5x5 isn't gonna make you bulk up - that's a common misconception. It's designed to make you stronger. Higher reps tend to add more mass. That being said, ANY resistance training is going to build some muscle and muscle is quite a bit heavier than fat.

You can be 6'3" 231 and lean as hell, but I take it that's not the case. Follow your MFP ap as a guide and make sure you're doing plenty cardio.

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transform fat to muscle

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I'm risking sounding like a dick here but that's not my intention. You cannot transform fat to muscle. You will burn fat through diet, cardio and weight lifting, and will build and strengthen your muscle. I'm sure you understand this but you'd be surprised how many don't.

ETA: If you're gonna drink milk, just drink while milk or 2% and get the benefits they offer. And remember when you're grocery shopping, stay on the outside of the aisles. The closer to the center, the worse the food is for you.

The old adage is lower weight, higher reps if you want to tone up. Heavier weight, lower reps to bulk up. If you're putting on muscle, you're weight will (in most cases) go up. I'd stop the 5x5 and try doing more toning exercises. A quick visit to the web should give you plenty of exercise programs for toning.

2800 is a lot of calories. Drop it 500 and see how you feel after a week.

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The old adage is lower weight, higher reps if you want to tone up. Heavier weight, lower reps to bulk up.

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This is not accurate at all. Heavy weight low reps builds strength. Light weight high reps builds size. Any weight training will "tone" muscle because it's burning fat.



Hypertrophy increases muscle size. And OP, you need to have a good balance of high and low rep workouts. Good luck with your goals

I'm about the same height...last summer I was on a mission to drop real weight and tone up...here's how I broke through 230 to get to 215:

Preworkout
25-30 minutes of cardio prior to lifting
Switched from leg-upper to leg-upper push, upper pull and went every day except Saturday
Keep leg day intense
Post workout fatburner/glutamine/creatine/BCAAS
Do 20 laps at the pool on Sundays
Eat omelet at 0730, protein shake at 0930, chicken breast at 1200, tuna at 1400, protein bar at 1700, light salad sometimes at 2000
THEN...

I started fasting, yes, fasting on Tuesday and Sunday I did not eat after noon, I didn't start eating again until 0730 the next day.
Apparently if you are in good shape, your metabolism works different when you fast for 18 hours than if your a slob. Look it up, it works. I was abbed out from September to Thanksgiving.

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2,800 calories is way too many.

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Agree, my daily intake was 1800-2100...

Then I started fasting...the guy that got me started on it fasted 1 whole day twice a week (noon-noon). Dude was pretty ripped, and used to be a big cat. He didn't even stick to a ridged diet when he wasn't fasting, as long as he got 4 servings of protein a day, he carbed up...dude swam 3-5 days a week, though

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You added water

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this.. stay at it, drink tons of water.. it will fall off. And if you are lifting weights on the regular then throw away the scale. Get a tape, and measure your chest, waist, arms, etc and go by that.