I now weigh 240lbs—gained 20lbs during 2025.
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I now weigh 240lbs—gained 20lbs during 2025.
Of course, this freaks me out so I went to see a doctor. He put me on one of those weird scales that tabulates what kind of weight I have.
I have a muscle-to-fat ratio of 0.85. It is optimum for me to be above a 1 ratio but I’m still above average.
Visceral fat is rated at a 10. This is concerning but less than I had a couple years ago.
Despite having a very high BMI, I’m under no danger of sarcopenic obesity—though I should still monitor myself.
Seems most of my weight gain is due to muscle mass growth. I’ve been weight lifting for 2.5 years, go to the gym at least 3x a week—sometimes more.
Apparently, I can only safely lose 70lbs—my body requires 1770 calories just do nothing. He recommends my actual goal to be a 30lbs weight loss.
In summary, I should be aiming to increase my muscle-to-fat ratio. He tells me I need to massively increase my protein intake. Eat lots of chicken, nuts, yogurt, broccoli, and quinoa.
No longer freaked out. I guess going to the gym causes me to gain weight, not lose it. -
I now weigh 240lbs—gained 20lbs during 2025.
Of course, this freaks me out so I went to see a doctor. He put me on one of those weird scales that tabulates what kind of weight I have.
I have a muscle-to-fat ratio of 0.85. It is optimum for me to be above a 1 ratio but I’m still above average.
Visceral fat is rated at a 10. This is concerning but less than I had a couple years ago.
Despite having a very high BMI, I’m under no danger of sarcopenic obesity—though I should still monitor myself.
Seems most of my weight gain is due to muscle mass growth. I’ve been weight lifting for 2.5 years, go to the gym at least 3x a week—sometimes more.
Apparently, I can only safely lose 70lbs—my body requires 1770 calories just do nothing. He recommends my actual goal to be a 30lbs weight loss.
In summary, I should be aiming to increase my muscle-to-fat ratio. He tells me I need to massively increase my protein intake. Eat lots of chicken, nuts, yogurt, broccoli, and quinoa.
No longer freaked out. I guess going to the gym causes me to gain weight, not lose it.Weight is not a useless metric but it definitely needs context. I'm fighting the residual anxiety I get from 20+ years of having a screening weight over which I should not be, per the Army.
I'm about 10 pounds over that right now. But I'm also out of the army and no longer subject to such things. But it's hard to let go.
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Weight is not a useless metric but it definitely needs context. I'm fighting the residual anxiety I get from 20+ years of having a screening weight over which I should not be, per the Army.
I'm about 10 pounds over that right now. But I'm also out of the army and no longer subject to such things. But it's hard to let go.
@venya I grew up as a skinny kid with no muscle. Even when I was 20-years-old, I weighed 120lbs.
I made some terrible life choices that resulted in sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and weight gain.
I initially tried to reverse this by depriving myself of calories. That did not work and made many of my problems worse.
Then two and a half years ago, I got freaked out enough to realize, “If I can’t diet myself to health, I’ll go to the gym.”
I thought the gym would make me smaller but it actually made my larger—albeit with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and better sleep.
I don’t like seeing the scale go up. But I also like lifting things. -
@venya I grew up as a skinny kid with no muscle. Even when I was 20-years-old, I weighed 120lbs.
I made some terrible life choices that resulted in sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and weight gain.
I initially tried to reverse this by depriving myself of calories. That did not work and made many of my problems worse.
Then two and a half years ago, I got freaked out enough to realize, “If I can’t diet myself to health, I’ll go to the gym.”
I thought the gym would make me smaller but it actually made my larger—albeit with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and better sleep.
I don’t like seeing the scale go up. But I also like lifting things.I came to a similar conclusion in 2019, and joined a 24 hr gym, because schedules and I do not get along well.
(Partly this worked, because I'd want to go out and the only other thing I'd do is get food).
But then CoViD came; the vaccine took longer; and the gym is the worst place to avoid an aerosol-transmitted disease. So I just quit going. And then not long after the gym reduced hours, so I can't go work out at 2-3AM like I did before.
Have not yet found an alternative.
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I came to a similar conclusion in 2019, and joined a 24 hr gym, because schedules and I do not get along well.
(Partly this worked, because I'd want to go out and the only other thing I'd do is get food).
But then CoViD came; the vaccine took longer; and the gym is the worst place to avoid an aerosol-transmitted disease. So I just quit going. And then not long after the gym reduced hours, so I can't go work out at 2-3AM like I did before.
Have not yet found an alternative.
@TerryHancock Here’s a simple question: what is the most low stakes physical thing you think you can do that would also be enjoyable for you? -
@TerryHancock Here’s a simple question: what is the most low stakes physical thing you think you can do that would also be enjoyable for you?
Oh, I take walks. But I mean to say the gym experience was pretty good, and I need to find something closer to that, again.
Just have not applied myself to that problem yet.
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Oh, I take walks. But I mean to say the gym experience was pretty good, and I need to find something closer to that, again.
Just have not applied myself to that problem yet.
@TerryHancock I don’t know where you live, but it can definitely be tough in US cities with lots of freeways that require driving.
