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When I do weightlifting, I feel fine afterward. I flex my muscles and give myself a little wink. But, after cardio, days of rest, or core training, I just feel...fat. I know that I'm not, but I used to be and I know what it feels like.

Does anyone else ever feel fat after cardio, core training, or rest days? Could it be water weight? Could it just be a mental thing?

probably a mental thing... I feel fat after eating. :(

maybe its cause your more exausted after those workouts and it reminds you of the wonder years.

I don't know that it's just a thing for people who have been fat.

I've never been overweight a day in my life... but definitely, some days, when I finish with my jog... I just look at myself in the mirror and feel some major hate for my physique!

I usually manage to twist that into a real, strong determination to continue working out, and stick with my program, trying to do a little better every time.


But, on the days when I just can't seem to make it positive, I do feel fat. I know I'm not! I'm skinny! But I look at myself and I really do feel... fat.

Well, when I have let the (ahem) belly fat build up a bit... Pumping up the core muscles inevitably pushes the fat outward to where it's really noticeable.

See, I know that I am fat (or, just carry extra weight I suppose), so going to the gym in general actually tends to make me feel fat on occasion. But only on occasion. Most of the time I feel pretty good afterwards.

I don't feel the same way as you when it comes to cardio and days of rest, but I'm right with you when it comes to core exercises. I was at the gym tonight, and one of the workouts on my list was the highbar alternate knee cross-ups (hanging down from a gravitron machine sans help and pulling your knees up to touch your elbow). It said to do 16, 8 on each side. I couldn't do a single one, and it just made me want to leave the gym right then and there, because I was so depressed and got feeling all kinds of fat. Core exercises are always the most likely to make me feel like a fatty.

I'm carrying some extra weight around the mid- section too. I can deceive myself in the mirror by sucking my stomach in or flexing. Gets tiresome walking about like that all day though. Maybe I should just lose the fat.

maybe it has to do with the fact that when you do weightlifitng, you have some added muscle tone afterward (a constant low-grade flex) that you don't get as much after cardio or core training. The less tone your muscles have the more they just feel like dead weight/fat.

I can`t say I feel fat after exercising,I usually feel "on top of the world",but I have noticed how many people compliment me on how slim I`ve become when I don`t see it myself.I always feel like a big chunky kind of guy,mesomorphic rather than ectomorphic.I suppose we can`t see ourselves as others see us.

I feel ya... i feel like a tub of lard everyday from roughly 7:30-9pm... because that is after my run... I find that when I'm done running all i do is relax.. which means when I'm standing.. I slouch.. pushing out my belly and sticking my tailbone out.. instead of standing tall and tucking it under. No clue why.. just think it's stuff settling from being shaken for a hour or so.

I just feel fat in general, but when I get back from the gym I feel like I got nothing accomplished :/

Oh, jeeze...you've been watching to many soap operas. Get a life.

I feel your pain.... ok it's not a pain, but that bloated feeling. I can't recall exactly if it happens right after doing any one thing in particular, but sometimes I have that bloated / fat feeling. There's nothing you can do about it.

I will weigh and actually weigh less and think WHY do I feel this way!!?? lol

Then again, sometimes you might want to watch your foods.... beans, rice and sodas. Just a suggestion.

LANCE

We all have these vulnerable moments....
so if yours is after a bout with some cardio
do a little light muscle work to counteract the feeling that you're fat ... because you know you can't get "fat" in one or two days

... do a set or two of pull-ups or push-ups
that might give you the pump you need to get over this

bpluvsu saidWhen I do weightlifting, I feel fine afterward. I flex my muscles and give myself a little wink. But, after cardio, days of rest, or core training, I just feel...fat. I know that I'm not, but I used to be and I know what it feels like.

Does anyone else ever feel fat after cardio, core training, or rest days? Could it be water weight? Could it just be a mental thing?

I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have those days as I'm sure most others do.

they suck.

I've never had that issue at all. I can feel fat after I eat, but thats about it.

i feel gross after rest days. im currently sick for the first time in over 4 years- with a nasty cold- and haven't had the energy to workout in a few days. i feel really gross and fat partly due to being sick, im sure.

The issue most guys have when they work their core, is they stick out and protrude their abdominals when exercising. You should focus on exercises which allow you to scoop the abdominals inward, creating a concave effect. Pilates is completely based on this concept and so Pilates based core work is great!

I think we all agree a six pack that is vacuum sucked in is much more appealing than those that bulge outward. Ideally your core should scoop in from your chest, not be on the same plane. I started Pilates when I was 14 and its stuck with me....

I had a friend who had a similar complaint and said he never did ab work before an event where he was topless because he felt fat. I was blown away. It should be the opposite.

He took one of my 30 minute ab classes and the next day said he said his stomach had never looked better.

Pay attention to how youre training...

I dont know how to account for "feeling fat" after cardio. In a one hour spin class I lose over 3 liters of water, which at least for the day makes you feel almost too thin.

I always really ripped after cardio. I never do cardio on a lifting day. Cardio and abs get their own days.

bpluvsu saidWhen I do weightlifting, I feel fine afterward. I flex my muscles and give myself a little wink. But, after cardio, days of rest, or core training, I just feel...fat. I know that I'm not, but I used to be and I know what it feels like.

Yeah, I have days when I that not-so-fresh feeling too.

I almost always without fail feel like a million bucks after a workout (weights) cardio, Yoga, or swimming my 1000 yards. I might feel tired out, yeah - but absolutely great......like euphoric in a way.

Major saidThe issue most guys have when they work their core, is they stick out and protrude their abdominals when exercising. You should focus on exercises which allow you to scoop the abdominals inward, creating a concave effect. Pilates is completely based on this concept and so Pilates based core work is great!

I think we all agree a six pack that is vacuum sucked in is much more appealing than those that bulge outward. Ideally your core should scoop in from your chest, not be on the same plane. I started Pilates when I was 14 and its stuck with me....

I had a friend who had a similar complaint and said he never did ab work before an event where he was topless because he felt fat. I was blown away. It should be the opposite.

He took one of my 30 minute ab classes and the next day said he said his stomach had never looked better.

Pay attention to how youre training...

I dont know how to account for "feeling fat" after cardio. In a one hour spin class I lose over 3 liters of water, which at least for the day makes you feel almost too thin.

nice tummy major!


I always feel very very hungry after doing any cardio or yoga. I always crave the bad stuff

That fat bloated feeling is just one of those high estrogen days. It'll pass. Now does someone have a tampon they can lend me?

After cardio I sometimes over-hydrate and feel sluggish. Sometimes it seems like I ran for nothing, but give it a while to wear off.

Gonna say that it's mostly just a mental thing as cardio can't make you gain weight.

Nope I always feel better after a workout
...before... eh
Not so much

Not after I workout, unless the clothes I'm wearing out of the gym are unflattering. :-(

Sometimes. If I go for a good run and look at my stomach I sometimes just want to run until it goes away.