Hi,

I joined Curves 3 months ago. It is a workout program--3 times a week for 30 minutes at a Curves center.

My question is, has anyone else had the experience at Curves of gaining weight? I have gained 3-3/4 pounds in 3 months. I've gone from about 193 to 197. I have lost inches, so that's good--11.75 inches total--but my body fat % has barely changed, down only 1%, so it's not like I've been losing fat and gaining muscle. I have not changed what I eat one way or the other--you'd think I'd been putting away ice cream and cake for 3 months!

What's going on here? Thoughts are welcome.

Jay

Not sure if this will answer your question - there was a thread recently in Ladies who Lift regarding Curves that you might find interesting - in particular, Meg and Mel's (both certified personal trainers) posts.

I was a member at curves for about a year almost 2 years ago, and I didn't really loose any weight. I went regularly enough, I'll admit there were times where I'd only go once a week, but most of the time since I was paying for it, I was there at least 4 times a week.

Anyway, near the end of my membership was the only time that I actually lost weight. And it was only because I had changed my diet, and was following the WW plan.

My mom was having the same type of problem at a "fake Curves" and she finally started loosing when they had her do more on the squares than marching in place. She started getting her arms up, and did more of a run in place, and that is what helped her. And she's now lost 20 lbs.

Good luck!

~Liz

Jay: My experience with Curves, and exercise in general, is that you will tend to gain for a while. Our muscles become super hydrated from exercise, plus as we build muscle (and lose fat) -- which you are doing because of the inch loss -- the scale won't move because the muscle is denser and heavier than the fat. The scale can't discriminate between water weight, muscle weight, or fat weight.

Don't be discouraged by 1% change in BF -- because it's relative to what you weigh. Although your body fat % only dropped by 1%, 30% of 193 pounds is 60 pounds of fat, but 29% of 197 pounds is 57 pounds of fat. You can do the math based on the % that they told you -- but in this example 3 pounds of fat were replaced with 7 pounds of muscle. That is a HUGE improvement!!! And each pound of muscle burns more calories than each pound of fat -- so you have increased your metabolism!

It sounds like you are doing all of the right things.

Thanks for the encouragement and the resources! I looked up that thread, MrsJim, and it was informative. But, I can't imagine what kind of Curves it was that those women were going to where they got no explanation and were allowed to use the machines incorrectly. At my Curves everything is explained very well, including body fat percentage, muscle groups being worked, and so on. Also, my Curves has 13 machines, not 8, and all the machines work opposing muscle groups--for example, the biceps machine also works the triceps--so it's not quite like Meg was saying.

I like the workout at Curves because I was doing nothing for the last 6 months, exercise wise, and needed something I could get through in 30 minutes 3 times a week without fail. And yes, paying for it is definitely an incentive! I used to belong to a gym, but I couldn't seem to get there often enough, and I had to wait for machines all the time. Also, I hated having to change clothes. So after awhile, it was too easy not to do it.

The only thing I don't like about my Curves is that the women never seem to shut up. I go there for a workout, not to join the Chatty Cathy club.

I'll keep at it--thanks, byugrad, for helping me to see that there is progress. I think it must be time to alter my eating habits and add additional exercise "beyond Curves."

Jay

I think that Curves is good for BEGINNER exercisers-to get women who are inactive into the habit of regular exercise.

But, I don't think that it is really a good idea to sign up for an entire year or more, because you will quickly "outgrow" the workout.

When an inactive person starts a beginner level workout, it is tough for them, but when you become more advanced and more fit, you are not challenging yourself any longer. This goes for strength training, and cardio workouts.

Nonetheless, regular exercise is good for you, but if you want to lose weight, you also have to change your eating habits.

I went to Curves for a year and lost but only lost at first. The first few months I lost and the rest didnt' really do much for me. The way a trainer at the local gym said was at Curves your body adjust to the new exercises and all at Curves that you put it through but you do the same thing over and over, you don't make any weigh adjust ments, you just do the same routine over and over and over for a year 3 times a week and at some point in time what you did at the beginning your body will not be affected by unless up the *anty*, if you understand what I mean, like adding more weights or something.

You will never get enough of an overload of muscle groups from Curves machines to reap real muscle gain. It is actually more a cardio workout with a bit of work on muscle endurance mixed in. Very much a beginners workout. But if one hates exercise and will do nothing as compared to doing a Curves session, then at least you are out there moving.

That's exactly what Meg said in her post on the thread I referred to earlier:

I've always required variety in my workouts - so personally, I would be totally bored with Curves or any similar type of program in a very short time. That's why I generally advocate that folks who are just beginning or getting back into exercise check out their local Jazzercise class (using the offers that are found on their website) if they feel awkward going to a real gym...it's a lot of fun, you get a great workout (both cardio and strength training, with stretching thrown in), the franchised instructors are required to be trained and certified in Jazzercise's very stringent program - the corporate office also sends auditors out to monitor classes and instructors are required to take a recertification exam on a regular basis; and you will find people of all ages and sizes, having a great time and getting fit without being pressured to sign a contract.

From my vantage point...
I joined Curves at the end of April 2005, and I think I'm at my 25-30th visit right now (for the most part going 3 times a week, with a few misses due to having to fly out of town). My "official" inches lost in that time is 11 inches, with 9.5 lbs lost, and a decrease in body fat of 2.6%. So officially Curves is a success. For me personally however, I have to say that I can tell a great deal of difference, especially in muscle gain/definition. I've never seen a definition in my bicep/tricep area, but now there's definitely some. Also, my legs have trimmed up considerably, and they have always been a problem area. What is VERY telling to my is when I get into the pool. I've always been able to float with ease (of course due to high body fat). The last few times though I find that I can't sustain floating on the water without effort, as the tendency for me is to sink.
It is true that each machine delivers the same workout, with no variation in resistance, as a stand-alone machine. But you are able to use your muscles to increase that resistance, to your benefit. So for me, I might use one circuit to work as hard as I can, to see how many reps I can do until it's time to move to the next. Then the next circuit I might use muscle control to slowly work each muscle group, concentrating on how each muscle feels as I use it.
I can see that die-hard exercise fans or weight-lifting fans might think it's not challenging, and I agree that I might get bored with it after a while, but for now it works because I'm doing it. Otherwise I might not be exercising at all...

Thanks, lele!

I know that I'm never going to become a die-hard weightlifter, nor do I want to keep on increasing and increasing my workout. Curves allows me to get some cardio and strength training 3 times a week without fail. I'm really glad to read your success story! You are an inspiration. The important thing is keeping up with SOMEthing and finding something that works.

I'm going to try different Curves locations and see if I can find one that's less chatty, because today the endless loud conversations about food and movies was just driving me crazy.

Jay

I started Curves in January. I joined because my physical therapist recommended them to me. When I joined, I was constantly taking prescription pain pills and I was also on antidepressants. Its been a few months and I've found myself having more energy/confidence. At some point I stopped taking the pain pills and started taking tylenol - now I do not take anything for pain at all. I am also off of antidepressants. Working out at Curves is really the only lifestyle change that I made and so I attribute the new energy and lack of need for pills to exercising. I, too, have noticed a difference in floating/sinking in the pool and in muscle tone. I realize that my body is getting used to the workout so I've gradually increased what I've been doing. First I was just going 2 times a week, then 3, then 3-4 ... now I have increased the amount of time that I workout from 30 mins to an hour. I also am swimming and doing the treadmill on my off days. Next year, who knows, maybe I will join a different gym - but this year Curves is what I needed for starting out again. The people that work at the one I go to are great, also. They explained how to use the machines and what muscle groups the machines worked. They also taught us extra ab exercises to do on the mats after we get done with the workout. They put up little things on the walls each week with various information ("machine of the week") and they give random info about calories, foods, stretching, etc. I'm not sure how many machines we have (its a lot more than 8). We don't just walk/jog in place between the machines, either - we are getting these two stairstepper things soon as well.

lol yeah sometimes the people at mine are really chatty, too. i dont mind so much usually bc listening to them makes the time go by faster. i like that the girls who work there come up and ask how you've been and remember stuff thats been going on in your life/remember your name, etc.