What does it mean when I stop gaining weight?

I started back in mid-may, weighed in at 135 (5'9" for reference)

Then mid july, I weighed in at 150

Now, beginning of September, I weighed in at 150 still

From july to now, I didn't really change my eating habits or anything, I just stopped gaining weight. I know in order to gain weight, I'll probably have to increase my food intake a lot, but I'm not sure I have the motivation or $$$ to do that. So now, two questions:

1. If I'm eating the same and working out the same as I did during the period where I gained 15 pounds...where is all that food going now? Is my body burning more calories simply from being 15 pounds heavier?

2. I actually like the 150 weight if I can get cut and stay 150ish, but I'm afraid if I start cutting I might drop down to 140-145...How much weight can someone expect to lose when they cut?

3. Random question - what happens to your body when you work out on a light stomach? Say if you've only eating a handful of nuts and maybe a handful of pretzels. It seems to me like your body should use stored fat for energy, so this would actually be better, but there's no way that can be true, right?

Thanks everyone for the help back when I first started, I definitely feel a lot stronger and look a lot better and it's all thanks to the TW fitness forum

well, you're right -- eat well, eat more, train hard, train smart.

thats the general idea.

1. you burn more calories the more you weight + muscle mass burns more calories than fat.
So yes, as you gain weight you need to eat more to gain even more weight.

2. depends on the cut and how much there is to cut. If you have time and motivation you can do a slow cut, in which you're only slightly caloric deficit. This way you don't lose fat as quickly, but you won't lose muscle mass either (if you keep working out like you used to). this will take few months though and lot of people don't bother so they go like 5-10 pounds over their target weight and then start cutting.

3. This is true, but the problem is if there's no food to burn your body does not only burn fat as energy but also starts to break down your muscles and burn them as energy. This is why most people lose lot of muscle mass during cutting. I recommend against this.
There are programs that focus on this aspect, and if done correctly can be very effective. IE. HIIT, färlek etc.

Is my body burning more calories simply from being 15 pounds heavier?


of course it is

Everything you do now, compared to 15lbs ago, is like doing it with a 15lb weight belt on, even non exercise stuff. Plus the muscle portion burns more calories just being maintained.

15lbs on a 135lb guy is a lot, you increased your body weight by over 10%. On a 2000 calorie diet, you'd need to increase your calories by over 400 to maintain.

i have similar questions

1) if you're on a calorie deficit, then it's IMPOSSIBLE to gain more muscle mass, right? (from your body's point of view, it doesn't seem to make sense to build muscle if it's struggling with food/energy)

2) What happens if calorie intake = calories burned? Seems like you would "replace" fat with muscle, but then why do people advocate cutting (losing weight) when you could alternatively get leaner while maintaining weight?

1) its not impossible, but very difficult. people like to think of calorie intake as "per day" but that's not how your body thinks. you can under your "daily" recommended amount of calories, but still gain fat or muscle if you are timing your meals / nutrition poorly.

2) if intake = outtake, you stay the same. no need to burn fat or muscle.

also there is no way to get leaner while maintaining weight. if you're getting leaner you're either gaining muscle or losing fat which means your weight is changing.