How am I gaining weight by working out?

[DebiW]

I have  been losing about 1 lb per week, so not too fast. I log everything I eat, eating the proper amount of calories, am eating low carb, healthy, whole foods, and drink a lot of water (about 80 oz per day). I work out 5-6 days per week with weights and cardio. 

I weighed myself before I worked out ( weights for 30 minutes, then elliptical intervals for 35  minutes), and had been at that same weight for several days. All good. I happened to weigh myself again after working out because I was wondering about waterloss/gain during working out. I weighed 8 lbs more after I worked out than I did before I worked out. Only difference was the workout and about 16 oz of water I drank while I worked out, and sweat.

It's now two days later, and I am still at that 8 lbs higher weight. What is happening? I don't understand. I know weight will fluctuate a few pounds because of water, but gaining 8 lbs during one workout, and staying at that higher weight for three days now? I am now back at the same weight I started at.  This is frustrating, and I don't know what to do about it. Help!

[Bigrodsr]

Number 1 Dont be a slave to your scale.

Number 2 Weight can fluctuate do to waste, water, etc.   I do not know why but I have experienced the same thing.

Number 3 Many monitors pay attention to your weight loss trend versus actual weight loss day to day.

Number 4 Try to weigh yourself at the same time, same scale, same day of the week.  Stick to once per week. or twice a week.  

Not scientific but my recommendations.   Good luck. 

[Bigrodsr]

Also, muscle weighs more than fat!  So you may be gaining muscle weight, but looking slimmer at the same time.  More importantly, how do you feel? 

[NewDawn]

@DebiW how frustrated you must have felt... honestly so many things can factor out ups and downs on the scale... when I was younger I did gain that much in a day ... often... water retention was the culprit. Could be extra sodium or medication or literally anything... including the time of day, your bowels and theory has it that a full moon really plays havoc with our internal body.

Overtime I became a vegan and my weight is more consistent without the processed foods. My weigh ins now are always at the same time of day because as the day goes on the weight does increase... when I see the doctors I always weigh myself at home fully dressed  to see the difference between scales and find the weight is within a pound or two of their scale. Also noticed that if my scale is not in same location it can make a difference (I don't yet have the Fitbit Scale it is on my wish list).

You seem to be doing everything you can. Your weight loss did decrease after three days. The beauty of Fitbit is we can see our ups and downs and go back to check out what we ate and or did; information is priceless. I wish you the best as you continue on your journey. To better health and fitness! Personal best is how I proceed...

[NewDawn]

@DebiW    I agree with @Bigrodsr first post. Second post not so much because...  Muscle is lean and defined tissue ... a pound is a pound is a pound... you can weigh more and look better with muscle that is the awesomeness of a fit body... again ... a pound is a pound. Thanks for your post! Have a great rest of your day!

[divedragon]

My initial thought is that your first weigh in was somehow flawed - scale stuck, was off balance or something with the load cell in the scale gave an initial error.  Weight will not vary 8 lbs within an hour unless you ate 8 lbs of food in between.  Since you did 2 weigh in's at the same weight, I would be more apt to say that was your original weight. 

Try this.  Weigh yourself, wait 2 minutes and weigh again, then repeat for the 3d time.  If all 3 are within a few tenths go with it.  Then exercise and re-weigh yourself.  That should give you the affect you're trying to determine.

[bluedog65]

Frustrating...gaining weight! Very careful with my food intake and easily reaching my exercise goals. Started with a personal trainer and because I'm type 2 diabetic it was recommended to do a weight training program keeping my heart rate in the fat burning range for my age. Initally lost 4kilos and then my weight stayed the same for a week or two and now it is increasing. Complained to my trainer and he laughed and showed me the body measurements he took before I started exercising and now. I have lost a good deal of fat around the middle and put on muscle mass on my legs, arms and upper body. Apparantly, the more muscle mass the quicker the fat will burn off and my weight will start to gradually reduce again as my body increases its ability to burn fat.

[DebiW]

Good for you! 

I hope I will start to see another decrease in weight. I assume the reason the weight has been so slow to decrease is because I am building muscle. I guess as long s there is eventually a weight decrease, this will end well. It is just frustrating to work so hard and see such a big increase. 

[JEQ1970]

In understand what you are going through, because I have experienced the same frustration. I always want the number to be lower that my previous visit on the scale. I did learn in the end not to be slave to the scale and that the number is not that important compared to other factors like how my clothes fit, a new notch on my belt, being aware of how I feel, and some other more personal observations regarding my bathroom visits that I will not delve into on this public forum (you are welcome readers!)

My suggestions (apart from the ones already shared) that helped me are as follows:

• Try to take in more fiber: waste in your digestive system can weigh anywhere from one to one and a half pounds. I consume a homemade juice in the evening so I do not eat so much before bed. I do not use a juicer, but a high powered blender so that I keep the fiber.
• Make sure you get enough sleep (no less than seven hours.
• Do not be afraid to eat if you are hungry. This was a big one for me, and I think I was maybe going into starvation mode. When your body is in starvation mode, it will horde fat.
• You may want to consider measuring yourself if weighing yourself in the nude at the same time on your weigh-in days is not producing the results expected. Muscle that takes up half the volume of fat will weigh the same as that amount of fat.

[NewDawn]

@DebiW checking in to see how you you are doing. Your last post was hopeful and appeared you felt better about waiting to see. It made me smile and today I hope that you are experiencing the positive.

[bluedog65]

Hi, it's real battle between loosing the weight as quickly as I would like and building up my strength and stamina. I have decided to just continue to eat well and continue the exercise and just let it happen


Sent from my Samsung GALAXY Note3 on the Telstra Mobile network

[SunsetRunner]

Keep making healthy choices, never give up. Be happy where you are, it can only get better.

Everyone has a amazing body, regardless what we do (eating less.. exercising more).. the body fights back with being more hungry, increasing appetite signals if not eaten much over time), it wants to survive and to protect you from danger (starvation)..

When getting a intense desire to eat, always keep healthy foods in reach, to fill up with the healthier foods, keeping satisfied for longer (nearly impossible to overeat on those foods).

Have fun

[DebiW]

Six days after that strange eight lb weight increase, I weighed myself again and was down nine lbs. So I was down one lb from my original place, which is where I wanted to be. Back to losing one lb a week. I guess it was just one of those strange things that happen.

Sent from my iPhone

[bluedog65]

Congratulations!

--
have a nice day, regards David

[emili]

muscle and fat weigh exactly the same. three pounds of fat and three pounds of muscle is still three pounds. density is different. three pounds of fat will look bigger than three pounds of muscle.

[emili]

yes! thank you. I lose my mind with the muscle weighs more theory

[emili]

@DebiW that's wonderful- and yes wacky things occasionally happen but more often than not its either scale issues or we aren't counting in vs out properly. It is normal to gain up to three pounds per day- morning vs evening- water, salt, waste- all of that works against the lower number. I weigh myself in the morning and in the evening. six days per week. I am not a slave to the scale (although it may seem like I am) I work really hard to stay at current weight and knowing where I am helps me manage it. The only thing I never do is weigh at the gym. I would encourage you not do it either. It will ruin your day and is not an accurate number of anything you did or didn't do.

[NewDawn]

@DebiW awesome news! Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing! One pound a week is a great goal and I wish you the best... I was up and down for a long time; finally 46lbs off over 1.5 yrs. Patience and doing our best truly pays off long term.

[Bigrodsr]

Great! I'm up about 8 lbs.....I hope it is an anomaly, but sadly, I doubt that it is. 😞

RT






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[SunsetRunner]

You do not seem to grasp the concept of carbs and proteins having a value of 4 and fats having a value of 9.  I should mention alcohol is a 7.  This is an integral part of weight loss.  Elimination of the nine's is simply a mathematical concept that has to do with weight loss.  What foods contain mostly 9-anything that comes from a cow!