Work out weight gain?

[Fallenangel2904 494]

Hi all. I'm 2 and a half months out. I just started really working out. I started trying to do C25K. I'm still pretty big and also out of shape so it's taken me a while to working up to complete even day one. I've done it 3 times this week as well as a 'boot camp' style workout with my best friend one night. I've also been walking in between and doing some floor exercises at home every morning (crunches, jumping jacks etc)

Anyway I noticed my weight hasn't moved this week since starting all this. Intact it's gone up. I was 305 last week and now I'm 307. Is this normal? I've been going pretty hard at this, I'm pretty sore and swollen so maybe it's Water weight? Any input much appreciated!

[KDNetta127 6]

yes, this is normal. your body is probably in shock. give it a week and i'm sure you'll start seeing loss again. also adjust your diet a little bit. when we become predictable in our diet and exercise the body gets "bored" and sometimes needs to be caught off guard. also muscle weighs more than fat so...that could also be the cause of the weight gain. but to be honest, your weight can fluctuate 2-3 lbs daily depending on certain factors. i wouldn't be too concerned. good luck and keep up the good work! your efforts will certainly pay off in a big way!

[stomlin75 161]

One thing I noticed when I kick up my exercise is that I am much hungrier and have to be very careful about what I eat and make sure I get plenty of Water. If you haven't upped your water, then make sure you do or your body won't be able to flush everything out. Good for you on getting in all of the exercise. I started a pretty vigorous routine recently as well and it feels awesome.

[Fallenangel2904 494]

Thank you both! I know I didn't get enough Water yesterday so I'm drinking as much as I can today. Maybe I need to eat a little more? My net calories after I factor in work outs have been very low- like 200-300 calories. Maybe I should eat a little more today.

Thanks for the replies! I tend to freak out at first. Good to know its not anything to worry over.

[Richard Foor 655]

If you are using myfitnesspal.com for tracking and you put in your exercises it will calculate and list a modified calorie goal for the day accordingly. Good Luck.

[tinesha 13]

Wow I'm experiencing the same thing! I started working out and I was down to 304 now I'm back up to 308! I'm freaking out!!! I just feel like my body is working against me here!!! It's the 300's are holding me hostage! I had my surgery Dec. 28 2012! I just want to be in twoville!!! Release me 300's release me!!!

[Fallenangel2904 494]

It's a few weeks since this post and I'm happy to report I'm down to 301 I think my body was just in a stall mode, I rode it out and I'm losing again, though the 300's are hanging on for dear life lol. 2lbs to go!

Tinesha good luck to you! The scale will move again for you, it did for me! Just keep at it!

[fluffylibra30 323]

The more Water you drink the less you hold on to. Your body is afraid if water starvation so if your not giving it much its going to hold on to it. Also, the 64 oz is just a generic starting place for all people. My trainer recommends 1/2 your body weight in water intake. in oz. ofcourse (caught myself this time BTB ???? )

[mark! 449]

It's all about the Water. The whole "starvation" thing is pretty bunked, both food and Water. The metabolism and physiology of the body all move so slowly, it literally takes many, many weeks, if not months before the body reacts and hits that phase, and then even then, most people will never truly kick off true starvation mode in their life, it's just not as common as the fitness people throw around and there is a TON of misinformation about it. It's a real thing, a very real thing, but if it were as prominent as people throw around, our world wide epidemic of morbid obesity would not exist as it does today.

Short Answer: You work out, muscle fibers tear (it's how new, stronger muscles develop), your body goes in to repair mode. In order to do so, you start retaining fluids, water weight, as it's called. Your body fills these glycogen stores and keeps them full for 24-78 hours after working out to repair the muscles and get them back to where they need to be. The soreness, etc, is all part of the wonderful rotation of building new, lean tissue. There have been huge scientific studies about it, but I won't bore you with them here. It's totally normal after starting a program, and having a massive workout for your weight to be up a tad, sometimes as much as 3-4 pounds. If you're holding steady, it's the fat being lost, yet your body maintaining weight via fluids. As others have stated, it is absolutely imperative for you to get in those fluids to help your body recover!

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Mark, your description of Water use during muscle recovery was so crystal clear. I have never looked at why weight seems to plateau a day after a hard workout and then drop a few days later. I love knowing the real reason. It is so logical. This would make it REALLY clear that everyone should focus on water hydration before and after a workout in addition to a Protein Shake.< /p>

[Cristin 73]

It's all about the Water. The whole "starvation" thing is pretty bunked' date=' both food and Water. The metabolism and physiology of the body all move so slowly, it literally takes many, many weeks, if not months before the body reacts and hits that phase, and then even then, most people will never truly kick off true starvation mode in their life, it's just not as common as the fitness people throw around and there is a TON of misinformation about it. It's a real thing, a very real thing, but if it were as prominent as people throw around, our world wide epidemic of morbid obesity would not exist as it does today.

Short Answer: You work out, muscle fibers tear (it's how new, stronger muscles develop), your body goes in to repair mode. In order to do so, you start retaining fluids, water weight, as it's called. Your body fills these glycogen stores and keeps them full for 24-78 hours after working out to repair the muscles and get them back to where they need to be. The soreness, etc, is all part of the wonderful rotation of building new, lean tissue. There have been huge scientific studies about it, but I won't bore you with them here. It's totally normal after starting a program, and having a massive workout for your weight to be up a tad, sometimes as much as 3-4 pounds. If you're holding steady, it's the fat being lost, yet your body maintaining weight via fluids. As others have stated, it is absolutely imperative for you to get in those fluids to help your body recover![/quote']

Hey Mark- thanks for that. Where are some trusted online sources for this kind of exercise science and physiology info??

[Livinglifeout 217]

Great info Mark, it explains a lot:)

[mark! 449]

Relating to Starvation Mode: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayRecord&uid=1951-02195-000

Again, it's real, and people have issues with it, however it takes longer than most people realize for it to happen. In the 6 month Ancel Keys study done in the 40's, people were put on 50% intake diets for 6 months. At the end of the 6 months, their metabolisms had slowed from as little as 13%, to the greatest at 40%. It's real, and it's not a myth as some call it, but it's not the killer disease some play it up to be. That's the most well known study I personally know of.

Physiology can mostly be found on any medical trusted site. As for kinesiology, I've read and applied numerous things in the past, but for everyone, mostly, workout science isn't always spot on. I use ExRx a lot, it also has a good explanation of workouts, showing pictures and videos for form. Also, bodyrecomposition.com is a good site for all things related to the gym. Lyle McDonald is a well known trainer and has a ton of great information. His books are certainly worth reading.

my be all end all for studies, is the http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ site. Yes, it's a government website, but it's composed of outside studies from those who include them. It takes some time learning to navigate the site, but any questions you may have, they've likely been answered in detailed studies on the sites explaining the answer. Register on the site for sure, that way you can save your research and look back on it later.

[Cristin 73]

Relating to Starvation Mode: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayRecord&uid=1951-02195-000

Again' date=' it's real, and people have issues with it, however it takes longer than most people realize for it to happen. In the 6 month Ancel Keys study done in the 40's, people were put on 50% intake diets for 6 months. At the end of the 6 months, their metabolisms had slowed from as little as 13%, to the greatest at 40%. It's real, and it's not a myth as some call it, but it's not the killer disease some play it up to be. That's the most well known study I personally know of.

Physiology can mostly be found on any medical trusted site. As for kinesiology, I've read and applied numerous things in the past, but for everyone, mostly, workout science isn't always spot on. I use ExRx a lot, it also has a good explanation of workouts, showing pictures and videos for form. Also, bodyrecomposition.com is a good site for all things related to the gym. Lyle McDonald is a well known trainer and has a ton of great information. His books are certainly worth reading.

my be all end all for studies, is the http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ site. Yes, it's a government website, but it's composed of outside studies from those who include them. It takes some time learning to navigate the site, but any questions you may have, they've likely been answered in detailed studies on the sites explaining the answer. Register on the site for sure, that way you can save your research and look back on it later.[/quote']

AWESOME! Thanks so much for your trouble!

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Would you say webMD is a good site for information?