Strength training 17 months; consistently up in weight?

SarahBeth0625

Hi all! I am looking for help from those (especially women) who have been lifting for awhile. I am trying not to focus too hard on the scale, but am wondering if in general, it is normal to just overall weigh more when strength training (versus not). I know in the past when I was just doing cardio, I was 124-125 lbs (I am 5'7 1/2" tall). For over a year, even after adding in the strength training in June of 2013, I was pretty much maintaining 127 (morning starting weight). Now it seems I can't ever get below 131. Should I accept this as my "new normal"? I have been able to up some of my limits (recently hit 90# on the overhead press for my sets). I figure I do have some muscle gain, but 4 lbs? I just want to know if I should buckle down and try to cut a little, or continue with what I am doing. I don't want my weight to keep creeping up IF it is due to gain that is not of the muscle-kind. I am all for muscle gain!

Stories from others who have strength trained awhile would be awesome! Thank you!

ETA: I am strength training different muscle groups 3 days a week, and doing a treadmill 5K the other 3 days. 1 rest day a week.

uconnwinsnc1

If you are getting stronger you are eating more and your muscles are holding water after a lift. Drink lots of water and keep it up. Don't worry about how much you weight. A 4 pound gain makes sense.

SueInAz

As long as your clothes still fit does it really matter what the scale says? You're the only one who sees that number, after all, everyone else just sees what you look like, how your clothes fit, etc. I'm not belittling your concern just suggesting that perhaps a different mindset is in order especially if you're planning to continue to lift and get stronger. Muscle weighs more than fat by volume so you can weigh more while staying the same size if you're adding muscle. Try using the tape measure more than the scale to track your progress.

fivethreeone

Have you been tracking (weighing/measuring) your food religiously? Are your measurements up or down, and by how much?

If you have gained muscle, 4 lbs in a year would be quite believable. 1/2 pound per month is the upper limit for women, so I could very easily see 4 lbs being a reasonable muscle gain.

azwen

I agree with the others; you can be smaller, but weigh more, when you're lifting and eating right. Have your measurements decreased? How do your clothes fit? What's your diet like? Lots of protein?

arditarose

Have you been trying to eat at a deficit or are you at maintenance?

SarahBeth0625

Thanks for the replies! I have been eating at maintenance (sometimes 200 calories under; TDEE is set at 2000 calories a day). My measurements have stayed the same, lost half an inch in the chest area, but waist is the same, hips are roughly the same, maybe slightly up there. Clothes are still fitting the same. I am glad to hear that 1/2 a pound per month is the upper limit for women -- thank you, @fivethreeone!! You all made me feel significantly better about this, and you're right... I am the only one who sees the number on the scale. I was fearing that this wasn't normal and that I should be staying the same number if I am maintaining.

hollyrschaub

This is pretty normal. If you are consistently strength training, you should not be surprised to find a minor weight gain, because muscle is both denser (slimming) and heavier (gaining) than fat. So just enjoy your beautiful muscles and forget about the number!

kapoorpk

You should check your body fat percentage using calipers (under $10 on amazon) as well. if the BF% is trending upward, you are eating too much for your activity level and should recalibrate by reducing your daily calorie intake. If your BF% is staying constant, and you are still gaining weight, it should be just the increase in muscle mass.