water retention/new exercise?

hortensehildegarde

Sorry if this info is out their somewhere, not able to use search function or stay on boards long enough to look around for it.

I know I have seen mention a bunch of times where people may retain water when starting a new exercise program.

Is this something that only occurs with intense strength training? Wondering the parameters of when this typically happens and how long it takes to go away.

Is it something that only happens if one is having soreness? Can it last for weeks?

Can it happen just from starting something lacking intensity (say, regular walking for a previous couch potato?)

Chrisparadise579

It will happen with pretty much any type of exercise if you have worked your muscles enough, less so with plain cardio. But it shouldnt last more than a week and wont be more than 1-2lbs. If you are doing an intense lifting or HIIT program then it can happen every week or so. To account for this just weigh yourself every day and take a weekly average, you should still be losing weight.

SueInAz

Unless one is completely unused to walking, say an invalid, I can't imagine that walking would cause water retention for anyone. Water retention usually goes along with muscle soreness so comes from activities that are much more intense than a body is used to. I will retain a little after lifting. I will also retain a pound or two after a half marathon and it's gone a couple of days later.

Frankly, I'm running and lifting on alternating days so at this point I'm probably always retaining extra for muscle repair. Since my main focus isn't on the scale at this point and I have other ways to measure success, I am not concerned about it one way or the other.

hortensehildegarde

thanks guys! I started dropping weight too fast again and am trying to figure out if I need to up my calories again or if it was maybe just that water retention was masking previous loss and it's just now showing up on the scale.

Sounds like it is possibly the retention, I'll give it another week or 2 and adjust accordingly after I see how that goes.