weight training and unwanted weight gain!

MissInce26

Hi iv been doing the live fit 12 week challenge and the first 4 weeks are just weights no cardio this is meant to use all your calories for getting good muscle tone then you add cardio in the next stage but iv noticed a big weight gain in just 2 weeks about 5lbs iv been eating pretty well lots of protein and doing hard workouts so could this really be muscle weight?? Should I just add lots of cardio? Any advice be great please or anyone done the live fit challenge is this normal?

quiltlovinlisa

Time to take out the tape measure.

jwdieter

You didn't gain 5 pounds of muscle in 2 weeks. But also weight fluctuations are normal.

bajoyba

It may also be water weight. Muscles may retain water when repairing themselves after a workout.

ChangingAmanda

When you start or intensify an exercise program, your muscles often retain water and glycogen to repair themselves. This leads to the "newbie gains" most everyone experience. It can last for a couple to several weeks. Best thing to do is also take body measurements, progress pictures, and observe how your clothes fit. If your weight goes up but you're losing inches and clothes are feeling looser, then you're doing ok.

TX_Aggie_Dad

Water weight. Stick with the program.

Acg67

Hi iv been doing the live fit 12 week challenge and the first 4 weeks are just weights no cardio this is meant to use all your calories for getting good muscle tone then you add cardio in the next stage but iv noticed a big weight gain in just 2 weeks about 5lbs iv been eating pretty well lots of protein and doing hard workouts so could this really be muscle weight?? Should I just add lots of cardio? Any advice be great please or anyone done the live fit challenge is this normal?

Really scale weight is pretty meaningless, so stop overly fretting about it and use the mirror and other ways of measuring body comp instead

MissInce26

Ok thanks thats made me feel a bit better hopefully it is just water weight I'll take some measurements and see how it goes I'm really enjoying the weights and kinda like the pain in my muscles a day later just want to look slim and toned and not like a female bodybuilder. The weight gain was a shock though when iv been sweating all week.

Iron_Lotus

Hi iv been doing the live fit 12 week challenge and the first 4 weeks are just weights no cardio this is meant to use all your calories for getting good muscle tone then you add cardio in the next stage but iv noticed a big weight gain in just 2 weeks about 5lbs iv been eating pretty well lots of protein and doing hard workouts so could this really be muscle weight?? Should I just add lots of cardio? Any advice be great please or anyone done the live fit challenge is this normal?

Really scale weight is pretty meaningless, so stop overly fretting about it and use the mirror and other ways of measuring body comp instead

Good god this! You look amazing so what if the scale is up 5lbs do you look 5 lbs bigger? Why is that stupid number so important? Guess what I am 200lbs well I was last time I checked and I am liking what I see in the mirror who cares what the scale says.

jwdieter

just want to look slim and toned and not like a female bodybuilder.

You know they work really, really hard to accomplish that look, right? They don't just end up jacked with 10% BF by popping into the gym a few times/week.

LorinaLynn

This is why the scale sucks. Measurements, how clothes fit, and progress photos are much better ways to gauge your progress.

LoraF83

Your muscles are retaining fluid from a new exercise program. When you exercise, you are literally tearing your muscle fibers. That causes your muscles to hang on to water to help repair those tears. That causes the scale to go up. Also, being female, you will be susceptible to hormonal fluctuations that cause weight gain.

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

ZoeLifts

Sadly, achieving the body of a female bodybuilder does not happen overnight, nor a male one for that matter. I think you will be ok, just stay patient and consistent.

Take measurements, take progress pics, and for the love of Pete, stay off of the scale. Read what LoraF83 and so many others are telling you up there about the retention of fluid for muscle repair and your normal hormonal weight gain.

DawnEH612

When you start or intensify an exercise program, your muscles often retain water and glycogen to repair themselves. This leads to the "newbie gains" most everyone experience. It can last for a couple to several weeks. Best thing to do is also take body measurements, progress pictures, and observe how your clothes fit. If your weight goes up but you're losing inches and clothes are feeling looser, then you're doing ok.

Its water... Muscle, surprisingly enough, is about 75% water. Muscle is fueled by glycogen. For every gram of glycogen your muscle holds it takes 3-4 grams of water to retain it in your muscle. Building muscle, especially in the early stages or after "refeed" retains glycogen which therefor retains water.
Relax... Give it a few weeks.. Your body will lose the water and your metabolism will begin to speed up... All great things!

magerum

^^ Listen to these lovely ladies, Lora & Zoe.

jim9097

This string gives me hope. I don't know how many times I say stop looking at the scale. Many women put way to much into what the scale says. I am so glad there are so many women on here that know and understand this and even better are saying it to other women.

When my wife first stated to exercise with me; she was so frustrated, in the first month I lost 20 lbs, she lost 6. Luckily it was our first time through P90X so we took before pictures and measurements. When we remeasured at 30 days she lost 13 inces compared to my 6. It was that moment that she discovered the scale don't mean a whole lot in the big scheme of things.

wswilliams67

It's water weight from the lifting. Females can expect to gain 0.5-1lb of lean muscle PER MONTH naturally. The only way to be sure is to measure and check your body fat%.

MissInce26

Of course I know that! And have alot of respect for bodybuilders I dont want to bulk up thats all

mousepaws22

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

Genuine question- why the potassium? Does it help stop your muscles retaining water and glycogen?

MissInce26

Your muscles are retaining fluid from a new exercise program. When you exercise, you are literally tearing your muscle fibers. That causes your muscles to hang on to water to help repair those tears. That causes the scale to go up. Also, being female, you will be susceptible to hormonal fluctuations that cause weight gain.

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

thank you for the advice

DawnEH612

Ok thanks thats made me feel a bit better hopefully it is just water weight I'll take some measurements and see how it goes I'm really enjoying the weights and kinda like the pain in my muscles a day later just want to look slim and toned and not like a female bodybuilder. The weight gain was a shock though when iv been sweating all week.

Female bodybuilders don't happen by accident--you would either have to take steroids or work specifically to attain that kind of look, or both.

I bust my rear every week to put on muscle and lose body fat... After 19 months i am still at 20% body fat.

DawnEH612

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

Genuine question- why the potassium? Does it help stop your muscles retaining water and glycogen?

Potassium helps the body balance out sodium in the body and ultimately rids the body of water retention due to excess sodium. (Sodium-potassium pump) But i dont suspect this is water retention due to sodium, but more due to glycogen stores.

Sarauk2sf

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

Genuine question- why the potassium? Does it help stop your muscles retaining water and glycogen?

Potassium helps the body balance out sodium in the body and ultimately rids the body of water retention due to excess sodium. (Sodium-potassium pump) But i dont suspect this is water retention due to sodium, but more due to glycogen stores.

Correct. It will not 'help' with fluid in muscles, just possibly with normal bloat type water retention if sodium levels are high.

mousepaws22

Thanks!

MissInce26

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

Genuine question- why the potassium? Does it help stop your muscles retaining water and glycogen?

Potassium helps the body balance out sodium in the body and ultimately rids the body of water retention due to excess sodium. (Sodium-potassium pump) But i dont suspect this is water retention due to sodium, but more due to glycogen stores.

oh iv been taking I-glutamine supplements for musle recovery should I stop?

brower47

Ok thanks thats made me feel a bit better hopefully it is just water weight I'll take some measurements and see how it goes I'm really enjoying the weights and kinda like the pain in my muscles a day later just want to look slim and toned and not like a female bodybuilder. The weight gain was a shock though when iv been sweating all week.

Female bodybuilders don't happen by accident--you would either have to take steroids or work specifically to attain that kind of look, or both.

This. It takes loads of HIGHLY specialized training and eating in order to attain the female body builder look. Casual weight lifting will NEVER achieve that look.

kcritter77

Ok thanks thats made me feel a bit better hopefully it is just water weight I'll take some measurements and see how it goes I'm really enjoying the weights and kinda like the pain in my muscles a day later just want to look slim and toned and not like a female bodybuilder. The weight gain was a shock though when iv been sweating all week.

Female bodybuilders don't happen by accident--you would either have to take steroids or work specifically to attain that kind of look, or both.

I bust my rear every week to put on muscle and lose body fat... After 19 months i am still at 20% body fat.

<~~~~~Just decided 20% is my goal You look fab!!

Sarauk2sf

I would suggest that you start taking measurements so you can see losses that aren't scale related. Log every single bite you take. Watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water and eat some bananas or other potassium rich foods. And then just apply some time and patience. The scale will go back down. You just need to wait a little bit.

Genuine question- why the potassium? Does it help stop your muscles retaining water and glycogen?

Potassium helps the body balance out sodium in the body and ultimately rids the body of water retention due to excess sodium. (Sodium-potassium pump) But i dont suspect this is water retention due to sodium, but more due to glycogen stores.

oh iv been taking I-glutamine supplements for musle recovery should I stop?

There are no adverse side effects as far as I am aware, even at pretty high doses.

Why are you asking whether you should stop? However, I am not aware of anything that shows it 'works' so I would not bother taking it myself.

grimendale

This is water retention. It should recede soon. When you first start working out, or significantly increase intensity, you generate a lot of microtears in your muscle fibers. Your body sees this as an injury and responds by inflaming the tissue around the tears and retaining water to kill any possible infection (part of the inflammation response). Thus, for about 2-3 week, you will see anywhere from a 5 to 10 lbs gain on the scale due to water retention (water is surprisingly dense). Once you acclimate to the workout (which should be soon), the water weight will drop off and you'll start seeing losses again, provided your diet is right. Don't sweat it and stick with it. The water weight will go away soon.

MissInce26

This is water retention. It should recede soon. When you first start working out, or significantly increase intensity, you generate a lot of microtears in your muscle fibers. Your body sees this as an injury and responds by inflaming the tissue around the tears and retaining water to kill any possible infection (part of the inflammation response). Thus, for about 2-3 week, you will see anywhere from a 5 to 10 lbs gain on the scale due to water retention (water is surprisingly dense). Once you acclimate to the workout (which should be soon), the water weight will drop off and you'll start seeing losses again, provided your diet is right. Don't sweat it and stick with it. The water weight will go away soon.

thank you for the good info and thought I would update this post Im already finding it easier to lift the weights and back to my normal weight so the 5lb did come back off quickly have taken body measurements and will judge by that in a month x

LeanneGoingThin

It's possible the 5lbs is just your muscles filling with water to repair themselves.