Gaining weight but clothes are looser?

Fitnessgirl0913

Hi Everyone,
I am a 5'5" female about 137 pounds. I have been lifting weights for the past month in order to tone. I lift for half an hour 2-3 days a week (biceps, triceps, chest, back, legs, abs, and shoulders) and 2-3 days a week I do cardio (usually elliptical or a long brisk walk). I noticed my pants are a bit bigger on me (yay!) so I decided to weigh myself. I stepped on the scale last week and weighed 140 (up 3 pounds from last week). I figured this was water weight so I took it with a grain of salt. I then weighed myself again last night and was still at 140. I know this is not fat since my clothes are bigger and it all came on in a week and I also know it is really not possible for a woman to gain 3 pounds of muscle in a month. I do not feel bloated so I don't suspect water weight and it is not my TOM. Is it possible for muscles to hold onto water causing you to gain weight without making you bloated? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Thank you!

cs2thecox

Here's an important set of questions that I *really* struggled with for years...

- Are you healthy?
- Can you do the things you want to do? (Life generally, and lifting the weights you want)
- Do you like the way your body looks with no clothes on?
- Do you like the way your body looks with clothes on?
- If the answers to all of the above are yes, does it even matter what the scales say?

Once you're close to your goal, aesthetic or dress size related, it may be time to consider if weight is really the best metric to use as your goal.

Took me 7 years (literally - THANKS competitive sport with weight categories!) to get my head round that.
I'm 5' 5" and 60kg, and wearing smaller clothes than I did at 55kg, because I've spent the last year lifting.
Never been happier, but I think that's only because I finally managed to step away from the scales...

Fitnessgirl0913

Thanks for the response! I guess it is not the number going up that is bothering me as much as the fact that I want to hit a specific goal weight. I am trying to recomp as well as drop 7 pounds which I know will be slow going for me at my weight and it is almost more frustrating to gain weight but have bigger clothes than it would be if I had tight clothes too, because then I would know what I was doing and how to correct it. Does that make sense? lol I think I just need to get out of my own head and focus more on how I look and feel then the number on the scale, I guess it is because I was okay with maintaining but was not expecting to gain. I like your questions though, I am going to answer those to myself everyday because I am healthy and do feel good!

rdix333

Are you on a calorie deficit?
Are you counting all calories?
what does MFP say your calorie goal should be and what are you consuming?
What is your goal for weight loss?

Fitnessgirl0913

rdix333 wrote: »

Are you on a calorie deficit?
Are you counting all calories?
what does MFP say your calorie goal should be and what are you consuming?
What is your goal for weight loss?

I am counting calories (weighing and measuring everything) and am on a calorie deficit to lose 0.5 pounds a week, I know it is not fat gain though, this was not intended to be a "help I gained weight post" I know I am getting closer to my goals because my clothes are looser and was just asking if it was possible for muscles to hold onto water since weight gain and clothes getting looser don't exactly go together. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

clayelliott847

If you are too worried. Take off a long weekend from weightlifting. I have experienced a weight drop when I come back from a break.

Fitnessgirl0913

clayelliott847 wrote: »

If you are too worried. Take off a long weekend from weightlifting. I have experienced a weight drop when I come back from a break.

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely try this!

vespiquenn

Although clothing is a good indicator, I also suggest taking measurements if you haven't already.

The weight gain still could be just water, especially if you have only been doing this for a month. But it also could be things like TOM, ovulation, sodium, etc. As long as you're seeing the changes you want to see, which seems to be the case, start relying on the scale less when there are more accurate means of tracking success.

Fitnessgirl0913

vespiquenn wrote: »

Although clothing is a good indicator, I also suggest taking measurements if you haven't already.

The weight gain still could be just water, especially if you have only been doing this for a month. But it also could be things like TOM, ovulation, sodium, etc. As long as you're seeing the changes you want to see, which seems to be the case, start relying on the scale less when there are more accurate means of tracking success.

I have been thinking about measuring, do you know or can tell me where to find a guide to show me where I measure? Like I know my waist and such but where on my waist, or does it not matter as long as I do it in the same place every time (ex, on the belly button)?

vespiquenn

Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »

vespiquenn wrote: »

Although clothing is a good indicator, I also suggest taking measurements if you haven't already.

The weight gain still could be just water, especially if you have only been doing this for a month. But it also could be things like TOM, ovulation, sodium, etc. As long as you're seeing the changes you want to see, which seems to be the case, start relying on the scale less when there are more accurate means of tracking success.

I have been thinking about measuring, do you know or can tell me where to find a guide to show me where I measure? Like I know my waist and such but where on my waist, or does it not matter as long as I do it in the same place every time (ex, on the belly button)?

Typically they say it's the narrowest part of your waist, but I also do right above my belly button because I know I store more fat there than elsewhere on my stomach, so I'm more interested in that change versus being autonomically correct in measuring. There are guides out there if you google them, but essentially if you ensure you are doing it in the same spot each time, you should be able to see trends.

Fitnessgirl0913

Thanks!