Is it ok that I'm gaining weight?
Trex5009
Posts: 171 Member
This has been the trend of my weight.
Starting Late August:
129.6
131.2
131
131
132
132
132.4
And I weighed in this morning At 133.4
All these weights are 2 weeks apart. I go to the gym and lift weights/do cardio 5 days a week. I don't notice I'm gaining any kind of fat.
Should I be worried in any way?
Starting Late August:
129.6
131.2
131
131
132
132
132.4
And I weighed in this morning At 133.4
All these weights are 2 weeks apart. I go to the gym and lift weights/do cardio 5 days a week. I don't notice I'm gaining any kind of fat.
Should I be worried in any way?
0
Replies
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are you trying to gain, maintain or lose weight?1
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I guess it depends on your goal. If it's to maintain, and 133.4 is outside your maintainance range, you may want to start eating at a deficient again until it gets back in range. The almost 4lb up weight trend would concern me.0
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If I were trying to maintain and I'd been slowing gaining for 3-4 months, I'd be concerned. Not overly, but I'd work to correct it.
Are you also taking measurements?0 -
That depends on a number of factors.
What are your goals? Are you trying to lose fat, gain muscle?
Are you tracking calories? If so, how closely and do you think you're eating at a deficit or surplus?
Are you weighing yourself at a consistent time/conditions?
All in all, 4 lbs isn't that big of a swing and could be accounted for by hydration, especially if the 129.6 was on the dehydrated end and the 133.4 is following recent high sodium meals. I weigh myself daily and came in 2.6 lbs lower today than yesterday, which I attribute to some sushi and Thai for dinner on Saturday night (soy sauce). If you've changed anything about your diet or supplements since August that could easily account for some extra water retention; creatine is one that comes to mind which contributes to water retention.
If you're looking increase the accuracy of the weights you record try weighing yourself at the same time/state each time to mitigate some fluctuations caused by hydration. It's popular to weigh daily and use a spreadsheet or tracking app to track the trend on a weekly average basis, rather than individual data points spaced out.
If you're new to the gym/lifting it's very possible you've gained some muscle assuming your lifts are progressing; a pound or two per month gain for newbies isn't uncommon, even if at a calorie deficit, especially for men.
Ultimately, that's really a question you have to answer yourself based on what you're trying to accomplish. I'm right around 175lbs right now but have weighed between ~158-190lbs at any given point over the past 6-7 years. At 158 (in 2012-2013) I'd have expected to look fat at 175, though I'm far happier with how I look now. Having started lifting more, and running less over the last 2-3 years I don't know I could get down under 165 without wholesale lifestyle changes as that would mean maintaining about 6% body fat.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »are you trying to gain, maintain or lose weight?That depends on a number of factors.
What are your goals? Are you trying to lose fat, gain muscle?
Are you tracking calories? If so, how closely and do you think you're eating at a deficit or surplus?
Are you weighing yourself at a consistent time/conditions?
All in all, 4 lbs isn't that big of a swing and could be accounted for by hydration, especially if the 129.6 was on the dehydrated end and the 133.4 is following recent high sodium meals. I weigh myself daily and came in 2.6 lbs lower today than yesterday, which I attribute to some sushi and Thai for dinner on Saturday night (soy sauce). If you've changed anything about your diet or supplements since August that could easily account for some extra water retention; creatine is one that comes to mind which contributes to water retention.
If you're looking increase the accuracy of the weights you record try weighing yourself at the same time/state each time to mitigate some fluctuations caused by hydration. It's popular to weigh daily and use a spreadsheet or tracking app to track the trend on a weekly average basis, rather than individual data points spaced out.
If you're new to the gym/lifting it's very possible you've gained some muscle assuming your lifts are progressing; a pound or two per month gain for newbies isn't uncommon, even if at a calorie deficit, especially for men.
Ultimately, that's really a question you have to answer yourself based on what you're trying to accomplish. I'm right around 175lbs right now but have weighed between ~158-190lbs at any given point over the past 6-7 years. At 158 (in 2012-2013) I'd have expected to look fat at 175, though I'm far happier with how I look now. Having started lifting more, and running less over the last 2-3 years I don't know I could get down under 165 without wholesale lifestyle changes as that would mean maintaining about 6% body fat.
I'm lifting to gain muscle. The 129 weight was my goal to reach in August.0 -
That depends on a number of factors.
What are your goals? Are you trying to lose fat, gain muscle?
Are you tracking calories? If so, how closely and do you think you're eating at a deficit or surplus?
Are you weighing yourself at a consistent time/conditions?
All in all, 4 lbs isn't that big of a swing and could be accounted for by hydration, especially if the 129.6 was on the dehydrated end and the 133.4 is following recent high sodium meals. I weigh myself daily and came in 2.6 lbs lower today than yesterday, which I attribute to some sushi and Thai for dinner on Saturday night (soy sauce). If you've changed anything about your diet or supplements since August that could easily account for some extra water retention; creatine is one that comes to mind which contributes to water retention.
If you're looking increase the accuracy of the weights you record try weighing yourself at the same time/state each time to mitigate some fluctuations caused by hydration. It's popular to weigh daily and use a spreadsheet or tracking app to track the trend on a weekly average basis, rather than individual data points spaced out.
If you're new to the gym/lifting it's very possible you've gained some muscle assuming your lifts are progressing; a pound or two per month gain for newbies isn't uncommon, even if at a calorie deficit, especially for men.
Ultimately, that's really a question you have to answer yourself based on what you're trying to accomplish. I'm right around 175lbs right now but have weighed between ~158-190lbs at any given point over the past 6-7 years. At 158 (in 2012-2013) I'd have expected to look fat at 175, though I'm far happier with how I look now. Having started lifting more, and running less over the last 2-3 years I don't know I could get down under 165 without wholesale lifestyle changes as that would mean maintaining about 6% body fat.
And yes I am tracking calories.. not going over at any day of the week since I started tracking.
btw I had a high sodium meal Saturday for lunch.. but it's Monday today shouldn't it be all gone? I drank tons of water since then.0 -
Then gaining is a good thing, no?2
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Was this supposed to be a cut and bulk, or a cut and recomp?
How tall are you?0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Then gaining is a good thing, no?
right. I just wanna make sure that gaining at this kind of rate is bad or not. Or is it possible I gain 4 pounds of muscle? I'm not sure
0 -
The mirror is the way to go not the scale. You might be gaining muscles by lifting. The scale doesn't know the difference between burning fat and gaining muscles.1
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TavistockToad wrote: »Then gaining is a good thing, no?
right. I just wanna make sure that gaining at this kind of rate is bad or not. Or is it possible I gain 4 pounds of muscle? I'm not sure
When recomping you should be maintaining 'weight' and hopefully you have given yourself a weight range (+/- lbs).
If this weight gain is outside of your maintenance +/- weight range, you may want to reassess your calorie intake.3 -
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that you have gained a bit--you are at the lighter end of the BMI range... but if you're gaining weight, then you are eating above maintenance. Aesthetically, how do you look? Are you taking measurements? Have you had your body fat measured?
Realize that there is no way to ensure that 100% of the weight that you have gained is muscle--some level of fat is going to come along with it...1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Then gaining is a good thing, no?
right. I just wanna make sure that gaining at this kind of rate is bad or not. Or is it possible I gain 4 pounds of muscle? I'm not sure
It's certainly very possible for males to gain muscle at the rate of 4lbs in 3 months. Bear in mind only you know your lifting experience, age, training program etc.
See this for more info - https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential.html/
Is what is effectively a slow/lean bulk is OK is for you to decide based on your priorities. If maintaining your weight is more important to you then nibble off a few calories. If you are happier getting slowly bigger and stronger then carry on.
PS - only weighing fortnightly isn't giving you many data points so one weigh-in with a big fluctuation skews the picture badly. I lost 4lbs in a day last week for example (not fat unfortunately!!).1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Then gaining is a good thing, no?
right. I just wanna make sure that gaining at this kind of rate is bad or not. Or is it possible I gain 4 pounds of muscle? I'm not sure
Are you male or female?0 -
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that you have gained a bit--you are at the lighter end of the BMI range... but if you're gaining weight, then you are eating above maintenance. Aesthetically, how do you look? Are you taking measurements? Have you had your body fat measured?
Realize that there is no way to ensure that 100% of the weight that you have gained is muscle--some level of fat is going to come along with it...TavistockToad wrote: »Then gaining is a good thing, no?
right. I just wanna make sure that gaining at this kind of rate is bad or not. Or is it possible I gain 4 pounds of muscle? I'm not sure
It's certainly very possible for males to gain muscle at the rate of 4lbs in 3 months. Bear in mind only you know your lifting experience, age, training program etc.
See this for more info - https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential.html/
Is what is effectively a slow/lean bulk is OK is for you to decide based on your priorities. If maintaining your weight is more important to you then nibble off a few calories. If you are happier getting slowly bigger and stronger then carry on.
PS - only weighing fortnightly isn't giving you many data points so one weigh-in with a big fluctuation skews the picture badly. I lost 4lbs in a day last week for example (not fat unfortunately!!).
The picture in the middle is from 3 months ago.. the first and last pic is from a couple days ago0 -
You look more muscular and trimmer in the more recent pics. Nice going! I wouldn’t worry about the scale- at this point. Keep taking the pictures tho, so you make sure you aren’t adding fat if you gain more.3
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fiddletime wrote: »You look more muscular and trimmer in the more recent pics. Nice going! I wouldn’t worry about the scale- at this point. Keep taking the pictures tho, so you make sure you aren’t adding fat if you gain more.
Thank you! Good point0 -
Really good progress - unless you have some imperative for staying a certain weight then carry on and be happy!0
This discussion has been closed.
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