lifting and gaining (yes i know its water)

jillmarie125
jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok- so I just started a new workout program. I've been lifting heavy (this is the 3rd week) and really pushing myself. Not pushing myself too much, but more than I was over the past 2 years. I love lifting and wish I started sooner. Anyways- I have put on 7 pounds. I am guessing since one part of my body is sore everyday that this is all water. I am not looking for a pep talk... just looking to see if other people went thru this and how long before their body adjusted. I am fine if these 7 pounds are here to stay for good if i go down in size. But obviously 3 weeks is too early to see body changes.

Thanks guys!

Replies

  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    It took me about 4-6 weeks before I stopped getting bad DOMS and quit retaining so much water.
  • jillmarie125
    jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
    It took me about 4-6 weeks before I stopped getting bad DOMS and quit retaining so much water.

    i just had to google "doms" ....man I feel like a newbie now!!! Lol. Thank you. I need to stay off the scale. But the more I tell myself to stay off the more I get on. I have issues!!!
  • Kabuhtu
    Kabuhtu Posts: 85 Member
    I am just entering my 4th week of lifting AND... My clothes are getting tighter. I don't use the scale. So, I couldn't tell you if its normal but I can tell you that it sucks. Maybe I am eating too much? IDK! Frustrating and totally not what you're going through I just wanted to cry about it. And say that you're probably fine. And that I am also going to google DOMS.
  • jillmarie125
    jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
    I am just entering my 4th week of lifting AND... My clothes are getting tighter. I don't use the scale. So, I couldn't tell you if its normal but I can tell you that it sucks. Maybe I am eating too much? IDK! Frustrating and totally not what you're going through I just wanted to cry about it. And say that you're probably fine. And that I am also going to google DOMS.

    No, no, no I understand. My jeans are tighter in my butt. but that has happened to me before. they will get tight then baggy what seems to be like overnight. And today, my stomach looks like i have a balloon in it. I think that is because I have been drinking tons of water to "flush" out the water I am holding on to. I think I am making it more of an issue than I need to. But i do understand about the clothes getting tighter. I told my friend I had to put my size up jeans on today because there was no way I was going to fight with the smaller size. So....maybe we are ok!
  • LifeNewandImproved
    LifeNewandImproved Posts: 125 Member
    I have the same problem - been lifting heavy and the scale has STALLED. I have a set of clothes that didn't fit very well that I try on once a week. I try to keep in mind that I'm probably losing inches if not pounds and finding a shirt/pair of pants fitting better than they did is more reinforcement to keep it up even though my weight is not what I want right now. After all, no one can see the # on the scale but they can see how you look in the clothes you're wearing!
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    I gained 11lb in the first couple of weeks of rehab last year (eating at maintenance). Lost 8lb week 3, back to start weight week 4. I was doing a mix of heavy lifts and lighter endurance range lifting. I was busting out of my jeans from the water retention in my quads and calves. Both the weight and inches came off evenly and I was exactly where i expected based on my eating after about a month.
  • missvie
    missvie Posts: 21 Member
    Ugh this is my problem right now! Its so discouraging!
  • sashanicole88
    sashanicole88 Posts: 180 Member
    I've been dealing with the same issue. I'm trying to be patient, but it can be quite discouraging. I'm going to keep it up, and continue to eat well and see what happens! I'm seriously trying to stay off the scale...but I know how tempting it can be. I'm trying to keep track of my actual measurements to see if I see any positive changes there :)
  • jillmarie125
    jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
    ok- i knew it was water and would go away. but hearing other people tell me it happened to them, makes me feel so much better. thank you!!!

    missvie- i hope this thread helped you too. don't get discouraged. seriously. go look at the threads of the women who lift heavy. AMAZING. and because of them i started to lift.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    So glad you posted this. I got back to training 10 days ago as I need to recomp and I've gained 3lbs and between 1/4 inch and 3/4 inch pretty much everywhere I measure. Its sooo disheartening as I was hoping to tone up and slim down a little by Valentines but as his rate I'll be staying in and dossing about in my nightie as I won't have anything else left that fits! I'm not going to give up though, I'm going to keep doing my thang and keep my fingers crossed that I'll look awesome by my birthday in June :)
  • TeamAwesomeDanger
    TeamAwesomeDanger Posts: 18
    PHEW. I'm so glad to see other women going through the same thing I am.

    I am a scale junkie, and since restarting my workout routine two weeks ago, my scale has shot back up 3 pounds. It's so discouraging, but I can't keep myself from weighing myself daily. I know logically I have been eating WELL under my TDEE and that I just have to trust in the work I'm doing in the kitchen and the gym, but man. I just want to see some measurable results!
  • Kabuhtu
    Kabuhtu Posts: 85 Member
    I am just entering my 4th week of lifting AND... My clothes are getting tighter. I don't use the scale. So, I couldn't tell you if its normal but I can tell you that it sucks. Maybe I am eating too much? IDK! Frustrating and totally not what you're going through I just wanted to cry about it. And say that you're probably fine. And that I am also going to google DOMS.

    No, no, no I understand. My jeans are tighter in my butt. but that has happened to me before. they will get tight then baggy what seems to be like overnight. And today, my stomach looks like i have a balloon in it. I think that is because I have been drinking tons of water to "flush" out the water I am holding on to. I think I am making it more of an issue than I need to. But i do understand about the clothes getting tighter. I told my friend I had to put my size up jeans on today because there was no way I was going to fight with the smaller size. So....maybe we are ok!

    I really really hope so!
  • nanefy
    nanefy Posts: 23 Member
    I can completely relate! I have lost huge amounts of inches all over my body, but weight is on the scales goes up sometimes and when it goes down, it goes down S L O W L Y - I have lost about 3 inches off my stomach in about 1 month, but I've dropped 1 measly pound! lol

    How your clothes fit is a WAY better tool for measuring success than the scale. I left heavy too and I put the scale weight down to my body retaining water to protect my muscles.

    If you can, try not to weigh yourself, or do it less frequently. I am trying to weigh every 6 weeks, but it's hard, so I totally understand.

    You'll get there, just don't let the scale put you off :)
  • chopper_pilot
    chopper_pilot Posts: 191 Member
    9 weeks is the sweet spot when water retention and all that muck at the beginning have tapered off and probably taken a little extra with it by that point.

    Focus on making it to that point and then enjoy the obsession with taking pictures of all your new tight muscles bumps and lines <3
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    yes, it is water weight…

    I would say drink ALOT of water, I am talking like peeing every hour or something crazy like that….

    I had same issue and did that for a week and I released about four pounds of water weight….sounds counterproductive, but it is true…

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