Started lifting weights about a month ago and gaining weight

angelalact

Hello! I started lifting weights more seriously about 4 weeks ago and I am gaining a lot of weight. I have been tracking my calories during this time and upping my protein. I have gained about 5 lbs in the past month. I am close to my period, so perhaps it is water weight gain? I am running less, but I do try to stay under 1200 calories every day still. Any input? Thanks!

Veil5577

I would agree it's probably water weight due to Mr. Monthly. Try drinking more water so your body will get rid of the water it's holding on to.

martinel2099

I wouldn't recommend going under 1,200 at any point.

What is your goal for lifting? Are you exercising to lose weight right now or are you trying to bulk?>

If trying to lose weight, Nothing wrong with working out when trying to lose weight in fact it's highly encouraged. If you are trying to build muscle mass it's not efficient during a calorie deficit, but working while trying to lose weight can still improve strength and signal your body not to loss as much muscle because your'e using it.

If you're trying to bulk, you need to eat at a calorie surplus to facilitate muscle growth. You will gain fat and muscle, this can't be avoided.

Overall, make sure you watch your calories and make sure you're not over-estimating how much calories you are burning from exercise. Fitness pal may say you're burning 500 calories in an exercise when you're really only burning 250, and if you eat back the 500 then you're over 250.

DanaDark

To start, are you eating back your weight lifting calories burned? If so, don't.

From there, it is expected that you'd gain a few pounds of water weight when picking up exercise. This is because the body needs to retain more water to do repairs to damaged tissues like muscle.

If it is close to "that time of the month" that also causes extra water retention.

Give it a few more weeks and check back.

angelalact

I am doing weights to try and tone and maintain my weight, but I continue to gain. I love the way my body is starting to look now. I went from having skinny legs to toned legs, and I actually have somewhat of a butt now too! I was just wondering if this weight gain is normal.

DanaDark

Oh, if you are eating enough calories, then yes, your body will put on weight via muscle. Especially if this is your first time lifting.

I am sure you've seen the pictures all around here showing girls weighing more while being skinnier.

martinel2099

Ok in that case I would keep an eye on your weight gain / loss of the next 4-6 weeks and see how it goes. There are a variety of outside factors that can skew the scale.

Remember to build muscle you need to eat at a calorie surplus, there are plenty of very smart people on this site that know a thing or two about building muscle. I'll give you a link to a good one.

http://www.youtube.com/user/feedingfitness

He has plenty of good guides and recommendations for how to proceed here.

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DanaDark

Oh, if you are eating enough calories, then yes, your body will put on weight via muscle. Especially if this is your first time lifting.

I am sure you've seen the pictures all around here showing girls weighing more while being skinnier.

Highly unlikely that she is gaining muscle especially eating under 1200 calories and without proper weight training.
As a new lifter you can see some noob gains but it won't be a considerably measurable amount.

Water retention is more likely the root cause.

Didn't notice the 1200 initially. I went off her last post talking about "maintain [her] weight".

So yeah, if that's the case (1200) definitely retained water due to picking up a new exercise program.

littlekitty3

1) it's most likely water weight. Exercise can do that. Even if you don't lift and do a hard sprinting workout your legs will have a hard time fitting into skinny jeans the next day (I know this from experience)

2) It is possible to get fat on 1200 calories a day. Why? Well since I cannot see your diary I can tell you why....with a diet crazy industry they throw junk at us that are full of process shi!t preserves and chemicals that actually mess with things like hormones and vital cell function (that we don't think much of) and that can cause weight gain over time. Another is that your metabolism is becoming more efficient (you know "starvation mode"). Efficient as in your body can exert a lot of energy on little calories (think of a car with awesome gas milage).

3) You might be miscalculating your intake and eating way more than you think (a lot of peoplelike to point this finger)

4) Just eat healthier and treat the body with respect, the diet industry sucks and I think it's silly that we are the only species on this planet that has a million different manuels on how to eat.

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