Can sore muscle cause weight gain?

I have a question. I have been weighing myself every other day and I've gained two pounds. I havent been eating anymore than usual I've actually been eating less and working out more. My muscles are sore from a work out I did on Monday with my combination of my cardio kickboxing class. But could my sore/swollen muscles be the cause of the weight gain?

Replies

  • Leonidas_meets_Spartacus
    Leonidas_meets_Spartacus Posts: 6,198 Member
    yes
  • thatjosiegirl
    thatjosiegirl Posts: 362 Member
    Yup! Anytime I have DOMS, it is usually accompanied by an extra 2 lbs on the scale. Once I start feeling better it falls right back off. Just your damaged muscles taking on water to help repair themselves.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    To elaborate the above...

    When you start exercising after being inactive or increase the intensity of your workouts in some way (more speed, more time, more weight, etc), your muscles suffer microtrauma which tends to make people sore - and as part of the natural healing process those tissues retain water and glycogen. It's sort of the same as when you sprain your ankle and it swells only not as visible as it's spread out over a larger area.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    What the others have said+++

    Don't focus on short term weight loss or weight gains from the scale, record your weight once a week at the same time every week and don't touch the scale again till the next week. Take individual weekly readings from your scale with a grain of salt, you want to measure trends over a 4-6 week period.
  • Thanks everyone. I didnt wanna get discouraged becasue of the gain but those extra two pounds caught me off guard since ive been so consistent with working out and eating right and i did push myself pretty hard on Monday. I really appreciate all of the info.