weight and muscles...

Amb1976
Amb1976 Posts: 241 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
so i had read in another post someone had mentioned while weighing themselves they noticed the # on the scale was up slightly...and they mentioned they thought it was due to having sore muscles (or something along these lines)....do sore muscles weigh MORE than muscle muscles and can they cause you to seem like you have gone up in weight slightly?

Replies

  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    Well, muscles retain water when they are repairing. So that is probably what is going on here if they are sore.
  • mccorml
    mccorml Posts: 622 Member
    when your muscles rebuild they retain water this could be cause for fluctuation in weight thats why its good to record one the same day every week i weigh everyday to keep in track an just to kinda learn how my body reacts and some days i go up but i always notice by the one day ive lost something
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    When you push your muscles really hard, esp in a way they are not used to, they will retain water for a while to repair themselves. It's a mechanism of how your body builds muscles - you push hard, they tear (in small ways, not like a big sever) and when they rebuild they are stronger (or at least more suited to the activity you were doing when you tore them). So "sore" muscles don't weigh more, but if you are actually sore chances are your muscles are retaining some water.
  • adkmountainguy
    adkmountainguy Posts: 50 Member
    Muscles tend to hold more water after working out, but what the person was likely referring to is that muscle weighs more than fat. So while their weight may have gone up, their measurements may have gone down, indicating that they've burned off some fat and replaced it with muscle.

    Additionally, weight will fluctuate on a day to day basis, depending on what you've eaten, and how much fluid you've consumed. A high sodium day could cause you to retain water, which would add weight. Likewise, not drinking water regularly through the day can also cause your body to try to retain water.

    Basically, muscle weighs more than fat, and don't worry about the day to day weigh-ins, look for a downward trend over time, with about a 5lb target range.
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