Weight gain with Insanity?! Please help!

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RiverRatChick
RiverRatChick Posts: 115 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm starting my third week of Insanity. I LOVE the workouts and how hard they are. I am finally able to do all of the workouts without stopping. I can tell that I am stronger, but how is it possible that I have gained 5 pounds? I am currently staying within a 1300 calorie diet and am not hungry for more than that-- at the same time, I don't think that I can do less calories and still be able to have the energy to complete the Insanity workouts to the best of my ability.

Someone please help. I don't want to stop the workouts, but it is really bothering me that I am working my @ss of and I'm gaining weight. I really don't want to have to go back to my running routine and stop the Insanity to drop weight.
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Replies

  • OliveBruises
    OliveBruises Posts: 68 Member
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    Muscle weighs more than fat. You are probably gaining muscle. Pay more attention to how your close fit than what the scale says :)
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Your muscles retain water anytime they are pushed excessively- it aids in repair. My guess is your muscles are retaining water because this is a challenging workout for you.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    It is not muscle, you cannot gain muscle on a caloric deficit. Most likely it is water weight due to the new intense exercise. Once you get use to it your body should shed this excess water that is protecting your muscles.

    FYI, you need to eat more, much more when doing a program like insanity. If MFP suggests 1300 to lose weight you should eat 1300 plus the calories you burn from the workouts. Your body may be hoarding fat as it may think it is starving. If you burn 500 cals/workout and only eat 1300, your body will function as if you are only eating 800 cals (1300-500). I believe Insanity has a diet guide and the lowest caloric intake should be 1800, not 1300.
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
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    Meg is correct. It is also possible you are at too big of a calorie deficit right now. When your body doesn't receive enough calories, it stores whatever it can get. Are you eating back your calories from your Insanity workouts? Because you probably should be...

    ***Eric beat me to it. And he knows what he's talking about - listen up!
  • RiverRatChick
    RiverRatChick Posts: 115 Member
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    Thanks for the input... I understand what you're saying, however five pounds of fat weighs the same as five pounds of muscle-- it's five pounds. Insanity is an intense cardio workout, unlike, say, P90X which would be more focused on weight training and therefore muscle building. From what I've always understood (and experienced from previous cardio workouts I've done), cardio is the best way to shed weight. If that's the case, how can I be doing 40 minutes of pure cardio with a heartrate of approximately 180-185 and be gaining weight? It just doesn't make any sense....


    Edited for posts added while I was typing...

    As far as I can tell, I am following the Insanity diet guidelines to a "T" for weight loss. Perhaps I'll review them again tonight to make sure. I'll report back...
  • getfitdiva
    getfitdiva Posts: 1,148 Member
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    I actually think my legs got bigger with muscle during my round of Insanity. I thought it was impossible to gain weight because I was drenched in sweat afterwards and burning 900+ calories w/ the max workouts. I would allocate you calorie deficit, muscle gain, and cutting out sugars/sodium. Also make your own recovery drink that may help you get more calories and your body will recover from the workout.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    It is not muscle, you cannot gain muscle on a caloric deficit. Most likely it is water weight due to the new intense exercise. Once you get use to it your body should shed this excess water that is protecting your muscles.

    FYI, you need to eat more, much more when doing a program like insanity. If MFP suggests 1300 to lose weight you should eat 1300 plus the calories you burn from the workouts. Your body may be hoarding fat as it may think it is starving. If you burn 500 cals/workout and only eat 1300, your body will function as if you are only eating 800 cals (1300-500). I believe Insanity has a diet guide and the lowest caloric intake should be 1800, not 1300.

    X2
  • GoodBye_Fatty
    GoodBye_Fatty Posts: 40 Member
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    Good info. Im starting Insanity March 1st, and really want to cont to say in my 1200 cal intake range as I am doing right now. So I guess I will up my cal intake to 1800 if u burn so much during the workout!
  • pragya728
    pragya728 Posts: 250 Member
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    This is a good topic. Thanks for posting this. I starting Insanity last week and I have gained like 3 lbs. It's so frustrating even though I have read it's normal.
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
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    somethings missing in your diet, I know that program is pure cardio so you should be shedding weight and maybe even muscle if you dont strength train....dont look at your calories look at what your actually eating or not.
  • ashleyrae76
    ashleyrae76 Posts: 1
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    My friend and I started a boot camp (one hour, 5 days a week- very intense cardio) and we were all sorts of excited to start losing weight. We are both watching our calorie intake (about 1300-1500 calories per day). We are on the third week, and we've both gained weight. I've gained 4 freaking pounds. And I take measurements weekly, and my thighs are actually getting bigger! It's SO frustrating. I'm hoping that it's all water retention (even though I drink about 80-100 oz per day)... because I would think that by now I would start to shed pounds. I know I'm getting more toned everywhere, but I'd like to lose some inches and some weight!! :(
  • Cina04
    Cina04 Posts: 609
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    I had weight gained in the first 3 weeks but once I started to drink like 12 - 16cups of water a day andhot recovery week the weight started to drop.

    Just don't stop doing it or stay away from the scale!! Insanity is awesome!!
    Go by progress pics vs the scale!!! I had took my pics weekly and noticed a change every week.
    I went from 175 to 145 thanks to Insanity!!

    To me Insanity has cardio and strength training.

    I'm doing Turbo Fire now which seems to be just all cardio. I has glove weights with it though. After I do TF, it's back to Insanity because I don't want to lose my muscle/ muscle tone. Love that you get a toned out body w/o using weights! I'm hoping TF will help get rid or make my c-section pooch smaller!
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    Muscle weighs more than fat. You are probably gaining muscle. Pay more attention to how your close fit than what the scale says :)

    Sorry, it doesn't. However, you may be retaining water. Make sure your calories are in line, you may need to increase your calories to 1,500 or more. Your net calories should be around 1,200 at the end of the day after working out.
  • RiverRatChick
    RiverRatChick Posts: 115 Member
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    Thank you to everyone for your replies.

    Interesting to hear that several people have experienced the same thing with the beginning of the Insanity workout, but ended up dropping weight later in the program. I intend to stick with it, but it does make me nervous. I hope I shed the few pounds I've put on when I reach the second part of the program as you all did. Last year I completed P90X before bathing suit season and it was awesome. This year I picked Insanity for the same reason and it makes me super nervous to be putting on weight as April approaches....... yikes.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    I hope you take the advice to increase your calories.
  • RiverRatChick
    RiverRatChick Posts: 115 Member
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    I hope you take the advice to increase your calories.

    Just as I previously thought, I am pretty much right on track according to the Insanity program suggestion for weight loss. According to the calculation, I should be taking in 1824 calories. Given the fact that I am not stringent on measuring everything exactly, its likely that I am eating exactly that.

    Thanks for your suggestion anyway.


    Had Insanity Plyo tonight and KILLED IT! Woot!!!
  • Lisiebird
    Lisiebird Posts: 45
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    I've also been gaining weight (not muscle) doing Insanity. I'm just finishing the first week of the 2nd month and I've gained about 5 pounds! I'm almost up a dress size. Obviously these were not the results I was hoping for. I was already in good shape when I started the program so I know it won't be as easy for me to lose weight as someone who is just starting out exercising, but it is so discouraging. I use MFP to log in my workouts and food and use a heart rate monitor. In month one it was telling me I was only burning up to 280 per workout (and I was working hard) and now I'm around 450 with the month 2 workouts but I keep hearing the calorie burn should be more than that. I'm eating around 1400-1500 calories per day in accordance with what MFP is telling me based on what I'm logging in with my heart rate monitor. Is it possible I'm still not eating enough?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,230 Member
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    This will probably answer your question http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/200544-why-do-you-sometimes-gain-weight-when-starting-a-new-exercis

    I am guessing this is what is happening to you. It will pass and it is not fat.
  • coleychick27
    coleychick27 Posts: 1
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    remember muscle weighs more than fat. Keep up with Insanity, it is a great work out...Strength and Cardio! Also, if I were you, I definitely wouldnt want to go lower than 1300 calories with work outs like that. You need the nutrition for energy and for your body to recover!
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
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    Some added muscle and inflammation(water weight) if not accustomed to this type of work out. You can also try bumping your calories up 100 or even down 100 and save some calories for a little fast sugar right before and or during your Insanity if you feel you might bonk going lower.

    You can also try adding a day of rest in between workouts. What's an extra 60 days in the grand scheme of things?

    And you absolutely can gain muscle on a calorie deficit. I put on almost 9 lbs of muscle in 8 weeks at a 900 calorie deficit. Not adding muscle on a calorie deficit is a rest problem.

    And if your profile pic is even close to your current body, a little weight isn't going to be visible to anyone but you. That part would be a body image type of thing to get your head around.

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