Started Strength Training and Gained 6lbs!!!

beautifulmom84
beautifulmom84 Posts: 8 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I gained about 40lbs during my pregnancy and lost about 20lbs on my own. I noticed that I was leveling out and not losing anymore weight and so I took the plunge and paid for a personal trainer. I have been with him for just over a month now and I have been noticing muscle definition and an increase in my stamina. However, when I stepped on the scale for my first month weigh in, I gained 6lbs! This cannot be happening.

My diet is relatively good (in comparison to most, that is). I cannot say that it is great, but I do not feel that it would make me gain this weight. I try hard to do 45-60 minutes of cardio on the days that I am not doing strength training... so what is going on?!?!

Can anyone help me??

Thanks!

Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    How many calories are you eating per day and what is your height/weight and if you know it, approximate bodyfat%?
  • krisfio
    krisfio Posts: 4
    I am no expert but the same thing happened to me. I am already a athletic, muscular person and just wanted to tone. I am skipping the weights for a month and starting to run and see if that helps. ahhhh so frustrating I feel your pain!
  • beautifulmom84
    beautifulmom84 Posts: 8 Member
    Mind you I am breast feeding - my caloric intake is about 1500-1750 a day. I am 5'9 and weigh 167 (my goal is 140). My last BMI read 28% body fat.
  • hooma
    hooma Posts: 124 Member
    When you work out, especially when you're first starting, your muscles retain a lot of water to help with the rebuilding process. Drink A LOT of water and give it another month or so and you should see those 6 lbs flushed out and then some.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Short term you will typically put on some water weight when you first start lifting. In OP's case it's hard to tell since it's a monthly weigh in.

    I certainly wouldn't skip weight lifting due to scale weight changes.
  • brooke0206
    brooke0206 Posts: 255 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat. You should take body measurements to see if your losing inches because you could be losing the fat but gaining muscle.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat. You should take body measurements to see if your losing inches because you could be losing the fat but gaining muscle.

    This is not likely to be the problem.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/386599-muscle-gain-mistake

    It is most likely that you're retaining water as others have suggested.
  • angel013183
    angel013183 Posts: 26 Member
    When you add strength training into your routine, particularly for the first time in a while, you gain muscle which is more dense than fat. When first starting a weight routine, I would stay away from the scale for a few weeks/month because chances are you will be losing inches but gaining muscle. I think the best example of this is taking a 10 pound package of ground meat and a ten pound hand weight and setting them beside eachother. Even though they weigh the same, the hand weight is significantly smaller than the package of meat because the 10 pound hand weight is much more dense in terms of the weight. If you notice a difference in how your clothes are fitting and you feel better then celebrate that..the scale will catch up.
  • stef_3
    stef_3 Posts: 173
    I am no expert but the same thing happened to me. I am already a athletic, muscular person and just wanted to tone. I am skipping the weights for a month and starting to run and see if that helps. ahhhh so frustrating I feel your pain!


    Similar thing happened to me. I lost a little but not much, but I did lose inches. I took a break from strength training and dove into cardio and the lbs started falling off at a good rate again.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Mind you I am breast feeding - my caloric intake is about 1500-1750 a day. I am 5'9 and weigh 167 (my goal is 140). My last BMI read 28% body fat.

    I'm willing to bet it's additional water/glycogen and I wouldn't stress out over it. I would also encourage you to err on the high end of caloric intake since you are breastfeeding.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Mind you I am breast feeding - my caloric intake is about 1500-1750 a day. I am 5'9 and weigh 167 (my goal is 140). My last BMI read 28% body fat.

    If you are nursing AND working out you need to eat more. I was the same size as you and tried for 2500 a day while nursing. Weight loss should be really slow while you are breast feeding.
  • CLC900709
    CLC900709 Posts: 49 Member
    When you work out, especially when you're first starting, your muscles retain a lot of water to help with the rebuilding process. Drink A LOT of water and give it another month or so and you should see those 6 lbs flushed out and then some.
    This was my thoughts as well
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat. You should take body measurements to see if your losing inches because you could be losing the fat but gaining muscle.

    really?? 1lb of muscle and 1lb fat weigh 1lb ! 1 pound of fat takes up more room , but weighs the same as a 1lb of muscle!
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    People aren't going to like this, but at the point you decide to STOP weight training because of the number on the scale, I'd say you need to rethink your priorities.

    Physique/Health/Functional Strength are all benefits from weight lifting, and unless you have a drastic need to reduce your SCALE WEIGHT, you should trust that the end product will be far more appealing if you keep lifting weights. You're not gaining FAT from lifting weights, and stopping this behavior because of some water weight is foolish.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    Have you spoken to your personal trainer? Has he assessed your food diary?

    It is most likely that you are underestimating your food calories and/or overestimating your exercise calories.

    Having said that... how do you feel in yourself? do you see positive results in the month you've been with your PT doing strength training? The number on the scale is not the be-all and end-all.

    I'm sure there is a logical answer. Just keep at it and you will achieve your goals!
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
    People aren't going to like this, but at the point you decide to STOP weight training because of the number on the scale, I'd say you need to rethink your priorities.

    Physique/Health/Functional Strength are all benefits from weight lifting, and unless you have a drastic need to reduce your SCALE WEIGHT, you should trust that the end product will be far more appealing if you keep lifting weights. You're not gaining FAT from lifting weights, and stopping this behavior because of some water weight is foolish.

    I could not agree more!!! I struggle with the scale too, but not so much when I catch a glimpse of a new muscle, or when my measurements go down every month while my lifts get heavier! It is SO worth it to be strong and confident in your body's abilities! Who cares what the stupid scale says anyway - it's just a number, and I'd much rather be strong and weigh a few pounds more, than be skinny-fat. Any. Day.
  • beautifulmom84
    beautifulmom84 Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks a lot! I appreciate all of your advice! I WILL talk to my trainer and let him know what I have been eating. I do feel better and stronger, but my goal is to be smaller... so that is why I am discouraged. HOWEVER, I will not give up my strength training. I want to be a role model for my children and giving up is not the way to do it. Plus, I want Lady Hulk arms ;)

    Thanks again guys!
  • AddA2UDE
    AddA2UDE Posts: 382
    I certainly wouldn't skip weight lifting due to scale weight changes.

    ^^^Agreed!^^^
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Thanks a lot! I appreciate all of your advice! I WILL talk to my trainer and let him know what I have been eating. I do feel better and stronger, but my goal is to be smaller... so that is why I am discouraged. HOWEVER, I will not give up my strength training. I want to be a role model for my children and giving up is not the way to do it. Plus, I want Lady Hulk arms ;)

    Thanks again guys!
    '
    If your goal is to be smaller then you need to read this:

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    and understand that just because the number on the scale is higher, that does not mean you are not smaller. :smile:

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