Why the scale goes UP with a new workout program- MUST READ

Gerald_King

Great post explains my weight gain thanks for sharing

LizCO2DC

Bump! This explains the gain I've had this week. Thanks for sharing!

spaniel

Bump

NotBonJovi

Bump. This is really a Must Read!

Lillypearl62

Very interesting and explains so much. Thanks for sharing.

Schmidty102

Wow! Thanks for sharing this. It explains my scale going up a lb and not budging since I started my weight lifting routine earlier this week. Hopefully I'll see it budge in the next few weeks!

ldrosophila

Thanks for sharing that.

Vini9

A very nice read so glad I found it Thank you!!

donyellemoniquex3

I keep reading this, and I love it !

loisfritz

My question is when will the scale start going down?

April_Christine

Very encouraging post! Thank you!

donyellemoniquex3

Reading for the 161832225385738975th time

rachael116

Thank you. This was really helpful and encouraging! I just started a new routine with a personal trainer and was pretty bumped about the 1-2 pound increase on the scale. Here's hoping the water retention phase doesn't last too much longer.

Booksandbeaches

Thanks for sharing this! I've heard it before but it's worth hearing again. I'm posting so I can find this thread again.

berthabunny

BUMP

Thank you!

Establishedn1986

Bump

ellaloveslove

bump

Kittycd1

Bump

johnguitarman

Thanks so much for this post! This explains why my weight went from 254 to 258 within a couple days! What did I do different? I started running 5 miles a day and it was a new form of exercise for me. I couldn't understand what was happening. I knew it couldn't have been a fat gain and was most likely water but now I know the reason. Its been 6 days since I started running and I'm still a bit sore.

sk_pirate

Thank you for posting! Bump for later :flowerforyou:

StArBeLLa87

Ty for sharing

hopejohnstone

thank god for this post. It has kept me sane for the last 10 days, but yesterday the scale went down after increasing once I started a new exercise routine. Praise the Lord!

johnguitarman

Thanks so much for this post! This explains why my weight went from 254 to 258 within a couple days! What did I do different? I started running 5 miles a day and it was a new form of exercise for me. I couldn't understand what was happening. I knew it couldn't have been a fat gain and was most likely water but now I know the reason. Its been 6 days since I started running and I'm still a bit sore.

UPDATE - And just like that my weight has now gone back down to 254.4! It took about a week but this totally makes sense. Now after I get those sore muscles from starting new routines and my weight bounces I wont worry about it because I will know its normal.

Kevintron2

Bump and save for later!

kevinjb1

Great Article! It explains a lot.

LindaLuMarie

My amazing MFP buddy Bumblepink just emailed me this article and I just had to share it. I have been so frustrated with a weight gain when I started jogging lost week, but this totally explains it from a trust fitness professional- Chalean Johnson. SPREAD THIS!


Why the Scale Goes Up When You Start a New Workout Plan

By Chalene Johnson

Probably the most common question I get when I release a new exercise program is, "Help! I'm gaining weight! Am I doing something wrong?" This is a common phenomenon with any new exercise program, such as Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, or others! It's especially common (and temporary) with intense strength training programs like ChaLEAN Extreme or Tony Horton's P90X.

The motivation to start a new exercise program is almost always to lose weight. However, what most personal trainers know--and most at-home exercisers do not--is that a new exercise program often can cause an immediate (and temporary) increase on the scale. (Notice I didn't say weight gain! I'll explain.) This common increase in the scale is also the reason why perhaps millions of people start and then quickly quit their resolution to get fit.

The temporary weight gain explained:
When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and "unfamiliar" the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to "protect and defend" the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.

Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated, become discouraged and quit!

When I worked with a group of 70 test participants during the development stages of ChaLEAN Extreme, this happened. Who was the most upset and discouraged? You guessed it... the women! I'm happy to report absolutely for every single woman (and man) in our group, the weight increase was temporary and never lasted more than two weeks before they started to see a major drop in the scale. However, these people had the advantage of working with someone who was able to explain to them why this was happening and assure them the weight would come off if they stuck to the nutrition plan and stayed true to the program.

If you follow a multi-phase exercise plan, such as ChaLEAN Extreme, keep in mind that when you start each phase, your body will be "in shock" again. Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience a temporary gain on the scale the first week of each phase.

My own personal example of this is running 10Ks. I don't do it very often, maybe once or twice a year. Even though I run on a regular basis, when you run a race, you push much harder. It's natural for me to be insanely sore the next day. It’s also very common for me to see the scale jump 4 pounds the next day from forcing fluids post race and the resulting DOMS. Even though I know the cause of it, it's still a bummer. We're all human and hard work should mean results. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break. Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.

The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!

bump

Thank you I started running 2 miles a week and doing kettlebell and weight training classes twice a week for about 4 consecutive weeks. I've gained 6 pounds and my thighs are thick and huge. I'm waiting for things to turn around. When will my thighs start slimming and the scale start seeing a loss?

chidori_nep

bump. this topic should be included in the must read list!

4ever420

bump

mdcoug

bump

I'm so glad you bumped this, because I really needed the confirmation. I've been at a 500+ cal. deficit for the past two weeks, except for yesterday, when I let myself just enjoy company and a BBQ (with moderation). I got on the scale this morning and was up a couple of pounds. I knew it couldn't be the food, and I didn't think I had any more sodium than I usually have (it's usually high anyway). I had forgotten that I had started Stage 4 in NROL4W on Saturday.

Tigg1011

So happy to see this! I increased my calories and started working out 6 days/week 30 mins per day and have managed to gain 5 lbs since may 8th! frustrating-hope it comes off soon!