Post work out wobble!!

CleanandLean33

The day after a hard workout do you retain water or puff up a bit? I've worked out harder than normal this week and my legs are achy and my thighs feel super big. Pretty sure it not new muscle cos I've only done cardio... And my kcal been good.
Any exercise pros it this water or something?

junebug523

It's water. I definitely feel puffy after I've worked extra hard with the weights--that's why it's important to take rest days and give your body a chance to recover. This week I moved to higher weights and lower reps in my workout, and I've felt puffy all week--just started to feel a little more normal yesterday, and my jeans were even a little loose! Make sure you are drinking lots of water, getting plenty of protein, and try to keep your sodium down!

I should take my own advice--my sodium has been off the charts this week So, that makes a double whammy on my puffiness--lots of sodium and higher weights--no wonder!

Edited to note that you weren't using weights, you were only doing cardio--any change in intensity can cause water retention, so whether you are lifting weights or doing cardio, this can make you feel a bit puffy for a few days...

fiveohmike

Absolutely. When you work out hard, you develop small tears in your muscles (perfectly normal) this causes inflammation (stiffness, soreness). Your body fights this with water (water retention). After any increase in workout level, hard lifting sessions ect your body will retain water.

Best advice, drink even more water. This helps flush excess water out of your system. If you are even in the least bit dehydrated your body will retain water with a vengeance.

Check out the thread I just posted on why the scale lies

CleanandLean33

Thank you both... Good to find out what is really going on inside me!!
Will read your post now... I'm advoiding the scale for the month already so any motivation to stick to that great :-)