Started heavy lifting and scale going UP :(

littledumplings

I've started heavy lifting, working up to oly bar level and now on week 2 of Stronglifts 5x5. Im eating under my TDEE and above my BRM, although it's close to TDEE on lifting days...but I have had the occasional cheat/binge (prob 2000 extra cals)

I know inches are better than pounds/throw the scale away/muscle weighs more than fat and looks leaner/water retention for repair etc etc but what I wanted to ask was, did anyone else gain on the scales and by how much when the started lifting, and for how long? I'm talking about people who didnt want to gain, not people who ate in excess to bulk up

No change in measurements yet, its early days, and I'm still 40# overweight so cant really afford to be going backwards up the scale. Ive put on 4lbs since lifting, and looks like another 1lb going to be on by weigh day

Just want some reassurance that its happened to others and nothing to worry about xx

piesbd

Muscle is more dense than fat is. So the same spatial volume of muscle will weigh heavier than fat will. You will see the scale reverse, as well as starting to see loss inches. :-). Good luck!

ninerbuff

It will go down. The only question I have is if you only lost 30lbs but looked the way you wanted to, would the extra 10lbs matter?


A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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DavPul

Agreed. Take photos and use your tape measure. Your scale will only mess with your head. You won't bulk up.

Yanicka1

The bad news is that you gained weight. The good news is that you didn't gained fat.

I have been lifting for almost a year and my weight started to come down just in the last few months. It does not mean that nothing was happening!!! My body was changing every month.

I know you want to lose the weight now. But please be patient.

littledumplings

The bad news is that you gained weight. The good news is that you didn't gained fat.

I have been lifting for almost a year and my weight started to come down just in the last few months. It does not mean that nothing was happening!!! My body was changing every month.

I know you want to lose the weight now. But please be patient.

Thank you! exactly what I wanted to hear

hdsqrl

Today I'm starting a lifting program as well - I'll try to remember this advice!

RunningAggie

I've only been lifting for a couple of weeks now, but this morning my scale was up 3 pounds from where I started. I've been staying under my calorie goal and drinking more water than I have in a long time. I was pretty discouraged about the gain. Thanks for posting the question. I feel better now!

Btmartin54

I've only been lifting for a couple of weeks now, but this morning my scale was up 3 pounds from where I started. I've been staying under my calorie goal and drinking more water than I have in a long time. I was pretty discouraged about the gain. Thanks for posting the question. I feel better now!

Me too. I have been all over this site and I Internet looking for answers to explain my recent weight gain of 2lbs.

damorzacon

I started lifting about 3 weeks ago and I've gone up about 4 pounds since then. I know I'm eating what I should be so I'm not worried about it. I can see changes in the mirror and in the fit of my clothes, which is a much better indicator of progress than the scale.

Just stick with it and you'll start to see good things happen!

mamamudbug

Take pictures once a month on the same day, preferably in the same outfit or something similar. I didn't think I had any changes until I saw my second month pictures. I hate pictures of myself but I am so glad that I started taking them when I started lifting. If I hadn't I would have given up by now. My weight fluctuates more now that I'm lifting than it did with dieting alone. It all depends on what body part I'm working and how intense I worked it. I'm usually up more the day after I squat/deadlift than the days I squat/row.

danifo0811

I went up 5 lbs my first week of doing strength training. it took about 5 weeks to get below my start weight. During that time I noticed changes in my body and got good definition in my arms and lost an inch in my waist.

UrbanRunner81

It is water weight. I started a similar program to stronglifts. My weight went up by 3 lbs this week. I eat around my TDEE.

meshashesha2012

once you start weight training dont worry so much about the scale. over the past month i've lost maybe 3 pounds, but i've also lost another half clothing size. obviously the smaller body is more important than the scale because it's not like i have to carry the scale around everywhere i go to prove my weight.

just start taking your measurements and stop freaking out over weight fluctuations

Josie_lifting_cats

Mentally it's hard to see that scale go up. I know when I reached healthy BMI it was hard for me to let go of that. I am so scared that I will "lose" what I have.... but I should know better. I'm going to be okay. If I gain a few pounds, it will not stay forever, because I'm committed to this.

I also use the fit of my clothes to judge. My clothes still fit? I'm doing fine. :-)

But I totally relate to your fears. It's scary!

russellma

When I started doing a little strength training, my weight went up a bit, too. I did a little research, and it seems that its all a part of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Apparently, the body retains some fluid in an effort to repair your muscles. It might happen for a while every time you hit a new level, but it will go away, if you're eating below your TDEE consistently. Good luck!

ishtar13

You may want to join us: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

jetscreaminagain

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news. You might be gaining fat. It isn't the lifting. Its the eating.

Here's some of the possibilities that aren't bad news: the extra weight is water from muscle repair. or glycogen storage or other things I'm not totally clear on.

But you said something that seems to have gone unnoticed because it was the end of your description of your totally spot-on choices about eating. You said you have the "occasional" binge or cheat day. Then you said "probably an extra 2000 calories". If that's per binge or cheat day, I'm sorry but that's kind of a lot. And depending on how often "occasional" is, that is likely to be the reason for the scale moving. And lifting weights 3 days a week doesn't guarantee that all those extra calories are being converted into muscle and not into fat. In fact, there's not a chance that's happening completely.

Just like excessive eating wouldn't be made up for by a bunch of running (I know people who put on weight while they trained for each of their marathons: "I just ran 15 miles, I can have that cheeseburger." Last Tuesday I ran 12 miles. It's Friday but it's totally 3 margarita day"), awesome lifting sessions don't give you a blank check for eating.

Now you can be planful about your food and cycle it and have reasonable cheat meals/days. But if you are eating 2000 calories more than you plan with any kind of regularity, you need to expect your results are not going to be what you plan. Make your choices however you like, that is fine with me, but don't be surprised when your choices lead inevitably to where they will lead.

Capt_Apollo

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news. You might be gaining fat. It isn't the lifting. Its the eating.

Here's some of the possibilities that aren't bad news: the extra weight is water from muscle repair. or glycogen storage or other things I'm not totally clear on.

But you said something that seems to have gone unnoticed because it was the end of your description of your totally spot-on choices about eating. You said you have the "occasional" binge or cheat day. Then you said "probably an extra 2000 calories". If that's per binge or cheat day, I'm sorry but that's kind of a lot. And depending on how often "occasional" is, that is likely to be the reason for the scale moving. And lifting weights 3 days a week doesn't guarantee that all those extra calories are being converted into muscle and not into fat. In fact, there's not a chance that's happening completely.

Just like excessive eating wouldn't be made up for by a bunch of running (I know people who put on weight while they trained for each of their marathons: "I just ran 15 miles, I can have that cheeseburger." Last Tuesday I ran 12 miles. It's Friday but it's totally 3 margarita day"), awesome lifting sessions don't give you a blank check for eating.

Now you can be planful about your food and cycle it and have reasonable cheat meals/days. But if you are eating 2000 calories more than you plan with any kind of regularity, you need to expect your results are not going to be what you plan. Make your choices however you like, that is fine with me, but don't be surprised when your choices lead inevitably to where they will lead.

QFT

littledumplings

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news. You might be gaining fat. It isn't the lifting. Its the eating.

Here's some of the possibilities that aren't bad news: the extra weight is water from muscle repair. or glycogen storage or other things I'm not totally clear on.

But you said something that seems to have gone unnoticed because it was the end of your description of your totally spot-on choices about eating. You said you have the "occasional" binge or cheat day. Then you said "probably an extra 2000 calories". If that's per binge or cheat day, I'm sorry but that's kind of a lot. And depending on how often "occasional" is, that is likely to be the reason for the scale moving. And lifting weights 3 days a week doesn't guarantee that all those extra calories are being converted into muscle and not into fat. In fact, there's not a chance that's happening completely.

Just like excessive eating wouldn't be made up for by a bunch of running (I know people who put on weight while they trained for each of their marathons: "I just ran 15 miles, I can have that cheeseburger." Last Tuesday I ran 12 miles. It's Friday but it's totally 3 margarita day"), awesome lifting sessions don't give you a blank check for eating.

Now you can be planful about your food and cycle it and have reasonable cheat meals/days. But if you are eating 2000 calories more than you plan with any kind of regularity, you need to expect your results are not going to be what you plan. Make your choices however you like, that is fine with me, but don't be surprised when your choices lead inevitably to where they will lead.

That makes perfect sense, BUT, I used to have a cheat/binge (Im not proud of it, and was never planned) about once a week/fortnight since I began MFP and it didnt stop regular weight loss, and never had a gain...although I did do more cardio before starting lifting..that maybe where the problem lies....

Also, I was going to pose the question that if I did go over 2000 cals or so (per fortnight max), would this then be classed as overeating to 'bulk' . I dont want to lower my cals through the week to account for this for fear I'd be hungry and trigger more binges!

MrsBully4

Lifting is amazing for reshaping your body, keep doing it.

McBully4

Don't stop you will drop inches fast and feel awesome. Your muscles may be clinging onto water to replenish them after your workouts. Please stick with it.

jetscreaminagain

I don't want to overquote, but OP, if you were binging before and it didn't stop weight loss, awesome for you then. There is also the fact that when you have more to lose, you can make more mistakes. When you have less to lose, your sweet spot is a narrower range. A binge doesn't matter so much when you have so much to lose because you can more safely have a large deficit.

"Bulking" as done by the advanced lifter/bodybuilders on my friends list is a way more planned thing that lasts a longer time than what I'm imagining when you describe a 2,000 calorie fortnightly binge that might be brought on by having to be more disciplined and risk being hungry. I'll leave that to them to describe.

But I'm not going to argue the laws of physics with you. You can choose to do things how you like.

littledumplings

But I'm not going to argue the laws of physics with you. You can choose to do things how you like.

It's the remains of an eating disorder, happening less and less, but nevertheless will occasionally happen again I'm sure. Not really a choice unfortunately but i really dont want to get into that convo...

You're right about having more room to play with when you have more to lose, didnt look at it lke that before, thanks, thats something I need to think about

mamamudbug

But I'm not going to argue the laws of physics with you. You can choose to do things how you like.

Pissy much? It didn't sound like she was arguing but clarifying the binges you called her out on and asking a question about bulking that you could tell she didn't understand. She said she is eating above bmr and below tdee which means she is in a deficit. A 2000 calorie binge once every two weeks means she's ~probably~ still in a deficit, albeit a small one or eating at tdee, in which case she would be maintaining. There are are more than a couple of women eating at maintenance or above in the women's 5x5 group that are still losing bodyfat. The weight gain she is describing is something that has happened to some of us in that group, seems to be pretty common and does not appear to be diet based.

LabRat529

Just want some reassurance that its happened to others and nothing to worry about xx

Yup, it's pretty normal. It's not the end of the world Lifting is worth it. You'll feel amazing soon, and then you won't care what the damn scale says :P

The weight gain is probably water weight. Damaged tissue holds on to fluid so that it has the nutrients it needs to repair itself. When you lift, you're straining/tearing those muscles. They swell a little. It will go away.

mamamudbug

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

The sticky has a great breakdown on SL 5x5. You'll find the ladies there pretty supportive.

jonesin_am

I've just started lifting too and am seeing the scale go up...which was expected after reading everything on MFP. I've decided to put the scale away and focus on how my clothes fit, how I feel, and watching the inches melt off. I advise you do the same if the scale messes with your head like it does mine!

Good luck and happy lifting!