2 weeks at gym, and gained 2 lbs :(

mcaplan718

Hm, so I'm going to stick with the gym hoping that the 2 lbs I have gained in the last 2 weeks is from muscle, it has to be right? Since I started logging my food, I have been eating 100% healthier than I ever have. Usually, for breakfast I would have 2 fried eggs, 2 huge pieces of multigrain toast and a HUGE portion of butter on each piece, along with my coffee. When I started doing MFP,- I tried something new, I noticed I was equally as full and energized eating 1 egg, 1 toast, and a little butter, along with my coffee. So right there alone, I cut my usually calorie intake at breakfast in half. Plus, I have been eating healthier in general for my other meals. Lower calories, and smaller portions.
I guess my questions is, how normal is it to gain weight in the initial stages of going to the gym? Should I just stay away from the scale and use a measuring tape for now? Humph!

Game8

Maybe if you make your diary available, we would be able to give you better advice. Weight gain/ loss is largely determined by your diet.

Ge0rgiana

No, it is water.

ahviendha

As a lady, TOM affects your weight by 1-3lbs.

New to exercise? Muscles could be inflamed from building, could be holding onto water to help repair.

Whenever I start a new exercise regime, or a new level of one I'm already on, I gain a little bit. It always falls back off.

tomdVT

Don't fret, just keep going it WILL work!

jesz124

Well think about it logically, have you eaten an extra 7000 calories above your normal levels in the past 2 weeks? No? Well it's not fat then. No doubt just your body doing its own funky thing. Chill out, it will level out.

misalillstead

Found this a while ago... hope it helps!

https://www.turbokick.com/wblog/?p=709

cal_73

No, it is water.

^^
Took a week off recently due to a cold and found my weight down a few pounds despite going off the diet. Went back on the diet and back to the gym and gained a few pounds. Exercise will definitely add water to your weight.

mcaplan718

Maybe if you make your diary available, we would be able to give you better advice. Weight gain/ loss is largely determined by your diet.

Ok- Im going to do that now

tomomatic

The scale lies. How are your clothes fitting?

Don't stop what you're doing. This article will help:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

This person amazes me. Fastforward to "Staci Now" section and you'll understand why I say the scale lies.

rcalvert1

bump for later

dym123

My weight tends to fluctuate, I'll weigh myself one week, I gained 3lbs, weigh myself the next, lost 4lbs. I weigh once a month, avoids the freak outs.

Emancipated_Tai

Liberate yourself from the scale, it will be the best decision of your weight loss journey! It is good to use as a baseline, but look to your energy levels, body measurements and how your clothes fit to tell you the true story. Also, take pics of yourself. You will be amazed at what you see in photos vs. just looking in the mirror.

californiagirl2012

Hm, so I'm going to stick with the gym hoping that the 2 lbs I have gained in the last 2 weeks is from muscle, it has to be right? Since I started logging my food, I have been eating 100% healthier than I ever have. Usually, for breakfast I would have 2 fried eggs, 2 huge pieces of multigrain toast and a HUGE portion of butter on each piece, along with my coffee. When I started doing MFP,- I tried something new, I noticed I was equally as full and energized eating 1 egg, 1 toast, and a little butter, along with my coffee. So right there alone, I cut my usually calorie intake at breakfast in half. Plus, I have been eating healthier in general for my other meals. Lower calories, and smaller portions.
I guess my questions is, how normal is it to gain weight in the initial stages of going to the gym? Should I just stay away from the scale and use a measuring tape for now? Humph!

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

What you eat doesn't matter. Of course you want to eat as healthy as possible. All that matters is a calorie deficit to lose weight. Nothing else matters and you complicated it by trying to follow specific macros. Eat enough protein and enough carbs to have energy, some fruits and veggies, all within budget and the fat % and everything pretty much falls into place. It does not have to be perfect. It's not really a complicated science like everyone tries to make it.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

LittleMissRainey

As a lady, TOM affects your weight by 1-3lbs.

New to exercise? Muscles could be inflamed from building, could be holding onto water to help repair.

Whenever I start a new exercise regime, or a new level of one I'm already on, I gain a little bit. It always falls back off.

As a lady, I'd be happy TOM only affected weight by 1-3lbs! lol. I've found it to be up to 8lbs on a particularly bad month. I've found upping my protein helps with that, drinking more water and not stuffing my face (which protein helps with too, I'd take eggs an bacon over chocolate any day of the week)

But, OP, you've only been going at it for a fortnight, it could just be that your body's getting used to what you're doing - it's still in it's "Hold up, WHAT are you doing?!" phase. Give it time

ksumme

I find that the day after an intense lifting day, especially if my legs are sore - the scale says I am a pound to two pounds up. It is the water the muscles use to build and repair. Give yourself more time, and only use the scale as a general 'trend' guide.

mcaplan718

As a lady, TOM affects your weight by 1-3lbs.

New to exercise? Muscles could be inflamed from building, could be holding onto water to help repair.

Whenever I start a new exercise regime, or a new level of one I'm already on, I gain a little bit. It always falls back off.

As a lady, I'd be happy TOM only affected weight by 1-3lbs! lol. I've found it to be up to 8lbs on a particularly bad month. I've found upping my protein helps with that, drinking more water and not stuffing my face (which protein helps with too, I'd take eggs an bacon over chocolate any day of the week)

But, OP, you've only been going at it for a fortnight, it could just be that your body's getting used to what you're doing - it's still in it's "Hold up, WHAT are you doing?!" phase. Give it time

This is true! OMG, should be in a couple days. hmm... Also I AM very new to working out so the muscle/water repair thing seems to be a likely culprit as well. I am going to stick with it and ignore the scale at least for another 2 weeks. My next weigh-in better make me smile a little.

BootcampJunkie

Don't listen to your scale go by your measurements! Scales are not reliable there are too many factors that can make your weight change something as simple as being "that time of the month" will throw mine off by about 5lbs. Also give yourself 4 to 6 weeks before seeing any real change on the scale. Depending on how much you currently weight and with eating healthy the amount of weight you lose will be different compared to others. Fot example if you are 5'4" weighing almost 200lbs you could see a drop of about 1lb per week but if you are 5'4" weighing 130-140lbs you may only see a drop of about 1lb per every 2 weeks and the less you weigh the harder it gets. For some reason our bodies just want to hold onto those last 10-20lbs. I would recommend not sticking to the same old boring routine at the gyme change it up every week try curcuit training classes, resistance classes, yoga, cross fit, zumba, you may find that you will push yourself harder in a class setting than on your own. As a group fitness instructor I find that when I teach in the summer months my fitness level stays the same but when I sign up as a client in the winter I hurt a whole lot more.

lprumgraham

I was just curious...do you always go over your fat content and protein???? How does your clothes fit to you??? When I started my diet on Aug. 28th of this year...it took me five weeks to lose 5 lbs. I had to do cardio an hour each day, five days a week plus another hour of weights lifting. Now, I have another five pounds to lose but am at a plateau right now. My recommendation is that to weigh yourself one a week, at the same time (preferable morning). I find that not eating after 6:30 pm helps alot. And if you do, I recommend salad with grilled chicken or fruit. I was eating alot of grapes after my workout and the weight came off as I build muscles. Hope the suggestions help.

mcaplan718

I was just curious...do you always go over your fat content and protein???? How does your clothes fit to you??? When I started my diet on Aug. 28th of this year...it took me five weeks to lose 5 lbs. I had to do cardio an hour each day, five days a week plus another hour of weights lifting. Now, I have another five pounds to lose but am at a plateau right now. My recommendation is that to weigh yourself one a week, at the same time (preferable morning). I find that not eating after 6:30 pm helps alot. And if you do, I recommend salad with grilled chicken or fruit. I was eating alot of grapes after my workout and the weight came off as I build muscles. Hope the suggestions help.

I think I must be going over both pretty regularly- However, it must be way down than what I was eating before, I used to eat a LOT more than I have in the past 2 weeks. I feel just as full all the time, but I cant imagine the calories I was consuming before. I think I need to get more creative with my food and really watch the fat and protein.

Game8

Maybe if you make your diary available, we would be able to give you better advice. Weight gain/ loss is largely determined by your diet.

Ok- Im going to do that now

You're not eating enough calories to explain the weight gain. I would agree that it's most likely water retention. As you expose your muscles to a new kind of stress, they will need more water for energy, repair and moving out waste products.