How long do your muscles retain water?

Kristen81

I don't know if this is what is happening with me or not. I feel like I've been at this for a while now....eating healthy and exercising ( I eat most of those calories back) but the scale is not budging at all. At first I lost 4 pounds then I gained it back in like 3 days? Now I'm stuck. I'm trying not to let the scale bring me down because I do feel better and think that I look better. But, if it is my muscles retaining water, how long will this last? When will I see the numbers on the scale drop or more inches gone?

Ahaverland

Muscles will not retain water (at least not enough that will register on the scale), if you are retaining water you will see swelling often in your lower legs and this is typically due to a medical condition.

kingnatalie

From my experience it seems like you may not be drinking enough water and/or are eating foods high in sodium - which require even more than 8-8oz glasses of water per day. Is this at all possible?

Kristen81

I keep my sodium around 1500 every once in a while I go over but for the most part, I feel I'm pretty good. As for water, I drink about 100+oz a day! I don't know what it is.

iRun4wine

There's a similar thread going that may answer your questions:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/83742-muscles-retaining-water

StiringWendel

I have been exercising regularly for years, but whenever I change up my fitness regime, I have a tendency to retain more water than usual. And this lasts for me about three weeks. If you are new to fitness and/or shocking your body intensely with each workout, it could take a little while longer for your body to adapt to the new program. Be patient, measure yourself (because you could be making changes in your shape), and enjoy the healthy things you are doing for your body through your fitness program.

It looks like you aren't trying to lose much weight (based on your tracker), so even though you lost so much weight the first week, be prepared for it to take quite awhile to lose those last ten pounds. Make sure you are eating enough because undereating is a big problem when trying to lose that last ten pounds. The body likes that extra weight, so it isn't going to let go of it if you aren't eating enough. That's why working out is so important in trying to lose these last few pounds, so don't give up on your fitness program out of frustration!! I lost my 'last ten pounds' nearly a year ago, and what I did to do it was set my calories at close to my maintenance level and then created virtually all of my deficit through exercise. And I must admit, I lost the weight pretty easily. But I was also working out very intensely at the time to do it.

osram34

Make sure you are eating enough because undereating is a big problem when trying to lose that last ten pounds. The body likes that extra weight, so it isn't going to let go of it if you aren't eating enough. That's why working out is so important in trying to lose these last few pounds, so don't give up on your fitness program out of frustration!! I lost my 'last ten pounds' nearly a year ago, and what I did to do it was set my calories at close to my maintenance level and then created virtually all of my deficit through exercise. And I must admit, I lost the weight pretty easily. But I was also working out very intensely at the time to do it.

i like that