Questions about exercise and weight gain

ldrosophila

There are some great posts today about why you may see weight gain with exercise. Of course I cant find them now. :grumble:

So if weight is maintained or gained following exercise d/t the small muscle tears and the body's protective response of inflammation and water retention?

Then would it be recommended that your rest the day before your weigh day? If you wanted to see an even bigger loss you might want to push that rest day out to 48hrs?

I had thought that this was occurring with me seems I drop the most weight when I do diet alone and exercise slows that weekly loss down. I of course stupidly forgot that with any type of exercise, physiological stress at intensity, there would be inflammation! Of course, duh!

We need to keep reinforcing this on the forums especially to the more discouraged posters.

Any one have anything to add? This is a really interesting topic to me.

tpow1196

Oh, good topic. I see this often, especially after I've added intensity to my workout. Can't wait to see what others say.

ldrosophila

Found the post...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/595473-why-the-scale-goes-up-with-a-new-workout-program-must-read

zumbaforever

I guess I am always going to work out and diet. There has to be a balance in everything. And I have always weighed a little more than others who are my same size because of it. More muscle. I use what the scale tells me as only one tool. Measurements are the all important ones. Even though I never measure myself. I know by the way my clothes fit. And not them stretchy types either. I weigh myself everyday. Same bat time same bat place. It is a tool. Not exact either. I know what I did the day before. And have an idea of what it will say. I don't let it completely influence my day either. Keep your calories in check, eating healthy is a big plus. And work out. It is great for the heart and lungs. And when I get back out into my garden this spring all my winter workouts will payoff.

--Shelley

ldrosophila

I guess I am always going to work out and diet. There has to be a balance in everything. And I have always weighed a little more than others who are my same size because of it. More muscle. I use what the scale tells me as only one tool. Measurements are the all important ones. Even though I never measure myself. I know by the way my clothes fit. And not them stretchy types either. I weigh myself everyday. Same bat time same bat place. It is a tool. Not exact either. I know what I did the day before. And have an idea of what it will say. I don't let it completely influence my day either. Keep your calories in check, eating healthy is a big plus. And work out. It is great for the heart and lungs. And when I get back out into my garden this spring all my winter workouts will payoff.

--Shelley

I completely agree that the scale is just a tool, but it got me to thinking about all the posters on here who work out 5-6 days a week eat perfect and are still frustrated there has been no loss. Maybe if they know that exercise is a stress and is going to tear muscles and then you will get inflammation then they wont be as likely to give up and have more patience. I just thought it was an interesting topic.

zumbaforever

So what you are saying is that you will retain enough water after a great workout to tip the scales? And that you shouldn't' t weigh yourself the next day? Hmmm, will have to ponder more on this later. Nite.

gmallan

I generally find that my weight goes up by 0.5 -1kg after a heavy lifting day. I don't seem to notice the same effect with cardio but I generally only have one rest day a week (Sunday) and often expect to be up a little in weight on a Monday because I relax my eating of a weekend.

I'm not going to start working out less because of it but I'm more foused on fitness than weight loss anyway. The weight you put on due to swelling/water retention the day after a heavy workout doesn't seem like something to worry about though. If your weight is going in a general downwards trend and you do roughly the same things and weigh at the same time every week the net result should be the same.

So really it seems a little silly to cut a workout day just so you can temporarily see a decrease on the scale. Think long term. That workout will be more beneficial in the long run

heybales

You are correct.

To remove fluctuations that will just aggravate you, only valid weigh-in day is the morning after a rest day of eating normal sodium levels, and not still sore.

Though in reality you can be not sore but still be retaining water for repair. But after you've been lifting for a bit, usually repair is done in 24-36 hrs, so rest day should take care of that.

heybales

I guess I am always going to work out and diet. There has to be a balance in everything. And I have always weighed a little more than others who are my same size because of it. More muscle. I use what the scale tells me as only one tool. Measurements are the all important ones. Even though I never measure myself. I know by the way my clothes fit. And not them stretchy types either. I weigh myself everyday. Same bat time same bat place. It is a tool. Not exact either. I know what I did the day before. And have an idea of what it will say. I don't let it completely influence my day either. Keep your calories in check, eating healthy is a big plus. And work out. It is great for the heart and lungs. And when I get back out into my garden this spring all my winter workouts will payoff.

--Shelley

I completely agree that the scale is just a tool, but it got me to thinking about all the posters on here who work out 5-6 days a week eat perfect and are still frustrated there has been no loss. Maybe if they know that exercise is a stress and is going to tear muscles and then you will get inflammation then they wont be as likely to give up and have more patience. I just thought it was an interesting topic.

Cardio doesn't actually do that. Not unless you are doing 3-4 hrs. Or true HIIT which is exactly like lifting except for cardio sport.

Cardio causes the body to store more glucose for the next hard effort using it up.

Carbs store with water - there's your increase.

In their case, even water retained would not overcome fat being burned. No, in their case usually, they are eating too little with all that exercise, so the body to protect itself slows everything down more.
They actually have no deficit anymore. They are eating at maintenance.

sphira

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Lovett123

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