Something that happened to me

pfenixa

So I've been eating and exercising properly for about two months now. 4 weeks ago my husband and I changed our workout of running from a casual 2 miles to trying to do an 8 minute mile, and we did this about 4-5 times that week. I kept eating like usual and noticed at my weigh in that I had gained a pound. It bugged me, but I let it slide. The next week we did 8 minute miles for 3 days and over the weekend a friend came to visit for 4 days. We didn't exercise (other than walking all around DC for one of the days) and ate out half the time, including two milkshakes. So I wasn't suprised when I gained another pound at the next weigh in.

Well, last week we slacked off some because my husband's shins have been hurting. I think we were both hurting from pushing those 8 min miles. Probably ran 2 days at a casual pace and only walked one day. Then come to my suprise, when I weighed in for that week, I'd lost 8 pounds!

I was really confused at first, knowing my effort for the week didn't match that number and that I definitely would have noticed 8 pounds in how I felt. And I knew I didn't read the scale wrong the previous weeks. My husband talked to a co-worker that's into fitness who said that what he thinks happened is that the two weeks I had gained weight, it was actually water weight from my body retaining water for repairing my muscles at the new intensity of our running sessions. Then the week we relaxed all the water weight came off and I could finally see the actual weight loss from all 3 weeks.

I just wanted to post this, well, to see if anyone more knowledgable thinks this sounds right. Also, if it is right, just as something for those that this also happens to, to know they're still on the right track.

jillcwhite

A friend of mine always worked out hard for 3 weeks then took it easy on the fourth. She swears that's when the weight would come off. I never I been able to try it, but it always works for her.

pcbta

yes, this is absolutely true.
this is why we don't need the scale! just go by clothes, tape measure, how you feel.

)

AmiKayser

First of all...8 MINUTE MILES ARE YOU CRAZY???? Secondly, I have been told much the same, the body needs time to repair and all that jazz.

Great job!!! And thanks for the note, it is so easy to get discouraged by not seeing instant numbers drop off when you ramp up the work outs...your note was a perfect reminder for me

FabulousFifty

It certainly makes sense. I try not to get discouraged by that scale. It is kind of a bummer when you are doing what you should and the numbers stay stagnant. Holding water may be due to muscle and tissue repair. That makes sense. Thanks for sharing with us. It helps.

Schula03

WOW!!! This is impressive!!! That makes a lot of sense.

July24Lioness

I think it is quite impressive too!! I haven't been able to run an 8 minute mile since I was in the Army and that was 15 years ago, LOL.............

I want to get back into running, but I am so out of shape, I can barely run an 1/8 of a mile without wanting to throw up.

I have been doing a mile on the elliptical machine at a leasurely pace, I need to kick it up a notch or 2.... LOL

camiller02

I have been working out for a month now. I eat between 1200-1350 calories per day and work out Monday to Friday. I alternate Chalean extreme with cardio I have gained instead of loose. This an be very frustrating. But I am sticking to the program for the log haul. But it would be nice to see some progress.

Zaggytiddies

God I hope this happens to me! Gained two pounds last week.

pfenixa

Trust me, those first 8 min miles huuuurt. It's funny though, now that I've done them when I go to run a casual mile I run it faster than I used to. I used to consistently do a 10 minute mile and now when I go and actually Try to slow it down, I still end up doing 8.5 or 9 minutes.

But yeah, I hadn't thought at all that increasing my workout intensity would cause a weight Gain (aside from if I didn't eat the calories, which I've learned to do).