Weight fluctuations those first couple weeks?

3foldchord

I had changed my calorie goal on the advice of the "Eat, Train, Progress" group to include more at, more calories, and exercise calories (to not eat them back). I have gone up almost 2 pounds (in 4 weeks, 3 of trying weights at the gym to decide what program to do- then 1 week of StrongLofts)
I think will give it another week or so, then switch back to lower calories and earning extra calories through extra exercise.

Or do you think I should stick it out longer?
My food diary is open.
I am 41, 5'6", weighed 133.4 last month. Weigh 134.8 now.

No, I have not taken measurements. I will today.

Mads1997

I would certainly give it more time, a couple of months at least. You can always go back down afterwards, I did.

lwoodroff

I would give it longer. I have gone up too, partly cos I'm going over my cals but also I think because your muscles are going to be retaining some water as they repair themselves. Try not to weigh too often, I keep saying I'm going to weigh once a month but hop on those scales every week!

I am going to give it 3 months and see then! I'm loving the changes I'm seeing though

3foldchord

While I assumed the weight flux was normal in the beginning, I was not prepared to hear MONTHS!
and I do usually only weigh about every 3-4 weeks. I just weighted today t get a 'beginning Stronglift Weight" and I last weighed about 2 weeks ago- by my weight had been the same since January (133.0-133.6)

I used bodyfat calipers today. took 9 different measurements because not all online calculators use the same 7. I tried 2 different 7 measurements, and 2 different 4 measurements spot formulas.


3 of the online calculators gave me measurements between 15.5 -19.2%
one of the 4 spot formulas said 25.2%

after looking at those body fat % pictures of real ladies in swimsuits, I am definitely NOT the lower 3. the 25.2% looks right.

I did hand held BF% thing at the gym over a month there according to the hand held thing, I went from 27%-26%. I know none of them are totally accurate- but the gym % along with the online pictures- I will say 25.2% and record that and use the same formula/website next time.

******
OK. I will weigh/measure again in a month. this will be a bit hard. I am fine with waiting a few weeks, but MONTHS?? wow.

lwoodroff

chill! it takes time for your body to change, it took years to get to where it is now, a few months isn't a biggie

also 25% is well in the healthy body fat range! so don't fret yourself

ahviendha

I am about 4 months in and have gained 5lbs.

I eat slightly above maintenance (i've been HUNGRY since lifting weights) and everything still fits fine.

I'm pretty sure my muscles always retain water, due to my weekly weigh-ins. I only seem to drop water weight when I take a week off lifting, but even then I only drop down at most 3lbs.

Sooo...yeah. Not what you wanted to hear, sorry! I wish I would lose fat/weight but it seems all I'm doing is replacing fat with muscle, with no losses on the scale.

Oh well. I love the way I look.

3foldchord

I will be OK with gaining weight as long as I'm not gaining body fat.This weekends measurements were supposed to be a 'baseline' for the start of SL5X5, but I got a bit alarmed at the increase even though I knew I shouldn't.

I have actually always been 'slender' weighing 120-130lbs at 5'6". I gained weight/body fat a few years ago, partially due to a benigh tumor partially do to being social (I used to be anti social, moved out of state- mae some friends- which involved lots of lunches...LOL)

I decided while losing the 15 pounds, I wanted to work on body composition/muscles.

I think clothes fit nicer now at 134# than they did at 130# back when I wasn't doing much for my muscles.