Is it true that sometimes you gain weight before you lose it

Itscrunchtime · May 2008

I've been told before that sometimes you'll gain weight before you lose any, especially if you're doing a lot of cardio. I used to be really strong and had a ton of muscle, but after having two kids my activity level plumetted (Not that kids don't keep you busy and on your feet..I mean, I'm not walking to school or playing softball or riding my bike anymore). So most of my muscle turned into fat..and for the last 15 months I've been trying to get it back into shape...I'm ony two pant sizes too big, but I'm 17 pounds too big...and 1/2 flabby and 1/2 muscle...Can anyone give my mind a little peace? For cardio, I'm putting on my favorite Christian Worship Music and I've memorized the George Forman Circuit Walk moves. So I combine my music with George... my muscles always feel bigger and stronger at the end of the day and when I go to do it again, the next day, they feel sore, so I know it's doing something. But is there any hope for me? Am I doing it right? Obviously if I could I'd ride my bike all over town, but considering I'm in San Antonio and there's now where safe to ride...or I'd rather swim...(I weighed the least when I was on the swim team)....but this is pretty much all I can do..and play with my kids...and stroll them...(combined they weigh 70 lbs). What do you think about all of this? Can someone help encourage me or steer me in a different direction?
Thanks,
Suzy

Itscrunchtime · May 2008

I've been told before that sometimes you'll gain weight before you lose any, especially if you're doing a lot of cardio. I used to be really strong and had a ton of muscle, but after having two kids my activity level plumetted (Not that kids don't keep you busy and on your feet..I mean, I'm not walking to school or playing softball or riding my bike anymore). So most of my muscle turned into fat..and for the last 15 months I've been trying to get it back into shape...I'm ony two pant sizes too big, but I'm 17 pounds too big...and 1/2 flabby and 1/2 muscle...Can anyone give my mind a little peace? For cardio, I'm putting on my favorite Christian Worship Music and I've memorized the George Forman Circuit Walk moves. So I combine my music with George... my muscles always feel bigger and stronger at the end of the day and when I go to do it again, the next day, they feel sore, so I know it's doing something. But is there any hope for me? Am I doing it right? Obviously if I could I'd ride my bike all over town, but considering I'm in San Antonio and there's now where safe to ride...or I'd rather swim...(I weighed the least when I was on the swim team)....but this is pretty much all I can do..and play with my kids...and stroll them...(combined they weigh 70 lbs). What do you think about all of this? Can someone help encourage me or steer me in a different direction?
Thanks,
Suzy

maverickyanda · May 2008

Part of it depends on the shape you are going for.

I mean, do you want to look like Madonna or what?

:P

I realize that the heavier I feel, muscle or not, the more I want to eat in the very beginning.

So when I start to diet, the last thing I want to do is feel sore, even if my muscles are more toned. I start slow, focus on 'clearing' my system and eating less processed foods and more fruits (really, more fruits, I'm a huge fan of apples and watermelon and apricots and peaches!) whipping up a low fat smoothie with fresh fruit and some rice protein for this weather (beat the bloat & inflammation) and thennnnnnnnn once my body readjusts to better habits kick in the workouts.

But that's just me.

Also, yes, muscle weighs more than fat but you can't just blindly go to the gym, you have to go with an idea of 1) what will make me lose weight all over (running is good for that) 2) what do I want to work on etc.

You sound down, so I guess the real q is, how do you feel?

What do you want to look like and how do you want to feel? Personally, I feel better feeling light and feminine. I like being light, lean and quick. Not Madonna-like.

Swimming sounds like a geat idea. Especially in Tx.

gabi_ele · May 2008

OK here are a few posts that helped me understand the starvation mode and the way to lose weight the healthy way.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
What I do is I put my food in for breakfast ,lunch and snack and dinner and my exercises. It showes me if I have to eat more or exersize more ( most of the time I have to get moving). Other things to consider is that muscle weights more then fat (there is a place in reports to put your measurments in and see your progress on that?) to the exersizes maybe while the kids take a nap or are gone use an exercise DVD like the biggest looser.. I'm not sure if they make christian ones or not...I wish you success

maverickyanda · May 2008

She didn't say she was starving herself!

Mags · May 2008

hi Suzy

I'm sure you know this already but muscle weighs more than body fat. If your muscles are tighter at end of day they must be getting packed tight so maybe now that you know that's working its a matter of decreasing calorie content to lose body fat as well as toning?

Its always worth a try to change your exercise regime as your body may be 'familiar' with your routine and has plateaud out so to speak.

Can you take your children to the pool with a friend and have a bit of a workout yourself or get them lessons while you have a swim?

Mags

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

shorerider · May 2008

As I've learned from others on MFP, muscle doesn't weigh more then fat. However, it is heavier by volume, so it takes less of it to make up the same amount of weight. Muscle is more dense than fat.

I've never gained before I lost in all the many times I've been on diets--including this time when I'm not on a diet but am changing my life style! And, in the past, I've worked out with weights alot, gained lots of muscle instead of fat, and still didn't gain before I lost.

maverickyanda · May 2008

Well, in terms of weight, five lbs is five lbs.

If I weighed 125 lbs and had a purely muscled stomach, great.

If I weighed 125 lbs and had a flab of flab, gross. (which i do)

So if your waist is the same as it was before and you weigh more but it's firmer, than you
1) Probably have more muscle, and as a result
2) Weigh more

because
1) Muscle is more dense

'tis what i meant.

If I cut a 1x1 sq in of muscle and placed it next to a 1x1 sq in of fat, the fat would weigh less.

ehorner1976 · May 2008

There is a great picture on google images of a 5 lbs of fat and and a l5 lbs. of muscle...what a difference. Hope this helps.
Just google fat vs. muscles under google images and you should see the difference. It amazed me.

Alisha28 · May 2008

Try adding some strength training to your cardio. Workout tapes can do it. Do not be afraid to pick up some weights. High reps with light weights can make a huge difference and will not make you bulky. I saw the best results when I added weight training to cardio. My cardio is usually running outside or the elipitical machine . Do not worry about the scale so much its just a number. I look a lot smaller than I weigh but am mostly muscle so flab with a better number or tight with a higher number. I would take tight......
Good luck

Alisha

shorerider · May 2008

There is a great picture on google images of a 5 lbs of fat and and a l5 lbs. of muscle...what a difference. Hope this helps.
Just google fat vs. muscles under google images and you should see the difference. It amazed me.

GROSS!!

If I needed more inspiration to lose my fat, I just got it by looking at those photos of what 5 pounds of fat looks like!!

maverickyanda · May 2008

Yeah, leaves and rocks weigh the same but rocks are more dense. So all of us are correct.

It's volume that she's speaking of.

CyclingDiva · May 2008

Oh the fun of what works and what doesn't and aren't we all full of our "own" advice

Ok let me put in my 2 cents LOL!

Usually when you workout/lift weights your muscles will retain water, therefore you will weigh in at a heavier weight. Probably only a few lbs and only for a day or so.
I workout alot and lift alot. I never weigh myself the day after a good weight lifting day.
But yes the more muscle mass you have the leaner and toner you will look vs. the lack of muscle tone.
for instance 10 lbs of fat on a person will look lumpy and take up more volume vs. 10 of lean muscle mass that is tighter and takes up less volume, making a person look smaller at the same weight.
Does that make since?
Plus the more muscle mass you have the more calories you will burn with your workouts and during the day period...good luck and don't stop toning no matter how much you weigh. It looks better in the end! :happy:

Oh and one more thing. I work in surgery and get to see what fat looks like first hand....it's UGLY!
When we cut down on a fat person vs. a lean person there is a HUGE difference in the size of those yucky yellow, watery looking fat cells. The bigger the person, the bigger and rounder the cells are....it's YUCKY stuff! :sick: Let me tell you what a motivational thing it is for me. Makes me not want to skip my workouts when I see that :bigsmile:
Kelly

Itscrunchtime · May 2008

Thanks everyone for the reply's. I haven't been on the message board since I posted this one. But I guess the answer I was looking for was on the lines of.....yes, I tried that too and it worked or no, I tried that and it didn't work. Do you think I should add a different kind of exercise or try to eat less? (it's hard to eat less than 1,200 calories). I do want to be small and feminine. I feel the best that way. No, I don't want to look like madona. But to take care of my boys...I have to be strong (they're really heavy, not overweight, just big boys....and my husband, too.

)
Since the kids I put on weight in the hips and buttocks.. I have a pilates tape that targets those areas. I know most of the moves, maybe I should add that 3 times a week or something. It's hard for me to exercise when the kids are sleeping because my hubby come home from work at 11:00 pm and I want to see him. I don't like to be asleep when he comes home, but I also wake up for the kids at 6:00 am. So I try to sleep with the kids if I can. I get the kids involved with the exercise with me. They like it.
Well, I'm rambling. If someone has something helpful to say, please speak up. Thanks a bunch everyone. I should change my photo, that was a year ago. My arms aren't as big, not that you can really tell with such a small picture :P.

Is it true that sometimes you gain weight before you lose it

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