Confused

Hey Babe, I can help you.

First of all, there is a phenomenon that happens when people workout really hard. Some people even gain weight. This is temporary. What happens is when someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and “unfamiliar” the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to “protect and defend” the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen with fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.

Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated in those first weeks become discouraged and quit! (Mostly women, because we are so conditioned to only feel rewarded by the gratification of the scale). People who stick with it often experience a sudden weight loss after that initial period which could be 4-9 lbs, seemingly overnight.

That said, do you have yesterday's food journal? Can you send it to me, and I will check it for hidden calories? I am an Independent Beachbody Fitness coach. This is what I do.

Don't worry! Stay committed, and you can do it!!
Karla

Great info here! Thanks Karla

Imma' sucker for your replies, always!!

CCDO, don't worry about it. I worked out harder than I ever have this week and have a slight gain. Earlier I was beating myself up over it, but like everyone has said our muscles do and will retain water. Just keep doing everything you are doing and maybe next week you will see a bigger drop you you expected!!

so, really what you have to realize is the human body has daily fluctuations in weight anywhere from -5 to +5 lbs, that's a ten pound swing. Now obviously it's not the same for everyone, but really, if you're weight changed 1.5 lbs and you haven't been binging for the last week, then it's probably some kind of water weight gain. this is why I ALWAYS tell people near their goal weight to FORGET THE SCALE. It's absolutely useless as a measuring tool for short term, the only way to use the scale effectively is using it long term, and taking lots and lots of weights and then correlating them, if say 15 weeks of weights show a downward trend, then you're doing something right, but other than that technique, the scale is going to be a constant frustration to most people.

This is good info. Thanks. I am in a similar situation. I have been diligent about my calories, don't eat many of my exercise calories and while I haven't gone up, the scale hasn't moved down either. I am at the last seven pounds and these have been on my frame for at least 15 years. That makes me think this is going to be tough....

I looked at your profile and read that you want to stay UNDER 96 pounds in order to fit into size 4 clothes. Unless you are 5 feet 0 inches or shorter, your BMI is underweight. You can have just as serious complications from being underweight as you would if you were overweight. Here are some of the major ones:
* Osteopenia or osteoporosis
* Growth delay
* Cardiac impairment
* Cognitive changes
* Difficulty in psychological functioning
* Gastrointestinal dysfunction such as slowed motility and symptoms of nausea or bloating
* Endocrinologic changes (with anorexia nervosa):
- low serum LH and FSH
- "sick euthyroid syndrome" with increased reverse T3
- low serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
- low insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)
- low levels of leptin
- increased serum cortisol
- increased growth hormone concentrations
* Electrolyte abnormalities, particularly hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis, in patients who purge by vomiting, laxative abuse, or diuretic abuse
* Dental erosion and enlarged salivary glands in patients with bulimia nervosa
* Infertility while secondary amenorrhea persists
* Elevated serum aminotransferase levels and, with severe anorexia, possible acute hepatic insufficiency

Also, I looked at your pictures and while others may say you look great, I would disagree. You look sickly. I am not telling you this to be mean but because as someone who is 2 months away from graduating medical school, a person's health is more important than his/her weight, size, etc. Please go to your personal primary care physician to discuss your weight and goals before you do further damage to your body.