Started lifting, eating more... and gained 5lbs?

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Bxgell2
Bxgell2 Posts: 30
in Health and Weight Loss
After doing some reading, I decided to increase my calories over the past 3 weeks from 1200 to 1350... I also started strength training three times per week. Now, while it has definitely helped my running... A LOT... and I still fit into my clothes... the scale showed a 5lb weight gain today! It's been going up slowly over the past couple of weeks, but really, 5lbs in 3 weeks? Tell me this is normal and that I have nothing to fear from increasing my calories and starting strength training.
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  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
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    Seems reasonable for increases in lean muscle mass.
  • freelancejouster
    freelancejouster Posts: 478 Member
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    Without your height, weight, age I can't give you any accurate BMR advise. HOWEVER, I think it could possibly be your body needs more calories than you're giving it again, due to the strength training. It could be muscle increase (with strength training you often need to go by inches rather than pounds). It could be fluctuation, a different schedule means different weight fluctuation, weight varies up to 5 lbs a day even at healthy/low weights. OR it could be that your body is still adjusting to the new regime, it often takes up to a month and a half to lose weight with strength training.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Seems reasonable for increases in lean muscle mass.

    it seems reasonable, but not because of increases in muscle.

    i hope you are netting 1350 cals?
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Seems reasonable for increases in lean muscle mass.

    Nope, sorry but you don't build 5lbs of muscle in 3 weeks on a deficit.

    It's more than likely your body holding onto water in response to the new strength training. - give it at least 6 weeks and take measurements - don't just trust the scale. If you are still fitting into your clothes then it is more than likely water weight which will sort itself out.

    I started NROL4W at the beginning of feb and have found the same thing - now it's started to go down again - but my measurements haven't gone up. I'm not officially weighing myself for 2 months.

    What strength training are you doing?
  • SamanthaClarexo
    SamanthaClarexo Posts: 353 Member
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    Seems reasonable for increases in lean muscle mass.

    Nope, sorry but you don't build 5lbs of muscle in 3 weeks on a deficit.

    It's more than likely your body holding onto water in response to the new strength training. - give it at least 6 weeks and take measurements - don't just trust the scale. If you are still fitting into your clothes then it is more than likely water weight which will sort itself out.

    I started NROL4W at the beginning of feb and have found the same thing - now it's started to go down again - but my measurements haven't gone up. I'm not officially weighing myself for 2 months.

    What strength training are you doing?


    Yep. This.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Seems reasonable for increases in lean muscle mass.

    it seems reasonable, but not because of increases in muscle.

    i hope you are netting 1350 cals?

    Excellent point - and looking at your diary you are not - you MUST net 1350 MFP is designed so you eat back your exercise calories if you are not doing TDEE - 20%. Please eat more on workout days. :flowerforyou:
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    I also had some weight gain when I increased my calories and starting lifting. It is not lean muscle mass. I would guess it has to do with water retention. I have no idea how tall you are, but are you netting 1350?

    What I found when I started weight training is that I needed to ditch the scale. I weigh more now than I have in a long time, but my clothes fit better and I lost some inches.
  • Bxgell2
    Bxgell2 Posts: 30
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    Seems reasonable for increases in lean muscle mass.

    it seems reasonable, but not because of increases in muscle.

    i hope you are netting 1350 cals?

    Excellent point - and looking at your diary you are not - you MUST net 1350 MFP is designed so you eat back your exercise calories if you are not doing TDEE - 20%. Please eat more on workout days. :flowerforyou:

    I am trying, I really am! I'm trying to spread it out more throughout the week rather than bulk up on food on the days I'm working out, by adding another 150-200 calories per day. The last time I tried to eat back 1000 calories burned from a long run, I ended up vomiting all night, so I'm trying to ease my body into it.

    For the other poster, I'm 5'4, and my normal weight is around 120lbs, although the scale today reflected 125lbs. Yesterday was a bad, emotional day and I didn't eat enough calories, mea culpa. But, generally, for the past few weeks, I really have been making an effort to slowly increase.

    As for my strength training, I lift three times a week, alternating between arms, and legs/abs. I've also been adding some pilates over the past few weeks, in small doses, which is REALLY helping my long runs.

    I'm going to trust you all, and keep at it, and slowly increase my calories even more.... but I blame you all if I get too big again!!
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    3 weeks at 1390 - it's very unlikely to be either 5 lbs of fat, or 5 lbs of muscle. Presumably you have increased your quantity of food to get those extra calories - so there is extra food/waste in your system. If that extra food has included carbs then you will be retaining extra water with them. Additionally, the fact that you've started lifting means that your muscles will be holding onto water as they repair themselves - very normal.

    I would stay off the scale for a few weeks if it's bothering you. Since you appear to be (from your profile ticker) at a healthy weight, it might be better to focus less on weight now anyway. Focus on how you look in the mirror and photos, measurements, and how your clothes fit. I would also recommend eating more so that you're at least netting 1390, which you don't seem to be doing at the moment.
  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
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    could easily be water retention.
  • NJL13500
    NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
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    I agree that it is very likely that your body is holding on to water. This same thing happened to me when I started lifting heavier. I went up 3-4 pounds for a few weeks, but I stuck with it and the weight came back off again.

    The average man who is TRYING very hard to gain muscle mass can likely only put on 1 pound per month at most. My scale measures muscle percentage and I've been lucky to see it go up .4% (1/2 pound) since the first of the year. My body fat has been going down and my clothes are fitting well, but it is very hard to put muscle mass on a frame, especially for a woman.

    With that being said as others have mentioned. Stay with it. The results are so worth it. The scale is evil. Go by your measurements and how clothes fit and how you look. I know it is hard to hear. I was there myself a few months ago. There are so many strong women on this site that will tell you how great lifting is.

    Good luck!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    It's water, give it time.

    Also realize that your measurements may go up a tad from the water retention at first too. When I started lifting about a month ago I showed a 2-3 lb increase on the scale, and after leg day my hip measurement would be about an inch bigger than usual. After a couple of weeks my weight went back down. I still see some scale fluctuations after lift days, so I only weigh the morning after my rest day.
  • hdutoit17
    hdutoit17 Posts: 83
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    I started exercising two weeks ago (running and dancing) and gained 1.2kg. My measurements isnt smaller and my stomach looks bloated. I am very discouraged at the moment and just want to stop it all and just lose weight again. But have decided to carry on with what I am doing for another 3 weeks and hopefully I will see a positive change.
  • Bxgell2
    Bxgell2 Posts: 30
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    Ok, I will keep at it and have faith in the process, and stop obsessing about the scale. Or, at least, I'll try... thanks everyone!
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
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    Just remeber youa re getting healthy, take measurements, see how yoru clothes fit, look at the weights you are lifting. The scale is not the only judge of being healthy or getting in better shape. I eat 3000+ Caloriesa day so that i can net between 1400-1700. Its the only way that I feel i can support my lifting habits. So just make sure you are making healthy choices, getting plenty of water, and It will all work itself out in the end. The people that you see that are super toned/muscular, have been working at it for months and years not weeks (thought some people have stupid awesome genetics that make building muscle way easier) but regardless you are doing the right thing, you are taking control of your life your health and doing something you enjoy, so just keep it up, give it time, and stop looking at just one number... Good luck
  • darrellbbyrnes
    darrellbbyrnes Posts: 8
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    Your body is just holding water while it rebuilds. If you stop working out you will drop the weight in about 48 hrs. When I run long distances (10+ mile) I will weigh more for about 2 days even though I will have a -1000 cal day. But about 48-72 hrs later the weigh loss will show up. Stay with it.
  • SillyFitMe
    SillyFitMe Posts: 130 Member
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    I had the same problem when I listened to people on MFP about 1200 + exercise being in starvation mode and I needed to eat more. I gained a steady 3-5lbs a month for 3 months and my pants fit tighter. Now I am back to 1200 a day, oatmeal, huge grilled chicken salads, P90X, and even a cupcake per day and am getting back to my normal 125lbs vs 140lbs. Eating more is not the blind solution. So much depends on your fitness goals, age, gender, etc. For me personally eating more did not work despite 3-5 days of Insanity and P90X workouts.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    The creatine in your muscles will encourage additional water retention to heal micro-tears that form when you lift.

    This is a good thing.

    By the way, I upped my calories by close to 700 a day (!!), and over the past 3 months, I lost 2 inches on my thighs. Didn't believe it except the measurements are what they are, and I can't argue with the tape measure. Have I gained weight? Well, at first no. But then all of a sudden, I'm up 6 pounds this week. Comes in fits and starts. but I will take the new body measurements any day of the week. I will probably lose it all next week. That's the way it goes with me.

    Don't give up.
  • RandiLandCHANGED
    RandiLandCHANGED Posts: 630 Member
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    Eat more. I gain after lifting too, it goes away in a few days. I have put on some muscle mass in the past month. Muscle and fat weigh the same but one looks way nicer.
  • Smackemdanno
    Smackemdanno Posts: 83 Member
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    I am 281 lbs, work out with 50 lb dumbells, run 4 miles in 43 minutes and am just now getting to see the results from weight lifting and increasing my calories that I started in January 2013. It took me 7 weeks to see weight loss even though I started losing inches around my waist within the 2nd week. I Have dropped 2 pant sizes, moved a hole in my belt and my wife suggested I burn another set of calories with her after watching me lift weights while we watched TV together. In 19 years of marriage that rarely happens. My stomach protrudes more after lifting weights and doing crunches because of the swelling of the muscles during exercise. Don't sweat it. You will be thinner again after the muscles repair.

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