Working Out But Gaining Weight

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britbrataries91
britbrataries91 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been working out a few times a week an hour at a time and been eating clean and drinking only water and green tea with ginseng and honey. I've lost a few inches but have seem to gained a few pounds. Anyone else experience this?

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  • DevsOma
    DevsOma Posts: 6
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    I've heard that when you workout your muscles get heavier at first. How much this is true is questionable.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
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    It's not that the muscles themselves are heavier, but they will retain water to help with muscle repair. It's likely to happen when you start a new exercise program, or when you change things up to stress your muscles differently.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    So I've been working out a few times a week an hour at a time and been eating clean and drinking only water and green tea with ginseng and honey. I've lost a few inches but have seem to gained a few pounds. Anyone else experience this?

    how long has it been? working out can cause inflammation which leads to water retention and can mask weight loss.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    I've heard that when you workout your muscles get heavier at first. How much this is true is questionable.

    That is just so incorrect.

    If you are eating at maintenance/surplus of calories then you COULD be gaining muscle. Which of course would increase your weight but would be improving the shape of your body. But it all depends on how long this has been going on for and what exercise it is you are doing.

    Also, if you've lost inches then why complain? Your weight really isn't the be all and end all of everything, surely the shape of your body is far more important to you?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
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    It's not that the muscles themselves are heavier, but they will retain water to help with muscle repair. It's likely to happen when you start a new exercise program, or when you change things up to stress your muscles differently.

    This^^^

    If you're losing inches, but not seeing anything on the scale, it is most likely due to your muscles retaining water. My usual scale weight is 180ish Lbs...when I take a rest week from my weight training, I easily dip down to around 173/174 when my muscles release all of that water.

    Inches are what is important...scale weight is indicative of a lot of different things and only tells a fraction of the story...yet that's what people obsess about the most. Baffles me.
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
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    Yup. Your muscles absolutely will retain water, as previously explained.

    This is temporary. Don't let it dissuade you from continuing your workouts. Once your muscles get used to your new routine they'll drop the excess.

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