Tend to lose weight on the days I don't exercise much

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anu_6986
anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok... Now this might be a stupid question.... Lately I have observed that the days I exercise properly I don't lose much weight. But If I slack off for a few days(then I just eat around 1200 or max till 1300), i tend to immediately drop some weight.

Now I am starting to wonder if I am overestimating my exercise calories(I was trying to have 0.5 to 3/4 of my exercise calories).

Could there be any other reason for it? My diary is open if you wanna check my food intake

Thanks in advance :flowerforyou:
Anu

Replies

  • scotty_81
    scotty_81 Posts: 59
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    Someone else will know more about this than me but I have read that your muscles store water when you exercise. I guess the difference in weight when you don't exercise is that water having been released.

    Whatever it is your weight will fluctuate daily. You should really only weigh in once a week (at the same time of day, wearing the same clothes each time or naked each time!).
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
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    I cant help answer why but I do see the same thing on my own scale on the days I dont exercise
  • akaDumbo
    akaDumbo Posts: 187
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    I have bought myself a heart rate monitor and since using it I have discovered for most of my exercise I burn a lot less calories than the exercise database on here says for the same amount of time (I stick to the HRM calories and just reduce the time to match database) So maybe you are over estimating your exercise calories too.
  • finalstage
    finalstage Posts: 3
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    This happens to me too. It could be you are not eating enough on exercise days if you do a big workout. Or you are eating too much. Plus water retention, make sure you drink enough while exercising too.
  • anu_6986
    anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
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    Someone else will know more about this than me but I have read that your muscles store water when you exercise. I guess the difference in weight when you don't exercise is that water having been released.

    Whatever it is your weight will fluctuate daily. You should really only weigh in once a week (at the same time of day, wearing the same clothes each time or naked each time!).

    ya, my weight does fluctuate daily. But on my weigh-in day also, I only see a dip when the previous days I have not really exercised. When I exercise and eat accordingly I don't lose much on the weigh-in day.
  • anu_6986
    anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
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    I have bought myself a heart rate monitor and since using it I have discovered for most of my exercise I burn a lot less calories than the exercise database on here says for the same amount of time (I stick to the HRM calories and just reduce the time to match database) So maybe you are over estimating your exercise calories too.

    that seems like the only solution.. But I am not able to find good HRM's here. :sad: Will have to try when I go to visit my parents. :huh: Till then will have to guesstimate :indifferent:
  • anu_6986
    anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
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    I cant help answer why but I do see the same thing on my own scale on the days I dont exercise

    Ya.. and its not a fluctuating thing. It is the actual loss, which is consistent afterwards too. Will have to observe and see whats causing it....
  • alantin
    alantin Posts: 621 Member
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    I have noticed the same but I guess, in my case at least, it's just more food in my system. Often I need to eat twice as much on exercise days as on off days so no wonder. Usually I see a considerable drop in weight after a day or two of rest.
  • pfenixa
    pfenixa Posts: 194 Member
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    On your exercise days are you weighing yourself before or after your workout? If it's after, someone already hit it: when your muscles get sore they will retain water to repair. I had a week where I had intense workouts everyday and didn't lose any weight at the end of the week weigh-in, but the next week I cut back and then I lost 4 pounds. In reality I had lost weight that first week but the water retained in my body made it look like I'd lost nothing.

    Investing in a HRM is definitely helpful anyway. I noticed when I first got mine that the MFP values were actually lower than what I was getting, but as time has gone by and my body has gotten more fit that the same exercises burn alot less calories. MFP doesn't take that into account, so it's great to have that HRM so you don't overestimate. Plus, then you'll know that you need to swap or extend your workouts to get more calories burned!
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    As someone hinted above, it's because your muscles retain water after exercise. Exercise is definitely good for you in terms of health and fat loss, so keep it up! :wink:
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    I noticed that in the beginning too. It did even out for me after a few months. I think if our muscles are sore, we retain water. As your body gets more used to exercise you won't hold water like that. I cut back to exercising 3 times a week and was losing more consistently. That was the magic number for me in the beginning. Now I exercise 4-5 times a week. I still need the days off every now and then.
  • Sunsh1ne
    Sunsh1ne Posts: 879 Member
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    It's the water. Your muscles store energy in your muscles in the form of glycogen, which is basically carbohydrates and water. When you work out a lot, your body restores the old glycogen stores and then tops it off with a little extra, so that you have more available energy for next time. If you don't work out for a few days, it relaxes and lets go of some of the glycogen you have stored.
  • anu_6986
    anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
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    I generally wrigin before my workouts and drink around 3 ltrs a day..
    I never had intention of giving up exercise, now kinda addicted to it. Will try to get an HRM too just incase I am overcalculating.

    Thanks everyone for your replies. :)
  • servingthealiens
    servingthealiens Posts: 144 Member
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    A lot of it is water like people have mentioned, but part of it is that it takes energy for your body to recover from exercise, too.

    The point of exercise is to damage your muscles slightly, so that the repair process makes them stronger. If you're constantly exercising at a high intensity, there's no time to repair. That's why you should mix in lighter workouts and/or take days off every few days. Exercise doesn't really help you lose fat WHILE you do it. Most of that happens after you're done.

    I'm guessing on the days you don't work out, your body is doing its repair job and that's why you're noticing loss.
  • saverys_gal
    saverys_gal Posts: 808 Member
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    Wow...this explains why after 3 days of intense cardio and 1 day of light cardio with my weight staying the same all 4 days I finally saw a nice drop today! :drinker:
  • elloradannon
    elloradannon Posts: 111
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    I'm so glad that I read this... I joined the gym a few weeks ago and lost a few pounds but this week it's just stayed the same, which is VERY frustrating because I've been under on calories every day. Maybe I'm exercising too much and not giving myself enough rest. Thanks!
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
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    This is really interesting - I've not been to the gym in five days because my car's been in the shop so I've just been taking walks and not only have I not gained, I've dropped another pound quite quickly after my last weigh in.
  • ChristineMcGrae
    ChristineMcGrae Posts: 100
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    This happens to be also! And I put it down to when I exercise I do not eat my exercise calories.. but now that I have had a week of little exercise and trying to eat a little over every day (last week weigh in was the same weight so trying to shake it up a little to see what is going to work the best) I weighed in today and am down 4.4 in one week! My body appears to like the extra calories so I guess I will eat more on my workout days.

    I also have a HRM and agree that the database here is a bit high.

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