Good Exercise + Diet = Weight Gain?

Starting a new exercise program can lead to some water retention for muscle repair. It should right itself over the next couple of weeks.

You're also probably losing fat while gaining muscle, hence why you're seeing inches lost but not weight. Muscle weighs more than fat, and since you just started this routine, your body is probably building quite a bit of new muscle. I would focus on the inches for now, and I'd be willing to bet in another week or so you'll see the scale begin to drop again once you build up the muscle needed for this new routine.

Ok, you're not going to gain muscle while eating at a deficit. You'll retain muscle, if you keep your protein intake up and lift. The first thing I noticed when I looked a couple days back in your diary is that you have 4 day over calories, then at least 3 days under... didn't go back any further. I also noticed fruit snacks. Step away from the concentrated sugar and eat real fruit instead. I can't post it easily b/c my kindle is acting insane, but search the forums for "in place of a roadmap". Follow what it says. Hit your numbers consistently and keep exercising. The weight will come off.

hi all I too started a zumba class and also doing the 30 day shred aswell as eating healthy and I have gone up 4 ILbs !! so demotivating!!

When I first started working out, I started with 30DS. I gained temporarily, I think it was about 2 weeks before the number dropped. Look above and read the post about water retention in the muscles.

This happened to me when I added strength training. Your muscles will retain water for a while because they are trying to repair themselves. Try not to get discouraged and keep doing what you're doing. Eventually the scale will move again. And like a previous poster said, unless you carry your scale around with you, nobody sees that number. They see the inches lost.

Probably water. Happened to me, too. I was horrified by it and almost quit until I read other people's experiences. The cool thing is, once your body gets used to the new exercise routine, you'll have a nice drop and your body will be looking better from losing inches. Great feeling!

I did the 30DS. I was also doing cardio on top of that 2x a day. With the deficit I had (and I overestimate my intake to be "safe") I should have lost 5 pounds. I lost 1. Next week again, I should have lost 4, I lost 2. I got incredibly frustrated. After a month I gave my body a little bit of a break, and BAM! 10 pounds fells off when I should have maybe lost 1 or 2 based on the deficit for the week.
During that time I also took pictures at the beginning and end of the 30DS, and took measurements. And I saw the same thing you saw - even though the weight was barely moving, I looked smaller, my waist was smaller and I felt fantastic

It is just something that happens, don't let the scale get you down.

If you've upped the intensity and started lifting weight you're body is most likely going "what the f&*# are you doing to me" and holding onto water in order to help repair your muscles. Give it a couple of weeks to adjust to the new program it should settle down.

If you're losing inches then you're on the right track, so don't let a little water retention put you off. I'd rather lose half and inch from my waist anyday than drop 4 lbs with no change in measurements. Easier said than done, but don't focus on the scales.

Also, I usually don't weigh in the day after a heavy lifting session because I find as a trend that I'll be up about 1kg (water retention) which drops off the next day. It's a good thing really because it means your muscles have broken down and are rebuilding bigger and stronger. So keep that in mind.

Drink more water it will help with water retention. I drink about a gallon a day so i don't retain water.