Gained 10 lbs but look thinner? Only doing cardio

chillakiss
chillakiss Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, I know most of you are going to say it's muscle lol...

But okay so I weighed 135, and ate right, and even created a calorie deficit (not below 1200, though), and I maintained that weight for a while. Then I started Shaun T's Focus t25, and ate the same, but GAINED 10 pounds after two weeks on the program. :( But everyone I know is saying I look like i LOST a lot of weight (on my face, my arms, etc., and that I have well-defined abs)... :(

I thought it was muscle, at first, but from all the posts on MFP, the first phase, which I'm in, which is the alpha phase, is more cardio-based, so it's more on fat-burning than muscle building. Most of the people doing t25 mentioned that they only started gaining muscle when it hit the beta round, which I'm not in yet, which focuses more on strength :(

So if I'm doing mostly cardio and no strength, it can't be muscle...SO WHERE IS THIS 10 POUNDS FROMMMM, esp. if I look skinnier :(

I also thought it was water weight, so I tried drinking extra water for a few days, lowering my sodium intake by a LOT (mostly eating fruits, veggies, brown rice and chicken), hoping that it would cause me to shed water, but when I weighed myself after a few days, I GAINED 3 pounds :(

Yes, I am weighing at the same time everyday, after I do my business, and with minimum, lightweight clothing. :(

Why is it that i'm gaining weight when I start eating better and exercising more :(

Replies

  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    Did you take measurements or is it all a visual thing?
  • chillakiss
    chillakiss Posts: 33 Member
    Did you take measurements or is it all a visual thing?

    i haven't taken measurements :/ i know i should...lol I will. But I do know I lost fat since I dropped a pant size and my work uniforms are a lot looser now (they're not stretchable), and my several of my jeans are really loose that I have to wear a belt, or else it'll fall down to my ankles when i walk
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
    Don't over think it. I've been there and it will drive you crazy! If clothes are fitting better (or falling off) and people are noticing a difference then you are doing something right. Ignore the number on the scale. It's not a good form of measurement.
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    My money is on water weight...
    Seems a but much for water but is it time for TOM?
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    A new exercise regime can make you gain initially. Your muscles will hold water while they recover.

    If your clothes are looser and you look slimmer, don't worry about what the scale says. The scale is a liar.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    def not muscle if you are in a deficit, and not lifting. My money is on water retention, or inaccurate scale(s)
  • cateyedkp
    cateyedkp Posts: 70 Member
    Okay, I know most of you are going to say it's muscle lol...

    But everyone I know is saying I look like i LOST a lot of weight (on my face, my arms, etc., and that I have well-defined abs)... :(

    I thought it was muscle, at first, but from all the posts on MFP, the first phase, which I'm in, which is the alpha phase, is more cardio-based, so it's more on fat-burning than muscle building. Most of the people doing t25 mentioned that they only started gaining muscle when it hit the beta round, which I'm not in yet, which focuses more on strength :(

    So if I'm doing mostly cardio and no strength, it can't be muscle...SO WHERE IS THIS 10 POUNDS FROMMMM, esp. if I look skinnier :(

    Hopefully someone with a bit more technical knowledge might chime in, but I had something similar happen, so I thought I'd at least share my experience. I'm not familiar with Focus t25, but I know when I started Jillian Michael's Body Revolution (which is more strength focused than cardio, but has a decent cardio element) I didn't lose a single pound for 4 weeks. In 6 weeks of busting my *kitten* on that program, I lost a grand total of 2 lbs. But I dropped a dress size, and there was a noticeable difference in my face/arms/butt.

    I switched to the TDEE method, upped how much I was eating, and the lbs have been dropping off steadily since that first weird plateau. My best guess for you is that you were already at a healthy weight with not a lot of muscle tone, and with this program you have added a teeny bit of muscle and are carrying some water from soreness.

    Don't stress so much about the scale (harder said than done, I know)- just stick with what you''re doing and you'll keep seeing results. If you look better and are getting stronger, that's really the point to all of this, isn't it? :)
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Okay, I know most of you are going to say it's muscle lol...

    Don't worry, I won't say that.
  • sugarfree123
    sugarfree123 Posts: 82 Member
    The scales are pretty much worthless when it comes to measuring progress. You need to still take measurements to get an accurate idea of progress. Sounds like you are making progress if your clothes fit better.
    As to the weight gain - I can only speak for myself. I can gain weight FAST (5 lbs or more a week) if I am eating whey protein supplements. That goes for Beachbody Shakeology as well as the generic whey protein supplement from walmart. I don't know why my body reacts like that but I have tried to take these supplements off and on for a while and I always gain weight from them.
  • wilmnoca
    wilmnoca Posts: 416 Member
    It's not muscle, anyone who tells you that is...well...lets just go with ignorant. That sounds nicer.
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
    Same thing happened to me. Then I felt a breath on my neck and turned around and found my husband was standing on the back of the scale :grumble:
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Did you take measurements or is it all a visual thing?

    i haven't taken measurements :/ i know i should...lol I will. But I do know I lost fat since I dropped a pant size and my work uniforms are a lot looser now (they're not stretchable), and my several of my jeans are really loose that I have to wear a belt, or else it'll fall down to my ankles when i walk
    Then who cares what the scale says? It is perplexing to see the scale numbers go up - but honestly, search the forums here for people who are having the opposite problem - they've lost 10lbs or more, but their size hasn't changed, their clothes fit the same, and no one has noticed the weight loss - which would you rather have??

    Grab a tape measure and start tracking your measurements. Take some pics too, so you can compare as you progress. I dropped a full size last year without my scale changing at all - "weight" is a funny thing when it comes to scales, and can really mess with your head if you let it.

    Keep up the good work, it sounds like it's working.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    glycogen/water storage in tissue/TOMS/poop/etc.
    You certainly did NOT gain ten pounds of muscle in a few weeks. lol.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Okay, I know most of you are going to say it's muscle lol...

    no we're not
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    That's awesome! If you look/feel thinner, then you're doing it right. Keep it up! Ignore the scale~

    Take measurements and progress pictures! I forgot to do this at the beginning and I really regret it... :<
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    Err, Pics!?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    FANTASTIC! You may not have gained muscle but you toned and strengthened the muscle you have. The gain is probably just extra fluid your body is retaining for muscle repair since you started a new exercise.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Okay, I know most of you are going to say it's muscle lol...

    No, no we're not......

    I'd vote mostly water weight. Also, from your OP, you state you maintained weight at a deficit. That wouldn't be possible, if I read that right.
  • chillakiss
    chillakiss Posts: 33 Member
    Okay, I know most of you are going to say it's muscle lol...

    Don't worry, I won't say that.

    It's only 'cause I posted a similar question on Yahoo answers, and most people said it was muscle. Wasn't satisfied with that answer, so posted on MFP to get another opinion.
  • chillakiss
    chillakiss Posts: 33 Member
    glycogen/water storage in tissue/TOMS/poop/etc.
    You certainly did NOT gain ten pounds of muscle in a few weeks. lol.

    Thanks :) But do you happen to know howI can get rid of all the water weight if I've been drinking a lot of water, eating fiber, plenty of fruits and veggies and protein :( the scale always goes up when I eat healthy, but the minute I stop exercising (had to stop once 'cause I injured my ankle while skiing) and start consuming some junk, I lose like 5lbs in a few days :(
  • patrickfish7
    patrickfish7 Posts: 190 Member
    Never seen a mirror say 'Damn you weigh too much'
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    glycogen/water storage in tissue/TOMS/poop/etc.
    You certainly did NOT gain ten pounds of muscle in a few weeks. lol.

    Thanks :) But do you happen to know howI can get rid of all the water weight if I've been drinking a lot of water, eating fiber, plenty of fruits and veggies and protein :( the scale always goes up when I eat healthy, but the minute I stop exercising (had to stop once 'cause I injured my ankle while skiing) and start consuming some junk, I lose like 5lbs in a few days :(

    It's water weight. Throw away the scale. Keep eating right and working out and go by how you feel, how your clothes fit, etc, and don't worry about the scale (unless its the food scale).

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