Does working out really add weight?

cici1028
cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
edited September 22 in Fitness and Exercise
My routine:

Monday - 20 minute walk (brisk) am, circuit training (45 minutes) pm
Tuesday -20 minute walk (brisk) am, 70 minutes Ashtanga yoga
Wednesday - 20 minutes walk (brisk) am, 45 minutes circuit training pm
Thursday - 20 minute walk (brisk) am, 45 minutes circuit training pm
Friday - REST
Saturday - 70 minutes Ashtanga yoga
Sunday - circuit training (45 minutes) am

Me: height 5'7"
Weight was 146 when I started this new regime and now is 149!!!

This is a new routine for me and I have noticed my weight is up by about 3 pounds which is frustrating. Hoping it coms back off. Does exercise REALLY add weight in the beginning (two weeks into the regime) or am I probably just eating too much? (I stay within my calories, but only by 100 or so.)

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    when starting a new routine or increasing intensity you muscles store water to aid in muscle repair. Once you get use to the workout your body will shed the extra water. So don't worry it is just water weight.
  • nradebe
    nradebe Posts: 18 Member
    Plus you have probably gained muscle weight.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3777305
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Thanks, I was getting really down on myself. :) I know people say it, but I wondered if it was true!
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
    Are you eating all your exercise calories? Are you wearing a HRM during workouts???
  • Fineraziel
    Fineraziel Posts: 140
    I have the same information. Your muscles are sore when you start working out so they store water to protect them... But it will all go away in a few days. :) And remember : muscles help you burn fat, so keep working out, girl! ;)
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    Plus you have probably gained muscle weight.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3777305

    Contrary to most people beliefs, you just dont add several pounds of solid muscle just like that...
  • annapaps
    annapaps Posts: 10 Member
    when starting a new routine or increasing intensity you muscles store water to aid in muscle repair. Once you get use to the workout your body will shed the extra water. So don't worry it is just water weight.

    I agree. When I started out on MFP I gained about five pounds then started losing, even though I was following the program to a T. Just keep working at it and you'll see results!
  • maryrshstattoo
    maryrshstattoo Posts: 206 Member
    I have been exercising since Febuary and have done nothing but lose weight. I do a cardio and a resistance training. My muscles have increased but no gains in weight so I have to say no.
  • ncarleto1
    ncarleto1 Posts: 5 Member
    You may also be eating more than you realize. Condiments and seasonings can add calories and sometimes people forget to add them. If you fry a steak in butter, don't forget to add the calories in the butter for example.
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    Plus you have probably gained muscle weight.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3777305

    NOT BLOODY LIKELY! If I would have to wager on muscle or water weight I'd be it all on water weight as muscle is much harder to gain and according to TrainingwithTonya unless you eat a certain way you can NOT gain muscle on a deficit. She'd have to eat quite a few calories more than maintenance to gain. There's just no way.
  • Alysgrma
    Alysgrma Posts: 365 Member
    Since we can't see your diary it could be nothing but water retention...how is your sodium intake? I know for me I can gain & lose up to 5lbs a week just from sodium....that is why drinking a lot of water is important. I do not believe it was muscle...but feel it is water.

    Keep plugging away and drink pure water and you will see the lbs coming off.

    Good Luck & Merry Christmas

    Mary
  • sara_xo
    sara_xo Posts: 195 Member
    Are you eating all your exercise calories? Are you wearing a HRM during workouts???

    Just stick at it girl, I find that I don't need to "eat my exercise calories" I have never heard of this until I came to MFP and I'm a certified trainer and nutritionist. I just don't see the point, if you are eating lets say 1400 calories and then buring 500 a day, there's no need to eat the exercise calories your making yourself break even for the day again. Calories in should be less than calories burned not the same.

    Pointless.

    And heart rate monitors can work yes, but for a lot of people they are rather expensive. A good one at least. We learned in school; Judge it on a scale of 1 - 10. If you are between 7 - 10 intensity level you can say for your body you are burning fat and in a cardiac zone. Or if you're sweating you will be burning calories.

    Just push hard to the max in all your workouts, keep you diet tight and you'll succeed.!
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    I would suggest reading that spark journal there not to take in what she's saying is true but to realise that your dream body doesn't need to be a certain weight. If you are working out hard and eating right your body will start to show lean muscle, you won't have gained it but you will have lost inches so it starts to pop. If you see her in that last picture she was 160 and looked 100x better than she did in any of the other pictures. She was leaner, stronger and fitter but weighed far above her original goal weight. That's what I hope someone takes from that posting.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3777305

    Thanks for posting that nradebe. Some of what she says is false but visually she gets the right point across.
  • sara_xo
    sara_xo Posts: 195 Member
    Plus you have probably gained muscle weight.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3777305

    NOT BLOODY LIKELY! If I would have to wager on muscle or water weight I'd be it all on water weight as muscle is much harder to gain and according to TrainingwithTonya unless you eat a certain way you can NOT gain muscle on a deficit. She'd have to eat quite a few calories more than maintenance to gain. There's just no way.

    yes and no. I put on 15 pounds of muscle on a calorie deficit by making sure my protein levels were above 200g's per day.

    I went from a Lean Body Mass of 100 to a lean body mass of 115 in 6 months. It was unbelieveable,

    200g's protein minimum
    40g's of fat
    150g's of carbs.

    Gave me a total calorie number of 1360.
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    Plus you have probably gained muscle weight.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3777305

    NOT BLOODY LIKELY! If I would have to wager on muscle or water weight I'd be it all on water weight as muscle is much harder to gain and according to TrainingwithTonya unless you eat a certain way you can NOT gain muscle on a deficit. She'd have to eat quite a few calories more than maintenance to gain. There's just no way.

    yes and no. I put on 15 pounds of muscle on a calorie deficit by making sure my protein levels were above 200g's per day.

    I went from a Lean Body Mass of 100 to a lean body mass of 115 in 6 months. It was unbelieveable,

    200g's protein minimum
    40g's of fat
    150g's of carbs.

    Gave me a total calorie number of 1360.

    As I said under dietary restrictions, ie heavy protein at the right times and what not.

    Oh and the aerobic zone is a myth perpetrated by idiots for many years. It doesn't work. and 7-10 is anaerobic not aerobic. And telling a person to push to the max is crazy. Push hard, absolutely. But don't push to your maximum except for very short bursts and even then make sure you're in pretty good shape before doing so.

    She's doing well with her exercise, circuit training 4x a week will help her lose inches if she eats right.
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    1360 that's it??? + exercise calories, yes?

    Pretty impressive by the way. 15lbs of lean in 6 months, wow.
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
    My routine:

    Monday - 20 minute walk (brisk) am, circuit training (45 minutes) pm
    Tuesday -20 minute walk (brisk) am, 70 minutes Ashtanga yoga
    Wednesday - 20 minutes walk (brisk) am, 45 minutes circuit training pm
    Thursday - 20 minute walk (brisk) am, 45 minutes circuit training pm
    Friday - REST
    Saturday - 70 minutes Ashtanga yoga
    Sunday - circuit training (45 minutes) am

    Me: height 5'7"
    Weight was 146 when I started this new regime and now is 149!!!

    This is a new routine for me and I have noticed my weight is up by about 3 pounds which is frustrating. Hoping it coms back off. Does exercise REALLY add weight in the beginning (two weeks into the regime) or am I probably just eating too much? (I stay within my calories, but only by 100 or so.)

    I would HIGHLY recomend adding a second rest day. All that circuit training is breaking down your muscles. Your muscles are desperate to repair themselves, but you're not giving them a chance. If you want to keep your routine the same, then just dropping the wednesday workout would probably help. More work doesn't always equal more results.
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    My routine:

    Monday - 20 minute walk (brisk) am, circuit training (45 minutes) pm
    Tuesday -20 minute walk (brisk) am, 70 minutes Ashtanga yoga
    Wednesday - 20 minutes walk (brisk) am, 45 minutes circuit training pm
    Thursday - 20 minute walk (brisk) am, 45 minutes circuit training pm
    Friday - REST
    Saturday - 70 minutes Ashtanga yoga
    Sunday - circuit training (45 minutes) am

    Me: height 5'7"
    Weight was 146 when I started this new regime and now is 149!!!

    This is a new routine for me and I have noticed my weight is up by about 3 pounds which is frustrating. Hoping it coms back off. Does exercise REALLY add weight in the beginning (two weeks into the regime) or am I probably just eating too much? (I stay within my calories, but only by 100 or so.)

    I would HIGHLY recomend adding a second rest day. All that circuit training is breaking down your muscles. Your muscles are desperate to repair themselves, but you're not giving them a chance. If you want to keep your routine the same, then just dropping the wednesday workout would probably help. More work doesn't always equal more results.

    Agreed, look at those that lift, usually 3 days a week with a little cardio and look at their gains over someone that kills themselves 6 days a week. I considered the yoga to be a rest day and I agree that 3 days of Circuit training would be better than 4. I was thinking dropping one day a week would be beneficial as well.
  • sara_xo
    sara_xo Posts: 195 Member
    1360 that's it??? + exercise calories, yes?

    Pretty impressive by the way. 15lbs of lean in 6 months, wow.

    No I had a strict diet that consited of 6 meals a day.

    I was monitored by a trainer and other than my diet I had protein shakes before and after my workouts with glutamine

    My workouts were to compete in a figure competition;

    Monday - Legs
    Tuesday - Delts
    Wednesday - Chest
    Thursday - Rest
    Friday - Back
    Saturday - Arms
    Sunday - Rest

    I would do cardio for 45 minutes upon wake up 7 x a week and 30 minutes of HITTS 3x a week and 30 minutes of High intensity cardio 4x a week.

    I NEVER ate extra calories than what was on my diet by my trainer.
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    A figure competition?

    I would do cardio for 45 minutes upon wake up 7 x a week and 30 minutes of HITTS 3x a week and 30 minutes of High intensity cardio 4x a week. HIIT is high intensity and with the HIIT the 45minutes of cardio a day is overkill. There's no need to do lifting all those days, do HIIT 3 days a week and do steady-state for 7 days a week. Steady state cardio is known for being relatively useless in fat-loss.
  • sara_xo
    sara_xo Posts: 195 Member
    A figure competition?

    I would do cardio for 45 minutes upon wake up 7 x a week and 30 minutes of HITTS 3x a week and 30 minutes of High intensity cardio 4x a week. HIIT is high intensity and with the HIIT the 45minutes of cardio a day is overkill. There's no need to do lifting all those days, do HIIT 3 days a week and do steady-state for 7 days a week. Steady state cardio is known for being relatively useless in fat-loss.

    Thank you for your insight, but my Trainer was Over all Heavy Weight. I don't need information from someone else. I'm not being mean but he monitored me 5 days a week and then I ended up breaking my ankle which is what caused me to not be able to compete. I did "higher" intensity coverd up so I was sweating, and HITTS on alternating days. It was different cardio. Still High Intensity, but not on a tredmill.

    Thaks for your comments.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Thanks for all the comments, guys!!! :) I agree that I need to put another rest day in there for circuit training. (Also, my definition of circuit training is weights mixed with cardio and strength training!!)

    I think I'm probably eating more so I will work to get that back under control and ensure I'm not over-estimating my calories.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Good point. I'm sure it is the eating being off track. Time to reign it back in.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Thanks, BoresEasily! :) Although, do note that Yoga is actually Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga which is very intense and burns about 400 calories an hour... so I could do with more rest days I think.
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
    Thanks, BoresEasily! :) Although, do note that Yoga is actually Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga which is very intense and burns about 400 calories an hour... so I could do with more rest days I think.

    Those were my thoughts exactly.
  • junebug523
    junebug523 Posts: 196
    I have one more thing to add--make sure you are drinking plenty of water. This can make a huge difference in how quickly water weight/sodium/etc. gets flushed out of your body. Plus, it's just plain good for you.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Excellent point there as well... I have certainly been slacking. :)
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    Honestly, sometimes I think we "over-think" this stuff. Eventually burning more calories than eaten will result in weight loss. I know you can go on about the type of foods to help burn, and build, and grow hair on your chest, or turn you into Kim Kardashian. Just exercise and watch the cals, don't make ourselves crazy with trying figure it all out and turn it into a science. That's not normal and very few people can stick with that kind of analysis for long. We're looking for long term, life changes. Examine your habits, look at how you feel and that should determine "how ya doin".
  • runway2reality
    runway2reality Posts: 3
    im new at MFP. what does NET mean? should I be negative? it just doesnt make sense to eat what i already worked off. For example:

    12/07/10-
    GOAL: 1200 FOOD: 1626 EXERCISE: 1256 NET: 370 REMAINING 830

    12/08/10-
    GOAL: 1200 FOOD: 1266 EXERCISE:1309 NET: -43 REMAINING:1243

    12/09/10-
    GOAL:1200 FOOD:1110 EXERCISE: 0 NET: 1110 REMAINING: 90

    Which one is perferred? isnt exercise good? im def not hungry or starving. HELP!!!!!
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