WHAT THE ACTUAL FREAK

I've practically doubled my commitment to the gym over the last two weeks including going to the gym twice a day every day this week... I do 4-6 classes of zumba a week so cardio is fine... the addition has been hirty minutes to an hour of weight training daily if not twice daily... but in the past week I've jumped up from 156 to 159. There's NO WAY i've eaten THAT many calories. I weight myself on the same scale, no food on my stomach... why am I gaining weight?!?!

The only theory I can even have is my hormones are out of sync because I've taken plan b 5 times in 3 months (three times in the last month alone) ... but weight gain isnt a listed side effect...

is that what's causing this???
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Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    When you start, change, or increase your exercise routine your muscles hold onto extra water to help cushion and repair them. It causes a stall or jump on the scale, but it's temporary and should even out as your body gets used to the new routine.
  • Pinkranger626
    Pinkranger626 Posts: 460 Member
    Ok so two possibilities: you've just increased your weight training, which will cause your muscles to hold onto water while they repair themselves, thus a weight gain. Two: weight training every day is not recommended especially if it's a total body workout. You need to give yourself at LEAST 24 hours between working the same muscle groups to allow them to repair themselves. If you don't give them the rest and recovery that they need you'll keep holding onto water, and may eventually wind up with not only weight gain but an injury to boot.

    My suggestion would be to scale it down to weight training every other day and use weights that will challenge you .
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    Water weight. Don't freak out or give up yet...

    If the weight isn't budging after a few weeks or going up ...

    You aren't eating at a deficit.
  • drocknoel
    drocknoel Posts: 30 Member
    Also, remember that muscle weighs more than fat does!
  • MooMyuu
    MooMyuu Posts: 38 Member
    I'm working different muscle groups every day. Monday was abs and legs, chest and triceps, yesterday was back and biceps, today i did a little more back because im not feeling it anywhere and tonight I'm going to do plenty of abs...

    but this is just so weird for me... how long until it flushes that water weight out???

    I usually only weight train one or two days a week so I've upped it, but it's nothing my muscles aren't used to. I didn't go up in weight unless my prior weight was just too easy.

    I have noticed a large jump in strength. Especially in my biceps...

    when will it fall off, I dont want to be 160 again... I was right at 152 at the start of March and held onto that pretty steady until about 2 weeks ago I was 153 then last saturday I was 157 and then today 159 TT
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    Most likely water retention (in your muscles, or caused by hormones) or you are eating more than you think.

    Please do something to address why you have taken Plan B so much recently. I am actually surprised you were able to get it that often from a doctor. It wreaks havoc on your body doing that, and there are much better, safer, more reliable forms of birth control.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member

    The only theory I can even have is my hormones are out of sync because I've taken plan b 5 times in 3 months (three times in the last month alone) ... but weight gain isnt a listed side effect...

    You might want to re-think your bedroom activities. Plan B is not 100%. Nothing but abstinence is. I would take a pregnancy test, Back off my gym load, and stop having the need to use so many Plan Bs in such a short time.
  • Kindone
    Kindone Posts: 138 Member
    Regardless of the weight loss/gain issue, I would be remiss not to suggest considering a Plan A... I don't think Plan B is meant to be taken so often but only as an emergency. Have you considered a more permanent method that is workable for you?
  • anissa333
    anissa333 Posts: 175 Member
    I agree with the muscle repair, but also its possible that you are now NOT eating enough calories and you body is going into starvation mode and trying to hold onto fat. People dont realize that not enough calories can sabotage you just as much as too many.
  • MooMyuu
    MooMyuu Posts: 38 Member
    i dont think im eating fewer than 1200 usually im right around 1500
  • junctiongirl
    junctiongirl Posts: 57 Member
    I wish I could "like" some of these comments.

    Really, buy some condoms and stop putting all of those hormones in your body!
  • MooMyuu
    MooMyuu Posts: 38 Member
    Regardless of the weight loss/gain issue, I would be remiss not to suggest considering a Plan A... I don't think Plan B is meant to be taken so often but only as an emergency. Have you considered a more permanent method that is workable for you?
    at the moment, im uninsured and cant afford birth control and even before then, my doctors wouldnt put me on it because im so sensitive to hormones that everything would kill my libido or make me gain weight and my doctors didnt want me gaining weight when im already over weight.
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    I've practically doubled my commitment to the gym over the last two weeks including going to the gym twice a day every day this week... I do 4-6 classes of zumba a week so cardio is fine... the addition has been hirty minutes to an hour of weight training daily if not twice daily... but in the past week I've jumped up from 156 to 159. There's NO WAY i've eaten THAT many calories. I weight myself on the same scale, no food on my stomach... why am I gaining weight?!?!

    The only theory I can even have is my hormones are out of sync because I've taken plan b 5 times in 3 months (three times in the last month alone) ... but weight gain isnt a listed side effect...

    is that what's causing this???

    muscle and water retention.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    When you start, change, or increase your exercise routine your muscles hold onto extra water to help cushion and repair them. It causes a stall or jump on the scale, but it's temporary and should even out as your body gets used to the new routine.

    yep, this.

    My usual exercise is walking a lot, easy hikes, short bike rides. Usually 20-60 min duration. When I go on a more challenging hike over one hour, walk a lot more miles, or do two hours of bicycling...my weight jumps up by 2-3 lb and doesn't go back down for a few days. I can't speak to the adjustment of your body over time as it gets used to the workout because I never do such strenous workouts on consecutive days...maybe once every couple of weeks.

    Don't panic. Drink water and just chill out and it will come down, even though I totally know how it feels like it won't. My husband and I walked about six miles on Saturday night and my weight hopped up and didn't come back down until yesterday (Wednesday).
  • maz504
    maz504 Posts: 450
    Girl. Condoms.

    ETA: Wrong quote. ^^ In reference to you saying you're uninsured and can't get on BC.
  • Aren't Plan B pills like $30 each?
  • Most likely water retention (in your muscles, or caused by hormones) or you are eating more than you think.

    Please do something to address why you have taken Plan B so much recently. I am actually surprised you were able to get it that often from a doctor. It wreaks havoc on your body doing that, and there are much better, safer, more reliable forms of birth control.

    A world's worth of THIS.

    Plan B is for the occasional slip up- NOT a contingency plan.

    If you don't want to go on birth control (which I get- I don't take it because I've had some pretty adverse side effects), use a condom (they make both male and female varieties). Or check with your doctor about an IUD- they have programs that will subsidize the cost for certain individuals.

    Be safe. Have fun, but be safe.
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    Regardless of the weight loss/gain issue, I would be remiss not to suggest considering a Plan A... I don't think Plan B is meant to be taken so often but only as an emergency. Have you considered a more permanent method that is workable for you?
    at the moment, im uninsured and cant afford birth control and even before then, my doctors wouldnt put me on it because im so sensitive to hormones that everything would kill my libido or make me gain weight and my doctors didnt want me gaining weight when im already over weight.

    Plan b can damage you if you take too many. can cause ovarian tumors...
  • MooMyuu
    MooMyuu Posts: 38 Member
    Most likely water retention (in your muscles, or caused by hormones) or you are eating more than you think.

    Please do something to address why you have taken Plan B so much recently. I am actually surprised you were able to get it that often from a doctor. It wreaks havoc on your body doing that, and there are much better, safer, more reliable forms of birth control.

    it's over the counter... you do know that right?
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    IMHO you are over training. I agree with the water retention and possible injury. Personally, I'd cut down the workouts to an hour a day, alternating muscles. This means if you do cardio, which is mostly leg, don't do lower body with the weight training. Give your body and mind some down time. ONE exercise a day like this: Cardio, weights upper body, cardio , a day off, weights lower body, cardio, a day off etc...something like that. Good luck!
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    at the moment, im uninsured and cant afford birth control

    Here's a thought: stop having sex. If you can't afford birth control, you can't afford to be pregnant either.
  • cassidyamymommy
    cassidyamymommy Posts: 71 Member
    you can afford that many plan b but cant afford condoms? also i am sure planned parenthood or a similar organization would be more then happy to hand you free condoms
  • MooMyuu
    MooMyuu Posts: 38 Member
    Most likely water retention (in your muscles, or caused by hormones) or you are eating more than you think.

    Please do something to address why you have taken Plan B so much recently. I am actually surprised you were able to get it that often from a doctor. It wreaks havoc on your body doing that, and there are much better, safer, more reliable forms of birth control.

    A world's worth of THIS.

    Plan B is for the occasional slip up- NOT a contingency plan.

    If you don't want to go on birth control (which I get- I don't take it because I've had some pretty adverse side effects), use a condom (they make both male and female varieties). Or check with your doctor about an IUD- they have programs that will subsidize the cost for certain individuals.

    Be safe. Have fun, but be safe.

    I WANT the IUD so bad!! but my doctor REFUSES to give me one because I havent had kids yet and it can rupture the uterus and render me infertile.

    It's like either way I go I cant win.
    He cant use condoms, we tried. He literally cant keep it up. He cant feel anything through them and I even made sure they were the "barely there" thin condoms.
    I cant do birth control because of hormones
    and I cant get the IUD because I dont have kids.

    im being screwed over everywhere and cant really get my body to ever do what I want.
  • MooMyuu
    MooMyuu Posts: 38 Member
    you can afford that many plan b but cant afford condoms? also i am sure planned parenthood or a similar organization would be more then happy to hand you free condoms

    I dont pay for the plan b. He does because He has a job.

    also condoms are a no go.
  • Kindone
    Kindone Posts: 138 Member

    at the moment, im uninsured and cant afford birth control and even before then, my doctors wouldnt put me on it because im so sensitive to hormones that everything would kill my libido or make me gain weight and my doctors didnt want me gaining weight when im already over weight.

    I think the same place you are able to get Plan B for free (I am assuming since isn't it about $50 a dose?), you can also get free condoms and reduced price pills or shots. Seriously.. it might be free, but it is horrible for your body and much worse than a low dose BC pill hormonally.

    And as a woman who has had three, let me tell you that pregnancy and childbirth is far harder on your body weight wise than the pill. Trust me.

    Please think about this issue. Not trying to be judge-y but this is a serious matter.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    Regardless of the weight loss/gain issue, I would be remiss not to suggest considering a Plan A... I don't think Plan B is meant to be taken so often but only as an emergency. Have you considered a more permanent method that is workable for you?
    at the moment, im uninsured and cant afford birth control and even before then, my doctors wouldnt put me on it because im so sensitive to hormones that everything would kill my libido or make me gain weight and my doctors didnt want me gaining weight when im already over weight.

    Hormonal birth control is not the only option. Condoms, diaphragm, etc. If push comes to shove, the pull out method is something like 95% accurate if used properly! Jeez!
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Regardless of the weight loss/gain issue, I would be remiss not to suggest considering a Plan A... I don't think Plan B is meant to be taken so often but only as an emergency. Have you considered a more permanent method that is workable for you?
    at the moment, im uninsured and cant afford birth control and even before then, my doctors wouldnt put me on it because im so sensitive to hormones that everything would kill my libido or make me gain weight and my doctors didnt want me gaining weight when im already over weight.

    Condoms. They are over the counter, too.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    you can afford that many plan b but cant afford condoms? also i am sure planned parenthood or a similar organization would be more then happy to hand you free condoms

    also condoms are a no go.

    I'm sorry but this is the stupidest thing I've heard all day. My husband doesn't care for them but unless you're allergic to latex....tell him condoms or no sex. He'll wear it.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Aren't Plan B pills like $30 each?

    and they contain hormones






    I second the condoms recommendation. And if money's an issue then raising a kid until they're financially independent costs much more money than a pack of condoms. In the UK condoms are free at birth control clinics... is that true about the USA as well?
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    try Plan C.


    also, why double-down on the gym so much?

    are you doing cardio for one of those trips and weights for the other?
    In the UK condoms are free at birth control clinics... is that true about the USA as well?

    yup.
This discussion has been closed.