Is this normal when first working out?

egirl68
egirl68 Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have a few questions i recently started doing lower body workouts like squats and my shorts feel tighter than ever

- What happens to your body like legs when first working out? If so, how long does it last and will my shorts feel loose ever?

I eat 1000-1300 more healthy besides fact im having ice cream @ night.
But cn you explain the process and how first working out certain muscle groups effects the body and appearance?

But my shrts felt better @ 106 lbs im 110 lbs now not sure if that weight diff will do anything or have anything to do with it?

Replies

  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    So I have a few questions i recently started doing lower body workouts like squats and my shorts feel tighter than ever

    - What happens to your body like legs when first working out? If so, how long does it last and will my shorts feel loose ever?

    I eat 1000-1300 more healthy besides fact im having ice cream @ night.
    But cn you explain the process and how first working out certain muscle groups effects the body and appearance?

    But my shrts felt better @ 106 lbs im 110 lbs now not sure if that weight diff will do anything or have anything to do with it?

    When you very first start to lift weights your muscles will respond by retaining large amounts of water both for repair and for storing glycogen for energy. This will cause your muscles to swell...appear larger, feel harder and firmer. This is especially true if you lift enough to become sore. Doing squats for the first time therefore can result in a lot of retained water in your quads, hams and glutes that can temporarily increase their diameter. This is temporary though and has nothing to do with fat loss.
  • egirl68
    egirl68 Posts: 57 Member
    So I have a few questions i recently started doing lower body workouts like squats and my shorts feel tighter than ever

    - What happens to your body like legs when first working out? If so, how long does it last and will my shorts feel loose ever?

    I eat 1000-1300 more healthy besides fact im having ice cream @ night.
    But cn you explain the process and how first working out certain muscle groups effects the body and appearance?

    But my shrts felt better @ 106 lbs im 110 lbs now not sure if that weight diff will do anything or have anything to do with it?

    When you very first start to lift weights your muscles will respond by retaining large amounts of water both for repair and for storing glycogen for energy. This will cause your muscles to swell...appear larger, feel harder and firmer. This is especially true if you lift enough to become sore. Doing squats for the first time therefore can result in a lot of retained water in your quads, hams and glutes that can temporarily increase their diameter. This is temporary though and has nothing to do with fat loss.

    You are amazing!!! I did do weights at my gym for like a week and a half to two weeks but my month membership ran out and cant renew since im moving but ive been doing a lot of leg work squats and lunges now trying to like alternate so when should i see changes in how clothes fit? What should i do to help exercise health wise? Thank YOU!!! And is ice cream a problem at all or no? Since like i eat pretty dang healthy besides that one snack and i eat pretty low cal. But yeah my legs feel tighter and leaner but like again they dont if you get what im saying its just all my shorts my goal is to fit better than ever in my shorts (00-0) and tone up but they just feel blah @ the moment Thanks!! You made my night better by your response!
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    Yes, it's normal. Your muscles are retaining water for recovery so they'll swell. Since the muscles in your legs are the largest in your body they have the most storage capacity and tend to be the first muscles you notice this in. Your shirts probably don't feel any tighter because the muscles in your shoulders/chest aren't very big and don't store as much water. If you keep at it, though, you'll eventually notice your shirts being snug around the arm-hole.

    You need to eat more calories. (You need to at least net your BMR, and never go below 1200).

    Ice cream is good, eat more of it.
  • egirl68
    egirl68 Posts: 57 Member
    Yes, it's normal. Your muscles are retaining water for recovery so they'll swell. Since the muscles in your legs are the largest in your body they have the most storage capacity and tend to be the first muscles you notice this in. Your shirts probably don't feel any tighter because the muscles in your shoulders/chest aren't very big and don't store as much water. If you keep at it, though, you'll eventually notice your shirts being snug around the arm-hole.

    You need to eat more calories. (You need to at least net your BMR, and never go below 1200).

    Ice cream is good, eat more of it.

    I really dont wanna build muscle around arms like big muscle just tone :) So when should i notice my like shorts feeling better? I am TERRIBLE with water but a diet coke chugger i feel like i am im pretty sure i am way above recommended sodium amount would it help if i really upped my water?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Yes, it's normal. Your muscles are retaining water for recovery so they'll swell. Since the muscles in your legs are the largest in your body they have the most storage capacity and tend to be the first muscles you notice this in. Your shirts probably don't feel any tighter because the muscles in your shoulders/chest aren't very big and don't store as much water. If you keep at it, though, you'll eventually notice your shirts being snug around the arm-hole.

    You need to eat more calories. (You need to at least net your BMR, and never go below 1200).

    Ice cream is good, eat more of it.

    I really dont wanna build muscle around arms like big muscle just tone :) So when should i notice my like shorts feeling better? I am TERRIBLE with water but a diet coke chugger i feel like i am im pretty sure i am way above recommended sodium amount would it help if i really upped my water?

    No one builds muscle by accident, you don't have to worry about getting bulky just because you decide to pick up some weights now and again.
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    Yes, it's normal. Your muscles are retaining water for recovery so they'll swell. Since the muscles in your legs are the largest in your body they have the most storage capacity and tend to be the first muscles you notice this in. Your shirts probably don't feel any tighter because the muscles in your shoulders/chest aren't very big and don't store as much water. If you keep at it, though, you'll eventually notice your shirts being snug around the arm-hole.

    You need to eat more calories. (You need to at least net your BMR, and never go below 1200).

    Ice cream is good, eat more of it.

    I really dont wanna build muscle around arms like big muscle just tone :) So when should i notice my like shorts feeling better? I am TERRIBLE with water but a diet coke chugger i feel like i am im pretty sure i am way above recommended sodium amount would it help if i really upped my water?

    There is absolutely no way that your shoulder muscles will ever be "big muscle." I know girls who can strict press 90lbs and they look like swimsuit models. Big muscles just do not happen for women.

    Your shorts are going to feel better when you lose the fat. If you keep working out the way you're supposed to, keep upping your weights and getting sore and repairing muscle tissue, you're always going to retain water in them. Decreasing your sodium and increasing your water intake will help with water retention in other parts of your body, but it won't go away from your muscles until they're all healed up and ready to work out/get swollen all over again.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Just as an example on sunday I tried a new workout routine that included plyometrics (high impact jump-exercises). The next day my quads were just destroyed, super sore and my weight went up. The day after that my legs are on the mend and I dropped 4 pounds (of water). Taxing your muscles, especially your legs, can result in a lot of swelling due to water retention. This can effect both your size and your weight (temporarily) but again due to water, not fat.
  • egirl68
    egirl68 Posts: 57 Member
    Just as an example on sunday I tried a new workout routine that included plyometrics (high impact jump-exercises). The next day my quads were just destroyed, super sore and my weight went up. The day after that my legs are on the mend and I dropped 4 pounds (of water). Taxing your muscles, especially your legs, can result in a lot of swelling due to water retention. This can effect both your size and your weight (temporarily) but again due to water, not fat.

    Thanks!! Would it help if i really tried to clean up my diet @ night as well?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Just as an example on sunday I tried a new workout routine that included plyometrics (high impact jump-exercises). The next day my quads were just destroyed, super sore and my weight went up. The day after that my legs are on the mend and I dropped 4 pounds (of water). Taxing your muscles, especially your legs, can result in a lot of swelling due to water retention. This can effect both your size and your weight (temporarily) but again due to water, not fat.

    Thanks!! Would it help if i really tried to clean up my diet @ night as well?

    Uh, no meal timing doesn't matter and I'm not sure what you mean by "Clean up" your diet. You can have ice cream if you want thats fine.
  • egirl68
    egirl68 Posts: 57 Member
    Just as an example on sunday I tried a new workout routine that included plyometrics (high impact jump-exercises). The next day my quads were just destroyed, super sore and my weight went up. The day after that my legs are on the mend and I dropped 4 pounds (of water). Taxing your muscles, especially your legs, can result in a lot of swelling due to water retention. This can effect both your size and your weight (temporarily) but again due to water, not fat.

    Thanks!! Would it help if i really tried to clean up my diet @ night as well?

    Uh, no meal timing doesn't matter and I'm not sure what you mean by "Clean up" your diet. You can have ice cream if you want thats fine.

    Like healthier eating and im with my mom now and she usually gives it to me cause she never lets me do anything when home for summer and she gives above recommended serving

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