What is UP with tons of exercise and weight GAIN?

bjshields
bjshields Posts: 677 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so this is really bugging me. A few of my friends (not me -- yet, anyway) are either training for half marathons, full marathons, or are doing P90X, which is intense exercise. Those few friends are logging in weight GAIN after an intense period of exercise or doing a marathon or half or a marathon event.

Does anybody have a good beat on this, especially an understanding from a medical point of view? I'm totally baffled. Does the body freak out when you over-exert? And how do you decide that you are over-exerting? Or is this just a temporary state of being?

Replies

  • aahsumcat
    aahsumcat Posts: 1
    I have often wondered about this, too! My unprofessional theory is that excessive exercise actually throws your body into a state where it's overcompensating to recover, and retaining water, or something like that... BUT I have no idea what the actual explanation is, and have wondered about it in the past. When I was running 8 miles at a go, I would often notice a slight weight INCREASE the next day, which completely confused (and annoyed!) me.
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I gained 2 pounds during the training of my half marathon - and I really do believe that this was all muscle. I have toned up, my legs and arms are still flabby but there is tone underneath there.

    I suggest joining the Lenten Scale Diet and not being a slave to that thing... what do you want more... to look freaking awesome, or a stupid number!?
  • missrugby
    missrugby Posts: 31
    I have always been told that your muscles will retain water to protect them after doing strenuous work outs, and that is the reason for the gain.
  • maxtell02
    maxtell02 Posts: 1
    Weight gain with exercise is typically due to muscle growth. In the beginning, as you work out you lose weight. After a while though, you start building muscle mass which would cause some weight gain.
  • MelanieHodgkiss1962
    MelanieHodgkiss1962 Posts: 49
    As muscle weighs more than fat, you will find that this is your intitial weight gain. Eventually you will begin to lose weight again as excess fat is burnt by the musles who need it as fuel. You won't bulk up, you will eventually look toned. Hope this help's!!
  • freerange
    freerange Posts: 1,722 Member
    Might be muscle might be they are eating more because they are working harder. The best way to tell is to get your lean body mass measured, see if it's muscle of fat gain.
  • NOLAdy
    NOLAdy Posts: 133 Member
    How long have they been training? Could be muscle.

    I've been trying to gain muscle for the past two months, almost three. At first I lost weight, and than it stayed the same, now it looks like I'm going up again. But, I'm toning up so I'm OK with it.

    Are your friends looking like they're gaining weight?
  • oscelyn
    oscelyn Posts: 54
    I would love to know the answer to this as well. Its happening to me too and I just this morning posted it on my board! I'm doing Insanity, Day 12 and a lot of other workouts and my weight has gone up 1/2 a pound in that 12 day period. Yes I know I'm building muscle, I can actually see it and feel it in some places but dang, I want the numbers to go down too!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    I am going to sign up as a Beach Body coach, and part of it is getting a bunch of their workouts; I'm kind of stuck between doing Insanity first or P90X. How do you like Insanity?
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