Do you build muscle before you lose fat?

amysambora
amysambora Posts: 219
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been stuck on a major plateau for some time now, so I recently bought an exercise bike to shake up my workout regime. I've been using it for about two weeks and I actually feel like I'm getting bigger! My jeans are tighter and the scale is up about 2lbs, which is just the most awful feeling :( I definitely feel different though - my thighs and stomach feel 'harder', however these are the areas where I carry the most fat. I'm wondering if the muscle under the fat is bulking up (or retaining fluid while it heals), making the fat more pronounced? And does that mean the fat will burn off eventually? The bike is hell on my thighs, as the lowest resistance setting isn't in fact very low at all, so it makes sense to me that area would be bulking up. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Replies

  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    No, you are not bulking up.

    You are, however, retaining water in the areas where the muscle is repairing itself from the tiny tears that the new exercise has caused.

    You are NOT gaining fat either.

    Keep at it with you workout schedule as well as your diet plan, and you will start to see this reverse as your muscles are repaired and the recovery process is more quick. It can take 1-6 weeks depending on the genetic makeup of the person, but it is quite normal for all of us to experience this.
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    Keep it up - it's working it''s magic. Muscle BURNS fat!
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