I'm Confused... Help?

Primetime5k
Primetime5k Posts: 46 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so I started out at 371lbs and dropped to 359lbs I've been lifting and doing cardio moderately this whole time... Now all of a sudden I weigh 367lbs BUT people tell me it looks like I'm losing weight (even tho I can't tell) ... Is it possible I gained muscle? Idk I just know I'm really trying to get under 300lbs and this was king of discouraging...

Replies

  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    Sure it's possible, especially if you aren't cutting calories. Have you taken any measurements other than weight?

    If you really want to drop the pounds, go for a calorie deficit.
  • kooner2014
    kooner2014 Posts: 16 Member
    I agree look at your measurements, the scale is good to look at as well, keep to your allotted intake and measure weigh your food.
  • Melonpaul
    Melonpaul Posts: 323 Member
    it's totally possible, but like others suggest take measurements, you can do both scale and measurements but I've had a few weeks were I didn't lose or I "gained" but my measurements either stayed the same or actually dropped a little bit. So the scale number is good but tape measurement is better, in my opinion. Keep it up, you got this!
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Nobody has a static weight -- you have a weight range, and you will fluctuate within that range on a daily (hourly) basis. At your size, a range of 8 pounds isn't surprising. You need more than 3 data points before you can tell if it's an actual gain or a normal fluctuation.
  • Primetime5k
    Primetime5k Posts: 46 Member
    Thanks everybody!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I would say with your size that it is likely a fluctuation in water weight. As a woman in the low 100's I gain 3-4 pounds of water weight depending on when i measure, what workout ive done, etc.

    Unless you've eaten an extra 42,000 calories that you can't recall i doubt it's fat.


    In any case, at your current size you should be losing weight at a pretty rapid rate right about now. Are you tracking your calories and what you're eating? Exercising is important (especially for health) but ultimately your success in weight loss will come down to calories in< calories out.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Are you in a deficit? When beginning a new weight lifting program, you get to ride the "Newbie gains" train for awhile. During this period, you will gain muscle in a deficit.
  • Primetime5k
    Primetime5k Posts: 46 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I would say with your size that it is likely a fluctuation in water weight. As a woman in the low 100's I gain 3-4 pounds of water weight depending on when i measure, what workout ive done, etc.

    Unless you've eaten an extra 42,000 calories that you can't recall i doubt it's fat.


    In any case, at your current size you should be losing weight at a pretty rapid rate right about now. Are you tracking your calories and what you're eating? Exercising is important (especially for health) but ultimately your success in weight loss will come down to calories in< calories out.

    Lol thanks that makes since
  • Abby_C2014
    Abby_C2014 Posts: 86 Member
    edited October 2015
    Do not panic you are probably just gaining muscle. If you are new to weightlifting, you gain muscle faster than a person who has been lifting for years (People who are new to lifting gain muscle faster and over time it slows down). Plus, salt intake and carbohydrate intake can make your weight fluctuate due to water retention. In my opinion if people notice that you look thinner than you were before, Primetime you are gaining muscle weight.
  • random5483
    random5483 Posts: 63 Member
    It is most likely water weight. You don't develop 8 lbs of muscle in a week. Even with newbie gains and your size, 8 lbs is not at all likely in a week. For most people, even 1 lb a week is out of reach (about the high end for muscle gain).

    I weight a ~280 and my weight fluctuates by 5 lbs fairly often. At your weight an 8 lb swing is definitely possible. It's very unlikely you gained 8 lbs of fat due to food in a short spell since as mentioned it would take a 42k calorie excess over maintenance. Since muscles and food can't account for the vast majority of the gain, water weight is likely the culprit.

    Also, take your weight with the same clothes and at the same time of the day to minimize variations. I usually weight myself right when I wake up before I do anything. This avoids weight from food/water I just had or loss of weight from using the restroom and helps me standardize my weight as much as possible. But even doing this I can't always control water weight. I had 2k more sodium than normal 2 days back and it spiked my weight up 4 lbs from 276.9 to 280.4. I have eaten a deficit everyday for the last week or more, so water weight is the only explanation I can think of.
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