Source of weight gain?

Dassi7
Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hi

I'm new to the forum and have done a bit of reading - but I may be crossing over something that has already been dealt with. If so, sorry in advance.

I am hoping someone might have a little insight into my current situation: over the past two weeks I have altered my diet (higher protein, lower carbs and lower fat, as best as I can tell, I am in caloric deficit, but not extreme deficit). I am drinking a lot more water, due both to the higher protein intake and the fact I have ramped up my exercise routine (I do Muay Thai twice a week, a PT session (cardio/light weights - high rep and/or boxing), a session of cardioboxing and one session heavy (for me) weights, low reps).

With all that in mind, I have gained 2kg (4.4lb) in a little under 2 weeks. At the same time, my terribly scientific "clothes are noticeably looser" measurements, and my husband's insistence that I am changing shape (smaller through the waist and hips) suggests I haven't just chucked on fat.

So, 2kg weight gain - seems an awful for just water weight and muscle gain for a mid-30s woman, about 185lb. Yes I know I need to get a measuring tape and I'm talking with the PT about it next week, but in the meantime - any thoughts?

Replies

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    It's probably water weight due to increased exercised, in order to help repair muscles. You really should see a loss soon if you are in a deficit though. It is not from muscle gain.
  • Dassi7
    Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
    Great, thanks. I'm hoping a small amount is muscle gain, but thought 2kg was a bit ridiculous. Was more concerned that it was also too high to write off as water weight.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You gained very little, if any muscle. Water weight is your best bet.

    In addition, when you say you're in a deficit "as best as you can tell", what does that mean? Are you logging everything with as close to 100% accuracy as possible/using a food scale?
  • Dassi7
    Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
    Yes, I am logging everything as accurately as possible - I measure and then add to the food diary here - however some brands are different here and the occasional take out I get (I like raw tuna/salmon sushi) is tricky to log. But I am careful, while acknowledging that a tiny bit of estimation goes on for things like that - in which case I over-estimate.

    Why would water weight be my best friend though? Also curious as to how you know whether weight gain is water or muscle, how do you tell? My PT says I am gaining muscle in the time I have worked with him - I am certainly stronger and have better definition...my weight was stable for about 4 weeks prior to the last two weeks and I was losing relatively steadily for the couple of months prior to that.

    Just trying to wrap my head around everything as I try to ramp things up a bit. My main goals are centred on cardiovascular fitness and strength though, not weight loss.
  • mom22dogs
    mom22dogs Posts: 470 Member
    It takes a looong time to build muscle. Won't happen in 2 weeks. Water weight can happen over night. Especially if you eat out, or start a new exercise routine.
  • Dassi7
    Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
    I understand that - I have been training with my PT for about 5 months prior to this :) I expected some water weight due to the increased exercise and higher protein diet, just not this much. I would hope though that with 5 months of training already I should have some muscle gain...I assumed the fact I am now working with higher weights and reps would indicate some muscle gain?

    Perhaps I need to review my logging and see if I can tighten up a bit. I am finding I am insanely hungry with the change in exercise, but I think I am managing that ok (still struggling to figure out how to enter in some of the exercise I do accurately - if I can't I leave it out and figure that if I am still just under my calories for the day doing that I am ok.

    Thanks for the answers
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    No, that's strength gain, muscle growth is much more difficult. Plus after a good workout, your muscles hold onto water for repair. That's what gives the post workout "pump" where the muscles look bigger. Lifting makes me stupidly hungry. How many calories are you aiming for each day? Why high protein, low carb, low fat? That seems odd as a macro choice. I don't think I would feel particularly satisfied on that.
  • Dassi7
    Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
    The diet is based on trainer advice - he suggested re-balancing things so I increased my protein intake and reduced the other two, although the fat reduction is not huge. The diary here spits out a requirement of 1200 calories per day for me, I try to aim for around 1100, but I am new to the food side of things and to logging. I tend to exceed the protein requirement (I get between 65-75g/day) and the carbs average out to just over 100g/day. Fat is more like 30g/day.

    I find this works better in terms of managing my hunger than a higher carb diet...really, I'm not too worried about things, yes, I have goals, and muscle growth is among them (clearly I am not understanding this side of things well though, so I'll do some more reading and have more of a chat with my trainer about it), I was just surprised by the size of my last weight gain and wondered what I was missing. Seems like I just need to hold off, review my logging and re-weigh next week, then go from there.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Is your trainer a registered dietician? Most trainers are not qualified to be giving nutritional advice. Mine has never stepped over that boundary. The only thing he has ever asked is how much I was eating, and he wasn't impressed that I was eating 1600 (too low). But other than shaking his head at me, he said nothing further. You won't build muscle eating 1100 calories. Your body can only use so much from your fat stores, the rest comes from muscle. So when you are in a steep calorie deficit (1100 will be, for most people), your body will take the extra energy it needs to function from fat and muscle. There is a lot of great information here about these things. Read some more. I suggest starting here:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260499/i-like-old-posts-and-i-cannot-lie/p1

    It's an amazing collection of posts from people who have done the reading and have been successful.
  • Dassi7
    Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
    Yea, actually he has a number of quals/degrees - although is he a registered dietician, now I think about it I doubt it. I haven't asked for a specific diet plan, he just took a run down of my (then) normal daily intake and suggested basic adjustments. The numbers are based on what MFP suggested for me and what I am actually getting. I was curious about the low calories (I converted from kilojoules which I work in) but just ran with it. From what you are saying it could explain why I am so damn hungry though! I figured I would just start with MFP to log and wrap my head around setting some goals and then see how I went. Hence the curiosity over the resulting weight gain.

    I will definitely check the link you've put up, thanks :)
  • clapicusrein
    clapicusrein Posts: 3 Member
    How can I gain weight without making my tummy/belly big...???
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Dassi7 wrote: »
    Yea, actually he has a number of quals/degrees - although is he a registered dietician, now I think about it I doubt it. I haven't asked for a specific diet plan, he just took a run down of my (then) normal daily intake and suggested basic adjustments. The numbers are based on what MFP suggested for me and what I am actually getting. I was curious about the low calories (I converted from kilojoules which I work in) but just ran with it. From what you are saying it could explain why I am so damn hungry though! I figured I would just start with MFP to log and wrap my head around setting some goals and then see how I went. Hence the curiosity over the resulting weight gain.

    I will definitely check the link you've put up, thanks :)

    Look at it some more, and do some extra reading. For reference, I am 5'2", and 43, I can lose 2lb/week on 1600, but I have to work out a lot to do it. For some people 1200 is appropriate, but if you are wanting to save the muscle you have and not feel like you want to eat your arm all day, every day, you may want to reconsider what you are doing.

    Best of luck!
  • Dassi7
    Dassi7 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks - seems this has a lot to do with the daily goals set for my calorie intake on MFP. I've read through several of the threads from your link and used a couple of calculators etc I found linked in those. They seem to suggest I need a lot more calories - I'm 5"6 and 185lb...and they seem to suggest over 2000 calories a day for maintenance. I'll do some more reading and have a chat to my PT next week and my doc when I see her next.

    So I'm settled with water weight and a stupid calorie limit. At least I can work with this - one of the posts in those threads said you could adjust the set calorie limit etc in MFP, so I'll have a look at that too.

    Thanks again
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited November 2016
    Dassi7 wrote: »
    Thanks - seems this has a lot to do with the daily goals set for my calorie intake on MFP. I've read through several of the threads from your link and used a couple of calculators etc I found linked in those. They seem to suggest I need a lot more calories - I'm 5"6 and 185lb...and they seem to suggest over 2000 calories a day for maintenance. I'll do some more reading and have a chat to my PT next week and my doc when I see her next.

    So I'm settled with water weight and a stupid calorie limit. At least I can work with this - one of the posts in those threads said you could adjust the set calorie limit etc in MFP, so I'll have a look at that too.

    Thanks again

    You're welcome. I overrode the presets as well. Increased protein and fat a bit, fill the rest with carbs. It works for me, you may need to play around with that a bit until you find what keeps you feeling full better. I find fats and proteins keep me feeling full, but if I need volume, veggies are a great way to fill the stomach with few calories.

    I strongly recommend you read the threads on logging accurately too. It is one of the most common mistakes that people don't even realize they are making.

    ETA: If you are going to use a TDEE calculator to set your goal, you don't add exercise calories. You can still log the exercise here, but override the calories to 1 (it won't let you put 0). That way you can track your activity, without it changing your goals.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Your weight gain is well within the limits of daily fluctuations (water or food in the system).
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    as others have stated when i start a new work out routine especially if it is super hard on my body i gain so much water weight. I started a running program and put on 6 "pounds" that didnt budge for weeks and then wooooosh gone.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,787 Member
    You don't gain muscle in a calorie deficit, so it's most likely water weight. 4.4 pounds is a totally normal fluctuation. Don't worry about it. :)
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    clapicusrein wrote: »
    How can I gain weight without making my tummy/belly big...???

    you cant unless thats the last place you gain,fat comes off where it wants and it will go on where it wants.you can try for a slow weight gain and lift heavy,but that still may not be effective enough, you could always lose later on if needed.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited November 2016
    You cannot "spot reduce"; you cannot pick where you lose weight from.
    No matter how many sit-ups or crunches you do, it will not make you lose fat directly from your midsection.

    Obligatory:
    v2qgphmj3v7q.jpg
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