Wafter retention question

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ARGriffy
ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all, after recently being given the go ahead to work my body hard again after injury (and having 2 weeks off work) I've really hammered it hard for the last 3 weeks. I've been constantly sore for the three weeks (still taking rest days, eating well and stretching adequately) but I've "put on" 4lbs in this time that haven't shifted yet. I thought maybe TOM (sorry to dudes) but that's now passed and I've not dropped down yet. I've obviously not built 4lbs of muscle in that time, even with my muscles memory serving me rather nicely I must say, so as I've never really had this before (have maintained for over 2 years now, believe me I have not gained this in fat) so how long does water retention in muscles tend to last? So I can rule this out at some point for the reason :) I'm trying to conceive at the moment so being very aware of my body. Thanks in advance x (note, my normal weight range is 124-127lbsish, ive been sat at 130 for nearly 2.5 weeks now, I will sometimes bounce up there for TOM but not for a prolonged amount of time like this.)

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    DOMS.

    Sounds like you're doing your best to get injured again though... why the mad rush, why not ease yourself back in slowly?
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    You are creating more and more water weight by giving yourself non stop DOMS.

    @TavistockToad is right.

    Ease back a bit and the water weight will go away within 3-4 days.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    The simplest way to explain it is that cortisol, a stress hormone, is produced by hammering it hard. High cortisol causes water retention, and has an influence on your metabolism, although right now I'm not sure if it's good or bad. The good news is that if you take 1 day of rest from your hard labors, your cortisol will drop and you'll have a whoosh. Try that and reply to this. A well-designed workout program does include rest and sleep.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    A bit more background, I've been easing back in for 3 months, the injury wasn't working out related and I have chilled other again more this week as back to work so dropped it back down to 2x classes a weekly and a few practice sessions at home (all pole) so hopefully it will be reducing soon. My muscle mass is nearly back to where it was pre injury (broken arm back in july!) Which is awesome! Thanks so much guys for the reassurance (crazy dismosphic brain needs grounding sometimes!)
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    edited February 2017
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    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    The simplest way to explain it is that cortisol, a stress hormone, is produced by hammering it hard. High cortisol causes water retention, and has an influence on your metabolism, although right now I'm not sure if it's good or bad. The good news is that if you take 1 day of rest from your hard labors, your cortisol will drop and you'll have a whoosh. Try that and reply to this. A well-designed workout program does include rest and sleep.

    I did put that I've had rest days in the original post, I can't pole every day as it would produce way too many bruises and my hands would tear open I need days to recover from tough sessions. Sorry of that wasn't clear!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,400 MFP Moderator
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    Nothing you can really do. Exercise increase fluid retention as a means to repair muscles. I gain 2 lbs and maintain 2 lbs of water weight from weight training. That is why I always baseline my weight a day after i start to exercise. At best, you can try to eat adequate potassium and magnesium and moderate sodium to have balanced electrolytes.
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
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    Cortisol, testosterone, estrogen,metabolism are all in flux all the time. Let's not perceive them as daily things that run on a circadian cycle indiscriminantly and are only affected by diet and exercise. They are reactionary attributes to inputs of stress, rest or sleep, food, work, emotions, etc. Think the movie In and Out. If you spend a majority of your day doing Low T, high stress things, you're going to have low T and elevated cortisol. That doesn't mean that the second you decide to make a change that those things don't change as well... In fact they begin to change as quickly as you do. So no, you don't need a day off to lower cortisol... It starts lowering the second you drop the weights and step off the treadmill. It will continue to lower until it gets to baseline and then something else triggers it...bills to pay! for example. When you hop in the shower or enjoy a bath, lowered again!

    Water retention and your perpetual soreness seem to have a correlation in your case, however I don't think that's the whole story. An unmitigated 3 week gain definitely signals that it's not just water. You might have put on a pound of muscle and a pound of fat and are holding about a pound of water to support these new tissues. The anti-inflammatory processes in your joints and muscles are probably trying to play catch up as well. I've gone months with DOMS almost every single day. Totally not a bad thing, if you're partitioning your workouts intelligently, rather an indication of good work.

    How is your sodium and or potassium intake? Are you drinking or sweating more than usual? Is the water you are holding right under the skin or is it not noticeable aside from a general feeling of bloat and the obvious scale numbers?
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    aelunyu wrote: »
    Cortisol, testosterone, estrogen,metabolism are all in flux all the time. Let's not perceive them as daily things that run on a circadian cycle indiscriminantly and are only affected by diet and exercise. They are reactionary attributes to inputs of stress, rest or sleep, food, work, emotions, etc. Think the movie In and Out. If you spend a majority of your day doing Low T, high stress things, you're going to have low T and elevated cortisol. That doesn't mean that the second you decide to make a change that those things don't change as well... In fact they begin to change as quickly as you do. So no, you don't need a day off to lower cortisol... It starts lowering the second you drop the weights and step off the treadmill. It will continue to lower until it gets to baseline and then something else triggers it...bills to pay! for example. When you hop in the shower or enjoy a bath, lowered again!

    Water retention and your perpetual soreness seem to have a correlation in your case, however I don't think that's the whole story. An unmitigated 3 week gain definitely signals that it's not just water. You might have put on a pound of muscle and a pound of fat and are holding about a pound of water to support these new tissues. The anti-inflammatory processes in your joints and muscles are probably trying to play catch up as well. I've gone months with DOMS almost every single day. Totally not a bad thing, if you're partitioning your workouts intelligently, rather an indication of good work.

    How is your sodium and or potassium intake? Are you drinking or sweating more than usual? Is the water you are holding right under the skin or is it not noticeable aside from a general feeling of bloat and the obvious scale numbers?

    It's not noticeable in the morning, I had normal lady bloat in my boobs but they have subsided and didn't change the scale reading, but the bloat is noticeable after eating or drinking more than it usually is. I have so been constipated (sorry tmi) which is at least 1lb of it. If anything I've dropped some fat as abs are clearer than they were. No idea on intake of sodium etc as I don't log since maintaining for so long, I eat intuitively. Would an intake of folic acid effect anything as I've started supplementing this for conception. X
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Might you be pregnant?
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    Might you be pregnant?

    Sadly not just had my lady time!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    I gain 2 lbs and maintain 2 lbs of water weight from weight training.

    this for me too - the gain-and-maintain thing for the duration of training, maybe some different number. doms-related seems to be different. that might come and go a little more freely, but the basic 'you're lifting consistently' baseline pretty much stays where it is. being a creatine user is another factor for me.

    not my place to tell you what to think, but i don't see it as a big deal. i weigh a few extra pounds when i'm on a nice steady roll with the lifting and i'm taking my creatine, just the same way as i weigh a few extra pounds when i wear my squat shoes. i don't take that small markup 'personally', if you see what i mean. it's just another peripheral factor, to me.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,189 Member
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    If your muscles are sore you will be retaining water. When thepain dissipates the water retention will decrease.

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