Why did I gain weight after lifting weights?

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afrsilver
afrsilver Posts: 37 Member
edited March 2017 in Fitness and Exercise
And a lot of weight at that, on Wednesday I did 30 minutes of weight training with two 5 pound weights, it was my first time working with two I usually work with one, I also did 25 minutes of cardio. Before I worked out I weighed in at 137 the next day I was 140 I didn't get to workout that day, and today I was 143 that doesn't make any sense I haven't changed the way I am eating, and I know good and well I couldn't have gained muscle mass from one workout my scale is working fine, I even gained an inch around my hips. Is this normal or did I just gain some fat back?

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  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Are you close to your period? Is your food logging accurate? Did you eat something with high sodium?

    Weight fluctuations are normal. You may want to double check your logging accuracy and see what your weight does over the next week. The weight training you did is not the cause.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Just looked in your food diary and you have several blank or half logged days over the last week. You need to start there and log your food every day as accurate as possible.
  • kkrober25
    kkrober25 Posts: 16 Member
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    I'm guess it is water weight. I always bloat and see a weight increase before my period. Have you been eating extra salt?

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Water retention in the muscles from the weight training possibly? Although with only 5lb weights I'd be more inclined to think it is just natural weight fluctuations.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    Water retention from a new routine or going heavier than before (you added weight - even if only five pounds) may explain it as well.

    Whenever I do a new routine or go heavier, I will retain some water from muscle repair.
  • AverageJoeFit
    AverageJoeFit Posts: 251 Member
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    What usmcmp said except if you are just starting weight lifting water will fill the muscles to help them recover from the workout. It is probably just water weight.

    Now that probably won't account for all three pounds, but 1.5 lbs water weight to recover muscles and 1.5 lbs from any thing from cycle to to much sodium the day before and Boom 3 lbs water weight.

    It will come back off I'm sure :smile:
  • afrsilver
    afrsilver Posts: 37 Member
    edited March 2017
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    Just looked in your food diary and you have several blank or half logged days over the last week. You need to start there and log your food every day as accurate as possible.

    Those days I was doing a water fast on and off with a friend so there was nothing to log, I log everything and weigh everything I writing it down and log it on this site
    '
    kkrober25 wrote: »
    I'm guess it is water weight. I always bloat and see a weight increase before my period. Have you been eating extra salt?
    I 'm not going to lie I eat a lot of salt but I always do that's one thing I never changed I just changed the type of salt I use

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Sounds like you're bloated...I don't think it's the weights...I think that aspect is just coincidence.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    So you water fast and your weight goes down because you have less food in your digestive system, then your weight goes back up when you eat. It's not the weight lifting.
  • afrsilver
    afrsilver Posts: 37 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    So you water fast and your weight goes down because you have less food in your digestive system, then your weight goes back up when you eat. It's not the weight lifting.

    That makes sense but 6 pounds seems like a lot in just 2 days, anyway I have another question do you think it matters whether you do strength training before cardio or after cardio? because someone was telling that it's dangerous to do it before but I don't see why it would matter
  • kkrober25
    kkrober25 Posts: 16 Member
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    I weight lift first, because that is my top priority at the gym. I do cardio after so I am not fatigued during lifting. It depends on your goals.
  • subcounter
    subcounter Posts: 2,382 Member
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    afrsilver wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    So you water fast and your weight goes down because you have less food in your digestive system, then your weight goes back up when you eat. It's not the weight lifting.

    That makes sense but 6 pounds seems like a lot in just 2 days, anyway I have another question do you think it matters whether you do strength training before cardio or after cardio? because someone was telling that it's dangerous to do it before but I don't see why it would matter

    Its good to warm up before strength training, especially big compound movements. You need to stretch and warm up properly to avoid injury. It doesn't have to be a long session of cardio to warm up though, and you can do either one that your body agrees with (as long as you warm up before weight training).

    I usually do my warm ups & stretches, then lift, and add in some cardio at the end.

    As for your main Q, thats just water retention. Salty food do that. You can't gain/lose that much weight in so little time.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    Weight fluctuations are totally normal. Don't sweat it...
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    afrsilver wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    So you water fast and your weight goes down because you have less food in your digestive system, then your weight goes back up when you eat. It's not the weight lifting.

    That makes sense but 6 pounds seems like a lot in just 2 days, anyway I have another question do you think it matters whether you do strength training before cardio or after cardio? because someone was telling that it's dangerous to do it before but I don't see why it would matter

    I personally do cardio on alternating days so I have enough energy to give each my all.

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