Weight Gain & Weight Lifting

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meghanbattles78
meghanbattles78 Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Help! I started weight lifting regularly a few weeks ago and this past week I GAINED 6 pounds! I know it's normal to put on a little weight as you get started but I'm wondering if 6 pounds in 1 week is normal?

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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited August 2018
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    When you lift weights, you create micro-tears in your muscles. Your body retains water to repair those tears. As your body learns how much repairing it will need to do on a consistent basis, it will quit retaining so much water. How long the water retention lasts is pretty individual, but could be as much as 6 weeks.

    As for whether 6 lbs is normal, that is also individual.

    Are you tracking your calories, using a food scale to insure you are hitting your calorie goal?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    meghanbattles78 wrote: »
    Help! I started weight lifting regularly a few weeks ago and this past week I GAINED 6 pounds! I know it's normal to put on a little weight as you get started but I'm wondering if 6 pounds in 1 week is normal?

    Looks like it's your normal, yes
  • skylardevenney
    skylardevenney Posts: 49 Member
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    I gained at 1st but as my body adjusted it slowed. Drastically. The 1st response about the micro tears is insightful bc at 1st I was holding major water weight. I friended you:)
  • PokernuttAR
    PokernuttAR Posts: 74 Member
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    It could just be a normal fluctuation in your weight. Did you weigh yourself at the same time of day, with the same amount of clothes/shoes, after a visit to the restroom??? There's many factors. Although I find using a tape measure as a better form of gauging progress (especially with weight lifting), you may want to look at your weight over a longer period of time. I actually weigh myself everyday, but use the weekly average to see where I'm at. Good luck and keep up the weight lifting!

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