exercise and next day weight gain

Emmea2729
Emmea2729 Posts: 100 Member
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
when i extercise, i gain weight the next day or two after.
example, yesterday i had an intense cardio session and i went up by about 4 pounds today.
what is that all about!?!?!!?!

anyone else get that?

i also feel/look fatter. do muscles swell or something?
its horrible. really dont like it.

Replies

  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
    water weight... dont worry
  • Cchappell10
    Cchappell10 Posts: 32
    I totally have this happen. I am pretty confident it is due to gaining muscle. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and when we work out, though we are burning calories, we are also gaining muscle and toning. Weight gain is normal, though not always as encouraging. Maybe start doing measurments as well? Good luck!
  • CakepopPirate
    CakepopPirate Posts: 51 Member
    Yes. When I go on long runs I usually bump up on the scale the next day and then a day later I deflate again... I have wondered what it was all about -- let me know if you find out!!!
  • deenaspell
    deenaspell Posts: 227 Member
    Muscles do swell when you work out, so that's probably all it is! Don't stress. If you're eating well and exercising regularly, you're going to see results. Sometimes the body has a freak out when you push it really hard.
    when i extercise, i gain weight the next day or two after.
    example, yesterday i had an intense cardio session and i went up by about 4 pounds today.
    what is that all about!?!?!!?!

    anyone else get that?

    i also feel/look fatter. do muscles swell or something?
    its horrible. really dont like it.
  • Rynatat
    Rynatat Posts: 807 Member
    As you're working out, you're basically ripping/tearing your muscles which is what tones, builds & strengthens them. Which is why it is SO important to stretch before AND after working out, as well as taking rest days & mixing up routines. I do everything from Yoga and T'ai Chi to hardcore Kickboxing, step-aerobics, Abs & circuit trainings - mixing up from day to day.

    You also may need to drink extra water to rehydrate what you're losing & add more protein to help build & repair those muscles. If you hurt, you can also take a supplement called ZMA for annabolic support - don't take too often, just when you know you've over worked.

    Take it a little easy as you're starting out, relish your rest days & enjoy your workouts :flowerforyou:
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    I totally have this happen. I am pretty confident it is due to gaining muscle. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and when we work out, though we are burning calories, we are also gaining muscle and toning. Weight gain is normal, though not always as encouraging. Maybe start doing measurments as well? Good luck!
    but your not going to gain 4 pounds of muscle overnight....somebody correct me if im wrong. its more than likely water weight. ive read in numerous places that your muscles actually retain water after working out.
  • myurav
    myurav Posts: 165 Member
    I just posted about this yesterday: check out the link below

    http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan

    I think it pretty much answers your question. And don't worry, that weight should go back down fairly quickly.
  • fb1960
    fb1960 Posts: 23
    I totally have this happen. I am pretty confident it is due to gaining muscle. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and when we work out, though we are burning calories, we are also gaining muscle and toning. Weight gain is normal, though not always as encouraging. Maybe start doing measurments as well? Good luck!

    She's right with the muscle weighing more than fat. Also consider water weight, but don't stop consuming it! The best measure, besides inches - how do your clothes feel? Looser?
  • lisaflynn22
    lisaflynn22 Posts: 3
    same here, got on scale this morn & i gained 2 pds. it has to do with the muscle gain & thats all good too!
  • meli_medina
    meli_medina Posts: 594 Member
    I totally have this happen. I am pretty confident it is due to gaining muscle. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and when we work out, though we are burning calories, we are also gaining muscle and toning. Weight gain is normal, though not always as encouraging. Maybe start doing measurments as well? Good luck!

    I don't want to be the sassy pants here, but 1 pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as 1 pound of fat. 1 pound of muscle is, however, more compact than 1 pound of fat. Additionally, it would be virtually impossible to gain 4 pounds of muscle from 1 workout. Generally this type of gain is water weight. Your muscles hold onto water to help with healing. It will usually drop off after about 3-5 days. :)
  • mamawildbear
    mamawildbear Posts: 93 Member
    I'm pretty sure no one gains 4 lbs of muscle or fat in one day. If you weigh yourself multiple times a day, you'll see your weight swings by several pounds. That sort of rapid change is all water. it's the basic trend in weight over time that will show actual weight loss (or sadly not, in my case). A change in 10 pounds over the course of a month is weight loss or gain. A change in several pounds in one day is not.
  • leftymae5454
    leftymae5454 Posts: 41
    Yes!!!!!!!! The same thing happen to me especially when I do one hour of Zumba why is that???
  • Valechka
    Valechka Posts: 192
    Happens with me too, that is why I put veto on my scale for 3 weeks and just doing pics+measurements.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    The sassy one is right. It is water weight because your muscles get damaged in the process of working out and there's an inflammatory process to fix them also metabolism in your muscles creates waste that has to be flushed out --drink water!

    I'm in a weight loss challenge at work. We weigh in Monday and Thursday. I'll work out on Saturday and Sunday extra hard sometimes and find myself up on Monday but with GREAT results that don't count on Tuesday.
  • cybershubby
    cybershubby Posts: 1 Member
    When you stress your muscles, you body reacts by drawing in more water/nutrients from food you eat and drinks you consume, you should always stay well hydrated and be sure to get in some simple carbs STRAIGHT AFTER your workout, and some protein within an hour after, that way your body will have all the building blocks it needs to repair and build new muscle. The last thing we all want is our body to break down muscle tissue for energy, we need to work hard and understand why we should eat certain things and when to eat them.

    You are doing great, keep it up but ignore the scales as your only sense of progress, used the mirror and measurements to monitor your progress, as others have said your body can hold on to water for a number of different reasons (not only working out previously). Once you understand why then you'll learn to ditch the scales and feel better.

    I weigh in once every 1-2weeks, and adjust my diet if necessary depending on the results, dont eat simple carbs unless directly after a workout, and no carbs 3 hrs before bed, there's more to it than that but they'll set you on the right path. :happy:
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