Plateau due to new exercise?

hmhill17
hmhill17 Posts: 283 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I don't really consider this a real plateau as it has only been a week or so, but I'm curious.

I started adding some jog/run intervals to my morning walk after I did a 5k last week. Pretty much as soon as that happened, my weight stabilized. No daily fluctuations, scale is the exact same weight every day. I haven't seen that at all in the last 6 months. Is this something expected because of the new exercise or is my scale broken?

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    hmhill17 wrote: »
    I don't really consider this a real plateau as it has only been a week or so, but I'm curious.

    I started adding some jog/run intervals to my morning walk after I did a 5k last week. Pretty much as soon as that happened, my weight stabilized. No daily fluctuations, scale is the exact same weight every day. I haven't seen that at all in the last 6 months. Is this something expected because of the new exercise or is my scale broken?

    Either is a possibility, have you tried holding something heavy and stepping on the scale to see if there's any change?

    New exercise can cause water retention (it can also increase hunger too, so ensure you're not logging your food accurately and portion sizes aren't creeping up).
  • fdlewenstein
    fdlewenstein Posts: 231 Member
    Interesting! I've been weighing myself every day since August and the most I've weighed exactly the same weight has been for three days (and that was a long time ago). For the most part I see daily fluctuations in my weight. I know everyone is different. My guess is also the new exercise. I started two new exercise programs and it took me about three weeks for my body to adjust. I would suggest staying hydrated and be sure you are getting enough electrolytes. Be patient and consistent and you will see progress.
  • hmhill17
    hmhill17 Posts: 283 Member
    I also wondered if it was because I increased calories from 1.5 to 1 pound per week and since my exercise hasn’t changed that much, I’m not burning them all.
    Of course, my logging shows I’m 1500 under calorie goal for the week so it’s weird.
  • hmhill17
    hmhill17 Posts: 283 Member
    Tested the scale with a 10 pound weight. Apparently it's 10.2 pounds. And my end of day weight was higher than my morning weight, so the scale works. I'll just keep tracking and jogging and see what happens.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,966 Member
    hmhill17 wrote: »
    I also wondered if it was because I increased calories from 1.5 to 1 pound per week and since my exercise hasn’t changed that much, I’m not burning them all.
    Of course, my logging shows I’m 1500 under calorie goal for the week so it’s weird.

    Upping calories tends to cause a little increased water retention (needed to metabolize the added carbs/sodium that usually comes in more food), plus obviously slightly higher average digestive system contents in transit. Those can mask fat loss on the scale temporarily.

    Doesn't explain you seeing the exact same weight, but might explain a departure from usual pattern. Hang in there, don't over-react just yet. ;)
  • hmhill17
    hmhill17 Posts: 283 Member
    Everything moving in the right direction again. I assume it’s the increase in calories and the fact that I’ve allowed myself to enjoy some things I’d cut out completely to avoid overindulging in them.

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