Is this normal? Weight gain but same calories and new gym

natajane
natajane Posts: 295 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Someone give me some hope ha.

So I started weight loss about 4 weeks ago. I've 100lbs to lose to hit my ideal BMI for my height. I'm aiming to eat 2000 calories, roughly 160g of that protein. I scan and weigh my food, I log everything, I'm eating mainly unprocessed foods - I'm doing this properly.

I finish my day around 1800-1900 usually and then maybe 3 times I've gone over to like 2100. But by eating like that, I lost 7lbs in the first 3 weeks.

I've given myself a minimum step count goal of 5000 to start too.

At week 4, I added in going to the local gym. I had a PT session for my first visit, he gave me a full body weight machine work out. 3 sets of 15 reps on 8 machines. After that first visit, I was a broken woman haha - I had the worst muscle aches all over, for about 4 days. But its to be expected, right. I waited for the ache to pass mostly, and then went again. I push myself hard enough (fitbit shows me my heart rate hitting fat burn zone for 50 mins, and i leave wet with sweat). But I haven't ached so bad since that first session. I've been to the gym 3 times in total (started a week and a half ago) and my fitbit says that I am burning about 380 cals each time. I don't eat those calories back.

So i feel like my food is correct. The gym is surely a good thing to be doing too, each time I go I can see that I'm marginally stronger already.

But I've stopped losing weight! I've actually gained 2lbs vs my lowest weight so far so only have a net loss of 5lbs now. I've not lost any inches from my hips either, which is my biggest part.

I weigh myself every other day so its not that i'm missing the dips. So I'm a bit gutted, I feel like I'm doing the right things here, so what is going on? Surely at my weight, I should be seeing a loss each week.

Is this water retention? But I'm no longer aching. I don't understand. Its frustrating. At what point should i review my calories?

Any experience of this.

Replies

  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 920 Member
    Also, did you use MFP to calculate your daily calorie goal? If you didn't, disregard this but...if you did:

    Your calorie goal is 2000 you said. This is already a deficit (assuming you told MFP during the set up that you wanted to lose weight). You said you typically eat ~1800-1900...then you said you are burning 380 working out. So -- in that scenario you've got a deficit of ~500-600 ON TOP of the deficit that MFP already calculated. Your NET calorie consumption could be too low.

    If you used some other method to calculate your daily calorie goal - like I said, this may not apply but you likely just want to make sure you are eating enough. And as the other posted said...it def can still be water retention even if you are not sore. I know you said you weigh every other day -- would you be willing to extend the time between weighing? Even if you weighed weekly...there may be times (even if you are doing everything right!) that you gain or don't lose. It might just make you mentally feel better about your progress.
  • natajane
    natajane Posts: 295 Member
    westrich20940 wrote: »
    Also, did you use MFP to calculate your daily calorie goal? If you didn't, disregard this but...if you did:

    Your calorie goal is 2000 you said. This is already a deficit (assuming you told MFP during the set up that you wanted to lose weight). You said you typically eat ~1800-1900...then you said you are burning 380 working out. So -- in that scenario you've got a deficit of ~500-600 ON TOP of the deficit that MFP already calculated. Your NET calorie consumption could be too low.

    If you used some other method to calculate your daily calorie goal - like I said, this may not apply but you likely just want to make sure you are eating enough. And as the other posted said...it def can still be water retention even if you are not sore. I know you said you weigh every other day -- would you be willing to extend the time between weighing? Even if you weighed weekly...there may be times (even if you are doing everything right!) that you gain or don't lose. It might just make you mentally feel better about your progress.


    Hello - thanks all for your replies so far! You're giving me some hope that its just water.

    I am mid way through my cycle and I tend to hold water weight towards my period bleed, so its around a week too early for it to be menstrually related bloat. I think this is whats set me off wondering if i'm doing something wrong, as I tend to weigh my lowest this week and last.

    In response to your question, I used IIFYM Macro calculator rather than the myfitnesspal calories. I don't eat the exercise back I just try to stick around 2000.

    When I look at my fitbit at how many calories I burn each day, its anything between 2300-3000, and it averages at 2681. So i'm at about a 600-700 deficit each day. Is that too far?

    Thanks again.

  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,847 Member
    edited August 2023
    Water retention from new lifting is totally expected, nothing to worry about.

    Btw, "fat burning zone" is a myth.

    You're describing 24 working sets at the gym, which is quite high, especially for a beginner. How often are you going? What are those 8 exercises?

    Other than that, your deficit goal, workout plan and protein intake sound good.
  • natajane
    natajane Posts: 295 Member
    Retroguy2000 wrote: »
    Water retention from new lifting is totally expected, nothing to worry about.

    Btw, "fat burning zone" is a myth.

    You're describing 24 working sets at the gym, which is quite high, especially for a beginner. How often are you going? What are those 8 exercises?

    Other than that, your deficit goal, workout plan and protein intake sound good.


    Does anyone know how long it will be til the water retention might go?

    Fat burning is just what my Fitbit labels it, when my pulse goes beyond a certain point.

    So I’m doing (not sure of all of the proper names):

    Barbel Squat (empty bar for now to get my form right, so only 20kg)
    Barbell Bench press
    Row
    Lateral pull down
    Leg press
    Leg curl

    He also has chest press and shoulder press on there, and a machine where you pull your arms back (fly?). I only have an hour to do my routine though and I can’t fit in more than 6 machines in that time so I tend to swap the leg curl/chest press/shoulder press/fly around. But I always do the squat, bench press, row, pull down and leg press. Think a deadlift might be good in there? Don’t feel like I’m doing anything to my butt or core ha.
  • natajane
    natajane Posts: 295 Member
    Oh and my goal is to go twice a week (weds/fri) but really I’m attempting to go three times (mon/weds/fri)
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,847 Member
    natajane wrote: »
    So I’m doing (not sure of all of the proper names):

    Barbel Squat (empty bar for now to get my form right, so only 20kg)
    Barbell Bench press
    Row
    Lateral pull down
    Leg press
    Leg curl

    He also has chest press and shoulder press on there, and a machine where you pull your arms back (fly?). I only have an hour to do my routine though and I can’t fit in more than 6 machines in that time so I tend to swap the leg curl/chest press/shoulder press/fly around. But I always do the squat, bench press, row, pull down and leg press. Think a deadlift might be good in there? Don’t feel like I’m doing anything to my butt or core ha.
    That's a solid list, but you're doubling up on a couple of things and skipping others. Specifically, squat and leg press are similar, and due to time pressure you're often skipping shoulders and as you said, you're not working your glutes (or hams).

    Since you're getting into barbell work anyway, check out the Romanian deadlift. It works the posterior chain, so your glutes, hams, spinal erectors. This is a tremendous guide below. Note she initially says to lower the bar to just below your knee or mid-shin, and then she clarifies later that the depth to reach is when you feel the pull in your hamstrings, which is correct. If that is currently at your knees, that's fine, you don't want to go lower than that or you'll likely be rounding your lower back.

    https://www.strengthbyjaimebarroso.com/articles-1/your-complete-guide-to-romanian-deadlifts

    Pulling your arms back sounds like a rear delt fly, which is good for shoulders. If time is an issue I'd say skip that on a day when you do a horizontal row since it gets some work there anyway, and add it on a day when you do the lat pull down. Similar to that is face pull, which you can do with the ropes handle on a cable machine.

    Don't do squat and leg press on same day, especially with your time constraints. Pick one. You may not want to do squats two days apart either, because of recovery time. If you go M/W/F consider squat or leg press on M and F, and maybe seated leg extensions for the quads on W. Likewise, RDL on M and F, seated leg curl on W. Basically, Wednesday becomes a lighter leg day than Monday and Friday, with fewer compound sets.

    To sum up:

    1. Squat or leg press or leg extension
    2. RDL or leg curl
    3. Chest press
    4/5. Horizontal row or (lat pulldown plus (rear delt fly or face pull))
    6. Shoulder press

    There's 5 or 6. Note too that you should be adequately rested between working sets of barbell compound moves. Don't go by a timer, go by when you feel ready. Your breathing has recovered, your main and secondary muscles are ready, and you feel mentally ready to go. With an RDL set, that may be a couple of minutes. With leg curl, it may be 30 seconds.

    If you want to add abs you can do some of that at home, since your gym time is limited.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 920 Member
    natajane wrote: »
    westrich20940 wrote: »
    Also, did you use MFP to calculate your daily calorie goal? If you didn't, disregard this but...if you did:

    Your calorie goal is 2000 you said. This is already a deficit (assuming you told MFP during the set up that you wanted to lose weight). You said you typically eat ~1800-1900...then you said you are burning 380 working out. So -- in that scenario you've got a deficit of ~500-600 ON TOP of the deficit that MFP already calculated. Your NET calorie consumption could be too low.

    If you used some other method to calculate your daily calorie goal - like I said, this may not apply but you likely just want to make sure you are eating enough. And as the other posted said...it def can still be water retention even if you are not sore. I know you said you weigh every other day -- would you be willing to extend the time between weighing? Even if you weighed weekly...there may be times (even if you are doing everything right!) that you gain or don't lose. It might just make you mentally feel better about your progress.


    Hello - thanks all for your replies so far! You're giving me some hope that its just water.

    I am mid way through my cycle and I tend to hold water weight towards my period bleed, so its around a week too early for it to be menstrually related bloat. I think this is whats set me off wondering if i'm doing something wrong, as I tend to weigh my lowest this week and last.

    In response to your question, I used IIFYM Macro calculator rather than the myfitnesspal calories. I don't eat the exercise back I just try to stick around 2000.

    When I look at my fitbit at how many calories I burn each day, its anything between 2300-3000, and it averages at 2681. So i'm at about a 600-700 deficit each day. Is that too far?

    Thanks again.

    Great, I figured that you used something else. Hard to tell since many people are doing different things or using multiple methods, etc.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I gained 7 pounds when I started lifting weights. It took a few weeks to drop off.

    From weighing every day, I learned that I retained water when I ovulated, as well as premenstrually.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,940 Member
    I gained about 1kg when I started mild strength training for physiotherapy. And gained another kg when I started running again. Then TOM on top, and I guess the ebb will come soon :D So yeah, it's totally normal.
  • xrj22
    xrj22 Posts: 217 Member
    don't worry about a 2 lb gain, look at the overall trend. There are lots of reasons for temporary ups and downs. In your case: there is often a rapid loss in week 1 - 2 which is largely water loss, and the water part tends to be gained back in the next couple weeks as your body re-adjusts. (Reasons for this are rapid loss of glycogen, and that you are eating less salt. In both cases, your body makes a rapid response of loosing water, and then gradually gets back to normal water balanc. ) Also, intense workouts, or energy can cause temporary inflammation which causes water retention. Again, it is just a temporary fluctuation. Worry about the overall trend, not the day to day fluctuation.

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