I gained weight after adding to my workouts! HELP!!

bump for later...I'm curious to see if anyone has any input. It is very likely water retention, however.

I had ths same problem when I started lifting weights. From what I have was told by my coach, as you lift weights you are damaging your muscles to build them up, when damaged they retain water to aid in the repair. It took me a while and I started losing the weight again, but I lost inches in the process.

Have you been keeping track of your measurements? Waist, hips, thighs...ect? This is a good indicator to keep track of in addition to your weight. You maybe starting to gain more muscle, but two pounds is pretty drastic in that short of time. I would keep up the increased activity and I am sure you will continue to see drops in your weight. Maybe even more than before.

I weight 2lbs more then I did on Monday after starting the 30DS. It is water weight your musles are holding onto in order for them to recover. Everytime you swich your workout routine your muscles will hold on to the water until they are used to it again.

Yep, I never weigh myself the day after a weightlifting session because I can "gain" two pounds overnight from water retention to repair muscles.

Also, make sure that your net calories aren't dipping too low due to your new level of exercise, because that can slow your metabolism down in the long run. Healthy active bodies need fuel!

A few things com to mind...

First...I weigh daily and log into phone app. It has taught me the pattern of my weight. I can fluctuate a lb or more a day easily. This could be just a regular fluctuation for you and is temporary.

Try upping your water
Make sure you are getting your calories...don't under eat!
I gained a little after working with weights/changing my routine. It was temporary!

Your body is constantly changing and adapting to what you do with it. This is most likely a sign that your body is adapting!

When you lift weights you are adding muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. If you gained the weight but your clothes fit the same or are slightly loose, than all you did was add muscle mass. This is a good thing!! Having more muscle means that your body burns more fuel sitting still (aka it increases your basal metabolic rate). You should also monitor your body fat % as well as weight. You may see that you don't lose weight but your % decreases when you add in weight training.

Another thing that may be going on is that you are not getting enough fuel for your body. If you upped your workouts (intensity or length) than your body needs more fuel. The nice thing I've noticed about MFP is that when you exercise, you "earn" more calories to eat during the day. If you are too far under your calorie goal, your body will flip into starvation mode and start storing anything you eat because it thinks it may not get fuel later. I'm a biochemistry graduate student and just took a course on metabolism and this was one of the things we discussed quite frequently. Your body requires a certain level of nutrients to function, even if you are laying in bed watching TV. If you don't eat at least that amount, your body thinks you are starving and will begin to shuttle what you do eat into fatty acid storage, hence you will actually gain weight.

I am having the same issue and find these comment interesting and helpful!!

I was walking 20 minutes 3 days a week until November 1...since then I do at least 2 miles, usually 3 miles and one day 4 miles. I have not taken a day off, and for the last 5 days I haven't lost an ounce. My clothes fit ever-so-slightly better, and my scale says my body fat has not decreased, but my water has gone up from averaging 36% to 40%. So I have two questions...should I take a day off to let my muscles heal, or just keep going? And when you mention eating enough calories, do you mean I have to eat the calories I earn from exercise? Or just stay at my daily target of 1340?

Sorry if I am hijacking!! I have similar start weight and goals as the original poster...so this caught my attention.

should I take a day off to let my muscles heal, or just keep going? And when you mention eating enough calories, do you mean I have to eat the calories I earn from exercise? Or just stay at my daily target of 1340?

Yes, take a day off to rest. Yes, eat the calories you earned from exercise to maintain your original deficit (if your target is 1340, then not eating 4 miles worth of calories means you could be netting less than 1000 which isn't healthy in the long run).