Why am I GAINING weight?

Could be because you are below your calorie count. Are you eating back your exercise calories? Would be easier if you opened up your diary so we could see what you've been doing.

Could be your muscles are retaining water from the gym,or could be water retention from high sodium. Could your time of month be coming? That can make you bloat too.
It is actually really common to "gain" weight during the first 2-3 weeks. Its almost like an extra challenge . Those that fight through see results! I bet you will loose it all,then some next week.

Oh yeah,and also try to weigh yourself the same time everyday. I weigh in the mornings ,before I eat,after a BM and in the nude :P

Weigh yourself at the same time every day. It could also be water retention. Did you eat a lot of salty food? Is it that time of the month? My weight can fluctuate from day to day for no apparent reason. Don't get discouraged or feel like giving up. It will all balance out in a few days.

I am in the same boat!!!! Been going to the gym now for several months. No weight coming off but my endurance is so much better!!! I think I am building muscle and if I keep up my routine I will start to see the scale move. I do feel a little different in my clothes. Good luck!!!

I am in the same boat!!!! Been going to the gym now for several months. No weight coming off but my endurance is so much better!!! I think I am building muscle and if I keep up my routine I will start to see the scale move. I do feel a little different in my clothes. Good luck!!!

Only weigh yourself in the morning, always at the same time of day. It happens. Don't let it freak you out. Stay focused and keep with it. You willsee results

Could it maybe be due to the time of day you are weighing yourself? I've noticed with my scale at home, if I weigh myself first thing in the morning before I eat versus at night after the day is over there can be as much as a 3 pound difference. Or, maybe you are building some muscle from working out? Or retaining some water from something you ate?

No. You did not gain 4 pounds of fat.

It's water retention.

Well, if you're weighing yourself in the evening, then it's not accurate, at all. Your weight fluctuates during the day. Your true weight can be found first thing in th morning.

Also, are you drinking your water? Metabolism slows down when it's in a deficit. So, keep it humming with your daily 8 glasses, if not more.

If you are significantly below 1200 cals a day, then you won't lose weight and you'll retain water. Your body may be shocked by the sudden caloric intake and gone into starvation. If that's the case, then make sure you meet your calorie goal.

Lastly, it may be what your eating. Sure, how much plays a role, but what you put into your body makes a huge difference. Rule of thumb: include lean protein to your meals, have a veggie serving with as many meals as you can (they're fibrous and as such help maintain regular digestion) and watch your starch, sugar and sodium counts. If they're over, odds are they're making you retain that weight.

How often do you weigh yourself? If its every day then I would take it down to 1x a wk. Our weight fluctuates day-to-day just because of things like water retention and internal changes. So day-to-day weight gain or loss is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention you will drive yourself crazy with watching the constant fluctuating. I also think that weighing yourself first thing in the morning before you eat is best.

Don't worry about it. If after a few weeks it still shows a gain then take a closer look. But until then don't stress about it. Weigh once a week and at the same time of day (I always do morning, I think most people do)

Thanks everybody! Water retention definitely makes sense. Sodium is a pesky little bugger...what are some good low-sodium foods?

Sodium is not the only thing that can affect water retention. When you first start working out, your muscles tend to retain water while they are healing. Carbs intake, not drinking enough water, or getting other nutrients can affect it. Lack of sleep, time of the month, etc can all play a role.

The scale is the least accurate way of measuring progress. I know I can fluctuate 5 lbs in one day in weight depending on the time of day I weight in. I still like to use the scale as one measure, but I also go by my clothes, the mirror/photos and the measuring tape. I went an entire 4 weeks without moving on the scale but lost inches all over and could visibly see the difference. I had also started a much harder workout and changed how I was eating at that time.