"But I worked so hard this week and gained?" Explained

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  • Whodatgirl77
    Whodatgirl77 Posts: 238 Member
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    Thanks for this reminder!
  • beckipercy
    beckipercy Posts: 160 Member
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    This was a great post :)

    I always record my weight first thing on a Tuesday morning. I sometimes weigh myself more during the week, just out of curiosity, but the scales are always all over the place, but come Tuesday morning.. They tend to tell me what I want to know!
  • Pepathlete
    Pepathlete Posts: 1
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    Thank you so much for this post!
    I've noticed that I gain weight when I work out a lot (as in everyday-swim, run, zumba, kettlebell).
    I seem to weigh less during the weeks when I only two or three workouts.
    I plan to alternate hard and easy weeks in order to gain benefits through recovery and adaptation.
  • emilyc19
    emilyc19 Posts: 71 Member
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    bump for later :)
  • Kellie0710
    Kellie0710 Posts: 95 Member
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    never thought about it like this, but it makes sense! =)
  • Tootie512
    Tootie512 Posts: 12 Member
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    This was much needed for me. My Type A personality is getting the best of me when I step on the scale. I just know im eating better and doing my workouts and sweating like a pig but my number just wasnt budging - however when I woke up this morning (my rest day) I looked the mirror and just stared at myself...there really is a difference since I began my journey two weeks ago!! So I cant say that I wont stay off the scale cause its my motivation to keep going however it is no longer the "end of all things" for me! Good luck to everyone!
  • divasaint
    divasaint Posts: 8
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    Thanks for this. I recently signed up for a 10k run for charity, and was appalled when I put three pounds on in a week, after 2 Zumba sessions and 3 runs! Now, I realise that I just need to continue to eat well, and know that when my body aches so much, to rest it for the day and let it repair itself, then that water retention will drop and whatever weight I've put on will be lean.

    Keep going guys! x <3
  • Cassi_Eats_Apples
    Cassi_Eats_Apples Posts: 235
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    Thanks for this advice! It never occurred to me that I might be heavier as my muscles are repairing.
  • SheriRuth
    SheriRuth Posts: 10 Member
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    You must have heard me snivel to my husband in frustration this morning. Thanks for posting :)
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    Thank you! I knew this, but I think I tend to forget. Thank you for the reminder!
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    Dear Friends,

    Please, please, please, please, please do two things. 1- Weigh in in the morning after you go to the bathroom for consistency purposes. 2- Only weigh in after a rest day.

    To illustrate my point, I decided to conduct my entirely fool proof, and scientific experiment (that's sarcasm, by the way). I currently weigh 142.7lbs, and have received this number in the morning following a rest day (I've consistently been in the 142s for 2 weeks following rest day, not one fluke low number).

    For kicks and giggles I decided to weigh in this morning, following 3 days of working out (cardio and lifting) in a row. Due to all the microtears I created in my muscles recently, my body is retaining water to repair them. That is why, when I stepped on the scale today (clad in a light t-shirt and leggings - it's cold!) the scale read 145lbs. No I did not gain 2.3lbs of fat in one week. My body is just repairing and getting stronger :)

    Thanks :)

    PS - Lastly, please keep in mind the following if you are NEW to strength training. You, whom I greatly envy, are blessed by being in a magical time frame where your body is able to both build muscle and lose fat. It doesn't last too long, and you won't be able to build A LOT of muscle, but certainly some. Especially if you aren't obese, please put the scale away. There is far too much going on in your body and the scale isn't going to be very useful to do anything other than frustrate you. Pull out a tape measurer and a camera! And whatever you do, do not stop exercising to see if that makes the scale drop! If your eating is in check, you will be fine! The scale may show slow movement compared to those who diet alone. But when you only diet, you are losing both fat and lean muscle mass (which lean muscle mass helps you burn more calories a day by just living). It's better to lose weight slower if it's just fat loss and you can preserve that muscle!

    Best!

    You don't create micro tears in your muscles. Just in connective tissue which is what DOMS is. It doesn't retain water to repair them per se. You may have some inflammation though. But I never hold on to water after lifting. You must just have too high a sodium level.

    But agree with not weighing self all the time and using tape measure etc. I find the biggest thing that changes my weight is that some days I will eat physically heavier things even if low calorie. That's where the "sudden" weight"gain" or plateau comes from.
  • krisrpaz
    krisrpaz Posts: 266 Member
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    Thank you!!! I have always noticed the scale goes up the harder I worked out and if I didn't work out I dropped huge numbers. This explains why! I will not let the scale number deter my workouts any longer!
  • brandyosu
    brandyosu Posts: 257 Member
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    Thanks for posting. I weighed this morning after my first day of rest for this past week and discovered that stubborn next pound I've been cursing came off. :laugh:
  • houstonmacbro
    houstonmacbro Posts: 99 Member
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    Thank you! This was very helpful. I have been amping everything up, and my clothes are fitting looser, and I love the way I look, but some days the scale numbers are all over the place. This may be why! I will concentrate on the number *even less* than I do now. :)

    Yeah, I am about to take the weight-loss ticker off my signature. It was an ego boost at first, but now it's not really a true reflection of what my body is doing. My body is leaner, in smaller clothes, and more toned. The scale is generally moving down, but lately it has been slow going ... really slow. It is frustrating to concentrate on a number while ignoring what you are seeing (like missing the forest for the trees).

    Thanks for that reminder.
  • noexcuses118
    noexcuses118 Posts: 36
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    Thanks, very helpful. I'm bookmarking this.
  • SuzQ20
    SuzQ20 Posts: 21 Member
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    thanks for the awesome info :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    great post!
  • KellyAnneH
    KellyAnneH Posts: 38 Member
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    This is very encouraging, thank you! We recently bought a treadmill and 2 weeks ago I started walking on it. In that time I've gone from barely managing 30 minutes at 2mph to really enjoying 60 minutes that include a warm up, 40 minutes at 2.5-2.8 and a cool down. I'm amazed at how quickly this middle-aged body is getting stronger but horrified to see the scale go UP 3 pounds. I'll take a deep breath, stick with my eating plan and carry on with the brisk walking I've come to enjoy so much.

    I've found that I can enjoy the 60 on non aquasize days, but only 30 if I also go to aquasize, but I try to remember that just a couple of years ago I weighed 303#, did NOTHING, used a cane, had a handicapped tag for my car and ate crap. I've come a fair way, baby. :o)
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I find that my relationship with the scale is evolving. I am also finding that the tape measure can be just as fickle as the scale though. I gained and lost two inches around my belly with just some monthly hormones. Good times.

    Regardless of how you measure and when you measure, you have to look at the overall trend over several weeks to see if your efforts are paying off. You can just hop on the scale and expect Friday's numbers to show Thursday's results. You might see February's results reflecting January's efforts though.
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
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    Thanks for the reminder. I started weight training 2 weeks ago. After 3 weeks of a pound drop each week, I was back up to start weight this morning-after 2 rest days. I keep telling myself it is FINE, but having someone else remind me is a much bigger help.

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