Working out and STILL gaining weight?

If you're working out hardcore, it might be fluid retention from all the exercise. Give it time, get plenty of fluids, and take rest days.

Also take measurements and photos to better gauge your progress than the scale. The scale is a back-stabbing b-word.

All that scale knows is the effect of gravitational pull on your body and nothing else. It knows nothing about your body composition or fitness level. Don't less this discourage you. This isn't abnormal. Your body will retain water to help with muscular restructure as well as the 'shock' it is going through getting used to the demands you are now asking of it. Eventually, your body will go 'Oh, OK I get it ... I have this figured out!" and your results will be consistent. Weight is something people focus on, thinking that is the magic goal. But truly, fitness and strength are much more important to your long-term health. So, tell the scale to pack sand and do what is good for your body and it will thank you!

Great for you on working out! As you do, your body will create "heavier" muscles while shedding "lighter" fat. Your muscles will also burn more calories, even at rest. Your weight loss may slow for a while, but you should see the fat start to melt off your body. At some point, things will come into balance and you will continue to build muscle, ramp up your metabolism, and see the scales start to move in the direction you want. Hang in there, you're laying the right groundwork now.

Your body hates you because you probably aren't feeding it enough and are working it out too hard. Take it easy and then throw the scale out the window and cry hysterically. Make friends with a tape measure since it's a more reliable friend and doesn't fluctuate with the lunar cycle.

This is an interesting topic because it happened to me once. What I found that works for me is when I first go on a weight loss routine I don't work out. I focus on my diet and I ensure that diet alone is responsible for 2 or pounds a week of weight loss. Once that system is in place, I begin working out, without changing my diet. Then the pounds just fall off easily.

All that scale knows is the effect of gravitational pull on your body and nothing else. It knows nothing about your body composition or fitness level. Don't less this discourage you. This isn't abnormal. Your body will retain water to help with muscular restructure as well as the 'shock' it is going through getting used to the demands you are now asking of it. Eventually, your body will go 'Oh, OK I get it ... I have this figured out!" and your results will be consistent. Weight is something people focus on, thinking that is the magic goal. But truly, fitness and strength are much more important to your long-term health. So, tell the scale to pack sand and do what is good for your body and it will thank you!

^^ That!

Also.... you gained 10 pounds in two weeks? Or one week? There's got to be something else going on. 10 pounds = 35,000 calories... which is insane. Maybe you've got water retention and such happening. Unless you're eating triple cheeseburgers, fries, and chocolate milkshakes 5 times a day?

Open your diary so you can get some help. You can't exercise your way to weight loss. No matter what anyone says! Diet is 80+% of the equation.

[quote

But, you're right. Good healthful food cost more than cheap food. That is not an accident, at all. I don't think it will ever change. So, you have to pick your goods and bads.

Watch for sales on whole chicken. I got one for $3 a few weeks ago. Actually, I bought a couple of them. I cook them one night, and have chicken and brown rice. Then, I take all the chicken off the bone, and save it for sandwiches and stuff. Then, I use the carcass to make chicken soup. You can almost eat for a week from one chicken. The chicken was $3, then you just buy potato, carrots, celery and things like that for cheap to add to it. It's possible to eat well for cheap, you just have to really get into it.
[/quote]

Absolutely!! I have been on a crazy amazing training program gearing up for my first marathon, and nutrition is EVERYTHING!! While I have not seen ANY results in the scale in the last 4 weeks of training, I FEEL my body changing, the muscles are leaning out, my core is shrinking, and my legs are getting a run for their money (pun intended)!

My boyfriend has become an organic agriculturist in the last year or so once he realized the difference in the quality of food. Regardless of the price, you WILL pay for it one way or the other: either in doctor bills and loss of productivity, or just buy the food you know is good for you!

Try a local grocers/restaurant supply warehouse. We get most of our meat, lunchmeat, and cheeses here... also a fair price on produce. You get a lot more for your money.