Does your scale go up a day or two after a really hard worko

DiannaMoorer
DiannaMoorer Posts: 783 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This has been happening to me lately. I'm still sore from a circuit training workout I did two days ago and my weight is up 3 lbs. But my measurements are the same. I'm just wondering if this is the norm?


My title got cut off. "really hard work out?"

Replies

  • chachadiva150
    chachadiva150 Posts: 453 Member
    It's possible. Exercising "breaks down" muscles. In order to heal, the body retains a bit of extra fluid. It will go away in a day or two.

    Sounds like you have delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_onset_muscle_soreness

    Recently, after a tough workout, my scale shot up 5 pounds. After a few days, it went away and I ended up losing 3 pounds that week.
  • DiannaMoorer
    DiannaMoorer Posts: 783 Member
    I hope I get some input on this.
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    my guess is muscles retaining extra fluids after a hard work out...... don't keep looking for the answer that's right in front of you :)
  • shamrck44
    shamrck44 Posts: 91
    I find the same thing. I don't weigh myself the day after a tough workout. I figure part of it is all the water I drink while I am working out and right after. But I think it is normal because it always goes back down.
  • starsnyc21
    starsnyc21 Posts: 436 Member
    Yes, you muscles need water after a hard workout. The scale will go out until your body gets use to the workouts.
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
    Even though I've been at this weight loss journey for close to a year, I just now joined a gym and got serious about working out. I've worked out nearly every day for two weeks. Last week (the first week) of straight workouts, I lost two pounds. This week, I worked out even harder and GAINED 1.4 pounds :indifferent: . My MFP friends also said it was gaining muscle/retaining water. I'm not sure as I don't feel like my muscles are building yet. I'm trying not to let it get to me, but it's hard since my goal weight is in sight and I'm getting really anxious to see it.

    So, yes, the same thing happened to me.
  • Just_One_Me
    Just_One_Me Posts: 66 Member
    Yayyyyyy. Good Question , thanks for the answers ladies . I was wondering but dont know how to posts questions in the forums.
  • dcjackson50
    dcjackson50 Posts: 196
    That has happened to me too,.....just drink tons of water and eat protein after lifting,.....it is not actually true weight gain usually,....daily weighing scares us because of these fluctuations,......just keep at it
  • Tubby2Toned
    Tubby2Toned Posts: 130 Member
    I agree that the answer is more water weight. Chances are you are downing more fluids when you work out.
    Think of this: 1 gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds.
  • milove1029
    milove1029 Posts: 308 Member
    I agree with all of the above but I want to add that when you increase your work out you have to increase your calories, you do want to eat the recommendation per BMI, because if your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism, slows down to almost stopping. It happened to me for 1 week. Plus if it's time for your menstrual or you actually have your menstrual you will gain pounds because of water retention.
  • looney9708
    looney9708 Posts: 174 Member
    What is interesting is I do Crossfit and after a workout, if I am sore I am up 3 pounds instantly. If I stop working out(for a couple days), I lose 4 pounds that will instantly come back. I know the body releases lactic(?) acid when you work out for muscle repair. My trainer told me I need more protein so the body can repair the muscle better. Hang in there, the measurements are more important than anything anyway.
  • DiannaMoorer
    DiannaMoorer Posts: 783 Member
    Thank you for the input ladies and guys! I had just gotten below the 60's, a number I haven't seen in 15 years and now it's three pound up. I'll just have to be patient and wait till the soreness goes away and see what the scale says then.
  • DiannaMoorer
    DiannaMoorer Posts: 783 Member
    I agree that the answer is more water weight. Chances are you are downing more fluids when you work out.
    Think of this: 1 gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds.




    I do drink way more water on my circuit training days.
  • yasdnilear
    yasdnilear Posts: 78 Member
    This happened to me a couple weeks ago and I gained 5lbs. I was sore for days. I looked into it some more and discovered that I had probably worked so hard with not enough nutrients that I created microtears in my muscles. So my muscles retained water for the next few days while repairing. The pounds didn't go away for 5 days or so and then I lost a couple quickly beyond that. Overall it slowed my weight loss very little. From now on I just make sure I get enough to eat throughout the whole day, drink enough water and stretch enough. And then to not sweat it if I gain a pound when my muscles are sore. I haven't had this problem since!
  • CRenaeB
    CRenaeB Posts: 66
    I agree that the answer is more water weight. Chances are you are downing more fluids when you work out.
    Think of this: 1 gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds.



    I learned something new today!
  • bjfrezell
    bjfrezell Posts: 241
    I am ALWAYS up on the scale after a hard work out, but after a day or two the scale goes back down or even better, shows a loss. I don't freak out anymore when there's a fluctuation like that. I just accept it as part of the process.
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
    daily weighing scares us because of these fluctuations

    Wish mine was only up one day and down the next. I worked out every day during the week, so on Friday, my official weigh-in day, I was up the 1.4 from the week before. It wasn't a day to day thing.
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Yes - sometimes. Your muscle retain water while they are repairing themselves - or something like that!
  • DiannaMoorer
    DiannaMoorer Posts: 783 Member
    I measured my waist after I posted this and it's down one inch!!!! Big Yay!!!!!!
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    sore= muscle inflammation= water retention
  • yepitsjen
    yepitsjen Posts: 79 Member
    I was wondering this as well- so thanks for posting!
  • JennaK86
    JennaK86 Posts: 2 Member
    If you can find it in your calories. Drink a glass of Chocolate milk to help with the lactic acid buildup and soreness. I find it to be one of the best recovery drinks you can get. Don't do skim, you want a little bit of the fat. 1 or 2% will work.

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