Gaining weight with insanity :( ugh

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jessalynne16
jessalynne16 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
SW: 160
CW: 144
GW: 135
Height: 5'5
So I've lost 16 ponds total this year and it was 8 lbs, just walking, lifting weights, and using MFP; today will be my 5th day of insanity and even though I feel great I get very discouraged that I'm gaining weight, even though it's probably muscle. I haven't changed my diet while doing insanity; just wondering when people started loosing weight again because I know there's more to loose!

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  • Judys59
    Judys59 Posts: 15 Member
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    I feel the same. THis is week 2 for me. Did 2.5 # the first week. week # 2, gained 1 pound. what??? I have increased my exercise. I think this might be it. I feel wonderful, but not happy cause I have gained enen though doing everything right. I will keep on. So should you!
  • chachadiva150
    chachadiva150 Posts: 482 Member
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    It's only been 5 days. You haven't been lifting heavy weights. You are NOT gaining muscle. If the scale has gone up, it's most likely water retention due to your body reaction to the new exercise.

    Watch your sodium and give it more time.
  • dwightdegroff
    dwightdegroff Posts: 97 Member
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    If you're not used to that level of exercise, it is more than likely just water weight as your muscles try to repair themselves. Hang in there. I definitely recommend taking some pictures and measurements so that you can get some other indicators of progress other than the scale. I've completed the first half of Insanity and the scale didn't move for the first few weeks, but measurements certainly did.

    Hang in there, it's worth it!
  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
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    I agree with chachadiva150. Drink tons of water and watch your sodium. Also, are you following the meal plan or eating in a similar way? It is designed with 40% protein, 40% carb, and 20% fat. See how your diet compares to those ratios.
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    I 2nd, 3rd, 10th the water comment.

    Drink more water as well. This is more of an intense exercise and start taking your measurements. With a program like insanity you are going to see more of a difference in inches rather than what is on your scale. Take photos :) Trust me you'll notice the change.
  • ChristyP0303
    ChristyP0303 Posts: 212 Member
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    I agree on the water retention. You will not gain muscle that quickly. Are you sore? If you are, your muscles are retaining water to help with the healing process. Weigh again after the soreness fades.
  • jshaps7
    jshaps7 Posts: 74 Member
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    I agree with everyone who said drink more water and it's unlikely you're gaining that much muscle in such a short time.

    Also I'd check how much you're eating. Insanity is really intense so you may need to eat more than you have been. That could be throwing your system off and causing you to gain a little. I remember hearing with the P90X program that people weren't getting results they expected because they were severely undereating based on how many calories the workouts burn.

    And don't forget it's normal to have minor weight fluctuations during the day/week/month. I don't think you said how much of an increase you saw but a few pounds is certainly normal. Give it a little more time :)
  • jessalynne16
    jessalynne16 Posts: 16 Member
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    thanks everyone; and my muscles aren't sore from the workouts surprisingly and I am enjoying upping the intensity of my workouts. As for water I drink roughly half my body weight in mL a day [(144/2)*30] so I drink enough. I do think I need to increase my calories though because I've been only eating around 1400 a day, but that's what my body is use to. well see, I plan to keep with it and thanks for all the encouragement! Anyone have any good pics that show results with insanity?
  • as1000
    as1000 Posts: 1
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    I've been doing the Insanity workout for three weeks and have gained 4 pounds. It's very discouraging. :( I'll work on the water intake, I guess. I just started tracking my diet so hopefully results will start showing soon...
  • smpreston
    smpreston Posts: 262 Member
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    Insanity is a tough workout. If you are doing those while already on a calorie deficit, you might not be eating enough. Do you use an HRM to track your calorie burn and then enter it into MFP?
  • jessalynne16
    jessalynne16 Posts: 16 Member
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    I enter it on MFP even though I hear it's not as accurate as a HRM, need to get one! But other than that I am liking the insanity workouts.. feels like training for a high school sports team, which as remember was hell but got results!

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