I'm new and gained weight instead

debjr66
debjr66 Posts: 10
in Motivation and Support
Hi, My name is Debbie and I am 46 years old. I have always been very petite growing up. I had been 85 lbs since the age of 14 until age 35 (I am only 4'9). I went all the way up to 131 lbs recently. I just ended up losing 7 lbs by just slightly modifying my diet and went down to 124 lbs (steadily for months). By the end of April (still at 124 lbs), I decided I really need to get back in shape to be ready for the summer. During the beginning of the last week in April I began walking 4 miles, which would take me about 1 hour, every single morning. I watched what I ate and never snacked at all (I had 3 small meals/day). I got on the scale yesterday and it was 128! This is after I have eaten nothing but Oatmeal, carrots, celery, and for dinner a small healthy meal (ie: chicken breast with veggies, ect...). WTH! Is this normal?

Replies

  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
    Keep doing it, you're losing fat. It's just not showing on the scale yet. It's all water weight. Your muscles require more water right now for a process that has to do with glycogen (sp?) They will grow stronger so that they can work harder during the tough workouts that you're doing! It may take up to 4 weeks for your weight loss to show on the scale. Start taking measurements!
  • kayd69
    kayd69 Posts: 29
    Hi...Are you logging your calories? If you are eating too few calories you may not lose....Make sure to eat your daily calories...If you don't your body goes into starvation mode and stores everything cause it things there is a famine......you must feed the furnace so to say....That's why I lose when I log my daily calories...such as MFP,WW...etc....when I don't I find I don't eat enough thus I don't lose....I have just found this site so I am hoping logging will help me Good Luck!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    When starting a new workout routine it is perfectly normal to gain weight for the first couple weeks. This is not fat however- it is water retention and swelling due to the muscles being worked. Don't freak just yet, it'll go down shortly.
  • jbyesh
    jbyesh Posts: 15 Member
    A while back i began walking on my lunch. Eventually, i worked up to 4 miles. Then I began doing P90X after work in addition to my 4 mile lunch walks. I tracked my calories. I did this for almost 3 weeks and literally did not lose one flipping ounce!!! I was sooooooo discouraged, and after pulling an ab muscle I took a few weeks offf, because WTH, it wasn't doing me any good any way!

    But towards the end, 1 thing I did notice, was that my jeans were starting to fit just a bit differently. I'm not sure this is normal, but I'm comisserating with you!

    My plan, is that i'm going to do it again. If in 3 weeks, I don't start seeing some results, I'm going to print my nutrition and fitness reports from here, and go see my doctor. I'm also making sure to track HONESTLY (i tend to leave off the 1 oreo I ate when I gave my kids a cookie, etc). I'm also terrible about tracking/working out on the weekend. I have a 2yo and a 4yo, and I never seem to fit in a workout, or boot up the computer to track. My goal this weekend, is to track on paper and pencil, and put it in the PC at night or on monday.
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
    Any time you add a new exercise routine and change your physical activity, you will retain water as the muscle adapts to the new stress.

    An initial 3 to 5 lbs weight gain is normal, everything else being more are less equal in that scenario. As others have said, it is temporary and your body will flush it after two to four weeks. Persevere in the interim.

    The long term physical benefits more than compensate for the short term emotional freak out.

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