Gained 6 pounds! WTF?

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kristi321
kristi321 Posts: 71 Member
in Motivation and Support
I just stepped on a scale after nearly 6 weeks and it is up by 6 pounds!

I started New Rules of Liting for Women about 3 weeks ago. I lift 3 days a week and do 2-3 days cardio. Before that I did a metabolism reset and ate at maintenance for about 4-6 weeks and then slowly cut calories. I measure body fat with a handheld device and my body fat has reduced by 1% and my measurements have not changed that much. My clothes DO feel looser, especially my jeans.

Why would the scale be up that much with a fat loss? i didn't cut many calories at first, is it possible I gained some muscle? Thankfully I am measuring success by body fat not the scale but I am a bit confused.

Does anyone have any insight to what is going on? I can't be retaining 6 POUNDS of water/fluid... Ugh.

Replies

  • oOTaraOo
    oOTaraOo Posts: 29
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    Sounds like muscle to me. Don't get worried about the scales when you are noticing the difference in your clothing - this is a better indicator of your weight loss.
  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
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    If your jeans fit better don't worry about the scale. When I started lifting heavy I began to weigh only once/month. Temporarily I was a few pounds up but it came back off.

    On the days the scale went up, I took a look at myself in my birthday suit in a full length mirror. Waaaayyyy better.

    Maybe try that.
  • kristi321
    kristi321 Posts: 71 Member
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    Thank you. I am after melting the fat so that is what matters to me but I was a bit shocked! They say it is hard for women to build muscle too so I didn't think it would happen that fast.
  • oOTaraOo
    oOTaraOo Posts: 29
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    Last year I had started doing a lot of weight work and within a period of 2 weeks I had 6 different friends ask me if I had lost weight even though my scales were going up and not down. After another couple of weeks my weight then dropped so just be patient and keep eating healthy and lifting those weights :)
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    Lifting causes your muscles to retain a lot of water. You probably didn't put on muscle, or at least not more than a pound (which is what a woman eating in a calorie surplus could do in a month). Water weight can be significant. Especially if you weigh the day after lifting
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Thank you. I am after melting the fat so that is what matters to me but I was a bit shocked! They say it is hard for women to build muscle too so I didn't think it would happen that fast.

    It didn't. you probably gained a couple ounces of muscle at best. You also gain bone.

    +1 for water.
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    Oh, yes you can retain 6 pounds of water! I've gained as much as 8 overnight at TOM, and put I on between 4 and 6 EVERY month like clockwork. I never weigh myself around that time, unless I'm just checking to see how ridiculously high the number is. It always goes back down -- and then some now that I'm getting healthy.

    Good for you for taking the scale with a grain of salt. Only your measurements really count.

    BTW, great work on your fitness journey!!!
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
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    Lifting causes your muscles to retain a lot of water. You probably didn't put on muscle, or at least not more than a pound (which is what a woman eating in a calorie surplus could do in a month). Water weight can be significant. Especially if you weigh the day after lifting

    This. You hang on to the water to heal your muscles.

    This is why so many on here (myself included) keep saying to concentrate on the other measures like bf%, visuals, measurements, and feel (eg clothes fitting). Sounds like you are doing all the right things!! Just ditch the scale - evil lying little *kitten* it is! :tongue: :laugh:
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Oh, yes you can retain 6 pounds of water! I've gained as much as 8 overnight at TOM, and put I on between 4 and 6 EVERY month like clockwork. I never weigh myself around that time, unless I'm just checking to see how ridiculously high the number is. It always goes back down -- and then some now that I'm getting healthy.

    Good for you for taking the scale with a grain of salt. Only your measurements really count.

    BTW, great work on your fitness journey!!!

    Just want to add- the water weight you gain from lifting does not feel like the water you retain from TOM. When you retain water all over, like from too much sodium or TOM you sort of feel bloated all over; the water you retain from lifting is localized to the muscle, (making it 'swole') so it can look and feel like muscle mass.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    ^^ the above posts re water weight.


    And measurements are usually a bit inaccurate as it depends on measuring in exactly the same place with exactly the same tautness in the tape - plus sometimes we lose inches in the areas we do not measure specifically (hence the clothes feeling looser).
  • kristi321
    kristi321 Posts: 71 Member
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    Thanks everyone :smile:

    I decided to put the scale away for a few more weeks and just keep at it!

    I am 5'4'', 28% body fat, currently 174lbs (so it says) and in a size 8 jean. I have never been in such a small size at that weight!
  • Bub1971
    Bub1971 Posts: 106 Member
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    If your gonna lift go by your look and your percentages more than the scale I have actually gained weight before but lost inches and clothes fit better dont get discouraged muscles are a good thing lol.

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