couch to 5k

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tgwilson
tgwilson Posts: 10
in Fitness and Exercise
I just finished my 6th day of couch to 5k. I have gained 5 pounds this week! It sure makes me want to quit. Has anyone else experienced weight gain when beginning a fitness routine?

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  • eissak
    eissak Posts: 54 Member
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    I'm on day 3 of the same program and I'm up 3 pounds. I figure we're working toward the right goal of being healthy, but I'm interested to see if the trend continues.
  • solid09
    solid09 Posts: 12
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    Just remember muscle weighs more than fat.
  • maggiepz
    maggiepz Posts: 141 Member
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    Just looking on the boards because I'm having the same problem with strength training. Muscle weighs more than fat but I thought the increase in the metabolism because of the increased muscle was supposed to make up for it.

    Makes me want to quit since I have 6 weeks of a weight loss challenge and want to be LOSING not gaining!!!!!
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    A few days in to running a little bit? That's just water weight. Muscles react to stress in funny ways, (something about glycogen I can't be bothered to Google... ) but, it's not actual muscle. It's almost certainly not fat, either. To gain 5lbs of fat, you'd have to eat an excess of 25000 calories or something. And to put on that much muscle will take a long time of working hard.

    If you discover a way to add 5 lbs of muscle in a week, you can be a very rich person!

    Anyway, congratulations on starting c25k. I did it and I loved it. However, I didn't lose weight. Quite a few people gain weight - actual fat - because they compensate by eating too many extra calories. I didn't do that, but I certainly ate everything I burnt. :)
  • nb9251
    nb9251 Posts: 151 Member
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    It's water weight. You may even see an increase in your measurements. This is because you're muscles are healing and they retain more water. Think of it like this: when you have an injury it swells up as it heals. Your muscles do the same thing. Keep at it and you'll start seeing the inches come off. I will say that the couch to 5k doesn't really equal weight loss for me, but I drop in size. Also just on a quick note muscle and fat weigh the same amount. Muscle is just denser than fat. Meaning a pound of muscles looks smaller than a pound of fat. Good luck and I think you should stick it out. Once you get to the longer runs the inches will start falling off!
  • Northern30
    Northern30 Posts: 65
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    I finished week 1 of C25k and lost 1.4 this week. Keep at it and it will work!!!
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    After 6 days folks it is NOT muscle! You are experiencing water retention. You can't/do not gain muscle that fast, especially in a deficit. Don't quit, keep pushing yourself. This is a temporary phase.
  • tgwilson
    tgwilson Posts: 10
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    It's water weight. You may even see an increase in your measurements. This is because you're muscles are healing and they retain more water. Think of it like this: when you have an injury it swells up as it heals. Your muscles do the same thing. Keep at it and you'll start seeing the inches come off. I will say that the couch to 5k doesn't really equal weight loss for me, but I drop in size. Also just on a quick note muscle and fat weigh the same amount. Muscle is just denser than fat. Meaning a pound of muscles looks smaller than a pound of fat. Good luck and I think you should stick it out. Once you get to the longer runs the inches will start falling off!
  • tgwilson
    tgwilson Posts: 10
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    Thanks for the info. I am up another pound, but I am not going to give up! :)
  • eissak
    eissak Posts: 54 Member
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    It's water weight. You may even see an increase in your measurements. This is because you're muscles are healing and they retain more water. Think of it like this: when you have an injury it swells up as it heals. Your muscles do the same thing. Keep at it and you'll start seeing the inches come off. I will say that the couch to 5k doesn't really equal weight loss for me, but I drop in size. Also just on a quick note muscle and fat weigh the same amount. Muscle is just denser than fat. Meaning a pound of muscles looks smaller than a pound of fat. Good luck and I think you should stick it out. Once you get to the longer runs the inches will start falling off!

    Very interesting. Thanks!
  • uwdiva
    uwdiva Posts: 2 Member
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    Doing this to get in cardio shap for a mud run! Hate running, but this program is great to gradually ease me into it~!
  • DUGPEL
    DUGPEL Posts: 11
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    Good morning , I just have a question how are you tracking this workout.
  • eissak
    eissak Posts: 54 Member
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    Personally I log the walk and run times separately. That way I'm at least as close you can be with the preset calories burned MFP has.
  • kerchki
    kerchki Posts: 63 Member
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    I did the couch to 5k and now run 3 miles 3-5 times a week and run between a 10 and 11.5 min mile. I've gone from 218 pounds to 177 pounds, so it works. But if you want more than toning, you are going to lose weight through your eating. My suggestion would be to not eat back all the exercise calories, to not eat extra calories in snack food. Good luck!
  • KarenAnnne
    KarenAnnne Posts: 190 Member
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    I started my walking program last Monday and have tracked a total of 28 miles so far. My goal is to walk 100 miles before I have to return to work(teacher). I recently got blood test results back and have high cholesterol and pre diabetic. I decided then and there to take care of it with diet and exercise. I was not going to be put on meds at 45 years old. I completely revamped my diet and went full force on the exercise. My scale has not changed one ounce!!! But, I already feel sooooo much better and clothes are fitting better and my body is already reshaping just since last week. Hang in there and keep walking. Its gotta happen soon:)
  • PrettynWitty12
    PrettynWitty12 Posts: 30 Member
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    Doing this to get in cardio shap for a mud run! Hate running, but this program is great to gradually ease me into it~!


    Me too, I'm doing the Dirty Girl in August in Waukesha!
  • mismis13
    mismis13 Posts: 4 Member
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    Finished my fourth routine yesterday, have not noticed any weight gain. I am an avid walker and average 10 miles a week. Is anyone finding this to be a tough challenge?
  • mismis13
    mismis13 Posts: 4 Member
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    i have been using the 5K runner and RunKepper Apps on my iphone. I run the apps ontop of each other and they track pace and time. And then I log it into MFP.
  • Kevinpcarey
    Kevinpcarey Posts: 35
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    I use Microsoft Excel to track everything from my food intake to exercise then I put all the information into a Microsoft OneNote document. Excel is amazing. You can even use it as a Word processor
  • kelsafish
    kelsafish Posts: 39
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    After 6 days folks it is NOT muscle! You are experiencing water retention. You can't/do not gain muscle that fast, especially in a deficit. Don't quit, keep pushing yourself. This is a temporary phase.

    ^^ This.

    The same thing happens to me when I go from a long period of inactivity (ie, LAZY) to getting back on track fitness wise. I plump up like a Christmas turkey. After a couple weeks, I thin out.

    Eat clean and drink plenty of water. You can do this.

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