Sticking to the plan and gaining weight

laymon23
laymon23 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started the P90 about 10/11 days ago and I've gained 2lb. At first I thought maybe I weighed myself at the wrong time, but my scales have consistently said I've gained 2lb.

I understand that embarking suddenly on a regular exercise routine can send your body into starvation mode (or whatever you call it) where it's not used to doing so much exercise so it holds onto weight, but surely that would only make me maintain, not gain?

Deep down I know that this must be normal and the weight will come off if I persevere, but I really need to hear from other people who've done the same thing and had the same result to reassure me.

I won't quit the exercise, but I am wondering if I should pull back my calories...I'm always below 2000 and always below my allocated calories in order to lose 1lb a week (which is what I set it at)

Replies

  • kkostre
    kkostre Posts: 4
    Give it more time. You could be retaining water for whatever reason. I have gained as much as five pounds with pms. Your weight might drop dramatically in a week or two.
  • sashalee2001
    sashalee2001 Posts: 12
    you're more then likely retaining water, don't focus so much on the scale and take measurements.
  • Warren_Carrol
    Warren_Carrol Posts: 21 Member
    I'm half way through p90x and my weight stopped dropping about 3 weeks ago......I sat back and evaluated what I was doing and what I could be doing wrong.
    P90X takes fuel.....plenty of it....mfp is a calorie deficit program. The 2 don't co-exist very well (for me)
    I started eating more,more often (6 meals a day @ 300-400 calories each, actually) and my weight started to drop again right away....I was getting lots of the fuel I needed for the workouts (especially the plyo and chest routines) and I felt a BUNCH better.
  • christina0089
    christina0089 Posts: 709 Member
    You could have gained muscle. Or like the other posters have said, Water. Our muscles retain water to help themselves heal. Its a natural process and not anything to be concerned about. You may want to try weighing yourself after a rest day and see how that goes but all in all I would focus more on your measurements. Even if you do not know your starting measurements you can still at the least get an idea by the difference in your clothes and how they fit if your body is getting tighter, more lean. obviously everything will be looser or fit better. That is a better measure of success esp with an intensive workout such as P90X esp if its just becoming part of your routine.

    Good luck!
  • pukekolive
    pukekolive Posts: 237 Member
    Please don't pull back your calories - weight gain is common at the beginning of an intense exercise plan that involves muscle development. It is caused by the body retaining water, in the process of inflammation, to repair microscopic muscle tears in order to cope with the increased activity.

    This is the necessary process that repairs/ maintains/ increases muscle fibres.

    P90 and other programs are not 'weight-loss' they are 'body development' and as such your body is behaving in the way it should.

    Instead of reducing calories check that your protein level is appropriate for the exercise you are doing, to allow your body the optimum conditions to repair your muscles.

    This is a body phenomenon well known to weight trainers.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,430 MFP Moderator
    Its water . You would need to eat an extra 7000 calories more than you burn in order for it to be fat. And its not muscle as women can barely gain 1lb of muscle every two weeks and that will require a calorie surplus.
  • Goaskyourmother
    Goaskyourmother Posts: 20 Member
    My chiropractor told me to stop weighing and start measuring when doing a lot of exercise.
  • kaydensmom12
    kaydensmom12 Posts: 338
    Don't weigh yourself. When I really started exercising I gained weight, and it stayed:) I thought that I was doing something wrong, but kept at my calories/workouts and took pics/measurements. They showed a huge difference even though the scale showed gains. If you look on my profile then you will see my pics, and I am the same weight in all 3 first pics, the 4th I lost 2lbs with. It just shows you that even though it is difficult, do not rely on the scale because so many things make it fluctuate, making it an unreliable source of your effort/progress.
  • wooface
    wooface Posts: 12
    I'm the same - my weight has plateaued for a couple of weeks now, but that's just how the body works... don't let it get you down though!! Take measurements and photos. My clothes fit better, my face looks thinner, and I am generally more relaxed... which are the benefits that I am taking from kick starting an exercise regime. Scales, for the most part, are evil!!!

    Keep at it lady!!

    K
  • bluebug53
    bluebug53 Posts: 86 Member
    Keep it up, when I did P90X I would gain weight on the scale, but I lost a lot of inches. Then after a while I started seeing results on the scale as well! Don't get discouraged, even if you don't see the scale moving, know that you are getting into the best shape of your life!!!
  • Fannyannefeisty
    Fannyannefeisty Posts: 53
    Like everyone has said, don't worry about the weight. Nobody picks you up and weighs you! If you can see a difference and feel a difference then its working.

    Strong, fit and healthy is a great goal.

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