water weight while exercising

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lin7604
lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
when i started on here in nov, i started exercising 5 days a week 30-60 min a day. My weightloss was super slow even though i thought that was the way to do it. In may i kinda gave up as i wasn't losing much and yet working so hard on it and counting my cals, etc so i went diet alone. Since then i have lost more weight then ever.... i am 3 lbs from my goal now. my question is, i want to start exercising again but am wondering if i will gain that water weight back and keep it on? Everyone told me before that it will come off but it never did seem to? should i expect a gain? maybe i should drop my goal a few extra lbs, so if i do igan water weight from exercising again, i won't be sad with the number on the scale? i know i should n't go by the scale and more by inches and how my clothes fit but i just can't, i need the scale in a certain place... i know me bad! .lol

Replies

  • rtpjmlm5
    rtpjmlm5 Posts: 22 Member
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    I don't have the answer to that but I'm going through a water or muscle gain thing right now it's driving me crazy for the past 8 weeks I've been walking and I dropped 20 pounds. Then the last 2 weeks I've increased my workouts I'm doing brazil butt lift daily and my weight has been up by as much as 4 pounds. The more intense the more I weigh and when I take a rest day the next morning I'm down by 3-4 pounds. But I'm not stopping or giving up I'm doing everything right so I know eventually the scale should start moving in my favor. I say don't be afraid of that gain take your measurements on day 1 so you can track your progress. I have lost inches so that's good. Good luck to you
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
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    I would suggest if you want to resume exercise is to keep a measurements sheet instead of a scale since this is more accurate representation of your progress. I ran into the same problem as you where my weight loss stalled but I continued to lose inches. After all, inches is what you care about no?

    Just to put it in perspective (I'm using waist as an example since it was my major problem area).
    Lost 19 lb on diet alone in 1.5 months which was 3 inches on natural waist, unfortunately no naval measurement taken
    Lost 0 lb in 3 weeks of heavy exercise and upping calories and lost 3/4 inches in natural waist, 2 3/4 inches around naval.
  • mojosister
    mojosister Posts: 25 Member
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    There is some research around gaining weight when changing to a new exercise program. I'm experiencing the same thing right now. I just keep reminding myself that it's not actual fat...just water, so it doesn't matter. I increased my food intake a little bit to help with the new exercise routine, and surely enough, the scale is slooooowly moving downwards again. Just give it time. And remember, you're building stamina, and muscle - and making your body healthier than it was before. That's what counts, right?
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
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    Just drink extra water to flush out the excess your muscles store for repair. When I was working out a lot I had to almost double my water intake in order to not gain water weight (I normally drink 10-15 glasses per day when not working out). You don't necessarily need exercise to lose weight but it is so good for you for so many other reasons. Good luck!
  • cristileigh
    cristileigh Posts: 158 Member
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    I too notice the same thing.... I work work work work for weeks and the scale doesn't move and/or goes up. When I give up and take a rest of 1-2 days my body will drop 3lbs. As soon as I start working out again....here comes that 3 lbs back. Its driving me insane that I work my butt off and the scale goes in the wrong direction. Some say I don't eat enough...some say its water weight. I don't know what the heck it is other than FRUSTRATING!!!
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
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    Keep drinking water, keep exercising and it will wear off in time. Muscle tissue is around 75% water. With the change in glycogen levels after a workout muscles may retain some water, you'll notice it more with a change in exercise routine. Make sure you do drink enough water. Most people stick to 8 cups of water and completely ignore the water loss during exercise. If you try to dehydrate your body, it will try to hold onto every drop in order to survive.

    Also keep other factors like sodium intake and hormone changes in mind.
  • cristileigh
    cristileigh Posts: 158 Member
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    Just drink extra water to flush out the excess your muscles store for repair. When I was working out a lot I had to almost double my water intake in order to not gain water weight (I normally drink 10-15 glasses per day when not working out). You don't necessarily need exercise to lose weight but it is so good for you for so many other reasons. Good luck!

    I know I don't drink enough water... water and the scale are my biggest frustrations!
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    If it's water weight...why do you care about it? It's water. I'd be more concerned about fat.
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    Keep drinking water, keep exercising and it will wear off in time. Muscle tissue is around 75% water. With the change in glycogen levels after a workout muscles may retain some water, you'll notice it more with a change in exercise routine. Make sure you do drink enough water. Most people stick to 8 cups of water and completely ignore the water loss during exercise. If you try to dehydrate your body, it will try to hold onto every drop in order to survive.

    Also keep other factors like sodium intake and hormone changes in mind.

    that is what i thought last time that it would wear off in time...7 months later and it was still there, holding on strong until i stopped all planned exercise and just kept with a walk daily.

    and even if it's water weight to me when i see a gain it bugs me. I have worked so hard and this has been such a SLOW process for me that it's easy to see the scale slip the other way even if it is by accident... it doesn't take much for the lbs to come back on me at all and i don't want to think " oh it's just water weight" meanwhile it's not.... i never know how to tell if it's actual water, muscle or a gain...
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
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    Keep drinking water, keep exercising and it will wear off in time. Muscle tissue is around 75% water. With the change in glycogen levels after a workout muscles may retain some water, you'll notice it more with a change in exercise routine. Make sure you do drink enough water. Most people stick to 8 cups of water and completely ignore the water loss during exercise. If you try to dehydrate your body, it will try to hold onto every drop in order to survive.

    Also keep other factors like sodium intake and hormone changes in mind.

    that is what i thought last time that it would wear off in time...7 months later and it was still there, holding on strong until i stopped all planned exercise and just kept with a walk daily.

    and even if it's water weight to me when i see a gain it bugs me. I have worked so hard and this has been such a SLOW process for me that it's easy to see the scale slip the other way even if it is by accident... it doesn't take much for the lbs to come back on me at all and i don't want to think " oh it's just water weight" meanwhile it's not.... i never know how to tell if it's actual water, muscle or a gain...

    You you have stalled in your weight loss for 7 months now? This is definitely not water weight then. Your body will retain more water if you start a new exercise routing (vigorous) or is you consume a lot of sodium. However, you should only have been stalled for a couple of months and seen a downward trend on your scale (unless you were body building to gain muscle which it doesn't sound like it).

    What is your BMR, TDEE and how much do you eat on average daily?
    Have you looked into measuring your body fat % to see if it's in the range you want and not using the scale?
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    well my tdee right now from fitness frog is 1583-1814 depending on how active i am daily. my bmr is 1319 and i eat usually between 1400-1500. if i go under my bmr then i eat more. with my bf% i would like it to be a bit less, maybe 1% not huge but all my weight is in my belly and that is what i need to lose.
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
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    well my tdee right now from fitness frog is 1583-1814 depending on how active i am daily. my bmr is 1319 and i eat usually between 1400-1500. if i go under my bmr then i eat more. with my bf% i would like it to be a bit less, maybe 1% not huge but all my weight is in my belly and that is what i need to lose.

    I'm assuming since you exercise 5 days a week it would be closer to 1800 so you are eating about right.
    I'm sure you have heard this before, but you can't choose where the fat comes off of. Stomach is a problem area for me as well and fortunately the fat loss has come primarily from this area for me (2.75 inches off naval in 3 weeks! like I mentioned before with no loss in weight).

    I can't see your diary but I find that this helped me lose inches/body fat% so far:
    - Eating 15-20% moderate cut below TDEE (which is what you are doing)
    - Reducing consumption of carbs and sugars since your body likes to use these for primary energy sources (i.e. eliminate processed sugars and carbs altogether and eat a serving or two max of fruit per day). The best time to eat carbs like bread is in the morning, get the rest of your carbs from veggies for lunch and dinner.
    - Planning meals the day before
    - High intensity interval/circuit training works the best. Conditions muscles, improves endurance, and is great for a calorie burn. Weight lifting will help to strengthen muscle and improve your metabolism in the long run.
    - Don't be afraid of exercise and weight gain when starting a new routine. I am in the same boat as you that I need the scale to reassure me that I'm making progress. I have got many positive comments from friends and coworkers about my body composition and looking slimmer since I started exercising. After dieting I still struggled with weight around my belly, but exercise is really helping to cut the fat.

    Another thought is, have you had your annual exam with the doc recently to check your thyroid?
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    thx. right now i am not exercising except a walk a day, so that is why it's only 1400-1500 cals but yes when i start back up it will be a bit more.. and yes i do have thyroid issue, got my dose upped yesterday and will be seeing a endo dr in a few months. i also have a b12 deficiency and get a shot every 3 weeks. i am planning on starting 30ds again in aug and then move onto rin30 again in sept. then in oct i will rotate between the 2, maybe 3-4 days a week.... then when it gets colder out and my outdoor walks get restricted again i will hope on the treadmill or elliptical again for 30 min

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