Weight gain with new strength training program

[Anonymous]

I started lifting weights four weeks ago and I’ve gained 3-5 pounds. I’m much more active and thought I’d be losing by now. I feel puffy despite eating the same amount. What gives? I’m feeling pretty discouraged.

[Anonymous]

Retaining water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Retaining water.

YES this is what it is. My weight fluctuates throughout the week by about that much based on how recently I have lifted. When I am sore the day after squat day, I am at my heaviest weight.

If anyone later in the thread tells you it is muscle, do not believe them! You are not going to gain 3-5 lbs of muscle in one month.

[Anonymous]

My doc said the scale is just one measurement and instead you should have a pair of pants/skirt/shirt that you try on every few weeks. I do and take pics and put them in my "hidden" folder so no one sees them and thinks I'm a weirdo. It's been nice to see how some pants have gotten looser. I'm sure it will happen for you--just give it time. More muscle-building can't NOT have an effect.

[Anonymous]

Your muscles are storing glycogen and are inflamed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My doc said the scale is just one measurement and instead you should have a pair of pants/skirt/shirt that you try on every few weeks. I do and take pics and put them in my "hidden" folder so no one sees them and thinks I'm a weirdo. It's been nice to see how some pants have gotten looser. I'm sure it will happen for you--just give it time. More muscle-building can't NOT have an effect.

I like this idea. The problem is that not only has the scale gone up, I'm puffier. Maybe it is fluid retention and inflammation. I'm hoping it will pass soon. It's hard to stay motivated.

[Anonymous]

OP - this happened to me. I gained 5 lbs when I started doing heavy lifting over a period of six months. I could maybe assume that is muscle but it was definitely not because as you said I could feel my clothes tighter and knew I was getting fluffier. Nothing changed about my diet. I quit and took back up yoga and walking and am already down the weight I gained lifting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - this happened to me. I gained 5 lbs when I started doing heavy lifting over a period of six months. I could maybe assume that is muscle but it was definitely not because as you said I could feel my clothes tighter and knew I was getting fluffier. Nothing changed about my diet. I quit and took back up yoga and walking and am already down the weight I gained lifting.

I’m disappointed to hear this. I’m really enjoying lifting, and I know I need weights for my bone health, but I’m bummed about feeling puffy. I’m still holding out hope I’ll get ripped and svelte eventually. I’ll reevaluate in three months and then try to refine my program.

[Anonymous]

It will go away! When I first started lifting this didn’t happen to me for what whatever reason. Maybe because I was also on a caloric deficit and then back to maintenance eventually. Anyway, this summer I started a higher volume program. After years of lifting 2-3 times a week I was lifting more like 4-5 and it was more strenuous in other ways too. I put on 3 lbs I couldn’t shake and it was really confusing to me…but then it went away after a few weeks and actually I do look pretty ripped now so…don’t give up!

For reference I am 43, 5’1”; 110-112 lbs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your muscles are storing glycogen and are inflamed.

Any supplements help w/this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - this happened to me. I gained 5 lbs when I started doing heavy lifting over a period of six months. I could maybe assume that is muscle but it was definitely not because as you said I could feel my clothes tighter and knew I was getting fluffier. Nothing changed about my diet. I quit and took back up yoga and walking and am already down the weight I gained lifting.

I’m disappointed to hear this. I’m really enjoying lifting, and I know I need weights for my bone health, but I’m bummed about feeling puffy. I’m still holding out hope I’ll get ripped and svelte eventually. I’ll reevaluate in three months and then try to refine my program.

NP - the bolded may never, ever happen. It probably won't, actually, unless you get extreme about your diet. Most women don't build muscle that easily and also have too much body fat to look ripped. So then you need to decide whether the health benefits of lifting outweigh the annoyance of a few extra pounds of weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My doc said the scale is just one measurement and instead you should have a pair of pants/skirt/shirt that you try on every few weeks. I do and take pics and put them in my "hidden" folder so no one sees them and thinks I'm a weirdo. It's been nice to see how some pants have gotten looser. I'm sure it will happen for you--just give it time. More muscle-building can't NOT have an effect.

+1. I'm definitely 5 lbs heavier than before I started lifting heavy, but my pants fit the same.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone used the body composition scales? My gym has one but I’m not sure how reliable it is. Maybe it’s okay for monitoring relative progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone used the body composition scales? My gym has one but I’m not sure how reliable it is. Maybe it’s okay for monitoring relative progress.

OP here and I just had a 4-week scan. I’ve lost a total of 2.5 pounds, including 1 pound of water (meh), 1 pound of fat (yay), and .5 pounds of muscle (boo). Apparently I’m not getting enough calories or protein so I’ve upped those, decreased weekly cardio from 60 to 40 minutes (mostly as a warm up for weight lifting), and increased lifting days from 3 to 4. We’ll see what happens this month.

I’m digging this data driven approach, but of course it’s only as reliable as the composition scale. I’m still hoping to see and feel a difference in how my clothes fit, but that hasn’t happened yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone used the body composition scales? My gym has one but I’m not sure how reliable it is. Maybe it’s okay for monitoring relative progress.

OP here and I just had a 4-week scan. I’ve lost a total of 2.5 pounds, including 1 pound of water (meh), 1 pound of fat (yay), and .5 pounds of muscle (boo). Apparently I’m not getting enough calories or protein so I’ve upped those, decreased weekly cardio from 60 to 40 minutes (mostly as a warm up for weight lifting), and increased lifting days from 3 to 4. We’ll see what happens this month.

I’m digging this data driven approach, but of course it’s only as reliable as the composition scale. I’m still hoping to see and feel a difference in how my clothes fit, but that hasn’t happened yet.

These composition scales are extremely inaccurate. Get DEXA for an accurate measurement of fat mass. Lean mass is everything that is not fat on DEXA so it is not very useful for tracking muscle either.