When you start to exercise more regularly, your body keeps reserves of glucose (in the form of glycogen) in your muscles to answer the call the next time you work out. Glycogen binds with water as part of the process, which can add 1 to 3 pounds of initial water
Many weight-loss diets emphasize calorie restrictions that are harmful and hard to maintain. For example, a low-calorie diet can make you lose muscle instead of fat. And less muscle mass could make you regain any weight you lose. Exercise can increase your appetite, so you might eat more than usual.
Yes, it is normal for some people to experience initial weight gain before beginning to lose weight, especially when starting a new exercise program or changing dietary habits. This can be due to factors like temporary water retention, muscle gain, or changes in glycogen stores.
Posture and Appearance: After working out, your body may be more pumped with blood, which can temporarily change your appearance, making you feel fuller or larger. It's important to remember that weight fluctuations are normal, especially when starting a new fitness routine.
This is completely normal. It's likely just increased water retention from a new routine as well as a little muscle. This is something that happens to everyone when they start a new routine.
Muscle is denser (meaning a lot less fluffy) than fat, says Dr. Calabrese. Put another way, 10 pounds of muscle takes up a lot less space than 10 pounds of fat. So, as you start working out regularly and building strength, the new muscle you build may eventually weigh more than the fat you've burnt off.
Especially in the first days and weeks of a new workout routine, your body is going to retain water. In most cases, it goes down within a few days. Some reasons your body retains water are: Inflammation - As you stress the body and break down the muscle, your body holds onto water to help with the repairs.
Stage 1: Fast weight loss
In the beginning, weight loss happens pretty rapidly. Over a period of 4-6 weeks, you'll likely see a noticeable difference in your body weight [1] — either on the scales or by the way your clothes fit.
As your body composition changes, so will your weight. Muscle is more dense than fat — as you get stronger, your muscle fibers get denser, which may lead to a heavier weight even as you lose fat and tone up.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.
As you increase musculature, fat gain can occur due to the caloric surpluses required to increase SMM. This is a well-recognized phenomenon and is commonly referred to in gym-speak as “bulking.”
As a rough guide, you'll probably notice some initial changes in the first four to six weeks, but longer-term changes (what you're working toward) will often take around eight to 12 weeks. The good news is that you're likely to start feeling better quickly.
If you're asking yourself, “Why am I gaining weight when I barely eat,” several factors may be at play. Your body may be holding onto fat stores if your eating habits are inconsistent or restricted. Or, your weight gain may be the effect of a sedentary lifestyle, medical condition, or long-term stress.
The 30/30/30 is a weight loss method that involves eating 30 g of protein within the first 30 minutes of your day and following it with 30 minutes of light exercise. This morning routine is rooted in sound science, and it could be a good way to increase your capacity to burn fat while keeping lean muscle.
Water retention may clear without treatment in a few days. However, if there is a health problem causing you to hold onto fluid, your swelling may worsen over time. You may find that the body parts retaining water become tight, swollen, and painful. If untreated, heart or kidney problems may get much worse.
There are several research-backed reasons why you might notice a slight weight gain after exercise. These include muscle gain, water retention, post-workout inflammation, supplement use, or even undigested food. In most cases, post-workout weight gain is temporary.
Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week over the long term. To do that, you'll need to burn about 500 to 750 calories more than you take in each day. Losing 5% of your current weight may be a good goal to start with.
Muscle weighs more than body fat
If you've only ever done cardio exercise, you may be confused when a strength-training program leads to weight gain. But the reason for it is simple: Weight training builds lean muscle mass, which is denser than body fat.
Water retention: During exercise, your body increases blood flow and fluid volume to deliver oxygen and nutrients to working muscles. This can result in temporary water retention. Additionally, intense or prolonged exercise can cause small tears in muscle fibers, leading to localized inflammation.
Water Retention After Exercise
"Water makes up approximately 65 to 90 percent of a person's weight, and variation in water content of the human body can move the scale by ten pounds or more from day to day," says Jeffrey A. Dolgan, a clinical exercise physiologist.
So as you lose weight, your metabolism declines, causing you to burn fewer calories than you did at your heavier weight. Your slower metabolism will slow your weight loss, even if you eat the same number of calories that helped you lose weight. When the calories you burn equal the calories you eat, you reach a plateau.
Water weight is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable and recurring. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.