When exercising, our body will first use up energy stored as dietary fuel which we get from the food we eat. Once these stores are exhausted, the body will then turn to body fuels, such as proteins found in muscles and, thereafter, accumulated fat stores.
Weight gain, including belly fat, after starting a workout routine can happen due to factors like increased muscle mass, water retention, or an increase in appetite. Sometimes, when starting new exercises, your muscles hold onto more water, which can lead to temporary weight gain.
In summary, weight gain despite consuming very little food may be caused by a slow metabolism, hormonal imbalances, medications, fluid retention, muscle gain, stress, or underestimating calorie intake.
Body fat percentage often increases when one loses weight because of hydration levels. In the first week or so of eating better, most people tend to lose a lot of water weight, because their diet includes less salt and refined sugar.
Tweaking your diet and ramping up physical activity will help you lose weight and build lean muscle mass. You might lose weight but see an increase in body fat percentage because your diet changes and exercise routine might be causing you to store more fat, lose water and burn sugar (glycogen stores), not body fat.
Working out can cause short-term weight gain as your muscle mass increases. Post-workout inflammation may cause temporary weight fluctuations. Workout plateaus, supplement use, and dietary changes can also stall your weight-loss efforts. Try not to obsess over the number on the scale.
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.
Muscle is denser than fat, meaning a kilogram of muscle takes up less space in your body than a kilogram of fat. So, even if you gain muscle and your weight on the scale increases slightly, you can appear slimmer and more toned.
Most people who have difficulty losing weight are simply eating too many calories. An important factor in weight loss is how many calories you're eating versus how many calories you're burning. It may seem easy, but if you're not tracking your calories each day, you may be consuming more than you think.
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.
Keep in mind that this weight gain might be temporary as your body transitions to a healthier, stronger body composition. Other reasons you might be gaining weight from exercise and healthy eating are drinking more water, increasing your salt intake or heightened appetite.
While at the gym, you'll be actively working your muscles and all the while dehydrating. The combination of your pumped up muscles, dehydration and overworked muscles might make you feel well toned then, a few hours later, you appear flabbier despite the exercise you know should be making you lean.
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.
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.
Too many starchy carbohydrates and bad fats are a recipe for that midsection to expand. Instead, get plenty of veggies, choose lean proteins, and stay away from fats from red meats. Choose healthier fats in things like fish, nuts, and avocados. Even a moderate cutback on carbs (grains, pasta, sugars) can help, too.
The abdomen is often one of the hardest places to lose body fat, particularly because of its deep connection to these hormonal processes.
You Feel Like You're Looking Worse
The idea is that just before a significant weight loss occurs, you actually look a little pudgy and soft. Why? Because you've started to break down your fat cells and now they're filling up with water. Soon, these cells will flush themselves out and shrink.
How Long Does it Take to Lose 5% Body Fat? If you're in a sufficient calorie deficit, you can generally expect to lose 1-3% body fat monthly. This means that it could take up to five months to lose 5% body fat and ten months to lose 10% of your body fat.