Instant Gain? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

sh3l5 · 10-06-2009, 02:10 AM

Is it normal to instantly gain 1lb after you start an exercise regime? I had a tough day at work yesterday, manual carrying lifting and stair climbing, and went to the gym for a light half an hour session.

I have gained 1lb overnight. I dont see how this can be down to my intake. Is this normal? Help!

benchmarkman · 10-06-2009, 06:25 AM

Yes 1lbs change overnight is not uncommong. My weight can fluctuate 5lbs just from morning to evening during the day.

mayness · 10-06-2009, 09:13 AM

Yup, that's normal. When your muscles have been stressed more than usual and need to repair, they hold on to extra water. I can easily gain a pound or two when re-starting a weight lifting program (yeah, I've stopped and started enough times to know this, lol) so it seems reasonable to me.

Most of the fluctuations in your weight from day to day will be from water, not from an actual fat gain or loss, because most of the weight that goes in and out of your body throughout the day is water. Here's a diagram that shows that with some simple numbers, I really like it: http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www...1_2_2_0_6.html

MindiV · 10-06-2009, 09:28 AM

I gained 5 pounds that didn't go away for a month...my weight also fluctuates 1-4 pounds some days. Don't stress...just keep it up!

SweetScrumptious · 10-06-2009, 02:17 PM

Yup - it's normal. It's your muscles retaining water so it can make the necessary repairs that were caused when exercising.

angee phalangee · 10-06-2009, 10:15 PM

I agree with everyone above. That's why I won't let myself weigh more often than once a week, because when I see a weight gain after a hard day of working out the day before, I get really discouraged.

Don't worry - you'll see it on the scale eventually!

StephanieM · 10-06-2009, 10:23 PM

You could have just gained some muscle, which is heavier than fat

I bought a scale today and weighed myself, took off my pants and weighed myself again, happy to see it down three pounds, I took off EVERYTHING and the scale told me I gained weight :P Don't trust scales. haha.

Shannon in ATL · 10-06-2009, 10:45 PM

What they said.

Absolutely. I often 'gain' as much as 8 pounds of water after a change to my exercise routine.