[SnowboundChick]

I've gone up 6 pounds.

I was doing really good, I started exercising regular again at least 3 times a week. Walking, hiking and circuit training (so a lot of strenth training). I"ve gone up 6 lbs.

I quit smoking again (dumb me started again at the end of May after almost a year of no smoking). This week I gave up the soda but I'm back up now those pounds I'd lost a few months ago. I don't get it. Muscle? I'm trying to eat less but it's not working, I'll continue to work on my eating because it's bad!

But feel good that I'm finally back in the game and doing it everyday!

[rockinrobin]

Hi there. I'm glad to hear you're back iin the game. It's a great place to be!

As far as gaining weight due to added muscle, it takes months and months of strength training to gain muscle. I'm not quite sure though if you WERE asking why you've gone up in weight, because if you're asking, well, I kinda think you may have answered your own question when you said "I'm trying to eat less, but it's not working, I'll continue to work on my eating because it's bad! So at least you know what's going on and what to do about it - you ARE back in the game, afterall (yay!). 6 lbs is really, really not that bad at all. You've got the right attitude and those 6 lbs will be gone in no time, plus more! Good luck to you, with the weight and the smoking.

[Lifeguard]

If it makes you feel better I was STUCK for a few months & it is frustrating, but once it started moving again it's been pretty consistent. Just have faith that doing the right things WILL bring about the results - the speed of those results is not the most important thing. I know it's hard but keep at it!

[LaurieDawn]

Robin's right that it is the food that is the more important of the two elements. I've read several place that weight control is 80% about the food and 20% about the exercise. And it likely is not muscle gain, either, as it takes a long time to gain that much muscle, again as Robin said. However, if you just started strength training, there's a good chance that at least part of that gain is water weight, especially if your muscles are feeling sore. I know I became very discouraged when I gained weight after I started weight training - until I came here and someone told me that many people gain water weight after beginning a strength training routine.

It's tough to get all of the pieces put together all of once, but you're making incredible progress with the exercise piece. Now, on to the food part and some great success with the scale!