Hi guys!

I took a really intensive MVE pilates class last night. Randomly enough, I weighed myself yesterday morning and this morning like I always do. How do you gain 2 pounds from an exercise class and is there a way to keep this from happening? I know I worked my proverbial A$$ off literally, and it's really depressing to have the numbers fluctuate in THAT direction

It's completely normal. Your muscles are retaining water because you worked them so hard. Those two ibs will be gone soon enough.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything you can do to prevent weight gain after exercise, except remember that it's only water, not fat and it happens to everyone.

Just think of it in terms of cals in/cals out. If you did that crazy pilates and then ate OVER your daily amount by 7000 cals then those 2 lbs would be REAL weight gain. I highly doubt that you ate 7000 cals over your daily intake allotment in those 2 days (since 3500 cals over is what it takes to gain 1 lb of fat) so I would just agree that it is water weight from your muscles repairing themselves. If you wait another couple of days to "count" your weight then I bet those 2 plus another 1 or so will be gone! No worries, keep up the awesome pilates!

If you continue with an exercise program that challenges you, than you will always be holding onto that extra water for recovery, KWIM? its just that you will see the scale drop, at this point, from fat..... so if you were to STOP ALL EXERCISE for a week or so... youd lose that excess water weight your body is holding onto for repair.

Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not the only one, but it is so disheartening every time it happens on the scale. You know those numbers you live and die by

I've lost more than 60 pounds, and have had a regular exercise program for over a year now, so this is not a new phenomenon, sorry if I wasn't clear.

I just wanted to see if it happens to others. The weird thing is it only happens when i do certain types of exercise, mainly weight bearing exercise. Not so bad when it's just cardio.

I'm actually having the same problem this week! I'm so glad you made this topic.

I've been doing 30 day shred for 8 days now and have gained THREE POUNDS . Been seriously depressed today because of it...wondering if I ate too much...ate too many carbs perhaps?...knowing that I didn't eat TEN THOUSAND calories too much. Basically so upset that I couldn't do it this morning.

But, I'm going to go home tonight and do it. Because logically I KNOW that exercise is good for me, not bad for me. And as long as I'm eating the same amounts, this will go away. And if the weight doesn't go away, I'm still going to look better and be stronger at the end. And that's what's important.

Even if you're not new to exercise, if this particular workout was a big challenge, then that would explain the water retention. I know how you feel-- sometimes I weigh myself obsessively, but if this is an issue for you, then you might try to weigh yourself only once a week or something.