So I started weight training again, circuit training is more like it. I am using the Jillian Michaels website and I started on Monday. It takes me close to 30 minutes to complete and has left me SOOOO sore! I also do cardio between 30minutes and an hour 5 days a week. I am an active stay at home mom and am eating 1700 calories a day. I am just wondering if the onset of circuit training will cause me to stall with weight loss or even gain a couple of pounds? My Mom has told me that starting weight training will make you retain water and that the best thing to do is chug water, but I can't just take Mom's word for it so what do you all think? It always discourages me when I feel better and tighter, but the numbers don't show it. Thanks guys!

Wow. I see why you're sore, hee hee. The first time I went to the gym and the trainer had me work my thigh and butt I couldn't hardly stand. I fell when I got home getting out of the car. I felt so stupid. Anyway, I haven't heard about the water retention, but that doesn't mean it's not true. I was always told that muscle weighs 3x's more than fat, so that's why you seem to gain weight when you do weight training. In the long run it will increase your metabolism so you will actually burn more cal's and lose more weight after it's all said and done. Again, not sure if all of that is totally true, but that's what I have always been told by my mother. Good luck with your workouts. They will get easier as time goes on!

Right there with you! I let a friend be "personal trainer" when I joined the gym this week. On the first day we worked arms and chest. I was pleasantly surprised that my muscles just felt fatigued and not sore at all. Went back last night and worked legs. Woke up this morning and my arms and chest have never been this sore in my life. I can not straighten my arms because my biceps hurt too much and can not adequately steer my car because turning the wheel kills my chest! My legs, however feel fine. If I'm on a 48 hour pain cycle, I'm scared to wake up tomorrow, cause we worked legs hard!

I don't know about exercise, but when I have deep tissue massage, I am told to drink a lot of water afterwards to help my body flush out the toxins released by the massage. Stands to reason that working your muscles extra hard might have the same result and water could help.