I've been on a diet to lose weight for about 4 months. I had lost about 23 lbs by diet changes alone but decided that I needed to get more active. I was very sedentary and started riding a recumbent bike at about 14 to 15 mph switching between lower and higher intensity for 45 minutes a day. It's been about a week and I've gained 3 lbs. This is very discouraging.I figured that one week of exercise wouldn't cause a huge loss but I certainly didn't expect a gain. I eat 1400 to 1500 calories per day and I am 5'6 and weight 202 lbs. I have not increased my calorie intake and I am tracking carefully with food scale, measuring cups, etc.

Any idea what's going on here? Has anyone else had this happen?

It's probably water retention especially if this is new to you and you are sore. Give it a while and it will go and the weight will drop.

The key, as you note, with cardio is not to eat more.

Do you retain more water when you first start a routine?

Yes.

But you will might always retain some, especially after a hard workout. That's why I weigh daily to spot the trends.

You can lose weight through sweat as well, that then comes back.

In my years here at 3FC, there have been many many times that people would post about gaining weight after starting a new fitness routine. I, too, weigh every day and focus on the trend versus the day to day change. If I were exercising harder and not eating more I would rather call The scale fluctuation a temporary blip due to making a healthier change my routine. I would Focus on the word temporary and would not call it a weight gain. To me, weight gain is when I see a rise in the scale due to eating more, making poorer food choices and/or exercising less.

I am always reminded that as that is replaced with healthier tissue there can be a rise in the scale, too. I have been maintaining my weight loss for over two years now with only a minor weight fluctuation more or less of 5 pounds. During that time I have shrunk by several sizes and people who haven't seen me for a while well very often comment on their observation that I have really lost more weight. Same weight, smaller body, I'll take the smaller body anytime.

This really bugs me too! I've noticed this happening with me. I find it so discouraging too... but remember... that if you were to gain fat with what you are eating and the exercise you are doing, you would totally have broken the laws of physics :P It just isn't possible. I guess your body is just adjusting all its bits and pieces Keep going... frustrating as it is

Remember the scale isn't the only measuring tool that counts! Take your measurements or go by how your clothes fit!

You're definitely trading in short term being lighter on the scale for being trimmer and healthier everywhere. Keep it up!!

Thanks everyone!

Julia, I have a recumbent bike as well, I feel it in those big muscles in my legs, like Ian says, when you have soreness, your muscles will retain water to help repair and get stronger, I don't know all the science, but I've read that many times, I ride the recumbent bike in the winter when it's too nasty to walk outside, the benefit of those sore muscles early on is stronger legs, take some measurements, so the number on the scale isn't your only measure of success.

A pound of muscle doesn't weigh less than a pound of fat, but takes up less space, which is fantastic!

I also weigh every day and write it on a calendar that I keep on the dresser, along with my water intake (just how many oz.) and activity, that way I can easily compare weight with exercise, etc. and see from week to week, beginning to end of month, etc. You have to gather data somehow to spot trends and learn from them. Keep at it, you're doing great!

That makes sense. Did you experience this at all when you started with the bike? I'm loving the recumbent bike BTW. So much less stress on the back and knees.