Yesterday was a perfect spring day and I took a couple of walks at an easy pace. Here in Pa. walking anywhere means going up and down hills. Anyway, today I noticed that my legs and back were sore - I think that's a good thing. THEN I got on the scale. Ouch. I'm up a good pound from yesterday! I kept my calories low (under 1300) and drank about 84 oz of water throughout the day. The only salty thing I had was some pringles, so I think the gain has to do with my muscles somewhow, which is why I posted it here. Can muscles retain water for a day or 2 after being worked? I'm kind of nervous about it because tomorrow is the weigh in that I record.

WHen my muscles are sore I am usually up a pound also. I read that it is because your muscle retian water when they are recovering or repairing. It is true for me and usually only lasts a day. Jelly

Maybe Meg or some of the other gurus can come in here and answer this.

From what I understand, muscle weighs more than fat. When you start exercising, it is not unusual to not lose weight at first. Your body is getting your muscles to beat the fat into submission. You definitely need water not only for your muscles, but insignificant things like your organs, too.

I can be 163 one day, eat 1400 calories and work out for an hour, and be 166 the next. It really ticks me off! But I know that weight can fluctuate tremendously due to all sorts of factors so I don't get too disheartened.

Ever gotten on the scale at bedtime, then weighed again the next morning, only 8 hours later, and been down two pounds? Where the heck did the pounds go?

Also, I know that TOM adds a few pounds, as does too much salt, muscle soreness and ice cream at midnight.

I always take my morning weight as being my true weight, as I always lose a bit of weight overnight. I always think that weighing ourselves at the end of the day is not a true weight, as it depends on how much we have eaten or drunk.

The info about muscles is helpful to me too as I've only lost about a pound so far but I've already been told I look slimmer round the hips and I do feel slimmer there, so I think the fat is maybe going and the muscles building up, hence the change in shape but not in weight yet.

At what point do the muscles start to beat the fat? Does it take very long before that process kicks in and the weight starts to come off?

Yes, sore muscles retain water. After a heavy leg workout, I can be up two pounds the next day.

I'm not sure what you mean, mare, about"what point do the muscles start to beat the fat"? A KILOGRAM of muscle burns an extra 50 calories per day at rest. So if you put on 10 pounds of muscle you could eat about 200 calories more without gaining weight. That doesn't sound like a lot, and it takes women a LOT of effort to gain 10 pounds of muscle, but it does add up. And all that muscle has to be maintained- worked and fed! That's the fun part

Mel

Beats me. That's why we need Meg and the others.

Someone told me that as the muscles get in shape the fat is burning off. I take that as the muscles beating the fat into submission.