Slight weight gain after starting exercise

[Aria2015]

So I've lost 35 pounds, I only mention it to illustrate that I do know what's required to lose weight. Anyway, I want to lose about a stone more and I also want to be fitter so I started exercising a week ago. It's just a cardio video at home but according to my Apple Watch I'm burning approx 500 calories per work out. I've done this most days this week. I'm aware you can eat more when exercising but I've been doing the exercise in the evening (and not eating after) and during the day just eating my usual healthy diet. Anyway, I feel quite good after a weeks exercise but today I weighed in half a pound heavier than last week. It's pretty disheartening, has anyone had this before? As much as I've felt like giving up, I've pushed through and done it today but I don't think I can keep it up if I'm not going to see any weight loss results in the future.

Do your clothes feel tighter?

I have been to the gym 3 times this week, not eaten any rubbish and haven't lost anything!!
I thought I had lost 1/4 of a pound, went on scales at work - same ones use every week, clocked the weight, had an episode of 'bad tummy and on the loo for a long while ', went back on the same scales and had put the 1/4 back on!!
Go figure!!

OP - a few thoughts here.
First - if you already lost a lot of weight - and want to lose more - why not just continue to do what you’ve been doing?

As to the excersise -

• if you trying to lose weight - you shouldn’t think you can eat more when exercising
• a few days of excersise with a video - is unlikely to have an impact in one week on weight overall. And over time - may help tone up - but not really lose weight....
• it’s nearly impossible to lose weight by just adding excersise - unless it’s something that really burns a lot of calories - long runs, rides, etc.
• excersise does tone and build muscles - in general. And muscles are denser than fat - so - look at shape and measurements, not only weight.

Good luck!!!!! You seem to be on your way!

Ragged - no my clothes don't feel tighter. If anything I felt like my jeans were a bit loser. I was losing about 1.5 pounds per week so was hoping to lose another poundish on by exercising but no luck. I have been drinking quite a bit of water as well as the exercise obviously makes me thirsty but I thought that was a good thing too?

are you weighing yourself after drinking lots of water? weight can be vastly different morning and evening for me

MMmomDD - thanks for the reply. The reason I was adding exercise was to speed up the last bit of weight loss really and also tone up. I am aware that people can eat more when exercising but I have been mindful of this and sticking to my usual diet. I just thought burning off an extra 500 calories per day would make a difference. I'm pretty sure the calories are accurate because the Apple Watch uses my height and weight stats coupled with recording my heart rate throughout exercise. My dh has been telling me I need to take break days which I understand is good for muscle repair etc... but doesn't explain why I haven't lost anything. I might go another week or so and if I'm not seeing any positive results scale it back to a couple of times a week and just for toning purposes.

I suggest think in terms of your clothes size not your weight, in future.

Crashbangwhatausername - that's mad! How annoying for you! Keep up the good work in the gym though!

Ragged - yes, I'll try. It's hard not to care about what the scales so after so long but i suppose if my shape is changing for the better then I need to acknowledge that too. Thanks for the reply.

If you are exercising after not exercising expect to gain a bit - mostly water retention as your muscles repair themselves.

Ditch the scales and use a tape measure instead. Weight loss isn't linear and he scales are just depressing.

Why are you dieting? Is it simply a number on the scale or do you care about what you look like?

Because I suspect you've lost sight of why you're doing this. Even knowing your body is shrinking you'll give up in pursuit of rhe scale

Our bodies fluctuate. You're prob just retaining water. Just keep going, it will come off. You would likely have stalled this week anyway.

Possibly just building muscle and retaining water to repair those muscles. Be sure to take rest days.

Thanks for the replies. Hoping it is just water retention, especially as I've just worked out that my period is due to start in 3-4 days which might be a contributing factor?

I'm dieting because I i know I'd feel more confident a stone lighter, plus I'd fit my old clothes better a bit lighter. I'm not hard and fast on a stone, 10 pounds would probably be enough too.

Anyway, I will keep going and see what happens. I'll also take some measurements rather than just keeping an eye on the scale!

Thanks again everyone!

OP - exercising a few times a week is good for you. In general. And in future - if you want to maintain the weight loss - and have a toned body with that.
That definitely takes more than a couple of times a week. And - more than cardio only - you do need to add weights.

But - you can’t expect a few excersise sessions with 500calorie burn to cause a proportionate weight loss. And - nothing will change after week2 - it’s unlikely.
500 calories - isn’t that much.
And - you aren’t tracking your whole day calorie burn anyway - maybe you are tired after excersise and move less otherwise?
Maybe your muscles are being toned - and they weigh more...
Body isn’t an exact machine like that!!!!

Thanks for the replies MMmomDD, I'll try and keep it up for the health benefits as it's good to keep active. I suppose I'll just keep eating what I was before and hopefully the weight loss with start up again.

I lost nearly 3 stone in weight and then added in exercise in the hope of losing another 7-10 lbs. That never happened - I'm still the same weight now but my body has changed shape and I'm now a size 10 instead of a 12.

Muscle weighs more than fat. So if you’re losing fat and building muscle then you will put on a bit of weight initially. You are actually toning your body, hence your clothes feeling slightly looser.
Keep it up!

Nbee that's really interesting and also encouraging. Thanks for the reply.

Muscle weighs more than fat HOW? No it doesn’t 1kg of squidgy fat is bigger in size than 1kg of compact muscle. It’s extremely hard for ladies to gain muscle so it sounds like water retention.

Muscle weighs more than fat per square inch. It’s not that hard for women to gain muscle, just harder for them to bulk up because of it. Here you go...

Muscle doesn't way more than fat. People love using that line to justify being heavy to themselves, along with 'I can't lose weight easily because I have a slow metabolism'

blog.myfitnesspal.com/muscle-really-weigh-fat/

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/dailyburn.com/life/health/metabolism-myths-weight-loss/amp/

It's most likely just water retention from your muscles repairing themselves OP. Keep going and don't be discouraged, the number will start to drop again and by exercsising you're doing something that your body will thank you for

*weigh

Ok, I just weighed myself this morning and I'm 1.5 pounds lighter than yesterday? Can only assume water retention is playing a part in the gain from yesterday? So feel a bit better and now off to do my workout! Thanks for the replies, I appreciate them!

Weigh yourself everyday for one week only so you can see your weight fluctuating day to day so you don't worry in future about non-linear weight loss. And start using a tape measure to see how many inches you have lost rather than concentrating on the weight.

@Lifeaback yes it does though? By volume, a pound of fat is much larger than a pound of muscle. Hence, someone could lose 10lbs of fat but gain 10lbs of muscle, leaving the scales the same but could be a whole dress size smaller.