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.

I think the word we're looking for here is denser. Muscle is denser than fat so the same mass (not weight; weight is a force) takes up a smaller volume.

OP, you're toning up. I am the heaviest I've ever been but my trousers are a size smaller and I look toned and fit. I've been lifting as heavy as I can for a couple of years now.

I found that I weigh more when I'm all sore from exercise, and when I'm sore my body must be repairing itself and retaining water. Once the soreness goes, the weight goes along with it.

This is me OP! I’ve been weight training for a year now and haven’t lost a sodding pound. But my body shape is completely different (much better) and I have no where near as much fat/rolling bits. My twin pregnancy/csec tummy is almost flat and my face is thinner. Stick with it and don’t worry about the scales!

When you just start exercising, your muscles retain water to help them repair. You’ll find it fluctuates a bit but you’ll probably find you get what’s called a ‘whoosh’ where all of a sudden the water goes and your weight stables out a bit after you’re used to the exercise.
Yes muscle is denser than fat but it takes a long time to gain significant muscle

Water retention is a big thing - someone on here put the whole scientific reason you can get small weight gain or no weight loss when first starting exercise with good links to back up, wish I could find it - it was very interesting.

Also definitely start taking measurements around all the different parts of the body. I find weeks when my weight stays the same or I get a slight upwards fluctuation I loose cm around various parts of my body, where it's obvious I'm starting to tone up a bit more. Overall my weight always goes down eventually.

Also now you are close to your target weight, you may find that you don't need to loose all of the weight, as if you tone up and become fitter you may loose a dress size without seeing much weight loss. Plus it's much healthier to be a few pounds heavier than you originally aimed for but be much fitter and more toned than you are now.

Aria2015: how long do you take on your home-cardio exercise routine, each time? Is it 30 minutes or what?

lljkk - each session is 50 minutes and burns approx 500 calories. It's step aerobics which I've done in the past and enjoyed but I haven't done it in years.

Thanks for the replies. I'm now thinking it's definitely water retention. Off the back of this thread I've done some reading and it's recommended that you give yourself a few weeks for you body to adjust to exercise before weighing in because of water retention. So I'll see where I am in a few weeks. Hopefully fitter and slimmer!

I suspect you are not actually burning 500 cals - that would be 5 mile run at a good pace.

Unless you are still pretty overweight. 1 or 2lb here or there as you reach your goal is not worth worrying about. Better to weigh once a week and to take body measurements if you're now exercising.

As pp have said muscle is denser than fat which can mean you put on weight when you start exercising but you're replacing fat with muscle so your clothes will feel looser even though you've gained a bit of weight.

Your weight will also fluctuate during the day and from day to day which is why it's usually recommended that you weigh yourself at roughly the same time of day on one day a week.

Your cycle can also affect your weight. I weighed myself the day before my period and I'd put on half a stone from the week before, by the second day of my period I'd lost it again.

If you're eating as you have been while losing weight then try not to be worry, I know it's hard when you've worked so hard to lose weight. Give it a few weeks and see how you go. I'd start using measurements (chest, waist, hip) as well as weighing once a week. As you tone up you'll probably see that even if your weight stays the same, or maybe goes up a tiny bit as you build muscle, your measurements will go down.

agentdaisy (nice user name - SHIELD fan?) is spot on about cycle. I get an extra half stone when I am on and then it vanishes. Always have done.

I must admit, I tend to ignore the scales. The feeling of being fit and, quite frankly, powerful, is more than enough impetus to keep exercising. Also, all my clothes always fit. I don't have 'fat pants' any more. I was one of those 'skinny fat' people who fluctuated a lot.