Weight gain while weight lifting

[glassbottle55]

I'm 45 and since mid December I've been weight lifting x 2 times a week (5kg dumbells), walking loads more and trying to eat more protein. The weight seemed to be dropping by a couple of kilos but has gone back up. It's so disheartening - part of me is hoping it's muscle but don't know if I'm kidding myself! Any advice?

Thank you for the encouragement everyone, I do feel I look kore toned and do feel mostly better in myself but I guess it's that thing that I want to be a certain weight as part of my internal identity is weighing a certain amount

Get tape measure out. The loss might show on measuring rather than weighing

Does anyone have any thoughts on intermittent fasting...I tried it a couple of years ago but found i over ate during the window...would consider again tho

I've tried intermittent fasting, low carb and the NHS app. Low carb combined with weight training was the most successful for me, but that was more than 20 years ago... It took me about 3 yrs, however, to get down from 15st 4 to 10st 12...and I put it all on again once I had to stop going to the gym.

In the end, my own illness, full-time working and caring duties did for me. That's my excuse, anyway. Now trying to get back on track.

Here’s my observations from years of stop starting exercise and diet.

exercise drives my appetite. I can’t diet and start a new exercise plan. It doesn’t work.

so, the choice is cut calories and no exercise, or walking/general NEAT. This means I can reduce what I eat and lose weight.

or, start exercising, and eat as well as I can. 3 meals, one snack. No messing with IF, low carb etc, a balanced diet to fuel the exercise. If I cut something out like carbs it will all go to shit as when I exercise I need carbs. Same with IF, I’m fine until I’m “allowed” to eat, then I can easily overeat because I’m so hungry.

accept I will gain weight because my appetite will increase. Eat meals, don’t try to skip or cut down.

then after about 3 months on a new exercise plan everything stabilises. Appetite drops, and I can start reducing portion sizes, upping veg to protein/carb ratio etc, and generally lowering calories. This is when the weight starts to come off.

stick with it. Build new habits, get them established, then tweak one thing at a time. Tweak calories, or leave them alone and increase exercise. Find that balance that suits you and your lifestyle.

OP I was in exactly your position in December. I started following a structured plan in October, pretty much banished UPFs and my weight crept up to over 11 stone (I’m 5ft 9). It was definitely water weight (confirmed on the body analysis scales at the gym, which I take with a pinch of salt but they’re a decent enough indicator). Kept consistent (even over Christmas) and lo and behold I’m down to 10 stone 9 and steady losing here and there. More importantly I feel great, I feel better in my clothes, and I’m starting to see definition. Keep going, most people would give up at this point. The results are worth it I promise!

This is heartening, I'm also 5'9 and ideally 10 stone 9 but now around 11st 3 or 4. I'm going to stick at it thank you for the motivation