clean eating, heavier weights, weight gain???

[happy mom of 3]

I started eating clean recently and have been lifting heavier than normal. I just weighed myself this morning thinking I'd be the same weight I normally am 105-108 (never go higher than 108-even during that time of the month) and found that I'm 1.5 pounds heavier than my heaviest. I would think with the cleaner eating and exercising I would've been able to at least maintain my weight (not trying to lose weight though), not gain weight. There's no way I'm eating more calories than before- My diet before was awful - mcdonalds, burger king, starbucks- you get the picture and never gained a pound. Have any of you experienced this? Is my body in shock with the sudden change?

 

[CollinsMom]

Two questions -- 1) how long has it been since you have made these changes, and 2) have you taken your measurements? how are your clothes fitting?

I have finally figured out that for MY BODY, super clean eating and heavy weights are where it's at! However, when I start a new rotation, the first few weeks (maybe 3 or 4), my weights stays the same or even goes up slightly, but I can SEE a difference in my body, and my clothes fit better. After about 4 weeks or so, the scale starts to drop.

HTH!

 

[farrahalex]

I also started eating really clean about 2 weeks ago, and I lift heavy. I lost a whole .2 at WW this week. (Why I'm still going and not really following the plan I don't know). I was upset but Ihave lost about 6 inches total. I think maybe your metabolism has to get straightened out. That what I'm telling myself. I can really tell a difference in my stomach. That poch is alot smaller.

Take your measurements. Thats a better tool than the scale anyday.

Farrah

 

[tneah]

The scale is a horrid thing for me, it can ruin my day! I have been on a 12 week program of intense training and clean eating and dropped 5 percent bodyfat. The scale says I have only lost around 6 pounds, but my weight constantly flucuates driving me insane. I hate it.
I can tell a huge difference in my waistline and my muscle definition though, so am going by that.

 

[kathryn]

> Is my body in shock with the
>sudden change?

If heavy lifting is fairly new to you, then your muscles may be holding onto more fluids temporarily. It's kind of like you say: the body is interpreting this new stress as somewhat of a threat, and the fluid retention is somewhat of a protective mechanism. Once you adapt to the program, it should turn around.

Definitely use a different gauge of progress other than weight (which shows absolutely nothing about body composition). Are you still fitting in your clothes? Are they maybe fitting looser in the waist (maybe tighter in the shoulder area)? Those are better things to judge by than weight.

 

[lederr]

i can't speak to the clean eating part because my eating has been TERRIBLE! but...i had been lifting heavy for about 5 weeks and was surprised to get on the scale (which i really never do) and find i had gained about 5 pounds! now, let me say that my eating hadn't really changed during that time, i guess i just can't give up my sweets (but...i also hover around 103-106 and that doesn't seem to change). anyway, i hurt my back and couldn't life heavy the past two or so weeks and guess what...my weight is back to normal. i know it's important to measure (and i need to do that) but my clothes had also been fitting tighter. so, i have no idea if i should go back to heavy weights or stick with lighter weights.

who knows?!?!

oh, also i am an admitted cardio addict. when i do wear a HRM, i have found my daily workouts average about 700-800 kcal and sometimes over 1000 (i like endurance stuff). so, that's probably how my weight remains stable in spite of the sweets!

 

[pepnchar]

I noticed I have gained over the last month too -- about 3 pounds. For the month of March I started lifting heavier and incorporating running 1-2 days per week (in place of other cardio). I think my big reason for gaining is all the fall-off-the-wagon cheat days I have given myself! }( And my diet wasn't incredibly clean to begin with!

Charlene

 

[teach4s]

I actually have found lifting heavier, clean eating and less cardio (I do HIIT for 20 minutes, 3 times a week) has helped me lose 10 pounds in the last 6 weeks. I use to be a huge runner and would run close to 30 miles a week so I am amazed at the changes that have occurred. I also have SO much more time. I was a major cardio addict and now I LOVE the weights

 

[nkhansen1]

You may have gained some muscle mass with the lifting heavier. That's good! In the last seven years I have gained 15 lbs of muscle. On the scale the creep upwards horrified me, but I was still wearing my same size 2 jeans, and they were even a little loose. I tossed my scale a long time ago, and have used a tape measure for years. It's much more accurate.