new workout program and weight GAIN...

millalyte86

millalyte86

Cathlete
Hi everyone! I posted this question to Cathe but I know she gets TONS of questions and is very busy so I thought I'd try to post it on here and see if anyone else could give me some help...

I'm very frustrated and hope you can help. I recently have changed up my workout program and am doing more intense cardio and lifting heavier weights. So pretty much I'm working out more intensely. I weighed myself last week, which was one week after starting this new program, and I was up 2 lbs! I just decided not to get upset thinking it might be water retention from eating too much salty food the night before. So I weighed myself this morning, which is my second week into the program and I'm STILL up about 1.5 lbs! I'm super frustrated!

I'm getting married in October and I've already lost 16 lbs and I want to lose about 10 to 15 lbs more. What could be causing this weight gain? I've been eating clean and counting calories. Staying around 1800 calories a day and my TDEE is about 2500 calories (and I never eat more then this) so I just don't see how I could be gaining weight. Any insight or advise??

Thanks, everyone!!

-Lauren
 
Its probably water retention in the muscle from the heavy lifting. If you don't want to continue to get muscle gains, go back to the lighter program (what you were doing before??)
 
I was lifting moderately heavy before. I'm really pushing myself and I really like the look sculpted muscles. Not like a male body builder lol but like a female fitness model. The cardio I've been going has more plyometric work which I guess work the leg muscles a lot harder then the running I used to do. Hopefully its up temporary water weight. I'm definitely burning more then I'm eating so I just really don't think there is anyway for my weight to go up. From what I've read, in order for you to weight more from muscle gain you still need to be eating more then your burning. Thanks Alisha!
 
If you haven't been eating an extra 3500 cals then its definately just water weight from changing your routine. My body does this too and I alway get so discouraged when I step on the scale. I think you should stay off the scale and just go by how your clothes are fitting. The scale can be so discouraging.
 
Be Patient!

I'm not sure what routine you are doing, but I had the same problem during the first STS mesocycle. I gained about 3 pounds the first cycle and was getting very discouraged. I'm now in the 2nd week of M3 and have lost the 3 and overall have improved my muscle definition. I didn't lose a lot of weight, but am happy to be lifting heavier weights and having very toned arms going into warmer weather.

Good luck!
Lisa
 
Thanks guys!

Kariev- I think you have a good idea to just go by my clothes. Cuz it definitely is a downer when you feel like you've been working your a** off and eating good just to see the scale go UP! I'm gonna avoid it for a few weeks and give my body time to make sure the water weight comes off before I hope back on.

Lisa- I'm actually doing a combo of 2 things. I'm doing INSANITY which is a a huge intensity increase compaired to running/jogging. Lots more plyometrics. And I'm also alternating the slow and heavy series one week and the gym style series the next. And I'm really pushing myself which is why its so discouraging to see the increase in lbs.
 
Have you been drinking enough water? When I started STS, I was getting very discouraged because I was gaining weight like crazy even though I was sticking to my nutritional goals. I started drinking a TON of water and the weight started falling off. So maybe try increasing your water intake.
 
meliffy18 said:
Have you been drinking enough water? When I started STS, I was getting very discouraged because I was gaining weight like crazy even though I was sticking to my nutritional goals. I started drinking a TON of water and the weight started falling off. So maybe try increasing your water intake.
Click to expand...

Yea, I've been trying to drink lots of water but i guess I can try to still get some more in. I'll try that. Thanks!
 
I don't know why, but running/jogging always made more weight loss, and switching it out for Insanity (even with the intensity.) may be the problem. This may have nothing to do with your weight training. Try going back to the running for a week and see what happens, using this new weight training method.

Most body builders do run. Plyos are fun and support our running but really aren't a substitution for it.
 
I would track your progress using measurements and skip the scale. Since your goal when you boil it down is to be smaller and more defined it's a much more accurate way of tracking progress. Just make sure your measuring the exact same spots each time to ensure accuracy.

A woman's weight can fluctuate anywhere from 3 - 5 pounds throughout the month due to water retention and hormonal cycles so don't beat yourself up.

Keep up the awesome work! You'll get there :)
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to finish out the 2 month insanity program. I have actually lost inches. Measured yesterday and all my measurements went down. So it must be working. I've actually read that most body builders do interval type training as opposed to just running because stready state running doesn't give you much strength or muscle gains, just cardiovascular
 
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