will you weigh more right after doing wts?
- Thread starter runfree
- Start date
ldy_solana
Cathlete
you know i often wonder this myself. i sometimes throw in some weight work at the gym after running or something and my weight will be up as opposed when just doing my running. even on days i don't do cardio and just weights my weight seems to be up more then before the workout.
kassia
kassia
In a couple of exercise videos, the instructors have said things like "I like to do these shoulder exercises right before I go out in a tank top", as if the muscles actually get pumped up a little bit right after the workout. So if that's the case I think maybe the muscles could retain water right after a workout, so maybe that's what's going on?
morningstar
Cathlete
Why are you weighing yourself so often? Did you drink a lot of water during your workout? Muscles do pump up during exercise. Please note that it takes an excess of 3500 calories to gain one pound of weight. During your weights workout, did you eat 7000 calories while pumping iron? Of course not. So obviously the weight gain is temporary and you shouldn't worry about it. Maybe you should consider only weighing yourself once a week at the same time under the same conditions and using that as your guide.
ldy_solana
Cathlete
i thought it would be water but wasn't sure! i do a before and after sometimes but not everyday at the gym. just a few times.
kassia
morningstar
Cathlete
Wouldn't that be the greatest weights workout ever, though?
kathryn
Cathlete
Any water/fluids the muscle fill with has to come from somewhere, so IMO it would be linked to what you are drinking during the workout and right before and after.
I definitely would not weigh after working out, unless it's to get an idea of if you need to rehydrate. To check for hydration, it's sometimes recommended that one weigh before and after a workout to see if there is any weight loss, and then drink sufficient fluids to replenish that amount of weight.
Also, there is such a thing as the 'sweet spot' on a scale. Just standing on the scale differently, or setting the scale on a different surface can give a different reading.
IMO, it can be counterproductive to weigh onesself too frequently, especially since it focuses your attention on weight loss alone, which is rather meaningless by itself (that 'weight' could be fat, muscle, fluids or any combination). More important is what that weight is. If you are lifting weights, you could very well get tighter and go down in clothing size (a much better indication of body composition) while remaining at the same weight or even gaining a bit (since muscle tissue is more dense than fat, and muscle takes up less space than the equivalent weight of fat).
What is important is trends in weight (going up or down) and not occasional fluctuations.
Consider weighing yourself once or twice a week (in the morning, after using the bathroom, buck naked) and keep track of those trends.
I definitely would not weigh after working out, unless it's to get an idea of if you need to rehydrate. To check for hydration, it's sometimes recommended that one weigh before and after a workout to see if there is any weight loss, and then drink sufficient fluids to replenish that amount of weight.
Also, there is such a thing as the 'sweet spot' on a scale. Just standing on the scale differently, or setting the scale on a different surface can give a different reading.
IMO, it can be counterproductive to weigh onesself too frequently, especially since it focuses your attention on weight loss alone, which is rather meaningless by itself (that 'weight' could be fat, muscle, fluids or any combination). More important is what that weight is. If you are lifting weights, you could very well get tighter and go down in clothing size (a much better indication of body composition) while remaining at the same weight or even gaining a bit (since muscle tissue is more dense than fat, and muscle takes up less space than the equivalent weight of fat).
What is important is trends in weight (going up or down) and not occasional fluctuations.
Consider weighing yourself once or twice a week (in the morning, after using the bathroom, buck naked) and keep track of those trends.
Last edited:
Lynn M.
Cathlete
Kathryn nailed it right on the head!
Just wanted to add that if you are strength training really hard, you will definitely retain water for a bit.
I always weight 2 lbs more 2 days after a hard core leg workout.. I know this now and try not to take the number on the scale too seriously, knowing its just the fluid being retained from all of the work I did.
Take care, Lynn M.
Just wanted to add that if you are strength training really hard, you will definitely retain water for a bit.
I always weight 2 lbs more 2 days after a hard core leg workout.. I know this now and try not to take the number on the scale too seriously, knowing its just the fluid being retained from all of the work I did.
Take care, Lynn M.
