Every time I start weight training, I gain weight

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WinterBreeze

New member
I've been a long-time member of WLF.com - I've lost a lot of weight already and am attempting to lose the last 20 lb or so. Last year I started back up after Christmas. Six lots of cardio per week and three weight training sessions. Instantly my weight went up by 3lb on the scale. Initially I was OK about this, because I know about water retention. It went back down after about 2. I carried on weight training, doing my cardio and eating at a deficit for almost eight weeks and STILL no change in the scale. Prior to starting the weight training, the weight had been coming off at a steady and normal rate (about 1 lb per week.) At the end of February I had a bad fall and consequently couldn't exercise for months due to injury.


I've just been getting my energy back and have re-started an exercise program. Started with just cardio in the first week and lost 2 lb. I added weight training in the 2nd week and BAM - up by 3lb again. I'm concerned that I'm going to witness the same thing as before and that my weight loss will stall forever again. I'm not lifting heavy weights either (started with 12 lb - it's all I can manage at the moment.)


What on earth is going on? I could understand 1-2 weeks of water retention, but then it's supposed to go away. For most people weight training helps with weight loss - it doesn't hinder it. It almost seems like it has the opposite effect on my body - making it hang on to weight.


I don't want to give up weight training, as I know it's important to preserve my muscle mass, but it's so frustrating.


My brother weight trained (using heavier weights than me) and continued to lose weight. So I know this isn't normal. Unless it's because I'm female and thus my hormones do stranger things. I just don't know.


Any help would be appreciated.
 
Hi,


How annoying is that!


Can I ask? How much cardio are you doing, is it a class or on a bike in the gym?


That might affect how your body is reacting to the weight training, maybe you need more cardio but still keep the weight training as well.


Also you haven't mentioned your food intake.......sorry to ask but have you cut down on your food intake enough to lose weight? I know with me if I have worked extra hard at the gym sometimes I will allow myself a treat or 2, or a bigger meal which of course defeats the purpose, but is good at the time........


Anyway.......hopefully that gives you something?!*


Good luck

Prue
 
It's pretty normal for this to happen. You should focus less on your weight though, and more on your overall health and fat amounts. I began doing weight training in the spring and my weight went up a little, and stayed up. But after a few weeks, I began noticing more defined muscles, increase in energy, and then a drop in weight (rather rapidly too, might I add).

You should keep it because your primary means of increasing your metabolism is increasing muscle. Very few things play as big of a factor in your metabolism and long term ability to keep weight off.


Eat well, keep doing strength and cardio, and maybe weigh yourself only every 3-4 weeks or you'll be pulling your hair out and lose motivation to continue your new healthy habits.


Sometimes a persons weight will also go up and down throughout the day by a few pounds. Things like eating, sleeping, water retention, exercise, ect all play a big part. It's not a big deal, so relax, and just keep doing what you know is right.
 
The other thing to consider is whether you are eating enough to sustain all that exercise. If you are eating too little your metabolism will slow down and hoard everything you eat. 6 lots of cardio and 3 weights sessions is quite a lot in a week. Of course it depends how long each of your workouts it.

People that have dieted in the past and then put on weight and try again, generally find the weight a lot harder to lose the second and third time. As some of the other answers mentioned, muscle mass is one of the most important factors in increasing your metabolic rate, which will mean that your body is burning more calories throughout your day even at rest.

If you haven't already, go online and use a basal metabolic rate calculator to work out how many calories your body requires at rest, then you can subtract approximately 500 calories from that amount to create the deficit to help you lose fat. This deficit can be created by less food or exercise. If you are already burning 500 calories with exercise (once again use online calculators if u r not sure how many cals you burn during exe.) then you dpn't need to cut down your food intake as well. If you were to eat at a weight loss calorie level and then workout a lot as well, you could definitely put your body under too much stress, which will cause it to hang on to fat.

You said you were noticing better results when you just started with the cardio the first week, if you are eating too few calories then it would make sense that your weight loss would stop once you added in more exercise in the form of strength training.

Also, if you aren't already, you need to be eating protein with every meal, eating 5-6 small meals a day and cutting out processed foods.
 
So first thing I want to now is how tall are you , how much you weigh right now , and what is your wrist Circumference.

Than I will tell you your ideal body weight. You want to loose 20 lbs? maybe you even should not. This might me another case of girl who wants to look like skinny ectomorph. but actually have genetics of Endo-Mesomorphic girl. maybe your weight is ok right now. That' s why you not loosing anything , but gain when doing weight training even when being on diet. so post your parametrs.
 
Thanks for all the replies! To give you my stats/general information:



Age: 19

Cardio: x 6 a week (usually for one hour - I do running, bike and steps.) I also include a couple of interval training sessions a week. My weight lifting lasts about half an hour.

Eat: 1800 calories a day

Current weight: 168

Target weight: 140-148

Height: 5 ft 8 inches

Wrist circumference: 5.7 inches



My “food deficit†is not huge - my maintenance calories are around 1965. So eating 1800 calories and burning around 500-550 should be fine. It’s so frustrating because this week I’ve gained another 1 lb after a week of weight training. I highly doubt it’s genuine weight - as I’ve counted every calorie, but it’s still very disheartening to see. I’m going to try and follow limrix’s advice and stop weighing weekly. I suppose the thing I’m worried about is that the weight will NEVER drop again. It’s a huge concern of mine. I’ve been training for quite a long time now and there’s no change in weight and very little change in fat levels (as far as I can tell.)
 
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