Why do I look/feel fatter after heavy cardio?
- Thread starter Ronbell
- Start date
happyandhealthy
New member
I notice that after cardio I look a bit "puffy," particularly in my hands and around my face. I always just figured it was a circulation thing or more oxygen in the blood, and it goes away after a little while. Perhaps this is what you're noticing?
KaraCooks
New member
When you exercise, your muscles retain fluid to aid the healing process. Also increased blood flow to your extremities (hands, feet, etc.) can make you feel puffy and bloated. It will go awya.
As far as looking more muscular after weight lifting, it's fairly common. This is what happens when people refer to "pumping" ... (remember the old Saturday Night Live skit - "we will pump you up"?). Working the muscle hard will cause it to swell with the exertion and expand. Right after a workout, your muscles will retain that swelling and beginto fill with fluid to aid the healing process. You'll look a lot more muscular for a few hours ... but the "pump" will reduce fairly quickly.
As far as looking more muscular after weight lifting, it's fairly common. This is what happens when people refer to "pumping" ... (remember the old Saturday Night Live skit - "we will pump you up"?). Working the muscle hard will cause it to swell with the exertion and expand. Right after a workout, your muscles will retain that swelling and beginto fill with fluid to aid the healing process. You'll look a lot more muscular for a few hours ... but the "pump" will reduce fairly quickly.
Yea, I'm familiar with the pump, I just find it odd that even though my muscles are being stimulated (maybe not in the same way) that the additional size goes to my fat, and not my muscles where the respiration takes place. Well, either way, I'm losing fat, I shouldn't complain.
(I'm told I look much smaller than I did by someone who saw me a month ago today, even though the scale hasn't budged since then) I'm stoked that it's noticeable, cause that scale sure is deceiving. (I've since started to take measurements)
And thanks for reminding me of that SNL skit, I giggled.
(I'm told I look much smaller than I did by someone who saw me a month ago today, even though the scale hasn't budged since then) I'm stoked that it's noticeable, cause that scale sure is deceiving. (I've since started to take measurements)
And thanks for reminding me of that SNL skit, I giggled.
eslammaher88
New member
It is normal and physiological any one after a cardio workout feel fatter this because increase plasma after interstial protien come out from vessels this lead to minor edema in fat regions like face and hands
180ismygoal
New member
Ronbell, I noticed the exact same thing last night, as well as a few nights earlier this week. After finishing 60 minutes on bike/stair stepper, or 90 minutes of circuit training I looked down at my belly and thought it was noticably less flat. Then, as you noted, in the morning everything has toned back up considerably.
I mentioned it to my wife when I came up from my workout last night and she scoffed. Not sure if it's real or we're just looking too close??
I mentioned it to my wife when I came up from my workout last night and she scoffed. Not sure if it's real or we're just looking too close??
I notice the same thing! I just thought it was some sort of body dismorphia but if others are getting the same thing as me...
I do alot of cardio, infact all I seem to do is cardio (weights are only about 10% of my workout which is too low I know). When I'm finished I do notice I seem sort of "Swollen" which I just understand to be heat and blood and can get over it.
But I have gotten bigger over the last few years I have stepped up my cardio which is a vicious cycle- the more I do, the bigger I get, the more I do.
I do notice I eat more, its so hard not to as the hunger is very strong. I think also as I am always increasing I never get to a stage where I sort of come to terms with the hunger thing, it always feels bigger and harder to ignore. Nonother the less I always go to bed hungry and don't eat more then 2000kcals a day, sometimes a few hundred less then that.
I was told once by a personal trainer that doing cardio was an old-style sort of thing and works to promote cortisol which is a stress hormone. When you have alot of cortisol it can make fat sit and gather around your middle. But what it cannot do is make this fat come from nowhere. You will only have excess fat if your over eating so this would go with my first point which is that it can be very hard to keep your calories in check if your doing alot of cardio. Make sure you keep a calorie diary as you go through the day and not tott it all up by trying to recall it all at the end of the day- you'll likely forget or underestmate things which is although very normal to do, something which can easily scarper your efforts.
Other then the cortisol thing I don't know, but if it is a known thing amound others then add my name to the list!
I do alot of cardio, infact all I seem to do is cardio (weights are only about 10% of my workout which is too low I know). When I'm finished I do notice I seem sort of "Swollen" which I just understand to be heat and blood and can get over it.
But I have gotten bigger over the last few years I have stepped up my cardio which is a vicious cycle- the more I do, the bigger I get, the more I do.
I do notice I eat more, its so hard not to as the hunger is very strong. I think also as I am always increasing I never get to a stage where I sort of come to terms with the hunger thing, it always feels bigger and harder to ignore. Nonother the less I always go to bed hungry and don't eat more then 2000kcals a day, sometimes a few hundred less then that.
I was told once by a personal trainer that doing cardio was an old-style sort of thing and works to promote cortisol which is a stress hormone. When you have alot of cortisol it can make fat sit and gather around your middle. But what it cannot do is make this fat come from nowhere. You will only have excess fat if your over eating so this would go with my first point which is that it can be very hard to keep your calories in check if your doing alot of cardio. Make sure you keep a calorie diary as you go through the day and not tott it all up by trying to recall it all at the end of the day- you'll likely forget or underestmate things which is although very normal to do, something which can easily scarper your efforts.
Other then the cortisol thing I don't know, but if it is a known thing amound others then add my name to the list!
Yea, Cardio is a pain, heh, but I've basically curb sided it, and allowed for my deficit to come from my diet so there is no guessing. I don't want to lose lean mass neither, like I did in October.
For some reason, I decided burning 800-1000 calories in 1-2 hours of cardio every second day, and 400 every day with strength training was a good idea. It was making some..slight change, no more change than what I'm getting now, except now I'm not killing myself with the cardio, and I'm not losing strength anywhere, I'm gaining it
I highly recommend following this training plan for someone who doesn't know a lot about lifting weights. It's all compound exercises, and you can ignore the fact that it's in a body building forum. It's great for losing weight too, just don't progress as quickly as it suggests.
If you're not familiar with the exercises, youtube is your friend
For some reason, I decided burning 800-1000 calories in 1-2 hours of cardio every second day, and 400 every day with strength training was a good idea. It was making some..slight change, no more change than what I'm getting now, except now I'm not killing myself with the cardio, and I'm not losing strength anywhere, I'm gaining it
I highly recommend following this training plan for someone who doesn't know a lot about lifting weights. It's all compound exercises, and you can ignore the fact that it's in a body building forum. It's great for losing weight too, just don't progress as quickly as it suggests.
If you're not familiar with the exercises, youtube is your friend
I recognized myself so much in what you asked that I registered to answer!!
I feel/look the exact same way after the cardio and, in my opinion, it is because after this big effort, I relax all my mucles, but particularly my abs that worked hard on my posture during cardio, and that causes that fat belly that I see and that feeling, looking in the miror, that it's a waste of time to do all this cardio!! Fortunately, it is only a temporary effect! Like you, I wake up with my (some kind of) toned belly!
Hope it helps
Jelav102
I feel/look the exact same way after the cardio and, in my opinion, it is because after this big effort, I relax all my mucles, but particularly my abs that worked hard on my posture during cardio, and that causes that fat belly that I see and that feeling, looking in the miror, that it's a waste of time to do all this cardio!! Fortunately, it is only a temporary effect! Like you, I wake up with my (some kind of) toned belly!
Hope it helps
Jelav102
I find I only look 'fatter' after cardio because I tend to drink a whole lot more during my cardio sessions that I do during my weight sessions. The weight sessions have me 'sipping' water between exercises whereas on the treadmill or the bike I find when I'm out of breath I take big gulps of water.