Six weeks "on the wagon" and weight GAIN instead of loss!
So I've been back on CC for awhile now and my approach is this: I'm not going to be super strict about anything because I know it's not sustainable. I want to enjoy my life and feel good about myself and be healthy simultaneously. I live in France: I'm going to eat cheese and chocolate and pastries and cream-based sauces and I'm going to drink wine while walking along the Rhone. When I moved to France, I lost about 5 pounds just from all the walking around that I do, so now I want to firm up and feel better, but I'm not going to overhaul my life.
With that in mind, when I restarted CC, I also started a run/walk plan. I'm working out 4-6 times per week now: running 3x, yoga 2x, and Pilates once. I just ran my first 5k on Saturday and am feeling good. I'm eating less and I'm eating consciously - making smarter choices and eating smaller quantities while still eating what I want. I'm stopping when I'm full, rather than when the plate is licked clean.
Why, then, when my eating is better (though admittedly not radically different) and I'm exercising at least twice as much as before, am I gaining weight?? I've gained about 2-3 pounds over the past few weeks. I expected any weight loss to be slower than if I went full throttle on a diet but I didn't expect THIS! I just took my measurements for the first time, so maybe I'll notice a difference there as time goes on, but what else could be the problem?
Thank you for your help!! :)
When did you up the exercise?
As a note, when I increase mileage or workout time, I gain weight for the first few weeks as my muscles figure it all out. I always gain weight after a tough workout like a race. If it was your first 5k and that distance is still a challenge for you, you may be retaining water from the race.
How's the temp where you are? We are now getting regular triple digit days here and I am finding my normal water consumption to not be quite enough and I'm retaining water.
Where are you in your cycle? That can cause gain, too.
I agree with everything Kel said. I want to add that without counting calories - at least for a little while - it's hard to know if you're eating too much, not enough, at maintenance, or the right amount for weight loss. I like your strategy to not go crazy with your diet but you will need to gauge in some way the right amount of food to lose weight. You could either count calories for a while or try something like eating until you are 80% full instead of 100% and see how that works.
I experience the same thing - an immediate loss (probably water weight) and then a gain of 2 or 3 pounds. The only thing that I can attribute it too (although it is still depressing even with an explanation, to me) is that muscle weighs 60% more than fat. When gaining muscle in areas that may have gone a little lazy over the years, you'll gain weight but you shouldn't necessarily change sizes. Running takes more muscle in the back of the leg and around the knee and calf then just walking casually does. I walk lots and lots too but I won't let myself log any regular walking that I do as I know my body and lifestyle are used to it that I am not really burning as much as people would traditionally burn walking around the city.
Original Post by cazbevan:
I experience the same thing - an immediate loss (probably water weight) and then a gain of 2 or 3 pounds. The only thing that I can attribute it too (although it is still depressing even with an explanation, to me) is that muscle weighs 60% more than fat. When gaining muscle in areas that may have gone a little lazy over the years, you'll gain weight but you shouldn't necessarily change sizes. Running takes more muscle in the back of the leg and around the knee and calf then just walking casually does. I walk lots and lots too but I won't let myself log any regular walking that I do as I know my body and lifestyle are used to it that I am not really burning as much as people would traditionally burn walking around the city.
Mm, no. A pound of muscle is the same as a pound of fat but it's more DENSE so it takes up less space meaning you can lift weights, gain weight but lose inches...just clarifying. Also highly doubtful that much muscle was gained by a woman likely eating at a deficit in that amount of time. Building muscle is very hard and nearly impossible on a deficit.
Thank you for the feedback, everyone!
To answer some of your questions, @kelrantymus I had been doing yoga/pilates but added the running about 8 weeks ago. I'm doing a run/walk program so the 5k distance by itself wasn't a challenge so much as the continuous running for that distance. Summer's finally arrived, so the heat might play into water retention too, I guess, although I have an IUD so I don't really have a regular cycle that would influence it. I tend to carry water weight in my ankles, though (really attractive, I know) and my ankles have been slimmer than normal (maybe due to the new run/walking) so I'm not sure that water can explain it all...
@casbevan I've noticed that my legs feel different since starting running, so I'm hoping that when I take my measurements next week I'll see a difference there - that my body composition is changing, even if the scale is not in my favor. I also haven't been taking any regular walking around town into consideration, unless I choose to walk or ride my bike when I would ordinarily take the metro. Hopefully that will help CC give me a more accurate calorie expenditure estimate.
