Just a quick poll

Has anyone experienced a weight loss or increase in weight loss when they took a break from working out?

~H~

Yes.  I was working out fairly heavily and regularly and losing steadily.  Then, I hit a wall.  I stopped losing altogether.  The owner of the gym I was using at that time told me I was overtraining and recommended me to to take a break and then to resume but to do either weights or cardio alternating, not both every day.  I was, at that time, at approx. 180 to 200 lb, 5'2", and about 24 years old.  I was doing workouts using free weights and other standard gym equipment for at least 1 to 2 hours 5 to 6 days a week, as well as doing 5 miles on the treadmill, also, every day that I did weights, so essentially both 5 to 6 days a week.  I stopped cold turkey except for normal daily activities and and lost about 10 pounds in the next 2 weeks, also while eating more than I had been previously, which I should mention was, in retrospect, not nearly enough, particularly for the amount of workout I was doing. 

Original Post by jdbcmt:

 The owner of the gym I was using at that time told me I was overtraining and recommended me to to take a break

Good for him/her! And good for you for listening! I'm so glad it paid off for you. Have fun and stay healthy!

Yep. I stopped lifting for about a month and lost 6 pounds. I started again and have not yet achieved the amount of weight I was lifting before (oh, but the weight came back on me... yikes and here I am).

Yes, I normally burn 3000 calories per week with cardio, and I stopped for 6 weeks because I had to get surgery and I gained 4 pounds.

when I was in wrestling I would stay the same during the week, but on the weekend I would lose aprox 4 pounds. During the week everything just built up and on sunday it was able to make head way on letting it out.