Weight Gain While Exercising?

Hey - this is a good thing maybe! It is awesome that you are working out more! Good for you! You are starting to build muscle and that weighs more than fat. Your metabolism has sped up and so your body does need/want more fuel. You will burn up your food calories more quickly. You should be eating 5-6 small meals a day with protein in every one. Make sure any carbs you eat are complex so they are digested more slowly. Be sure that your cardio is not going over your maximum heart rate or you will not burn fat. Do you have a monitor of some kind that is keeping you in the target range? You can also supplement carefully to get nutrition directly into the cells. Excellent hydration is essential - don't use Gatorade or those other vitamin products from the store (too much salt and sugar) - there is something you can get online that is much healthier.

And don't weigh yourself every day. Go more by how your clothes fit! Don't stop - it will work!

I started biking to work and only lost a couple of pounds, but my pants started to fit significantly better. It was wierd to not lose weight, but it's a muscle thing. Pay attention to how your clothes are fitting. Even if you don't see it on the scale, you may be seeing it on how your clothes fit. Muscle is definitely heavier than fat. Good luck with your new eating habits :)

Well I am not an expert in this area, but I would guess your weight gain could be due to overeating b/c of the increase in cardio. You are probably hungrier and maybe not watching as closely what you are eating. Yes, it could be muscle, as it does weigh more than fat, but from my understanding it takes a while for it work like that. Maybe try eating more often, I know that sounds counter productive, but eating more small meals throughout the day is better.

Good for you, though! I think it sounds like you are on the right track and I need some inspiration!! Keep at it!!

Actually, you need to eat more. If you're truly hungry, then you need to eat...even if it's only some grapes or carrots as a snack. If you're working out really hard, then you need to feed your body.

I ran into this with the P90X. I was working out really hard for an hour or two six days a week...and I wasn't losing weight! I figured oh, it's muscle. My body shape changed some, but nothing huge like I expected with how hard I was working. I realized I was only eating like 1200 calories a day. I needed 2500 with the way I was working out.

You'll need to find out how many calories you need in order to sustain yourself and your workouts. This website will help you determine that. Make sure you use the advanced options to figure it out.

*hugs*
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

When starting a cardio routine it's very common to first gain weight, because muscle weighs more than fat and you are immediately building muscle. You are hungry because you are burning a lot more calories. Your body needs those calories to burn fat and build muscle. It might be a good idea to speak with a dietician or a doctor to get a recommendation on calorie intake.

I used to workout with a trainer three times a week and they worked me hard.. and the other days, I worked out on my own and despite my going down two belt sizes, my weight would not budge.. I once heard Bob Green (Oprah's trainer) say that it's NOT uncommon to gain weight or not lose it the month or even months.. Therefore, what's important to measure are inches lost.. Also, I have this really cool scale where you plug in your weight, age , height and not only does it measure your current weight, but also your BMI and associated water level.. it's so cool..

Try and get this scale or one like this.. this way, you can know your BMI and that is really what is most important.. that number on the scale doesn't really tell you whole lot... As someone who weighs in often, I ALWAYS gain a 1-3 lbs throughout a day and then drop it by the next day.. At first I would be upset but then it became so apparent to me that our are so sensitive that even drinking a glass or two of water can affect it.. same goes with salt.. I am very sensitive to that.. so if I have eaten some salty , I can expect to have some water weight..

again.. try and get your BMI and too, do you clothes fit more loosely? that is another big indicator..

best of luck to you

My doc told me years ago that I needed to loose weight before starting a heavy exercise program. He said layers of fat can be trapped between large slabs of muscle.

I would say stop exercising so much and use exercises that are less intense. You are putting your metabolism on high and your body is storing fat to meet that need for a future workout. There are many many ways to lose weight. You might go for a full physical and talk to a weight trainer at a local gym about a program right for your body type.

You are probably increasing muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. Good for you! Do you take good, natural vitamins? That could help boost your metabolism. Have you heard of the Access Bar? Eaten 20 minutes before exercise allows your body to go right into the fat burning stage! Happy to provide more info; feel free to message me. Good luck and keep up the good work!

You need to add Access Bar before you workout. Yes muscle weighs more then fat and diet is a key,but the Access Bar will start burning fat 15min after you eat it and you burn for 2 hours. www.melaleuca.com/access. I can help you if you need I am a Fitness Instructor who has helped many change their health.

Because you are making muscle. Muscle is more heavier than fat.

It could mean that you don't have very much muscle and so you're working out is building muscle, which weights more than fat.

If you are hungry, be sure to eat. I'd suggest eating something like an apple or a banana w/peanut butter (for protein - make sure it's natural peanut butter - no sugars). Eating fruit often will give you a lot of energy. I know it doesn't sound fun, but you'll get to liking the taste more! Then be sure to eat plenty of protein as this gives you endurance.

Healthy carbs (fruits/veggies) give energy. Protein gives endurance.

But, anyway, I'm guessing it's the muscle weighing more than fat that might be causing weight gain. If you're keeping your portion sizes good, eating fruits/veggies when you are starving (they are like "free" food), then the weight gain can't be bad! Hopefully you'll start seeing weight loss soon.

Good for you for working out, btw! What an inspiration to so many other women that need that encouragement.

I don't think that's a stupid question at all. I would suggest you write down everything you eat. I get super hungry when I am doing a lot of cardio, especially when I first start and I know I definitely take in more calories than I think sometimes. So if you write everything down, you'll know if it is a calorie problem. I have also found it helpful when I am hungry if I go for a walk or start cleaning a closet or something.

I think a lot of moms have mentioned that muscle weighs more than fat. That's probably what's happening to you. Also, the increased hunger is normal when you're exercising. Pay more attention to WHAT you're eating (healthy meals and snacks, plenty of water). I don't think there's a need for any "special" health food. We all know what we're SUPPOSED to eat: plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, some dairy, some protein, limited "junk" food, etc. Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're satisfied. If you have any concerns, ALWAYS discuss them with your doctor who is probably more qualified to steer you in the right direction.

And, by the way, good for you to start exercising!! It can be so hard to start and stick with an exercise routine! You go girl!! :)