Everytime I start a workout plan I end up gaining weight. No BS answers please!?

Question

I eat right (between 1200-1500 calories a day) and for the first week I'll lose weight then the next week I'm back to where I started. Can anyone explain this.

I really want to try and lose between 15 and 20 pounds in the next 2 months and I need to know why I keep gaining when I should be losing.

Thanks!

Answer 1

When you exercise you gain muscle which weights more than fat as it is more dense.It makes you seem like you are gaining weight but your not. More muscle has an added bonus, it take more energy to fuel muscle than it does fat so you burn more calories in the long run because it boosts your metabolism. Throw out the scale, the best way to measure weight loss in to measure your body. When you tone up and lose fat you will lose inches and dress sizes. Try doing 30 mins of cardio everyday and working your upper and lower body with weights 3 days a week.Also if you drink pop, stop! one 24 oz bottle has as much as 450 calories each( depending on the pop) I quit drinking it and have lost 15 lbs in 6 wks. Along with your present calorie intake you should make your goal.
Good Luck!

Answer 2

Yes, Muscle is denser than fat. A pound of mucle is about the size of a baseball, while a pound of fat is about the 3x that size. So gaining a lil weight before you start to lose is normal. But if you keep gaining weight due to muscle and your clothes are fitting better it doesn't matter because your not adding fat. Most of the fitness charts do not incorporate muscles they are based on an average build of people. So as long as you look and feel good your weight is just a number.

Answer 3

you might be either eating not enough or gaining muscle.
find calorie/fitness calculator on the net, enter all your stats and it will tell you how many calories you need a day to maintain, take off 300-400cal off that number and thats how much you need to lose.
eat 5-6 small meals a day (eat every 2-3 hours)
5-8 servings of fruit and veggies a day
8 glasses of water
have complex carbs for breakfast - they give you energy
have lean meat (protein) for dinner - repairs muscle
cardio exercise 4-6 times a week for 30-50min, light weight training
dont consume foods that are made of white flour (white bread, cakes, past etc.), sugar loaded foods (cookies, icecream, candy etc) and nothing fried, oily.
ofcourse you can spoil yourself once in a while with a little treat:)

Answer 4

I wonder if you vary your workout routines sufficiently? If not, it could be that your body adjusts to the activity homeostatically so that you remain the same weight or gain.

I have the same problem, but I think I know why I gain weight. My appetite increases and I feel justified in snacking after a workout, I sleep more (and more soundly), my muscle mass increases.

Answer 5

In diets it is normal to lose weight and than go back up. If you stick with it your body will start losing it. Its just the initial shock of your body that causes you to lose the weight. Also just because you are sticking between 1200-1500 does not mean its good food. Stick to Lean meats such as Chicken and fish. and just eat small meals but eat about 6-7 small meals a day. Drink only water. etc

Answer 6

I'm not really sure on the specifics... but I do know that even though you're eating right, when you work out, you're toning your muscles, which causes a fluctuation on the scale. You're building muscle mass (which is showing the weight on the scale). Maybe try more of an aerobic workout? I'm definetly no trainer, but that's what I'd do.

Answer 7

Depending on your workout you may start to build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. Also Eating smaller meals more often helps with weight loss as eating keeps your metabolism going which burns fat. as long as you dont eat bad food. Also dont eat until you feel stuffed full, stop eating when you no longer fell hungry. By doing this you feel fuller for longer so you are not tempted to snack on bad foods. I lost about 20 kgs by doing this. Try a physical activity thst you enjoy it helps alot with fitting in extra excercise. I do Ballroom dancing and Tap.

Answer 8

I have read "The Best Life Diet" book by Bob Greene and during his first phase he just has you increase your activity with little attention to your diet. He also, advises that you weigh yourself in the beginning and then stay off the scale for four weeks. He said during that time the body will go through a lot of ups and downs and it would be discouraging to monitor.

I have always heard that the best way to determine fat loss is with a measuring tape and not the scale. See how your clothes are fitting...

Answer 9

You won't gain muscle in a week.

Keep a food log and write down everything you eat and drink.

What may happen is that you are increasing your calories without realizing it.

Also, the first week of working out is water loss.

Answer 10

You could be losing fat but gaining muscle, which ways more than fat. Take measurements of your waist, hips, abdomen, thighs, upper arms, etc. and check them the next week. If you're losing fat (which you should be if you are following a diet and exercising) then you should also be losing the inches. The tape measure is always right!