Gain Pounds, Lose Fat? Very Curious

[JolieBug 82]

My scale had gone crazy. I went up six pounds overnight three days ago. My body fat % has dropped a full point, though. WTH is this?

Three weeks ago, I started exercising 3 days a week, an hour each time, in a class with a trainer. It's similar to CrossFit but not as intense. The weight fell off. Now it's coming back up. I should mention that I'm 50 pounds down, out of the 110 I had to lose, so I'm not focusing on building muscle, which I may be doing, happily.

I have upped my calories from 500 to about 700 because I was so exhausted. I know I should still be losing on 700 a day. My Protein isn't 80, but pretty consistently 60ish. I drink at least 80 ounces of Water each day, normally 100-120.

I normally don't question the scale and just accept that it will come off. I know it will, and don't really need reassurance (though it's welcome, lol). I just want to know what is happening in my body. Anybody have insight?

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Muscle weighs more than fat! Measure your inches and the way your clothes fit.

[JolieBug 82]

Thank you, and I have lost inches. I know that muscle takes up less space than fat, but to gain six pounds of muscle in a few days seems extreme.

[Heartonsleeve 32]

It is extremely unlikely and probably impossible that you have gained any way near 6 lb of muscle in so short a time. Probably a small portion of the weight is muscle and the rest Water.< /p>

[KristieAtkinson 589]

My scale had gone crazy. I went up six pounds overnight three days ago. My body fat % has dropped a full point' date=' though. WTH is this?

Three weeks ago, I started exercising 3 days a week, an hour each time, in a class with a trainer. It's similar to CrossFit but not as intense. The weight fell off. Now it's coming back up. I should mention that I'm 50 pounds down, out of the 110 I had to lose, so I'm not focusing on building muscle, which I may be doing, happily.

I have upped my calories from 500 to about 700 because I was so exhausted. I know I should still be losing on 700 a day. My Protein isn't 80, but pretty consistently 60ish. I drink at least 80 ounces of Water each day, normally 100-120.

I normally don't question the scale and just accept that it will come off. I know it will, and don't really need reassurance (though it's welcome, lol). I just want to know what is happening in my body. Anybody have insight?[/quote']

A pound is a pound but muscle is denser than fat. It sounds like you are eating well. My body does the same thing in a stall. Once a month (TOM) I bloat up 5-6 pounds then spend the next 3 weeks taking it off again.

Double check your salt intake too. I am now very sensitive to sodium & can really puff up when I get too much of it.

[ATTACH]14790[/ATTACH]

[KristieAtkinson 589]

Also, when building muscle the body packs on Water around the muscles to repair the torn muscles. Just keep doing what you are doing and it will come back off.

[Heartonsleeve 32]

Check this out for more info: http://scoobysworkshop.com/expectations/

also a great site about fitness in general.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Muscle retains Water so you are fine!

[mariamitani 405]

When I first started exercising I stopped losing weight and gained a little. I think it could be Water retention for the muscles to heal. I'm now loosing less since I started exercising but Im getting a firmer sculpted body. If weightloss is your only goal now stick to cardio exercises. you will drop the weight fastet doing these types of exercises. If you dont a combination of both is the best way to do it. I was losing around 2.75 pounds per week now its 1.75. I still have 42 pounds to loose and dont want it to take forever im contemplating going to cardio only exercises but muscle burns more than fat! I guess it all comes down to how long you want the weightloss to take.

[NewSetOfCurves 1,555]

I think there is too much focus on weight. You should aim for a certain size, because those who do a balanced exercise regimen of cardio and weight training will build muscle. And, as mentioned by several other posters, muscle is denser than fat and you will weigh more. BUT, your frame WILL be thinner despite the added weight. When I was thin and fit, I weighed 140 and fit into a size 2/4. I'm a little over 5'6" (not too tall). Most girls that were my height and whom wore the same size weighed a lot less, but they were not packing any muscle.

[Firëfly 39]

I think there is too much focus on weight. You should aim for a certain size, because those who do a balanced exercise regimen of cardio and weight training will build muscle. And, as mentioned by several other posters, muscle is denser than fat and you will weigh more. BUT, your frame WILL be thinner despite the added weight. When I was thin and fit, I weighed 140 and fit into a size 2/4. I'm a little over 5'6" (not too tall). Most girls that were my height and whom wore the same size weighed a lot less, but they were not packing any muscle.

+1

You can read more about it here: http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/post/39609375456/eatclean-getfit-is-the-number-on-the-scales

[JolieBug 82]

Thank you all. I am reading and educating myself more on this particular topic. I appreciate that you did the same at some point and that you shared with me.

The scale is now up a total of 9 pounds, but body fat is down 1.5%. I am going to (attempt to) stop worrying about the scale and focus on fitness and nutrition. The loss will come. I am, however, going to check my scale against another one. Today it weighed me over a 10-pound range within five minutes. My mom suggested that as a possible issue: maybe the scale is broken. If not, oh well. (I do hope it is, lol!)

~Jolie