Can we talk weight gain?

[pdbcm]

I started CrossFit about a month ago. I got on the scale today and I’m up 7 pounds! For reference I’m a female in her 30’s I’m 5ft tall and now 135 pounds. My goal weight is 120. I haven’t changed my diet much since I started CF but I am trying to prioritize protein. I attend classes M W F and I typically run and do yoga on the weekends.
Has anyone else had this experience? What did you do?

 

[chosen2]

@pdbcm When I first started CrossFit, I gained 5-7 pounds very quickly at the beginning. Before CrossFit, I was a runner. I ran about 25-30 miles a week, and I did weight train (but the weight training was a joke in retrospect—extremely light weights that likely did nothing).

I think most of that weight gain was water weight from muscles swelling as a result of actual resistance training.

Conversely, at the beginning of Covid when gyms shut down, I lost 4 pounds overnight, and it was my muscles shedding water after I stopped lifting heavy. (I had some dumbbells and kettlebells and a 14-lb wall ball. I tried my best to work out at home with what I had, but I couldn’t do the heavy lifting I did at the gym.)

Anyway, long story short, if CrossFit was the first time you started lifting heavy, the weight gain could just be water weight from your muscles swelling. If you were lifting heavy before, then this doesn’t apply and my theory is wrong.

 

[pdbcm]

@chosen2 This is the first time I’m lifting heavy so I like this theory.

 

[lostsoul2016]

@pdbcm I’m a male and acknowledge that there are some physiological and hormonal differences here BUT this is my anecdotal experience. I will take periodic breaks from CrossFit and every time I come back I retain water for a bit. I believe it’s from good inflammation from heavy lifting and new intensity. I used to wonder why I’m not losing weight doing all this activity. Also I notice an increase in appetite and sometimes when you think you’re at maintenance you’re adding another 300-400 calories a day. If someone said they wanted to lose weight just to lose weight CF is not an ideal program lol. I agree with the above take.

 

[lealyn]

@pdbcm Similar thing happened to me, I've gained about 5 pounds which is almost certainly from muscle. I'm interested to do one of those body scans to see what my body fat %. I have no "before" to compare it to but can confirm that my body comp has changed. Clothes fit me differently; my pants are looser around the waist and lower legs but tighter in the thighs (muscles!), shirts are tighter in the chest but also looser around the waist. I've probably lost fat and gained muscle and it's evened out to 5ish pounds total gain. Not a noticeable difference in "size" but body comp.

 

[monoingles]

@pdbcm Do you want to lose weight or do you want to lose fat?

Your body comp could have improved and you could have also gained weight. Targetting a number on the scale isn’t necessarily bad, but it could also have you focusing on the wrong thing

 

[jackmyers]

@monoingles Nobody is gaining 7 lbs of muscle in one month. You should weight yourself at the same time of day every day for a week and take the average. Some days you are bloated and others dehydrated. My weight can fluctuate by 5 lbs in a day.

 

[hogree]

@jackmyers Women need to do this for a month. Period hormones make weight gain/water retention/food cravings go through the roof.

 

[sashafierce]

@jackmyers This [sup][sup]^[/sup][/sup] it takes some people years to put on 7 pounds of muscle. It’s not muscle.

 

[royalekenny]

@monoingles I mean within a period cycle you can change 5ish kg easy. So I think the scale isn't helpful but measurements etc

 

[pat4jesus]

@pdbcm Seven pounds in one month is not likely all muscle. It could be that CrossFit is increasing your appetite. It could also be water weight, especially if you’re increasing your carbs to support your training. Just make sure you’re eating a good quality diet - good sources of protein, healthy carbs and good fats.

 

[ntl]

@pdbcm I wanted to put on muscle..so I'm stoked when I'm thicker.
Do you know what kind of weight it is?
Are you tracking food?
Cause 7lbs of muscle in a month would be crazy. Maybe your eating more without realizing it due to the higher amount of activity.

I workout 6 days a week, twice a day three days a week and my longer runs are on the weekend.
I track my food. I eat ALOT more food now because of the higher level. But I'm in a deficit now to cut out some fat but nothing crazy cause of my training.

I would just note what your eating a little closer. Up the cardio. See what happens. Take it slow. I know it can be unnerving to see yourself gain weight.
I'm 5'6. I started out at 150..dropped to 148 and now I'm at 160. But body composition is completely different.

 

[eagle1976]

@pdbcm This happened to me when I first started. I was 125 after about 1-2 years I was 140. My clothes are a smaller size now. Scale doesn’t mean anything. I gained a shit ton of muscle and lost some fat. I look better at 140 than I did at 125.

 

[polygonon]

@pdbcm As a long time owner, I'll say this is fairly common for women starting CrossFit, and I'll explain what I think is happening.

First, a chunk of it is muscle gain. If you've not lifted before an are now doing 3-4 classes a week of strength work, you're going to get a bunch of "noob gains" growth. Legs, butt, core, its all getting taxed much more than normal and I've seen the DEXAs from women before and after, this is nearly always the case. Likewise, when you gain muscle that muscle tends to retain water more, specially when you're doing heavy metcon work flushing fluids. For whatever reason, the water retention swings are a lot more pronounced in women.

Second, and maybe a bit of a dirty secret in CF, but CF generally isn't the best for staying lean. The functional reality is that high intensity cardio training creates a big appetite, and it gets really hard to control your appetite when you're doing so much, usually new, work effort. And because you just did this epic incredible workout, there's a feeling that you "earned it" so you don't police yourself as much. Its really a bit of a mind F, but if you go to any CF you'll see 5-10 folks that can do every WoD Rx, but maybe don't look like they're in great shape. This is effect is why.

And FWIW, I always try to push women to get comfortable with muscle gain and orient to "strong" not "skinny". The facts are that the quantity of leg muscle directly correlates to longevity, lifting is the #1 way to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and lean mass actually helps you reduce bodyfat in the long term.

 

[missy4169]

@polygonon As women, the number on the scale has been driven into our brains as our worth.
Ditch the scale and use your clothes as a gauge instead.
I just hit the CF 1 year mark and I’ve stayed the same weight but all my pants are too loose in the waist and too tight in the legs. Shirts are too big as well.

 

[philomenafox]

@missy4169 I came from long distance running for 10+ years, and man that time period was terrible for my body image/obsessing about weight. I am also at the 1 year mark of Crossfit and I'm 30lbs heavier than those days but I feel like I am in MUCH better shape and just overall happier in life. And n0flexz0ne is totally right about the "dirty little secret" aspect, I do like to treat myself more while doing crossfit, but I'm also much happier doing it!! Oh AND I haven't had to get rid of my old running workout gear, so that's something too!

 

[theinformer]

@pdbcm 1 gram per pound of goal bodyweight in protein, 2 grams per pound goal bodyweight in carbs on days you do Crossfit, 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight in carbs on off days. Fat doesn't matter if the other two are dialed in.

Obtain those across 4 meals a day, and try building those meals into your daily schedule.

 

[chickenlittle]

@pdbcm “Weight gain” isn’t a really great measure of your body’s composition. Your body gets “heavier” for a lot of reasons other than gaining fat or “size.” I’m throwing all these things in quotes because they’re all loaded terms and phrases. If you want to learn more about your body composition, take a look in the mirror, take some measurements, and get a body composition test. Gaining wait isn’t a universally bad thing. If you’ve gained weight you don’t like, take a look at your diet.

 

[nebula1]

@pdbcm If you’re a little sore then you’ll be heavier. If you’re prioritising protein then it’s likely you’ve upped your calories too