I started working out a month ago, but I am gaining weight instead of loosing

[heavensvoice]

@mrnarthex My body spent a good month before I started to see the weight drop. Thr first month I also gained 1kg. Now lost around 1kg each week for 4 weeks. Im in rehabilitation for a serious spine injury so my goals in order of priority was

a) get a good weekly structure of varied physical activity

I go swimming, do bodyweight training, practice martial arts and walk I spent all of fall to cement this routine, and it was more important at that time to have a good routine instead of focusing on weight.

b) have a clear idea of my macros and eating habits

I spent october-november tracking what I ate and my macros, then I started to make small changes to ensure I ate less carbs and more protein. Again, focus was not on weight loss but instead making better eating habits for myself.

c) loose weight

Once I felt comfortable with the two first goals I started to eat in a deficit and fast one day a week. Throughout December I ate at a 600 calorie deficit (i thought it was 1000 based on TDE calculations.) I was also on several medicines (opiods and antidepressants) known for causing constipation, water retention and weight gain because of my spine. At first I gained weight, but at the end of the month it started dropping, and is still dropping week to week (between 0.7 to 1.1kgs each week atm)

I wanted to have longterm goals which Id also be able to hold onto once I reach my ideal weight. So instead of making a lot of changes abruptly I decided to ease into each one. Its also been important to be able to navigate doing physical activities I like and eating food I like to remove the mental toll. I felt really frustrated at first, but thankfully sticking to it has paid off.

Consistency is key.

And to loose weight youd have to eat consistently at a deficiency. Its easy to "reward" yourself with more food if youve worked out, so Ive spent energy on finding ways to "eat smarter" to ensure that Im content. Tbf the first three weeks of eating at a deficiency was hard, but now I actually struggle to eat more than the upper limit Ive set myself and sugary things are almost always too sweet. Hoping it keeps being like this!

Im also expecting a plateu at some point, because Ive learnt from my rehabilitation process that the body can be incredibly stubborn. At that point its important to just keep at it and not see it as a defeat. Weight fluctuation is normal and progress is not linear.

I used an app (Macrofactor) to help me calculate my "maintanance" properly by registering data over time. A TDE calculator had placed my maintanance at 3000 for my height, weight and activity level, but now I see that it's actually 2600.

 

[colin44]

@mrnarthex Likely nothing at all, rather than relying on scales instead get a measuring tape and look at what’s changing in that regard. I did a 28 day challenge where we measured once a week and followed a meal plan with our work outs and I believe I put on physical weight in the form of muscle but looking at my measurements I shaved 12cm from my waist line. Across all of the areas we were measuring I was down 50cm all over so slimmer and healthier despite being heavier. Your body composition will change and the scales aren’t going to tell you the full picture which will be frustrating and get you down, stick at it though!

 

[godly_wife]

@mrnarthex Track calories in an app and be truthful. Most people overeat

 

[phil35]

@mrnarthex You might want to check the sauces you use, they have immense calorie, which results in the weight gain. Working out and eating green can be helpful, but at the end of the day, weight gain/loss is all about calories in vs calories out.

 

[palabra]

@mrnarthex My wife was complaining about the same thing until she realized her clothes fit her much looser. Who cares what the scale says, especially at the beginning?

Muscle will weigh more than fat, and in the beginning, you are gaining muscle quicker than you are losing fat.

There's nothing to worry about except maybe don't weigh yourself as often. If you'd like to track something, track your waist size.

 

[aacorn]

@mrnarthex This could be due to so many things:

1. Just because you make food at home doesn't mean you're within a proper calorie deficit. Calorie counting really isn't for everyone, but a few weeks to get an idea of what you're actually taking in can help. More greens and homemade food is a great start, but you should have an idea of how many calories you're consuming occasionally. A lot of homemade foods can still be considered unhealthy, especially ones adding a lot of extra fats (butter, excess oil, full fat dairy etc) and large portions of rice, pasta, or bread. There are also a lot of healthy foods that are very calorie dense(avocados, nuts, etc).
2. I always say this....MEASUREMENTS. This is the most accurate way to track progress; not the scale.
3. The first 4-6 weeks of a new exercise schedule can be a big toss-up. Whenever I jump into a new training schedule, I typically gain a few pounds the first month and a half before shredding anything off. A lot of it is our body adjusting or holding onto water weight and, of course, inflammation.
4. What type and intensity of workouts are you doing? Is your cardio adequate and keeping your heart rate in a good zone? Are you slowly increasing your weight lifting to keep your body challenged? You don't need to be a power lifter or anything, but just lifting a few easy weights without much challenge won't do much for you. Lifting a couple of times a week is great if you can. This way, you can target more muscle groups. Muscle mass may weigh more, but it takes up less space and burns extra calories while you're resting as well.
5. Other underlying health issues. This is self-explanatory.

Personally, I believe slowly adding changes is the best way to start a new weight loss/fitness journey. Otherwise, you get burnt out easily. It sounds like you've made some good changes; just be mindful of what you can improve on or change. Keep up the great work!

 

[christianfatherof4]

@mrnarthex You get bigger before you get smaller. As soon as you build muscles enough to increase your metabolism, the fat will start to melt. You'll still look like big but lean, it's not fat, it's muscles. Be patient, goal is to build muscles that will melt the fat.

 

[oldaussie]

@mrnarthex Skill issue

 

[dawn16]

@mrnarthex track your calories or you won't know how much you're eating.

 

[gadzooksshesaid]

@mrnarthex What kind of working out are you doing?it is quite possible you are burning fat, but increasing your muscle mass, which is much denser and heavier, maybe look in the mirror a little more, and rely on the scale a little less in the beginning, don’t get discouraged so quickly. Make sure you stay the course.

 

[mrnarthex]

@gadzooksshesaid I do pilates and cardio twice a week and weightlifting once a week.

 

[gadzooksshesaid]

@mrnarthex Muscle mass is much denser than fat, stay the course and keep eating healthy food. The more muscle mass you put on the higher your daily resting caloric burn will be. I know it is tough when you want to instantly know if you are doing the right thing or not but sometimes it just takes a little time.

 

[explei]

@mrnarthex Muscle weighs more than fat. You have to gain enough muscle to be able to exercise long enough to burn fat. You will eventually reach an equilibrium. Then you’ll be losing weight.

 

[spiritualhuman]

@mrnarthex I got a composite scale and only focus on my muscle mass. Muscle is heavier than fat from my understanding.

 

[crystalgirl23]

@mrnarthex You will gain weight because of muscles forming at first it’s not unusual. Stop looking at the scale and start looking at your body.

 

[ypjallday]

@mrnarthex Muscle weighs more then fat. When working out muscle is built. The body will use fat stores as and when it needs to. Keep up the good work. People's observations will be your best bet if you can't tell fir yourself how it is you look different. Take a picture now, one of yourself portrait make sure it's not an odd angle but flat on. Then take a similar picture in six months you'll be able to see the difference for yourself

 

[lndwlrxs01]

@mrnarthex Without telling us how much weight and ur height we are just guessing. If you want more actionable advice please provide more data.

 

[raul_1977]

@mrnarthex if diet/calories in check. (especially if a beginner) body recomposition, you can be gaining muscle and loosing fat. muscle is heavier than fat so you can gain weight and look “smaller”/more fit. hope this helps

 

[gaudisium]

@mrnarthex Track your macros. Use a calculator to figure out how much to eat on training and non training days. Eat most of your carbs a few hours before and after your workouts. Cut some of the carbs for more weight loss. Use a kitchen scale to weigh food.

I use this calculator because it's in line with my goals, just an example.... https://healthyeater.com/body-recomposition-calculator

 

[batgirl184]

@mrnarthex i just opened this thread because i have the exact same issue. i had a feeling it's because muscle weighs more than fat but wasn't sure. so glad i opened this post. been about 45 days of solid working out for me 5x/wk.