Started cardio workouts this week

[mzsunrize]

So, its been a full week...and I managed to do 5 days of cardio! Yeay! But at the same time, I hopped on the scale and noticed I gained 3 lbs? My food is good and im taking in about 15-20 carbs per day and I'm well hydrated...so Im trying to figure out whats up.

Is it water weight? It can't be muscle yet. Does my body need an adjustment period because I've been pretty sedentary for so long? If so, how long?

Just curious about what my body is doing...

[BMarieB]

I have heard that happen to people, they start working out and gain.
Have your muscles been sore at all?
There is a good chance that it is water weight, even with cardio you are working muscles that may not have been in use for a while. I know that when I started doing my cardio DvDs I had muscle pain the first week.
Just keep hydrated like you have been and eventually your body/ muscles will catch up with the cardio and start burning fat.

[LAwoman75]

I was just coming to here to find out if anyone else experienced this. I began resistance & toning workouts followed by some elliptical (on a high level for resistance) and my weight has gone up a couple of pounds. I've eaten totally clean, the exercise is the only difference. If I knew the gain was from the exercise, I'd be fine cause I want my body to be more toned and just look better, but that did freak me out when I stood on the scale and saw the gain, which was 2.6 lbs.

[BMarieB]

It most likely water weight in your muscles, if you are toning and working at a high resistance level then you are working muscles that you haven't before. Just give it time and your body will catch up. Once those muscles get used to the workout you will start burning more calories and fat and your weight will go down.

[BMarieB]

P.S. Congrats on being soooooo close to goal! It feels good, doesn't it?

[jschwab]

I always gain fat in my belly when I do "cardio". It's not as bad as when I first started it when I gained 13 pounds. I know I will only lose if I rest from it, so I alternate periods of intense training and periods of rest.

[LAwoman75]

P.S. Congrats on being soooooo close to goal! It feels good, doesn't it?

I'm guessing this was to me? Actually, yes, I'm below my goal according to my stats to the right. I really like being around 125 so I do need to change my goal. I had dropped to 123 in late November after major surgery. I wasn't moving at all and had lost my appetite for a few days. I think I lost muscle mass from lack of moving, so the 123 was not true, kwim? My goal is to be not only thin but firm and toned as well.

Seeing 128 on the scale this morning was upsetting as I'm not a person who fluctuates much at all on the scale, especially not upward. I'm giving my body a break from working out for the next couple of days so we'll see what happens.

[2bflawless]

So, its been a full week...and I managed to do 5 days of cardio! Yeay! But at the same time, I hopped on the scale and noticed I gained 3 lbs? My food is good and im taking in about 15-20 carbs per day and I'm well hydrated...so Im trying to figure out whats up.

Is it water weight? It can't be muscle yet. Does my body need an adjustment period because I've been pretty sedentary for so long? If so, how long?

Just curious about what my body is doing...

Are you doing PSMF (protein sparing modified fast)? If so, you shouldn't be doing 5 days of cardio. Your cals are too low for all that cardio. Be careful. Might be going into starvation mode and you will crash your metabolism. Be sure to do your refeeds and just light cardio on refeed days. Lyle McDonald recommends lifting twice a week a full body workout and only two sets just to remind your body to keep muscles and ditch fat!
Good luck!

LAWOMAN, its totally normal to gain a few water pounds after starting workout or if you lift heavier, etc. Your muscles need the water to repair. Once your in the groove it will stop happenibg unless you switch things up. Its temporary.