Lifting and initial weight gain

(Thomas Louis Mueller) #1

Hello Good and Wonderful Ketonians!!
I have lost 80lbs since April 2nd. I just joined a gym and have started working the resistence machines, especially on upper body. I just got bored walking everyday. I also do Cardio. But anyway, I started using the machines and I gained 2lbs right away. I have not cheated, stayed with my plan and macros, but BOOM, up two lbs. Is this normal I have 30 more lbs to go and I want to build muscle and burn fat.
Deacon Tom

(Jacqui ) #2

I’m afraid so, but it’s not fat. Your body stores glycogen in your muscles ready for the next lift. I always put on 1kg after a workout either weights or cycling. If I don’t exercise for a few days it comes off again. That is why the scales are very mean to us :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

(Bunny) #3

You gained muscle weight!

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #4

It actually takes over a month to put on 2lbs of muscle scale weight, according to my strength instructor.

It would be water weight, glycogen requires water to store it within a cell.

(Running from stupidity) #5

+1. Building muscle is hard work and takes time.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #6

Tell that to my 9 inch pythons! flex

(I just made that number up. I really have no idea what my pythons measure)

(Running from stupidity) #7

Also, “inches” is an imaginary measurement unit.

(Allan Misner) #8

DeaconTom2012,

When you work a muscle, you’re actually causing a bit of damage. When that damage is repaired the muscles come back stronger (and often a little bigger) than they were before. That’s why we lift, right?

During that damaged phase, there is some inflammation (aka water) in the muscle as it repairs. This is normal.

I want you to consider this: Having more muscle mass is good (ask me about sarcopenia if you don’t know why); adding muscle adds weight. Having more bone density is good (ask me about osteopenia if you don’t know why); and adding bone density adds weight. Losing body fat is typically good and yes, is reflected in weight loss.

So, if two of the three things we’re after cause weight gain, why get wrapped up in what the scale says? You’re doing something wonderful for your body. Don’t let a single number keep you from optimizing your health. Keep lifting and keto on!

(Thomas Louis Mueller) #9

Thank you for this response, it makes sense. Well written. God Bless.

Deacon Tom

(Joanna Parszyk ) #10

That makes a lot of sense!

(Bob M) #11

The scale is really, really easy. Getting an accurate measurement of your lean mass is not. The only ways I know of are very difficult to find. I was able to get DEXA scans done, but these were (1) very expensive and (2) well over an hour’s drive away.

As with the original poster, my scale weight has gone up recently, but my belt size has gone down. What do I do in this situation? What I’ve done is stopped using the scale for a while. But I really, really want to weigh a weight where I’m no longer “obese”, and I keep getting close or under that, only to have my (scale) weight go up.

After being on low carb for almost 5 years, it can get frustrating not meeting some arbitrary scale weight, even when mentally I know the scale weight is, well, arbitrary. I mean, I still look at fat and say to myself “Oh my goodness, that’s a lot of fat!”, as I can’t undo 30+ years of anti-fat dogma, even being on low carb 5 years.

(Thomas Louis Mueller) #12

Bob,

Thanks for sharing that, I really needed to hear that. I started only 6 months ago and have gone from 306 to 225 lbs, I am still nearly 40% fat. My goal is to get to 195 and under 25% fat, even if this is only on a cheap inaccurate body scale and app called Plemo. But… I do need to build muscle especially upper body, since all I have done is walk and jog.

God Bless You,

Deacon Tom

(Christopher Hodge) #13

@juice That’s what she said

(Doug) #14

Well, a tube of lip balm is like six inches, right? :smile:

(KetoQ) #15

Most likely water retention, probably from muscle inflammation.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/just-started-exercising-gaining-weight/

(Running from stupidity) #16

:metal::metal::metal::metal::metal:

#17

It’s normal, but remember once you decide you’re building muscle the scale becomes even more useless than it already is. Aside from your muscles holding water for repair as you gain muscle which you’ll do quickly at first you’ll see it on the scale before you notice it on yourself. Take measurements now so you can tell the difference OR don’t and just keep doing what you’ve been doing, and lift.