Confused and Discouraged

I'm not sure what's going on.  I've been following my food plan to a T and walking everyday.  I've had a steady loss.  Last week I started working out with a trainer three days a week.  The workouts are pretty intense.  I figured that with the additional exercise, I would lose more this week.  Well, not only did I not lose this week, I've gained three pounds!

I have no idea why this would happen.  My eating it right on track.  I'm following my menus and making sure I measure everything.  It just doesn't seem fair.  I know muscle weighs more than fat, but I don't think I would have gained muscle in the first week.  It's really discouraging because with all the hard work, I would have thought I'd have dropped a huge amount weight.

Wendy

Wendy,

I know what your are going through, I have been walking 3 miles everyday for the last 12 weeks and have been following the diet, but I've only lost 5 lbs, it is so depressing.  I thought I would have lost more, I've been working so hard!!!  I guess all I can do is take it one day at a time... good luck to you

I know how you feel.  the body has a mind of its own!!

The best advice I ever got from this board was to take measurements and do them every two weeks.  This helps alot!!!

Good luck to you!!

Don't let it get to you a gain can be many things; it might be TOM, water weight, a fluke, anything. If you don't lose next week consider upping your calories by 250 per day for about 2 weeks and then back to what you normally have. It will frequently kick start things again. We usually use it to break a stall but it works this way too. Keep up the good work.

I am sorry the scale isn't cooperating.  I do think your right though, I doubt in the first week of training you gained 3 pounds in muscle.  The gain is probably water or hormones or who knows what else.  Are your clothes looser?  That has always been a great indication for me.  It means your shrinking, which is really the goal.  Your body may be going through an adjustment after the weight you have lost.  I would keep doing what your doing and the scale will reward you.  Good luck!

Wendy, you're probably building some muscle and retaining some water- it's a process and not every week will show a loss. Do you track the loss? I know I"ll stay the same a couple weeks and then drop several pounds. Then of course as you lose weight it will slow down, just a fact of life.

Muscle does not weigh more than fat

a pound of muscle is a pound of fat is a pound of feathers is a pound of gold --- they weigh the same, they take up different amounts of space

When you work your muscles, they tear - and need time to rebuild (that is why you don't work the same muscle group 2 days in a row).

The rebuilding process takes fluid from your body and makes you retain until your body gets used to it.

It is VERY common to gain a few pounds when you introduce a weight-lifting regimen of any kind -- or bump up your exercise significantyl.

You have to TRUST that your body will work this out -- and that the excess fluid weight will come off -- and that because the scale might not move, the muscle will take up less space in your body, so your shape will change and you will be smaller without necessarily being lighter.

Drinking more water will help to flush the fluid also -- increase your water intake

Wendy I recently went thru the same thing.  Check your measurements im sure you are gaining muscle.  This will go on for a few more days if you keep up the intense training.  This is a good thing. I also got very discouraged until I realized that my pants fit better. Dont let it get to you just keep on keeping on.

Charity