Why am I putting on weight when I am working out and eating better?
I have been working out 3 times a week for the last 3 weeks, as well as eating a healthier diet. I look and feel better, yet the scale tells me I have put on 6 lbs in the past week. The first week I started working out, I lost 2 lbs. The next week, I lost 1 lb. Now, I have put back on all of the weight I had lost, plus 3 lbs. I don't understand what is wrong.
Hi,
Don't let this weight fluctuation throw you off from the positive changes you've made. When you begin working out, you start to build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so it is normal for the scale to stay the same or slightly increase when you first begin a workout program. Also, the process that builds muscle involves tearing the muscle fibers, followed by repairs that lead to a stronger/larger muscle. During this repair process you retain extra water, which will show on the scale. It is best to put the scale away for awhile and pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes are fitting.
If you can, switch to weighing yourself once a month or every two weeks instead of weekly. It is normal for your weight to fluctuate and best not to obsess on the number. Keep with your healthy new program, you will continue to feel better, look better, and the number on the scale will go down (eventually)! Good job!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
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