I've been exercising (heavy weight) for 3 weeks, but have gained 3 lbs.

[DummyChef]

I've following P90X every other day for the past 3 week. I feel lots burn when I exercise, but have gained 3 lbs. I have no idea why. I'm not on special diet and eat healthy. Pretty sad now.

[aggie]

i am no expert...but i have always been a health nut and like to work out as an amatueur...but there are two things i do know...you could have gained muscle weight....and the second thing is...and if you are eating healthily, this should not be a problem...if you don't eat enough...which is a mistake a lot of dieters make...not eating all day, for instance and having one big meal...your body will store fat because it doesn't know when it will be refueled...but if you have been doing heavy duty work out...more than likely it is muscle...it is not all about the numbers...how to do you feel...how do you look...how do your clothes fit...don't be discouraged!

[spongesuesquareskirt]

There's a good change you've just gained muscle! How it works is, first your body will put on muscle, THEN in will burn more fat. So keep going.

Also, fat loss is more based on diet, and muscle gain is more based on exercise. So if you want to lose fat, eat a clean diet with enough protein, vegetables and such.

[Tripacer]

Originally Posted by DummyChef

I've following P90X every other day for the past 3 week. I feel lots burn when I exercise, but have gained 3 lbs. I have no idea why. I'm not on special diet and eat healthy. Pretty sad now.

There is alot of reason for this to happen. It is normal. Number one, weight loss is not an immediate response to the burn you do. Expect a lag to the exercise. Also, muscle is heavier than fat. At the initial onslaught of weight lifting or really any exercize. You will be gaining muscle before the fat burn begins. So, the muscle increases and the fat stays basically the same. As time goes on, the muscle will demand more fuel. This is where fat burn happens. Be patient and keep up the good work. Be careful not to hurt yourself and don't burn yourself out. It is more beneficial to have a boring everyday exercize routine that lasts than to have an excruciating one that burns you out and is not sustainable. Slowly incorporate cardio into your routine. I repeat "Slowly"! Stay motivated for the final outcome, too.

[James81]

Muscle weighs more than fat. Go by the mirror, not the scale.

[Writertype]

I just want to echo what the others have said (stick with, muscle is heavier) and add a comment-- when you work out with P90X do you get a consistent raised heart rate? I'm not familiar with that workout system, but if you want to burn fat you might consider adding a cardiovascular workout to your routine. By that I mean walking, jogging, biking, swimming, basically doing anything that elevates your heart rate to a target level (google it since it is based on age) for a sustained amount of time. That will help you take fat off.

That doesn't mean you should abandon the muscle building, though! The muscle will help keep the fat off and make you healthier overall. Combine all that with a sensible diet and you pretty much can't go wrong.

[DummyChef]

thanks guys!!!!!

[Peek]

When your muscles repair from exercise, they hold more water than usual.
Keep that in mind too, besides the growth of weight of the muscle it self.

Still, I assume you feel good after 3 week of training right? That is what counts more then a machine's negative influence!

Stay on the right path

[JMonkey]

Also expect to see day to day fluctuations in your body weight, maybe even 5lbs more or less than the day before. It is most likely just water retention.

[Orecle]

Originally Posted by JMonkey

Also expect to see day to day fluctuations in your body weight, maybe even 5lbs more or less than the day before. It is most likely just water retention.

Very true.
The time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning, after peeing (to get excess water out of you) Any other time, your weight will fluctuate because of your food intake and water retention caused by carbohydrate foods. I am talkng 7 lb daily fluctuations

Originally Posted by Peek

When your muscles repair from exercise, they hold more water than usual.
Keep that in mind too, besides the growth of weight of the muscle it self.

Still, I assume you feel good after 3 week of training right? That is what counts more then a machine's negative influence!

Stay on the right path

Not entirely true. Its carbs in the form of glycogen that makes the body hold water. Muscle repair is significantly aided by carbs, so if a bodybuilder is ingesting alot of carbs, then yes they will hold water. But when they are stripping fat for a competition, carb intake is minimal ( I know bodybuilders on 4 tablespoons of rice a day as carbs for 4 days at a time). The protein that is not used for repair along with water is immediately pissed out. This is why people on low carb diets find it hard to get a pump. It is the glycogen in the muscle that holds water and makes a person weigh more.

Originally Posted by James81

Muscle weighs more than fat. Go by the mirror, not the scale.

Fat takes more volume than muscle. 5lbs of muscle weighs the same as 5lbs of fat. Just as a ton of feathers weighs as much as a ton of iron, just that the ton of fat will take up far more volume, even when compressed

For physical comparison Muscle Weighs More Than Fat Myth

Originally Posted by Tripacer

There is alot of reason for this to happen. It is normal. Number one, weight loss is not an immediate response to the burn you do. Expect a lag to the exercise. Also, muscle is heavier than fat. At the initial onslaught of weight lifting or really any exercize. You will be gaining muscle before the fat burn begins. So, the muscle increases and the fat stays basically the same. As time goes on, the muscle will demand more fuel. This is where fat burn happens. Be patient and keep up the good work. Be careful not to hurt yourself and don't burn yourself out. It is more beneficial to have a boring everyday exercize routine that lasts than to have an excruciating one that burns you out and is not sustainable. Slowly incorporate cardio into your routine. I repeat "Slowly"! Stay motivated for the final outcome, too.

Not true. If most people slashed their carbs to 50 grams daily and did moderate exercise. In the 1st week it is not uncommon to see 7lbs of WEIGHT LOSS on the scale. In 3 wks on a low carb diet, 14lbs is easily doable. Why do you think low carb diets are the rage. Atkins, Ketogenic, Bodyopus< anabolic, Typically 99% of pro bodybuilding diets all use variations of low carbs because the weight loss is super rapid.

ps.Going by your reasoning, how much muscle do you have to gain for fat loss to begin?

I dont know where you heard that at the initial onslaught of exercise you will build muscle before fat. But its not true. Diet alone can induce fat loss, without lifting a weight (building muscle) or even cardio. It just takes longer because you dont get benefit of increased metabolism. Go and ask any bodybuilder which is faster and easier. Building muscle or losing fat?
Most people with a decent amount of exercise and cardio, can lose 2lb a week of fat continuosly, if they stayed disciplined. Aint nobody, bar flex wheeler putting on 2lbs of muscle a week or even monthly , Unless they are blessed with extremely good mesomorphic genes and they take steroids. Chances are most dieters will be endomorphic. There are a handful of people on the planet who can put on a noticable amount of muscle monthly continuously, and this is usually beginners.

Putting on raw muscle tissue (not water retention from carbs and creatine) is extremely hard. You do not have to put on an ounce of muscle to lose fat.

Most people can lose 50 - 75 pounds of fat a year ( I dont think most people are that over weight)
I defy you to find me any one you know who has put on 20lbs yearly without the use of drugs.

Originally Posted by spongesuesquareskirt

There's a good change you've just gained muscle! How it works is, first your body will put on muscle, THEN in will burn more fat. So keep going.

Also, fat loss is more based on diet, and muscle gain is more based on exercise. So if you want to lose fat, eat a clean diet with enough protein, vegetables and such.

Not true. Where did you hear this?
How much muscle would I need to put on before, i can start losing weight?

Pls explain why the body chooses to put on muscle before it can lose fat. What is the name of this process?

So if I want to lose 50lbs would I have to put on more muscle than if I were to lose 5lbs?

You have contradicted yourself. If fat loss is about diet, then why would my body put on muscle before I lose fat? How many gazzilion dieters have lost fat from just dieting without stepping a foot into the gym? espiecally women?

[James81]

Originally Posted by Orecle

Fat takes more volume than muscle. 5lbs of muscle weighs the same as 5lbs of fat. Just as a ton of feathers weighs as much as a ton of iron, just that the ton of fat will take up far more volume, even when compressed

For physical comparison Muscle Weighs More Than Fat Myth

Which means that muscle weighs more than fat.

Sure 5 lbs of muscle weighs the same as 5 lbs of fat.

But, say, 1 cup of muscle weighs more than 1 cup of fat. (if you were able to measure it in "cups" that is)

[Orecle]

Originally Posted by James81

Which means that muscle weighs more than fat.

Sure 5 lbs of muscle weighs the same as 5 lbs of fat.

But, say, 1 cup of muscle weighs more than 1 cup of fat. (if you were able to measure it in "cups" that is)

The word you omit is volume. The same VOLUME of muscle weighs more than the same VOLUME of fat.

Clarity, my friend

[James81]

Originally Posted by Orecle

The word you omit is volume. The same VOLUME of muscle weighs more than the same VOLUME of fat.

Clarity, my friend

Which I think is pretty self-explanatory and really doesn't need to be said.

[Orecle]

Originally Posted by James81

Which I think is pretty self-explanatory and really doesn't need to be said.

i wonder how many students have failed exams with that same attitude

[lacinato]

Could be the increased water retention that can happen when you start exercising. Or could be that your appetite increased. Eat more than you burn, gain weight. Water retention is very common, though, and should go away as you get used to the exercise.

[Tripacer]

Originally Posted by Orecle

Very true.
For physical comparison Muscle Weighs More Than Fat Myth



Not true. If most people slashed their carbs to 50 grams daily and did moderate exercise. In the 1st week it is not uncommon to see 7lbs of WEIGHT LOSS on the scale. In 3 wks on a low carb diet, 14lbs is easily doable. Why do you think low carb diets are the rage. Atkins, Ketogenic, Bodyopus< anabolic, Typically 99% of pro bodybuilding diets all use variations of low carbs because the weight loss is super rapid.

ps.Going by your reasoning, how much muscle do you have to gain for fat loss to begin?

I dont know where you heard that at the initial onslaught of exercise you will build muscle before fat. But its not true. Diet alone can induce fat loss, without lifting a weight (building muscle) or even cardio. It just takes longer because you dont get benefit of increased metabolism. Go and ask any bodybuilder which is faster and easier. Building muscle or losing fat?
Most people with a decent amount of exercise and cardio, can lose 2lb a week of fat continuosly, if they stayed disciplined. Aint nobody, bar flex wheeler putting on 2lbs of muscle a week or even monthly , Unless they are blessed with extremely good mesomorphic genes and they take steroids. Chances are most dieters will be endomorphic. There are a handful of people on the planet who can put on a noticable amount of muscle monthly continuously, and this is usually beginners.

Okay, GEEZ! You must wait to scientifically get in on your opinions. I hate having to be on the fence trying to explain detail in a quick forum conversation. Now, some of what you are quoting me on is just a mis type or misconception by the reader. What I meant to say is that on the initial onslaught of "weight lifting" you will notice more muscle gain than fat loss. This is due to the Platau theory of strength building excersize. At the beginning months of strength training, your body has a faster rate of growth and it will slow down to a platau which is alot slower in the muscle gain. Now, that is a short simple explanation. Not a thesis by my part in no way. The fat burns by the body needing more fuel than what is supplied to it by external source. The rate of fat burn will stay the same if all aspects of fuel input, fuel needed, and fuel expended stay the same. In the process of gaining muscle; as muscle mass increases, the demand for more fuel increases.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. LOL

[James81]

Originally Posted by Orecle

i wonder how many students have failed exams with that same attitude

This isn't an exam.