Excercise & weight gain

I am almost 3 years post RNY. I have done a pretty good job keeping my weight off, but gained 4 lbs during the holidays. I joined the gym two weeks ago and cut my calories to 1100 a day. I am doing weight training 3 times a week and cardio 3-4 times a week. I gained 4 lbs. How is this possible? I know muscle weighs more than fat, but I couldn't have gained 4 lbs of muscle in two weeks. It's very discouraging. My trainer said to stop looking at the scale and just focus on getting in shape. He said I may not lose that much weight , but will look better.  I want to lose 20 more lbs. Has anyone else had this happen and if you stick to the program will you eventually start losing weight??

Hey Scarlette, Be careful cutting calories too much when you begin training.  Your body is trying to figure out what your're doing to it, and sometimes it decides that what it better do is go into storage mode. Another point.  I go back and forth between 4-8 lbs in a month's time almost every month even with the training that I do. One final note.  Any time I start a new program, I feel as though I'm getting bigger.  My legs are big to begin with and the legs on my jeans inevitably get tighter at first. Please be patient with yourself, and understand that starting a new exercise program almost always starts with a weight gain before you ever see any weight loss. Linn

Muscle does not "weigh more than fat". A pound of muscle weighs a pound. A pound of fat weighs a pound. I know "that's not what I meant". The pound of muscle takes up much less space than the fat. You weigh more but look better, possibly even lose inches. What gives? Weight and BMI are, in my opinion, often poor measures of individual health. They're okay for doctors to use to compare individuals and really more often populations to other populations. But you have to understand that healthy folks with good BP, good cholesterol levels and low body fat percentages are often still overweight or obese by BMI standards. I rode a 400 mile bicycle ride from 12/26 to 12/31 and gained 12 pounds. Oh my GOD!! I'm still wearing a large, still wearing 36/32 pants, still feel great, still run and bicycle just as easily as before. Maybe you should ask your doctor or other medical professional for a body composition analysis to comfort your fears/concerns? I have a scale that gives a lot of that information. Unfortunately those scales and measurements are suspect and can vary greatly literally from minute to minute. I have the added advantage of being a guy and guys don't care about weight or the number on the scale nearly as much as you ladies. If you do know a guy that cares if you gain or lose four pounds you need to go out with someone else. I was in another forum where a woman actually posted a message asking for an exercise(s) where she could exclusively lose fat. She specifically mentioned not wanting to gain muscle mass which would cause her to either not lose as many or any pounds or to possibly even gain. That's just stange. Muscle is what burns calories. Improving your muscle will cause you to burn more calories even AS YOU SLEEP. Sign me up for some of that! You might not eventually start losing but you will start looking hot/hotter and, more importantly you'll feel great no matter what your weight is. I feel great and I'm still obese. Keep up the great work, stay hydrated and avoid injuries!

When you exercise your body must have water within the cells for the metabolic process that burns fat.   Right now, your body is fairly new to exercise, and it's holding on to water to make sure it has what it needs for the next exercise session.  Don't worry.  Your body will adapt, and within the next few weeks tha****er weight will pass. Tami

The other posters are right, people who exercise consistently don't need to look at the scale. On the other hand, if you really want to watch your weight, weigh yourself every day in the morning. Why? The reason is, you will know exactly what you did the day before (exercise and eating) and this will show you exactly how your eating and exercise affects what you weigh and weighing in the morning is when you will weigh the lowest throughout the day. As far as cutting calories while you are exercising, there are some issues you need to take into consideration. One is the fact that your body needs food for the 3 macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) as well as the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc.) for it to function properly. Not eating enough or eating the wrong types of foods (low carb, high protein diets for example) too much can negate your exercise. Eating healthy is just as important to burning fat as exercise. I would ask your trainer (if he/she is qualified), MD, or RD (preferably the RD) to help you figure out a diet that is right for you.