Question:
Could I have gained weight from exercise?

Two weeks ago I started lifting upper and lower body weights and performing cardiovascular exercises four-five times a week. I got on the scale this morning, and it looks like I am up five pounds. I have not changed my eating at all from the previous weeks. Additionally, I have had terrible swelling problems from the knees down three times since surgery. I noticed by legs are red again (they often look sunburned), and when I push on them they stay indented for a long period of time. So, I am sure I am holding water again. I have seen the doctor regarding this, lots of tests, no answers. I don't think they know what causes this. I am disappointed over this, as I was really hoping the exercise would boost my metabolism. Oh yes, I do drink lots of water. Sometimes over 100 ounces a day, generally, about 80 ounces. I don't think I really want to commit to more than this amount. Any ideas?    — [Anonymous] (posted on September 3, 2001)

September 3, 2001
Muscle weighs more than fat. You started building muscle when you began lifting weights. This is a good thing because muscle requires more calories than fat does. So, the more muscular you are, the higher you're metabolism! However, I would be concerned about the edema in your legs and would continue seeking medical care. In general, post-ops should not be on fluid pills due to a possibility of potassium depletion, but it sounds like you might need to be on Lasix for a while.
   — Denise C.

September 3, 2001
That is correct, muscle weighs more than fat. It is much better to have muscle, of course. Try taking your measurements, I'll bet you'll see results there.
   — Dawn D.

September 3, 2001
I started going to the gym a month ago. I lift weights for arms and legs once a week each, with 20-35 min of cardio on a recumbant bike afterward. I also attend 1-2 water aerobic sessions a week. After one month I found my weight loss to be considerably less than the month before. (I'm only two months post op) However, I lost in inches around! The first month post-op I lost 36 lbs and 1 inch around my middle. During the second month I lost only 15 lbs but 4 inches around my middle!! Keep it up! Muscle weighs more than fat, but it helps with metabolism and gets rid of the flabbyness under the arms we all hate!! Good luck.
   — Mary H.

December 18, 2001
When you see the swelling in your legs, review what you've eaten over the last 24 hours. I retain fluid more now than I did pre-op. Almost always if I have noticed fluid retention, I had eaten some pork product within the previous 24 hours. <br> You're doing fine, just be sure to do the measurements. Like a previous poster said, a pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same, but the muscle takes up a lot less space.
   — [Anonymous]

July 10, 2002
When you first start exercising, or step up your current exercise program, or even do a particularly heavy workout, it's very normal to retain a certain amount of water. What happens is that when you exercise a muscle, you produce micro-tears in the muscle fibre; as these heal, they attract water to the site to help flush away waste products. Once they are healed, the water goes down again. The only solution to this is patience and lots of water. Ironically, the more water you drink, the less you will retain. But a small weight gain after a sudden exercise start up like you're describing is not at all unusual -- don't worry about it. As for your knees, you should probably get this checked by your doctor, or even a physiotherapist who specializes in sports medicine. It's possible that you're doing some exercis a little bit wrong, and that is putting too much stress on your knees; or else you've got some kind of joint problem that needs to be addressed medically. Good luck!
   — Karen I.

July 10, 2002
Muscle weighs more than fat--for the same volume. If you put a cubic inch of muscle and then a cubic inch of fat on the scales you would see that the muscle weighs more than the fat. That is why you can weigh more and be smaller (like me!). I used to weigh 115 pounds @ 54% body fat and wear a size 12 (38/27/43). Now I weigh 130 pounds @ 24% body fat and wear a 6/8P (36/28/36). Measure yourself and as long as your SIZE doesn't go up, don't worry about what the scale says. Unless it goes down, of course, and then you CELEBRATE! =)
   — ctyst