When you start a new exercise program, you may find that you gain weight at first instead of losing it. It’s nothing to worry about and you’re not doing anything wrong, so don’t give up. Some types of exercise, such as strength training, can make you gain weight because of added muscle.
Water retention is another cause of weight gain. Experts say that this happens as part of a healing process, and is a way of getting glycogen into the body more efficiently. This leads to the weight gain. If you have concerns, have your body fat checked by a personal trainer at the gym, or take regular measurements of different areas of your body. If you find you have been going wrong, you may need to make changes to your diet. Read on to find possible causes and how to tackle them:
Consuming too many calories
Many people eat more after exercise to make up for the calories they have burned. If you’re eating a low-calorie diet and keep a food diary to add up the calories, you will find you’re consuming more calories than you realised. Use this diary or the website Calorie Count to find out how much you’re eating. If you find you’re consuming too much, you’ll need to change your diet.
Also, it’s wrong to think you can eat as much as you like when you’re doing more exercise. You need to monitor your calorie intake when losing weight.
Not consuming enough calories
It seems contradictory, but consuming too little calories could slow down your fat loss. If you don’t eat enough, your metabolism will slow down. You must eat enough to maintain your strength when you increase your activity.
Not letting your body respond
Your body won’t respond straight away when you start exercising regularly. New eating habits and strenuous activity will cause the body to make changes. Allow yourself a few weeks or months for your body to adapt, and then you will see results.
Not addressing medical problems
Some conditions, such as thyroid problems, can make losing or gaining weight harder. You need to visit your doctor to find out if any medication you’re taking is affecting you losing weight. Your doctor could also rule out other potential causes if you feel you’re consuming enough calories and have given your body time to adapt, and are still gaining weight.
You’re building more muscle
If you find you’re gaining weight when you’ve started a strength program, you might not be losing fat as quickly as you’re gaining muscle. Some people build muscle quicker than others do but don’t let this put you off. You just need to alter your program, so you can do more cardio training to lose weight. When you’re weight training, you can also increase your muscular endurance by keeping to 12-16 reps.
To conclude, it’s important not to give up on your training. If this problem does not sort itself and persists, consult with a personal trainer or dietitian to help you make positive changes to your workouts and eating habits.
