Reasons why weight increases instead of losing weight during strength training

Weight gain during strength training is mostly a normal manifestation of the body's positive adaptation. Only a few cases are related to out-of-control eating and incorrect methods.

Don’t believe it, a female student I taught last year is the most typical example. She had been following online aerobics for half a year, and she had lost 10 pounds but her muscles were loose and the muscles on her arms were shaking badly. Later, she switched to doing strength training with me. I added hip, leg and shoulder exercises three times a week. She also controlled her high-sugar diet and her waistline became slimmer in 3 months. 6 centimeters. The size 27 jeans she wore before were so tight that she could fit a fist into them. Her body fat rate dropped from 27% to 22%. However, when she stood on the scale, she found that she had gained 2 pounds. At that time, she almost cried while holding the scale, wondering if her training was in vain.

In fact, her situation is too common. If you think about it, the density of skeletal muscle is about 1.06g/ml, and that of adipose tissue is only 0.9g/ml. If the same weight of muscle and fat are put together, the volume difference is almost the same as the difference between a small piece of solid iron and a large piece of foam. You have been training hard for several months, and the loose fat has been consumed, and tight muscles have grown. Of course, the weight has increased for the same volume, your arms feel tighter, and your clothes are one size smaller. These are much more than the number on the scale. Of course, there are different opinions here. Nowadays, many fitness bloggers advocate the "weight is useless" theory, saying that as long as the circumference and body fat are reduced, it does not matter how much the weight increases. However, traditional nutrition researchers will also remind that if it is an occupation with strict weight requirements, such as a boxer , flight attendants who need to pass the airline weight assessment, or people whose basic weight is too large and whose body fat exceeds 30%, they still need to appropriately control their weight gain to avoid the health risks caused by visceral fat accumulation. Both statements are correct, but they are applicable to different groups of people.

But don’t be blindly happy when you see your weight gain. There are some people who just eat fat. Last week I met a young man who had just been practicing strength training for two months. As soon as he entered the door, he complained that he went to the gym every day and gained 8 pounds. I measured his body fat and it increased directly from 18% to 21%. His waist circumference was 4 centimeters thicker. I found out after asking him. He listened to the Internet It is said that "you should eat more during the muscle-building period." You must order fried chicken and milk tea after training every day. It is called to replenish energy. Calculated, the daily caloric surplus can be more than 1,000 calories. This amount of training cannot be used up at all, and all the excess calories are turned into fat and stored on the waist. Speaking of which, I have to mention the debate between "dirty muscle building" and "clean muscle building" that has been quarreling in the bodybuilding circle for many years. One group thinks that the benefits are good in the novice period. You can build muscles by eating whatever you want. If your body fat is high, you can just brush it later. The other group thinks that people who work out naturally have limited testosterone levels. , a surplus of more than 300 calories will basically lead to fat gain. It is better to control your diet from the beginning and avoid the detour of fattening. There are people who take both paths. It depends on whether you can accept the pain of fattening in the later period and the appearance anxiety during the period when body fat increases.

Some weight gain is simply "fake" and will fall off on its own within a few days. For example, on the second day after you have just finished a heavy leg workout, your muscle fibers will show micro-damage. Your body will automatically store water to repair the damaged tissue. You may suddenly gain 2-3 pounds in weight, and your legs will still feel sore when you press them. This is a normal repair reaction. After three to five days, the soreness will subside, and the weight will naturally return. ； There are also hormone fluctuations before a girl's aunt, eating too salty hot pot and drinking several bottles of iced drinks the day before will all lead to temporary water retention, so you can't worry about the fluctuations in these pounds. After practicing for so many years, I have long stopped looking at my weight on a single day. I weigh myself every week on Wednesday morning at the same time when I am fasting and after going to the toilet. I take the average of the whole week to see the trend, so as not to affect my mood by accidental numbers.

Oh, by the way, there is another point that many people have not noticed: if you have only been doing aerobics before and suddenly switch to strength training, the body's glycogen reserves will increase. 1g of glycogen needs to be combined with 3g of water. With more glycogen stored in the muscles, explosive power and endurance will improve during training, and the weight will naturally increase by a few kilograms. This is actually a signal that the training status has improved, which is not a bad thing at all.

To put it bluntly, the number on the scale is really just a reference dimension. How do you look when you take off your clothes and stand in front of the mirror? How does it look when you climb the fifth floor without breathing, or how easy it is to carry a dozen kilograms of express delivery upstairs? These are the most tangible rewards that strength training can give you. There is really no need to worry about the rise and fall of one or two kilograms. If you are really worried about your weight, use both a tape measure and a body fat clamp. Multi-dimensional assessment is always more reliable than just looking at a number, right?