Started running and lifting to get in shape for summer, kept calories around 1500. 2 weeks later I gained 4 pounds?! I do look more muscular but I hate the number on the scale. Any advice on how to drop weight fast? Should I go cardio-only?

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Definitely not. Ditch the scale and use a tape measure if you’re trying to lose fat.

likehelpful

Don't look at a scale, take pictures or use one of those in-body scanners.

I've been a serious weight lifter since high school. When Covid hit, I started doing cardio HIIT workouts, or running 3-10 miles a day. I lost 10lbs but really lost any muscle definition I had, including almost all of my 🍑 gains.... abs are not worth it lol. Since the gyms opened, I gained all the weight back BUT dropped 5% BF. Personally, I feel so much better now and physically look more fit than I did after losing all that weight.

Trust the process, ignore the scale!

likehelpful

This is typically your body retaining water because of inflammation. As long as there's an overall downward trend you shouldn't think about the day-to-day. It's cool seeing the progress though. Just keep the calories low and the exercise up. I'd recommend always hitting 10,000 steps per day.

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running in the heat can cause water weight gain depending on electrolytes. if you drink a lot of gatorade [or the zero calorie equivalents] you can retain water water which is actually a good thing to prevent dehydration.

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Muscle is denser than fat. Stop targeting an arbitrary number and just target being healthy and happy.

likehelpful

To play devil’s advocate, everyone is correct to say that the scale is just a number and muscle weighs more than fat does. However, in order to build muscle you generally need to be in a caloric surplus, whereas to lose fat you need to be in a caloric deficit. It’s typically an either/or proposition. And while some will certainly argue that it’s possible to do both at the same time, if you do some research you’ll find that it’s very difficult to accomplish. I don’t think it’s possible you gained 4 pounds of muscle in 2 weeks while eating 1,500 calories a day. But I also don’t think it’s possible you gained 4 pounds of fat either, assuming of course your “1,500 calories a day” figure is accurate. Were you tracking, weighing, and measuring ALL your food intake, including liquids, oils, condiments, etc?

Bottom line is that if you think you look better then you accomplished your goal regardless of what the scale says.

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Good advice and points here. Worth looking at the scale only over the long run and using averages, not day to day fluctuations (if you care about the number and don’t let it get to you psychologically). I find the scale still helpful from an accountability perspective and as a sense check. But measurements and how your clothes fit are a good indicator as well. Just know it takes time and 2 weeks is not much time especially for muscle gain.

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I wasn’t seeing the scale budge much at all and then I started intermittent fasting. It helps because I was a nighttime snacker. Now, come 7 or 8 at night I don’t eat another morsel no matter what. I drink a lot of water. I think the IF has decreased my inflammation and water retention and helped reduce calories because I think my stomach has shrunk and I feel full quicker. I also follow a lowish carb diet - I will eat wheat bread and other healthy carbs. I used to have a huge sweet tooth and my sugar cravings have greatly reduced too - I can take my kids out for ice cream and get nothing for myself. I’ve been doing IF for about 4 weeks and have lost 10 lbs, the first week I didn’t lose anything as I think my body was getting accustomed to the new normal.
Good luck!

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what’s your goal ? your metrics should align to your goals which should align to the exercises and nutrition you chose

If you want to get strong - you need to eat a lot and ignore the scale and watch how your clothes fit.

If you want to lose weight - that’s different than getting fit.

Pick your goal then train/eat appropriately.

1500 calories - hard to say without knowing anything about you.

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You’re building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. It’s a good thing.

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I understand the feeling but what helped me was getting a smart scale the measured more the weight. The one I have measures water muscle bone density also.

smart

Use one of these as well but I only consider it directionally accurate (i.e., did metric X go up or down). Don’t think it is accurate in absolute terms but it’s at least interesting to look at the numbers & trends.

Exercise isn’t the only thing to help this. What you are eating is, in my opinion, much more important. Are you eating plenty of fruits/vegetables? Are you incorporating fresh herbs/spices in your food which support your body (ginger, garlic, turmeric, etc.)?

Look at Rachel Attard programme - designed for people with this issue (trying to lose fat & not bulk up)

Try and do and in-body weight in and see yourself if you have gained more muscled than what you have lost.

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