January is often the time that many people focus on weight loss as a specific goal. It can be a demoralising experience. We have all been there: you have been working hard for 4-5 weeks towards your goals and trying your best to stick to a balanced diet, but when you step on the scale you see a higher number than you would like. Don’t panic! Lots of people have experienced gaining weight while working out, it is actually pretty common and you are not alone. There are lots of factors to consider when weight loss is concerned so before you let yourself get discouraged and give up, there may be reasons (which are different to excuses) you may not be seeing the weight loss you planned for…..
Water Retention
When you first start exercising your body will naturally go through many changes and adaptations in the first few months. New exercises can lead to inflammation or small tears in your muscle fibres as you build muscle mass. Your body will respond to this inflammation by temporarily retaining water. Drink plenty of water, eat well and get as much sleep as you can. It may seem counter intuitive, but your body also tends to store water when you are dehydrated: If you are not drinking enough, your salt/water ratio becomes unbalanced and your body will hang on to any extra fluids until the balance is restored. Drink plenty of water, eat well and get as much sleep as you can.
Glycogen Conversion
Your body provides energy to your muscles by converting glycogen, or sugar, into glucose. When you begin exercising regularly your body stores more glycogen to fuel the extra movement. Glycogen has to bind with water in order to fuel your muscles. As exercise becomes more routine over time, your muscles will become more efficient and need less glycogen to maintain your energy. As that happens, your muscles will retain less water and you will see that added weight come off!
High-Calorie Diets
In order to lose the pounds, you must have a calorie deficit. It can be difficult to keep track of everything you eat but try logging all you eat and drink once a week to check in on how much you are actually consuming. A (free) tracker app such as “My Fitness Pal” could be used and it will give you more accuracy and a better understanding where your calories come from, it surely is recommended to at least establish your daily total calorie count including your macro nutrient splits. Are you consuming the right amount of protein, carbs and fats for your body type? If you are taking in more calories than you are burning/working off, then you won’t see the weight loss you are working towards!! However, don’t try and shave off too many calories from your diet, that won’t help either and it’s not sustainable or healthy. Make small adjustments. Eat fewer processed foods and more whole foods (think foods on the outer walls of the supermarket) to improve your diet.
Time
Weight loss is not a linear process and you aren’t going to see immediate results—no matter how much work you put in. If you didn’t gain 30 pounds overnight, you can’t expect to lose it that quickly either. Our bodies are incredible machines and when you introduce something new: exercise or dietary changes, our bodies need to re-calibrate and make adjustments. Depending on the person, it can take weeks for your body to respond. Be patient.
Muscle Gain
Muscle mass weighs more than fat mass, a pound of muscle weighs the same a a pound of fat but muscle is more dense than fat so a pound of muscle will take up less room in your body than a pound of fat. You will undoubtedly gain weight from lean muscle gains and boost your metabolism at the same time which means you will be burning calories faster. While your clothes may feel looser, the scale may tell you otherwise. This is a win! Go by feel, work hard, follow a workout program, stick to a nutrition guide and results will come your way. The body needs time to adapt to mainly the increased overload of fitness activity and the nutritional adjustments. Yes, if you are incorporating a well-rounded program that includes both strength and conditioning, be consistent with it, and you are prepared to get out of your comfort zone, you will see results. If you see your body shape change for the better, inches coming down, feel an improved sense of wellness, feeling stronger than you were before then you are on the right track and these are signals you should be looking at to track progress.
Leave it to the professionals
Professional analysis will always give you the best guide to your progress on your journey in life and it provides a more efficient way to achieve your results, boost motivation and so on. It is not just about what the scales say – but a number of factors that indicate your journey to your goals. An Initial Consultation with FFA for example can include:
• Measuring height & weight to ascertain Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Body measurements including waist to hip ratio
• Body fat versus lean muscle composition
• Blood pressure and resting Heart Rate (HR)
• Oxygen consumption (Vo2) lung capacity
• Postural alignment
• Muscular strength and flexibility reach test
• Nutritional guidance and hydration
• Mental well-being
Try not to get too discouraged by what the number on the scale says. What is really important is investing in your health in some way every day. How much you weigh is not nearly as critical as how great you feel in and outside of the gym. Prioritise your needs and wants, make your goals realistic and achievable by setting SMART targets. If your body has restrictions of movement try to prioritise these as other areas of the body will have to deal with more overloads and imbalances than they need to which can easily lead to injury. Keep moving well with correct form through full range of movement!