Short Course on – Getting to Square 1
For most people, joining the gym is supposed to bring about desirable body changes. People already struggle with deciding to join a gym and adopt a healthier lifestyle. But what keeps most people going is the positive feedback they get as they keep at it. It is therefore disheartening for most people to realize that they have gained weight!
You will notice most people have gained weight the first few months they join the gym. It becomes hard for such a person to agree to keep going to the gym if they cannot see something positive from experience. They need to understand why they have gained weight, for them to see reason not to cancel their gym membership.
There is the factor of water retention. As you start exercising, you will have made changes in your life. Exercising leads to inflammation in your muscle fibers, as you build muscle mass. The body reacts by retaining water. It should not worry you, as it is only temporary. Drink lots of water, eat well, and get enough sleep.
It could also be a case of glycogen conversion. Your body turns glycogen into glucose to produce energy. With more exercises comes the need to store more glycogen to fuel those sessions. Glycogen binds with water to manage to fuel the muscles. The more you stick with the exercises, the more efficient your body gets thus needing less glycogen for energy. Since you now hold less water; you will lose weight.
A high-calorie diet could also be the reason. To lose weight; you need to combine the exercises with a caloric deficit diet. You will find it hard to monitor your diet, more so when you have such a busy life. It is impossible to lose weight if you keep taking in more calories than you burn. On the other hand, opting to stop taking most of those calories is not sustainable. Start to shed off parts of it slowly. Stick to more whole foods than processed ones.
You may also be affected by time. You did not gain that weight you are trying to lose overnight. Losing it will also make some time. The body knows how to apply coping mechanisms. As you exercise more; the body will look for ways to adjust to the new reality. You, therefore, need to be patient and disciplined with the exercises.
You may be looking at muscle gain as fat gain. Your muscle mass increases as you work out more. If you were to measure your weight, you would see that gain, even when you no longer fit in your clothes. It is the kind of weight gain to be happy about since it is not fatty deposits.