It could be maddening too see weighing scale show increased weight when you have put in determined efforts to turn fat into muscle. When doing strength training, individuals expect fat loss and gain lean muscle.
The primary objective of strength training is building endurance and strength. It may have an influence on your weight, and sometimes in the process you may gain weight, which usually does not cause health problems unless you have a lot of it.
The Reasons for Weight Fluctuations
Escalating weight even after strength training could be frustrating, but there could be variety of reasons for a jump in the scale. There may be temporary changes that makes one weigh more, although, the chances of gaining considerable weight (one to two kilos) overnight is highly unlikely. If you gain substantial weight suddenly, the reason for it will be other than your strength training regimen.
One of the reasons for weight gain after strength training can be eating or drinking more than the requirement of your body. Strength training may increase an individual’s appetite and he/she may end up eating a bigger portion of foods. Another reason could be the excess consumption of sodium-filled foods (such as table salt, baking soda, soy sauce, salad dressings, salami, bacon, cured meats and cheese).
Understanding Muscle Weight
Someone who appears muscular can weigh more than someone who looks overweight. When you are on a strength training regimen, you need an understanding of muscle weight, as it is different from the weight of fat. Muscle do not weigh more than fat; it is denser. If it is fat, a unit weight of muscle will take up more space than a unit weight of muscle. With the understanding of the two, you can put short-term and long-term reasons for exercise-related weight gain into perspective.
The Bottom Line
Weight gain occurs when one burns fewer calories than they consume. Many of those on a strength training regimen may report weight gain, but not all of it is from muscle. Strength training has tendency to increase appetite and to overeat.
To figure out where your weight stands, weigh yourself only once a week instead of every day. Doing it every day and seeing changes in your measurements will be baffling. There is a chance that you may gain weight at first, the more muscle you build over time, the more calories you burn in the long run and the same will reflect in your weight. If there is an overall calorie deficit, you will experience weight-loss.
Read more articles on Weight Gain.
