During the first weeks or even during the first months of training it is normal to gain weight. Faced with this situation, it is normal for us to get frustrated thinking that we have gained weight, it is even normal that we get depressed while looking for what we have done wrong. In fact, this thing that we weigh more if we have started going to the gym seems totally incompatible and this feeling can lead us to abandon and stop physical exercise, which is a serious mistake.
Why do we weigh more?
During the first months of training the body goes through a state of adaptation. Among the many side effects that we can suffer, there are two that will manifest for sure: the dreaded stiffness and an increase in appetite. The first is temporary and disappears when we exercise more and the second is normal because the body needs more energy. The number of calories burned by a body that leads a sedentary life is less than that burned by one that exercises regularly. In addition, the most normal thing is that we increase our muscle mass by a small amount while reducing the amount of fat . And this muscle needs energy to survive, fat does not. This is another reason why we will be hungrier.
So, that during the first weeks or months of exercise we gain weight is normal and also a very good sign because it means that our body is adapting to exercise and the new routine.
This weight gain does not have to discourage us or invite us to abandon training because it is only a procedure until the body stabilizes. Exercising will never be bad for your health, quite the opposite.
Muscle vs. grease
Another aspect to keep in mind is that five kilos of fat take up much more space than five kilos of muscle. That is, even if two people weigh exactly the same, the volume of the one with more muscle mass will be less. So, even if we continue to weigh the same, we will look thinner because the fat will have been converted into muscle .
Other factors
If our goal is to lose weight, in addition to exercising regularly, we must eat a balanced and healthy diet . There is no use going to the gym if we have previously swelled up to industrial pastries. After a training session we have to recharge, but through proteins and carbohydrates.
There are other factors that can cause weight gain for no reason , especially in women, such as fluid retention or menstruation . In these cases the weight usually recovers in a few days.
The most important thing is not to obsess over the scale and the weight it marks. To achieve the goal, it is best to have patience and perseverance. Many times the most difficult thing about losing weight is not exercise and diet, it is to stay motivated long enough. The results are not immediate because the body needs time to adapt. Since we don’t see results, we get discouraged and quit. And this is a mistake because, in addition, it is more than proven that practicing sports and eating a healthy and healthy diet also makes us happier.
Advice
It is very important to increase the intensity of your training little by little . If we come from a sedentary life, starting with high intensity exercises can demotivate us, because we can’t do them well and keep up with the rhythm, and they can even be dangerous, because we will be more susceptible to injury. And, especially the first days, it is important that we listen to our body and respect its limits . It is also very important to allow a recovery time , normally it is a day between training and training.
