I'm working out - why am I gaining weight?

If you made the choice to lose weight, you’ve probably committed yourself to eating healthily and exercising. You might have bought a gym membership or started to follow at-home classes. Whatever you do, it’s natural to want to see results.

But you might not be noticing weight loss even when you think doing everything right.

We explain why this might be the case.

When you first start exercising, your body begins to change in response to your increased activity levels.

As you begin to feel stronger, more energetic and fitter, you might notice that the number on the scales isn’t going down. In fact, you may be heavier than before.

This is not unusual. Many people gain weight before they lose it.

If you’re regularly hitting the gym, running or doing exercise classes, you will likely be developing stronger, larger lean muscles.

You’ll also lose fat as you focus on cardio and resistance training. Fat weighs less than muscle tissue. Instead of weighing yourself on a scale, try measuring your body. This will give you a better understanding of how your body is changing. Taking progress pictures and considering how your clothes fit can also help you track your progress.

When you start building muscle you may find you hold more water than usual. When you exercise you put your muscles under stress. This can cause inflammation. To heal, your body holds on to extra fluid. Another reason why you might be retaining water is because you need to fuel yourself. When you work out intensely, your body starts to break down a carb called glycogen into glucose (sugar). It uses this for energy.

Glycogen is delivered to your muscles in water. As your body adjusts to your new exercise routine, this will happen less.¹

Where exercise can support weight loss, the best way to lose the extra pounds is to eat a balanced diet.

There are lots of ways you can introduce healthier food options into your meals. The Mediterranean and Blue Zone diet can be a great source of inspiration for your shopping lists.

Monitoring the number of calories you’re eating is also important for managing your weight. Eating in a calorie deficit should help you see a change. For men that’s 1900 kcal and for women, 1400 kcal.

If you’re struggling with adapting to fewer calories in a day. Try:

• Eating nutrient-dense meals. Adding more fruit, vegetables and fibre to your meals doesn’t have to be boring. Explore tastes from different cuisines to stay inspired. Soups, salads and curries can all be filling and source of important vitamins and minerals.
• Eating more slowly. It can be easy to finish a plate of food quickly if you’re distracted by your phone or eating alone. Setting a timer, eating with others or chewing 10 to 20 times before swallowing can help you slow down your pace and enjoy your meals.

Making small adjustments to your everyday routine you make can get you back on track and overcome weight loss plateaus.

Keeping your exercise routine varied not only makes it more interesting, but it can also help you use different muscle groups so you can get better full-body results.

Working out with a partner or friend can be motivating and help combat boredom making. Joining a team or class as well as individual activities can inject fun into your routine.²

Make bolder food choices too. You don’t have to stick to the same meals each week. Look for new recipes to renew your enthusiasm.²

Whatever changes you make, try to stay positive about your weight no matter what size you’re at. If you are consistently working out, eating well and taking the time to add healthy and mindful practices to your life, then you should eventually achieve the results you’re looking for.