Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : May 15, 2020 2:47 PM IST
Don’t rely too much on fibre-rich foods to tame your post-workout hunger pangs. They may lead to water retention and temporary weight gain. © Shutterstock.
Well, you are exercising religiously and following a well-balanced, nutritionist-backed diet. But your efforts don't show up on the weighing scale. You discover that you have piled on a few extra kilos instead of shedding them. This is frustrating for sure. But there's no need to panic. There are several scientific reasons behind weight gain even after working out. Here, we guide you through them so that the numbers on the scale don't baffle you.
When you start working out, you are most likely to gain muscle mass. This is one of the reasons behind gaining weight even after exercising regularly. In fact, you will see your numbers increasing on the scale despite losing fat. Muscle is more dense than fat. But it occupies less space in your body.
The amount of muscle you gain varies, depending on your diet and workout routine. If strength training is part of your daily workout routine and you are loading up on protein sufficiently, then your chances of gaining muscle mass are higher. Your genes may also be a deciding factor in matters of muscle mass. However, this goes without saying that you will gain some amount of muscle mass if your physical activity increases and more so, if you were used to a sedentary life before starting your workout routine. It's good to gain muscle mass. However, some find it difficult to put on muscles while others gain it easily.
Post workout water retention is a common phenomenon. So, it's quite normal to see your number going up on the scale after a grilling session of workout. Moreover, 70 to 90 per cent of your body weight is constituted of water. So, variation in your body's water content can influence the numbers on your scale significantly on a day to day basis. However, this weight gain is temporary. Also, you may put on extra kilos due to water retention if your diet includes sodium-rich foods. Several studies have observed that salty foods escalate our body's water content without increasing our urine production. The extra fluid increases the numbers on your weighing scale. You will retain more water than others if you are highly sodium-sensitive. Processed foods and beverages can up the sodium content in your diet. Apart from these, there are other factors that can lead to water weight gain. Women experience weight gain due to water retention during their menstrual cycle. Fluid retention is at its peak during the first day of menstrual cycle.
It is likely that the workout you are doing religiously to shed those extra kilos is actually raising your numbers on the scale. But don't worry, it's temporary. In fact, this phenomenon may be a proof that you are working out really hard that will give you long-term results. This is how it works. Exercises, especially weight training, lead to muscle tissue damage and inflammation. Exercise physiologists term this phenomenon as exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). In this condition, inflammation is the outcome of white blood cell build-up in the damaged tissues. This whole mechanism can trigger temporary weight gain. EIMD manifests itself through increased soreness in your muscles the day or a day or two after you start exercising.
Strenuous exercise can make you hungry for sure. If you are relying too much on healthy fibre-rich foods after your workout sessions to keep your tummy full, you may experience slight weight gain. This is because fibre is known to retain water in your colon. However, this is temporary.
