Losing weight is a challenging task -- so many temptations, so little time and copious amounts of information, much of it contradicting. On top of all that, when one gets the courage to start a weight loss program, she is often greeted with a slight weight gain, making the task all that much more daunting.
Calories in vs. Calories out
Weight loss and gain is a matter of energy in vs. energy out, or calories consumed vs. calories burned. It takes a net calorie deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound. Keep in mind that this net deficit is not the same number of calories you burn in a day. Rather, net deficit is the difference between calories consumed and calories burned in a day. For example, if you consume 2,200 calories and burn 2,700 calories, you will have a net deficit of 500 calories, on par for one pound lost per week.
Muscle
Often, people will see a slight weight gain after beginning a weight-training program. This can happen because your body can begin to build muscle almost instantly. While weight gain may not be your goal, you should seek to gain a few pounds of muscle, which will help to increase your metabolism, allowing you to burn more fat in the future.
Water Retention
Water retention can sometimes be a culprit of weight gain from an exercise program. Since most of your body is made up of water, including your muscles, you will need to provide it with lots of water. When you being a new workout program, your body's requirements are going to change. If you retaining water, start keeping a food journal to ensure that you are not consuming too much sodium.
Adjusting Calorie Consumption
Since weight loss is based around a net calorie deficit, it is pretty hard to create that right from the start. Keep track of your diet and exercise, and if you are accurately tracking calories consumed vs. calories burned, you will notice over time that the pounds will start to fall off. Remember that as you lose weight your body will require less food to maintain that weight, so don't forget to adjust your calorie consumption.
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