You've heard it a million times; if you'd only start exercising, you'd finally lose your extra weight and become healthier. But when you spend a week hitting the gym and finally step on the scale, seeing the number creep up can cause your motivation to take a serious hit. By understanding what is going on with your body and why you're seeing the opposite of what you hope to achieve, you can alter your workout so that you begin seeing results.
Muscle Mass
If you're including weightlifting and resistance training in your regular workout routine, you're building muscle mass. Muscle actually weighs more than fat, pound for pound, so if you're gaining muscles through your workouts, you may actually gain weight. The good news is the proof will be in the pudding of your svelte new body. Muscle can help you burn more calories and look healthier. Adding cardiovascular exercise will burn away excess fat so you can clearly see the results of your hard work.
Larger Appetite
When you exercise more, you burn more calories. That means your body will automatically want you to replace those calories through a heftier appetite. If you find yourself reaching for high-calorie snacks after a particularly strenuous workout, it could result in counterproductive weight gain. By knowing when your hunger tends to hit and preparing in advance with healthier, protein-packed snacks like nuts or hummus, you'll tame your appetite without packing on the pounds post-workout.
Food Rewards
When you begin working out and start to see results, it's natural to begin to feel entitled to small rewards. It's fine to offer yourself incentives and rewards for a job well done, but it can be detrimental when you reward yourself with snacks and treats. When you justify your candy bar obsession with a trip to the gym, you're bound to notice weight gain even when you're faithful to your workouts. If you must offer yourself rewards, choose those disassociated with food, like new clothes, a book or a manicure.
Scrap the Scale
If seeing negative results on the scale is affecting your resolve to lose weight and become healthier, measure your success in other ways. Being a slave to the scale can affect your motivation and it may not offer a completely accurate picture of your weight-loss progress and health success. You can track your weight loss by noting the change in your energy level, seeing the way your clothes fit and experiencing your level of fitness rise.
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