[Must-See for Strength Training Beginners] I started strength training and gained weight... Did I get fat? Explaining the causes and solutions
Conclusion
When you start strength training and your weight increases,
"Did I get fat?"
Many people feel anxious about this.
However,an increase in weight does not necessarily mean you have gained fat.
When you first start strength training, your weight may increase due to an increase in muscle mass and the amount of water in your body.
The important thing is not to judge by weight alone, but to also check changes in your appearance, body fat percentage, and muscle strength.
In this article, I will explain the causes and countermeasures that strength training beginners should know so they don't panic over weight gain.
Perspective of a Physical Therapist
As a licensed physical therapist, I have studied the mechanisms of the body and muscles.
When you start strength training, your muscles take in a lot of nutrients and water to recover from the stimulation of exercise.
Especially for beginners,
inflammatory responses due to training
increase in muscle glycogen
increase in water retention
and other such things are likely to occur, which can lead to a temporary increase in weight.
This is a normal reaction as the body tries to adapt to training, and it does not necessarily mean that fat has increased.
Research and Evidence
Muscles store glycogen (carbohydrates).
It has been reported that for every 1g of this glycogen, approximately 3g of water is stored along with it.
Therefore, when you start strength training,
glycogen in the muscles increases
water content increases
weight increases by about 1 to 2 kg
It is not uncommon for this to happen.
Also, as your muscle mass gradually increases, your weight will increase accordingly.
The important thing is to
determine whether your body fat is increasing, or if your muscle and water content are increasing
is the key.
Practical methods
1. Don't just look at your weight
Daily weight also changes due to water content.
What you want to check is
waist size
appearance in the mirror
body fat percentage
muscle strength
Let's judge these comprehensively.
2. Consume enough protein
Sufficient protein is necessary to increase muscle mass.
A good guideline is
about 1.2 to 1.6g per kg of body weight
to keep in mind.
Recommended protein supplements are here
3. Don't rush to cut your meals
"I gained weight, so I should eat less."
This is a common mistake for beginners.
If you reduce your food intake more than necessary,
it becomes harder to build muscle,
recovery slows down,
and training quality drops,
leading to a vicious cycle.
4. Track your body fat percentage as well
A home body composition monitor is sufficient for reference.
You can check changes that weight alone cannot reveal.
Recommended body composition monitors are here
Summary
Even if you gain weight after starting strength training, there is no need to immediately conclude that you have "gotten fat."
For beginners, it is common to gain weight due to:
an increase in water retention
an increase in glycogen
an increase in muscle mass
It is important to look at the "overall changes in your body" rather than just the scale.
By continuing your training and diet without rushing, you will get closer to your ideal body.
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