I've been going to the gym for a month now and I gained 4 pounds. :(
I lost a few inches in my waist, but all the other measurements were
either the same or slightly larger. I'm so frustrated!

I work out 5 days a week. For 3 weeks I did cardio for 5 days and weights 2 days a week. Now, I do weights 4 days a week and cardio 5 days a week.

My cardio has improved (longer time, higher elevation, etc..). I do 10 mins of the eliptical machine and 25 mins of the treadmill. (That doesn't include warm up and cool down).

My eating isn't perfect but it is better than it was before. I'm not snacking as much because the exercise kills my appetite.

SOOOO.......did I just gain muscle or am I doing something wrong?


Paula

Sounds for sure like you are putting on muscle! These guys say never pay attention to the scale, go by how you feel and how your clothes fit. I can't ever do that, but I'd imagine being a woman will definitely make your weight fluctuate from day to day. Can you give us an idea of what you eat on a typical day? Maybe one of these dudes can give you some tips on eating. I've also found that putting my measurements in to mybodycomp.com is reassuring. I'm positive it's not accurate, but I feel like it gives me a good idea of what is going on in my body....

Bottom line, if you are at the gym 5 days a week working out as hard as you say you are, there is no doubt in my mind you've lost fat and gained muscle. You've probably lost like 10 lbs. of fat and gained 14 lbs. of muscle and water...

On a side note, make sure you are eating and drinking enough...good, frequent exercise can be very beneficial for you, but the pounds won't come off if you don't take care of yourself nutritionally.

I am 7 weeks into my training. I work out 5-6 times a week doung alternating days of cardio and weights.
The first4-5 weeks I was ready to throw in the towel. Although my clothes were starting to loosen up I hadn't lost an ounce.
Don't be discouraged---it is definately muscle gain replacing the fat that are actually losing. A few weeks after that it was like one morning I looked in the mirror and was like "damn" my body is looking really good. I can see definition in my abs and my arms are starting to get those muscles I have always admired on certain women.
I ususally work out in track oants and one day I worked out in shorts for a change and as I was working out I was startled to see how muscular my legs were getting.
Even though a month seems like a long time it really isn't quite long enough to see results. Give yourself some more time and I promise you, you will.
Oh and BTW in my opinion (depending on your age or blessed genetics) it dosen't matter how much you work out DIET is key. You have to eat clean along with working out to get great results. So Good Luck and hang in there. :wave:

Weight gain with exercise is EXTREMELY common. Rest assured though, it's muscle and always looks good. You even look slimmer because muscle is so much denser than fluffy bouncy fat!

Take the guess work out of this! Have your bodycomp tested and then have it re-checked once a month to evaluate your progress. Most gyms offer this service. If not invest in a scale or an electrical impedence tester for body comp, although they may not be the most accurate they will show a change over time when looking at comparable readings.