Sometimes people tell us that they started gaining weight when they incorporated exercise into their plans.  There are several factors at play and things to consider, but yes, that can happen.  Here’s why it happens, and how to leverage exercise to help you lose weight, not gain it.

You Can’t Outrun A Bad Diet

First and foremost, if you eat more when you exercise, you may be eating more additional calories than you are burning off.  Some people feel like they “earned” a piece of cake during their 30 minute workout routine, when typically, they probably “earned” less than half of a piece.  Keep that in mind and stay focused on your healthy diet.

Yes, Muscle Does Weigh More Than Fat

It is important to keep that in mind, but not to confuse muscle weighing more with over eating.  A simple way to monitor this is to take measurements of your body, beyond weight.  Once a week or once a month use a flexible tape measure to see what measurements in specific areas of your body are, such as your biceps, quadriceps, abdomen, hips and rear.  This will give you a way to assess your progress other than weight.  It is possible to stay the same weight, or even gain weight, but still experience jaw-dropping, dramatic results where you look like you lost a bunch of weight.  Exercise and increased muscle mass are amazingly beneficial to overall health, so for some people, they really don’t need to lose weight so much as they need to gain more muscle and lose fat.

Our Suggestions

Exercise!  Take measurements to objectively assess your progress and don’t neglect your diet.  Exercise can be extremely helpful in weight loss, but studies show that few people successfully lose weight through exercise alone, so you have to incorporate a healthy diet for best results.

If you are trying to lose weight, please consider visiting us at Olivera Weight Loss.

We use research-proven strategies, approaches and tools to help our patients achieve successful weight loss.  We offer a variety of services to meet your needs.  In our remote Nutrition Consultations, our Registered Dietitian develops a plan customized to meet your needs without you ever having to leave your home.  Phentermine, an FDA approved appetite suppressant proven to help patients lose weight, is available at Olivera Weight Loss for patients who qualify.   For more information on pricing and our other services, please visit our webpage or give us a call at 773-327-6624.  Follow us on Facebook for free weight loss tips, recipes and more.

*Please note, appointments are required for new patients and strongly encouraged for returning patients to minimize wait times.*