Fitness is a different journey for everyone; hence, it can be confusing to understand your body’s reactions to lifestyle changes. If you are moving ahead in your fitness journey, you may take workouts and healthy eating more seriously. Eating healthily does not harm anyone, but working out can be challenging.
A workout plays a pivotal role if you are beginning your fitness journey. Some people on a journey to lose weight want to see faster results. However, some people may notice an increase in weight when they start working out. It makes them wonder what the reason behind it is: is it muscle inflammation? If you need clarification about why you are gaining weight despite working out and eating healthy, this article is for you!
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Is Muscle Inflammation the Reason Behind Sudden Weight Gain?
Most people struggle with losing weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle. However, a few reasons can cause weight gain, but working out and eating healthy help. Some people initially deal with acute and chronic inflammation when working out.
You may also weigh more than usual on a weighing scale which is bothersome for some people. It makes them wonder if muscle inflammation is the cause of sudden weight gain. Here are some reasons why you are gaining weight despite eating healthy and exercising:
1. After Exercise Fluid Retention
One of the main reasons you weigh more than usual after starting gym is fluid retention. Most of us have bodily fluids that can increase or decrease depending on our activities and food. If you don’t work out usually but start out, your body may react usually.
Many factors affect weight gain, and fluid retention is the main one. When you work out, your body goes through minor traumas, which can lead to muscle fluid retention and inflammation. However, muscle inflammation and fluid inflammation do not last that long.
As your muscle gains memory of movement, the inflammation and swelling disappear. Hence, it would be best to keep going because fluid retention will eventually decrease.
2. Muscle Soreness and Inflammation
You deal with muscle soreness and inflammation when you try a new exercise. However, we all know the key to battling muscle soreness is to keep going. Working your muscle deeply can cause inflammation which can cause a muscle to swell.
The swelling adds extra weight to your body but is only temporary. You should not get intimidated by sudden weight gain as it goes away after a few days. You can also take a cold show or use a hot and cold compress to get rid of muscle inflammation faster.
Can inflammation cause weight gain? It is one of the questions that most gym freaks have and want answers to. Inflammation can cause weight gain, but it is only temporary and goes away as you continue working out. Hence, it would be best not to let the temporary weight gain discourage you, as it is a sign you are doing great.
3. Muscle Weight Gain
The main motive for going to the gym and working on your fitness is to gain muscle mass. Muscle gain looks and feels different than fat gain; hence, you may look lean but weigh more. If you gain muscle, you gain more strength and improve your fitness levels.
Hence, your weight may show more than usual, but it is not a bad sign. You will gain muscle mass if you eat well and work out consistently. To lose weight, do cardio or HIIT training before training your muscles.
On the other hand, it is best to get a professional on board if you have queries and concerns. A fitness professional knows better about the exercises and training you need and how often you need them. It is best to take the help of a fitness coach initially to know your body better.
Tips to Reduce Muscle Soreness and Inflammation!
Muscle soreness and inflammation are quite common, especially if you are a beginner. If your mind the weight gain muscle inflammation induces, you can use the following tips to avoid it:
- Don’t overwork your muscles often, as it can lead to muscle swelling and inflammation.
- Give yourself two rest days a week to fully recover your muscles and revive your energy.
- Take cold showers as it helps in relaxing your muscles and reducing swelling significantly.
- Don’t miss out on warming up and cooling down, as it helps repair your muscles.
- You can have muscle relaxants or cold and hot compress if you have uncontrollable soreness.
Final Verdict
Muscle inflammation is common if you are a beginner at working out. Working on warming up and cooling down after every workout session is essential to recover your muscles faster. However, it would be best if you did not stop working out because muscle inflammation and weight gain are temporary and go away faster.
