Starting to work out - how long will it take for my body to adjust?

[KariT13]

Hi everyone! I'm in P3, day 12 or so. And I am starting to get back into jogging. I have always loved it and now feel like I'm finally at a low enough weight to be able to comfortably run a few miles.

So I started last night but I still have about 30 pounds to lose. How long will it take for my body to adjust to lose weight? I am sure for the first while, I won't see much movement on the scale due to muscle water retention, etc.

Thanks!

[tddurham]

I would like to know that too....cause I might make this my last round, once I get the scale dipped below 200, and I finish the round, (shooting for 170), I want to work out and eat right to lose the rest.

[Arctic_Mama]

Exercise rarely makes me lose weight. In fact, when mine is working right, I gain weight. I rely on exercise for strength training and building lean mass, to metabolize more calories tht way, but the effect on the scale is usually a positive weight trend, not a negative one like when I am dieting. The exercise shapes nd strengthens my body, but the nutrient makeup and calorie deficit of my diet is where all losses occur. The exercise doesn't do more than make my machine work. Bit better at burning its' fuel, so to speak.

That said, it takes me about two weeks for my body to 'get used' to the intensity of a new activity and for me to see patterns emerge in the healing of my muscles and water retention, in general. When I began a new workout program during P3 the scale bounced a bunch and my range settled a pound higher than it had been previously, due to gaining some muscle density. These sorts of things are normal and highly variable, so observation is your best friend in this case.

[shirleychef]

I added exercise after round 1 and I gained at the beginning, then my weight went back down, then I gained every time I increased the intensity of my work out. My gains usually lasted 3-5 days, then my weight would settle back into the zone.

This round, round 3, I added exercise day 1 of phase 3 and I gained and gained... also wasn't eating as strictly as I should I gained 12 pounds and stabilized there. :-( I'm still sore after 4 weeks of doing 2 miles of walk aerobics 5-6 days a week and doing 20-30 minutes of weight lifting 3 days a week.

So... I'd say everyone is most likely different. How your body will respond to the muscle soreness and development may be different than others. Just track it and learn from it.

Oh and I should say, I don't exercise to lose weight. I'm exercising to tone.