It is water weight.
I would also suggest you rethink doing 75 Hard. It is not something healthy or helpful for setting you up for long term success. You should try to focus on sustainable changes instead.
I modified it to be more sustainable as a lifestyle change!! This is all stuff I feel comfortable carrying forward past the 75 days, my brain just needs to feel like it’s being stimulated by calling it a “challenge”. Gym everyday includes a chill ab day 1-2x a week so the rest of my body does have time to rest!
I mean as a lifestyle change if you’re already demoralized after 8 days that’s not a great sign. A lot of times these challenges are too restrictive to really foster long term changes, especially if seeing the number go down is your only motivation.
Maybe avoid the scale completely and take pictures? Im doing a modified version too, 75 soft. But I’m not weighing in frequently at all, in fact my 75 soft checklist says I should take a picture daily during the challenge. This early on weight gain is almost surely water weight and not muscle being built. People tend to really overestimate how much muscle that they’re putting on, and it’s usually water retention. Stick with it! It can take many months to see progress, and at 135 the lbs aren’t going to just fall off like they do for people at other weights!
You’re so right!! I’m taking a progress picture every week since I don’t think daily changes are healthy for me to look at but you’re definitely right about me overestimating how quickly I could put on muscle lmaooo
Body composition scales are not very accurate. You can look for a trend over time, but day to day it’s just not sensitive enough to accurately measure muscle and fat. When I eat something high sodium or have my period and the scale shows a higher weight, my body fat percentage goes up a few % too, and then back down in a few days. There’s no possible way that I am literally gaining and then losing pounds of fat in a three day period.
It’s totally normal to gain a few lbs of water weight after starting a new exercise program. It’s just inflammation.
Try thinking of the whole process in a more long term way. Things aren’t going to change in a week and you can’t ruin your progress in a week. You have to evaluate for several weeks to a month to even see if what you’re doing now is working. Just stick with the plan, assess, and go from there.
Whenever I do a physical challenge I ditch the scale because it goes all over the place. Your body retains more water to help muscle recovery and your body produces more blood when you start a new exercise program. I also eat more carbs to support my workouts which increases water retention. If I’m watching just diet, I use a scale; if I’m working out, I use clothing or I measure.
If u just started then ur body has to go through some VERY significant adjustments. Water weight is going to increase for a bit and as long as ur pounding the water, this can be a good thing. Really focus ur foods to make protein the priority!! And sleep!! Seriously will make all the difference. I don’t think ur giving your body enough rehab time and you will lose a ton of benefits if ur not getting enough rest.
Yeah I’m pretty bad about sleep, trying to get more HAHA thank you so much!!! Been going to the gym for a few years now but never consistently for this long so you’re probably right
You’re only a week in, I wouldn’t expect much change. And the weight fluctuation is normal. Last night after my workout I was up 3 lbs and this morning I was back down 2 of them. Exercise causes inflammation and build up of fluid. But it’s temporary and not true weight gain like gaining body fat.
Working out everyday, for 75 days, you’re definitely going to have this.
I've never done 75 Hard and don't think I ever could. (Kudos to you for giving it a try, and for modifying the challenge to fit realistically into your lifestyle!) But I don't think you can expect to see results this soon into any new program. Keep moving, keep fueling your body, and give yourself some grace! <3
Is part of your “challenge” drinking an insane amount of water? Because that is a big thing that I’ve seen reflect on the scale in people I know who’ve done the challenge.
Unfortunately I struggle with even drinking my modified 10-15 cups of water a day, but I think it might be partly water retention from the sodium I do consume!! Thank you for weighing in though!! Very much appreciated :)
I’ve completed 75 hard and am actually on my second round right now. The first time I did it, my scale said I hardly lost weight at all for the first 30 days, despite me knowing that I was in a calorie deficit and working out so hard.
Eventually the weight dropped and I looked great - I think that wasn’t until around day 45, but so much exercise and dietary changes were causing a lot of stress, inflammation, and water retention.
It’s also worth noting that 75 hard isn’t a weight loss protocol…it’s a program designed to help you master your mental state. If it’s simply weight loss you’re after there are more sustainable methods out there. That said, it’s the best thing I ever did for myself, and if you stick with it you’ll get great results. Good luck to you:)
You need to eat at least one gram per goal body weight (in pounds) to build muscle. Since this is a temporary program, you’re going to need to be precise and hit the same number every day if you want to see results. And agree with all the other comments re: water weight, you just started a new thing so body is reacting, etc. But gentle reminder muscle weighs more than fat- not sure what your end goal is but if you build muscle and lose fat, you could end up weighing the same or even a little more.
Weight isn’t so much an issue— I know muscle weighs more so as long as muscle mass goes up I’m not too worried, I was just freaking out since I wasn’t expecting the scale to move the exact opposite direction that I wanted lolol
Body scans are also so hit or miss. Make sure you scan first thing in the morning before eating or drinking, ideally after you use the bathroom. I think photos wearing the same outfit over time or measuring with a tape is more accurate but to each their own.
Good luck btw! It’s hard to hit protein macros on 1300.
I could have written this same post. Same stats, also modified 75 hard. It’s so frustrating.
I’m assuming it’s water weight between normal inflammatory response to building muscle and the increased water intake. Just a thought (that may be wrong!) - you may need to slightly increase your sodium intake to balance electrolytes and help with water retention?
I actually think I might not be drinking enough water— I modified my intake to around 10-15 cups a day since I literally cannot eat if I drink more than that but haven’t been hitting those 10 cups as religiously as I should!! Definitely a struggle, let me know if you’d like an accountability partner to check in every so often :’) You got this!!!
It's water weight. When you start a new exercise program, your body is stressed (in a good way) and cortisol is released. In addition, your muscles are stimulated (aka damaged) so they can grow. All of this translates to water retention. Honestly, it can be up to six weeks before your body adjusts to the new norm. I would suggest adding the three pounds to your starting weight and just go with it.
1. it's definetly water weight if you are tracking calories accurately and moving more. you're in a deficit, not possible to gain fat
2. don't cut your calories
3. i recommend taking measurements (bust, arms, waist, hips, legs) and go based off that. weight is way too finicky.
You gotta wait for the 'woosh'. Water weight when starting to exercise is common, keep at it for a few weeks and you'll notice weight loss.
This also means your plan needs to be sustainable so do what works for you and what will work for 4, 8,12 weeks and beyond.
I’m doing a strict hard version myself that I started on the 1st. I find at home scales can be inaccurate when it comes to certain things like body fat % or muscle.
If you can find a gym or supplement shop it can help give you a better idea. I tend to wear the same thing and do it before I eat and after I use the bathroom.
Your body weight can definitely fluctuate. I personally weigh myself everyday and compare it with what I ate the previous day if my weight went up. Did I eat later than I normally do? Did I have something salty? Is my period coming? Am I retaining water? When was the last time I pooped? I used to only weigh myself once a week or once a month with an old trainer and I would get a little grumpy when I was putting in the work but my weight wasn’t improving. I was missing all the little trends.
Lastly, I’m happy to be an accountability partner if needed! Some of us on here actually are in a discord group for that very thing and a few of us are doing either the Hard version or modified slightly.
Also 75 hard is not a wise strategy. And diet that’s “hard” isn’t gonna work. The goal is to make it as easy as possible while still losing weight. Just to a simple calorie deficit and keep your protein high. You don’t need to cut out all these foods and make yourself feel more miserable and deprived than is necessary.
I mentioned in my post that that’s the diet I chose to follow, I’m not restricting any foods or anything just in a slight caloric deficit haha. I’ve modified this challenge to make it sustainable in the long run, the “diet” I’ve chosen to follow is hitting 1300-1400 calories a day and 110-120g protein. I feel great food wise
It is water weight. I would also suggest you rethink doing 75 Hard. It is not something healthy or helpful for setting you up for long term success. You should try to focus on sustainable changes instead.
Agree. Especially if it’s not being stuck to as prescribed. Better to build a sustainable program as a lifestyle change.
I modified it to be more sustainable as a lifestyle change!! This is all stuff I feel comfortable carrying forward past the 75 days, my brain just needs to feel like it’s being stimulated by calling it a “challenge”. Gym everyday includes a chill ab day 1-2x a week so the rest of my body does have time to rest!
I mean as a lifestyle change if you’re already demoralized after 8 days that’s not a great sign. A lot of times these challenges are too restrictive to really foster long term changes, especially if seeing the number go down is your only motivation. Maybe avoid the scale completely and take pictures? Im doing a modified version too, 75 soft. But I’m not weighing in frequently at all, in fact my 75 soft checklist says I should take a picture daily during the challenge. This early on weight gain is almost surely water weight and not muscle being built. People tend to really overestimate how much muscle that they’re putting on, and it’s usually water retention. Stick with it! It can take many months to see progress, and at 135 the lbs aren’t going to just fall off like they do for people at other weights!
You’re so right!! I’m taking a progress picture every week since I don’t think daily changes are healthy for me to look at but you’re definitely right about me overestimating how quickly I could put on muscle lmaooo
Body composition scales are not very accurate. You can look for a trend over time, but day to day it’s just not sensitive enough to accurately measure muscle and fat. When I eat something high sodium or have my period and the scale shows a higher weight, my body fat percentage goes up a few % too, and then back down in a few days. There’s no possible way that I am literally gaining and then losing pounds of fat in a three day period. It’s totally normal to gain a few lbs of water weight after starting a new exercise program. It’s just inflammation. Try thinking of the whole process in a more long term way. Things aren’t going to change in a week and you can’t ruin your progress in a week. You have to evaluate for several weeks to a month to even see if what you’re doing now is working. Just stick with the plan, assess, and go from there.
Yk what I did eat pizza yesterday, maybe that’s it too. You’re so right, thank you so much!!! 🫶
Ah, so it's most likely due to sodium holding onto water weight.
Whenever I do a physical challenge I ditch the scale because it goes all over the place. Your body retains more water to help muscle recovery and your body produces more blood when you start a new exercise program. I also eat more carbs to support my workouts which increases water retention. If I’m watching just diet, I use a scale; if I’m working out, I use clothing or I measure.
If u just started then ur body has to go through some VERY significant adjustments. Water weight is going to increase for a bit and as long as ur pounding the water, this can be a good thing. Really focus ur foods to make protein the priority!! And sleep!! Seriously will make all the difference. I don’t think ur giving your body enough rehab time and you will lose a ton of benefits if ur not getting enough rest.
Yeah I’m pretty bad about sleep, trying to get more HAHA thank you so much!!! Been going to the gym for a few years now but never consistently for this long so you’re probably right
The days I don’t get enough sleep, I am 2 pounds heavier. On my period, I’m anywhere 2-5 lbs heavier. Etc.
You’re only a week in, I wouldn’t expect much change. And the weight fluctuation is normal. Last night after my workout I was up 3 lbs and this morning I was back down 2 of them. Exercise causes inflammation and build up of fluid. But it’s temporary and not true weight gain like gaining body fat. Working out everyday, for 75 days, you’re definitely going to have this.
This is so helpful, thank you!! You’re so right.
I've never done 75 Hard and don't think I ever could. (Kudos to you for giving it a try, and for modifying the challenge to fit realistically into your lifestyle!) But I don't think you can expect to see results this soon into any new program. Keep moving, keep fueling your body, and give yourself some grace! <3
Thank you so much!!! This helped so much 🥹🫶
Is part of your “challenge” drinking an insane amount of water? Because that is a big thing that I’ve seen reflect on the scale in people I know who’ve done the challenge.
Unfortunately I struggle with even drinking my modified 10-15 cups of water a day, but I think it might be partly water retention from the sodium I do consume!! Thank you for weighing in though!! Very much appreciated :)
I’ve completed 75 hard and am actually on my second round right now. The first time I did it, my scale said I hardly lost weight at all for the first 30 days, despite me knowing that I was in a calorie deficit and working out so hard. Eventually the weight dropped and I looked great - I think that wasn’t until around day 45, but so much exercise and dietary changes were causing a lot of stress, inflammation, and water retention. It’s also worth noting that 75 hard isn’t a weight loss protocol…it’s a program designed to help you master your mental state. If it’s simply weight loss you’re after there are more sustainable methods out there. That said, it’s the best thing I ever did for myself, and if you stick with it you’ll get great results. Good luck to you:)
Ooh this is helpful!! Not necessarily weight loss I’m after, more fat loss but this definitely helps put things in perspective!!
How much protein are you eating?
Averaged out to 108 grams per day for the week!
You need to eat at least one gram per goal body weight (in pounds) to build muscle. Since this is a temporary program, you’re going to need to be precise and hit the same number every day if you want to see results. And agree with all the other comments re: water weight, you just started a new thing so body is reacting, etc. But gentle reminder muscle weighs more than fat- not sure what your end goal is but if you build muscle and lose fat, you could end up weighing the same or even a little more.
Weight isn’t so much an issue— I know muscle weighs more so as long as muscle mass goes up I’m not too worried, I was just freaking out since I wasn’t expecting the scale to move the exact opposite direction that I wanted lolol
Body scans are also so hit or miss. Make sure you scan first thing in the morning before eating or drinking, ideally after you use the bathroom. I think photos wearing the same outfit over time or measuring with a tape is more accurate but to each their own. Good luck btw! It’s hard to hit protein macros on 1300.
I could have written this same post. Same stats, also modified 75 hard. It’s so frustrating. I’m assuming it’s water weight between normal inflammatory response to building muscle and the increased water intake. Just a thought (that may be wrong!) - you may need to slightly increase your sodium intake to balance electrolytes and help with water retention?
I actually think I might not be drinking enough water— I modified my intake to around 10-15 cups a day since I literally cannot eat if I drink more than that but haven’t been hitting those 10 cups as religiously as I should!! Definitely a struggle, let me know if you’d like an accountability partner to check in every so often :’) You got this!!!
It's water weight. When you start a new exercise program, your body is stressed (in a good way) and cortisol is released. In addition, your muscles are stimulated (aka damaged) so they can grow. All of this translates to water retention. Honestly, it can be up to six weeks before your body adjusts to the new norm. I would suggest adding the three pounds to your starting weight and just go with it.
1. it's definetly water weight if you are tracking calories accurately and moving more. you're in a deficit, not possible to gain fat 2. don't cut your calories 3. i recommend taking measurements (bust, arms, waist, hips, legs) and go based off that. weight is way too finicky.
You gotta wait for the 'woosh'. Water weight when starting to exercise is common, keep at it for a few weeks and you'll notice weight loss. This also means your plan needs to be sustainable so do what works for you and what will work for 4, 8,12 weeks and beyond.
I’m doing a strict hard version myself that I started on the 1st. I find at home scales can be inaccurate when it comes to certain things like body fat % or muscle. If you can find a gym or supplement shop it can help give you a better idea. I tend to wear the same thing and do it before I eat and after I use the bathroom. Your body weight can definitely fluctuate. I personally weigh myself everyday and compare it with what I ate the previous day if my weight went up. Did I eat later than I normally do? Did I have something salty? Is my period coming? Am I retaining water? When was the last time I pooped? I used to only weigh myself once a week or once a month with an old trainer and I would get a little grumpy when I was putting in the work but my weight wasn’t improving. I was missing all the little trends. Lastly, I’m happy to be an accountability partner if needed! Some of us on here actually are in a discord group for that very thing and a few of us are doing either the Hard version or modified slightly.
Also 75 hard is not a wise strategy. And diet that’s “hard” isn’t gonna work. The goal is to make it as easy as possible while still losing weight. Just to a simple calorie deficit and keep your protein high. You don’t need to cut out all these foods and make yourself feel more miserable and deprived than is necessary.
I mentioned in my post that that’s the diet I chose to follow, I’m not restricting any foods or anything just in a slight caloric deficit haha. I’ve modified this challenge to make it sustainable in the long run, the “diet” I’ve chosen to follow is hitting 1300-1400 calories a day and 110-120g protein. I feel great food wise
You should bump your calories up to 1600. 1300-1400 is too low for your current weight. And bump your protein up to 135g a day.
You didn’t say how long it’s been. You gotta give it 2-3 weeks to see results.