Perhaps you have felt disappointed when you start an especially vigorous workout routine only to see the scale go above the weight you started with. Is there a biological reason behind why exercise makes me gain weight?
There are many aspects to the answer. Exercise does not make you fat. Weight gain after working out is most likely a combination of several factors, but you shouldn't give up.
Professor Corinne Caillaud, an Australian professor of physical activity and digital health, says people typically don't realize the health benefits of exercise even when they gain weight.
In regard to weight management, exercise is important, but diet also plays a role, said Caillaud. A person who notices their weight increasing should review the quantity and quality of the food they're eating, she said. What and how much they eat can explain their post-exercise weight gain.
"Unfortunately, a lot of people think that they can eat more because they've exercised," Caillaud said. Although eating junk food occasionally may not be harmful, exercising will likely not counteract the effects of increasing the frequency with which you consume it.
The weight gain may be due to a few different biological factors, even if your diet hasn't changed. It is possible to overstrain your muscles if you aren't accustomed to good workouts and then go all out. According to University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, when this happens, your muscles are damaged by microtears, but these are not cause for concern, since your body helps repair the damage by sending nutrition to the muscles. As a result, your muscles ache the next day, but eventually your muscles grow.