Is it normal to gain 12 lbs in a week?

[VoodooPriest]

So I started out being 250lbs which is pretty over weight for a guy that is 5'10. Through dieting alone I've been able to get down to 200 but can't seem to lose any more then that on my current diet. I'm going to have to cut even more out of my diet I guess.

So while I'm doing that I've decided to start working out. Right now I don't do much but I'll probably get a gym membership soon. For now I've been doing 50-60 push ups and 120-150 sit ups every day as well as laps in my pool for 30 min every day for the last week in a half.

I just weight my self to day to see if the exercise has helped me lose a small amount of weight and I found instead that I gained 12 lbs since I started. Looking in the mirror it does look like I have lost some fat in some places (chin, upper pecs and upper abs) but seem to have put more on my lower external oblique. I've also noticed that my arms have become a little more defined.

So basically is this normal. I've been told that muscle weighs more than fat but I find it hard to believe that I put on that much weight in muscle. Is that even possible?

[EightO]

Gaining 12 pounds of muscle in a week is nigh-impossible; just as gaining 12 pounds of fat is, or any combination thereof. However, fluctuations in body water can make for big gains or loss in pounds. Do you weigh yourself at the same time every day, on a reliable scale? If not, then your results will probably be skewed.

Speaking from experience, your weight can fluctuate by around +-5 pounds just from hydration and stomach content levels.

So, my advice to you is: If you wish to accurately measure weight loss, weigh yourself at the same time every day, under the same conditions, with an accurate scale.

Hope that helps.

[TuEng]

I agree with EightO. Though 12 lbs i don't think is anything to worry about. times i change my workout routine I'll put on 5-10 lbs almost immediately. then gradually lose it over a week or so.

[Durk]

retaining water.

[Vapor]

It's just water weight. Get a tape measure.

[shield]

that's 100% impossible unless you have been eating like a madman. Diet and not exercise is the key component in fat loss. If calories in is less than calories out you will surely lose weight.

[Tempus X]

In wrestling, we would say that it is easy to lose 10lbs in 3 days. Women flocked to us asking, "OMG WHAT'S YOUR SECRET?!"

The secret was that we were talking water weight.

The body can easily lose 10lbs of water and still retain healthy levels of hydration within your system. But, in the long run, you lose cushioning to your organs, flow rates of lactic acid (indirectly), and other health benefits.

Thus, rest assured, while you may have gained 1lb of muscle, all 12lbs are probably water being retained. If you happen to have a naturally small frame (barely any fat on your arms), you'll notice your muscles are particularly big a week after working out continually. Take a week break, and the size of your muscles will go down, but your strength will remain the same.

I'm no medical expert, but I've learned a lot in order to gain some muscle on my frame (I'm a naturally skinny guy).

[bravo29]

Always better to go by your bodyfat comp% than weight to track your progress. And I agree with Shield on the diet.

[ddiabolical]

My first ever week of whey protein and working out I gained 7 lbs. If I was eating properly it would have been more.

[The Legend]

7lbs in a week, as vapour said it's just water/bloat. max muscle you are likely to gain in a week is 1lb, and you have to have fairly optimal training and nutrition to do that.