# Clothes fit better when I DON'T exercise??



## Hunny Bunny

Not that I've been using exercise to necessarily lose weight... For the most part, I really like how it feels & like getting stronger or overcoming a challenge.
BUT, for some reason I've noticed that when I get too busy to exercise the way I like to, I lose weight easier than when I work out. And I don't just mean numbers on the scale, I mean like my clothes fit better, etc.
Is that weird? Has anyone else experienced this ever?


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## Red Panda

Maybe it's water retention, maybe you don't drink enough water when you exercise, since you need more than when you don't. How much difference are we talking about?


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## Thalassa

If you aren't overweight you may simply have more muscle when you work out. Or you may eat more because you're exercising more.


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## Snakecharmer

fourtines said:


> If you aren't overweight you may simply have more muscle when you work out. Or you may eat more because you're exercising more.


This.

After I work out, my clothes (especially jeans) always feel tighter for a day or two. I don't weight train nearly as much as I used to, and all of my old jeans are much looser, especially in the legs, even though I weigh the same on the scale. Body composition changes...


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## Resolution

After a workout your muscles get a bit swollen in repair. They swell permanently if the muscles grow. 

Water retention and some bits of diet also cause swelling. 

Caloric expenditure is likely not making you get fatter. :kitteh:


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## Red Panda

Snakecharmer said:


> This.
> 
> After I work out, my clothes (especially jeans) always feel tighter for a day or two. I don't weight train nearly as much as I used to, and all of my old jeans are much looser, especially in the legs, even though I weigh the same on the scale. Body composition changes...


it doesn't change that fast. For a non-bodybuilder who exercises for muscle gain, the maximum muscle in a year that will be added is about 2-3kg. Only water balance can change your body so fast.


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## Snakecharmer

Krou said:


> it doesn't change that fast. For a non-bodybuilder who exercises for muscle gain, the maximum muscle in a year that will be added is about 2-3kg. Only water balance can change your body so fast.


If we are talking within the first few days of training, yeah. But muscle gain isn't that slow for everyone. When I first started bodybuilding, I had what we call "newbie gains". I lost 6 lbs of fat and gained 6 lbs of muscle in less than 8 weeks. I have that sort of build, though.

Really, I think it IS usually water (at least initially), and perhaps swelling from the workout (increased blood flow).


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## Red Panda

Snakecharmer said:


> If we are talking within the first few days of training, yeah. But muscle gain isn't that slow for everyone. When I first started bodybuilding, I had what we call "newbie gains". I lost 6 lbs of fat and gained 6 lbs of muscle in less than 8 weeks. I have that sort of build, though.
> 
> Really, I think it IS usually water (at least initially), and perhaps swelling from the workout (increased blood flow).


Yeah I know about those gains  
but I think in this case it's much less than 8 weeks, like between few days, but the OP hasn't clarified so we can't know for sure.

(love your signature!)


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## knightlevante

@Hunny Bunny, yes, I've experienced it. It's really weird when your clothes fit better when you don't even exercise. In fact, I never exercise; all I do are just stretching and walking around the campus for +/- 2 hours. I eat like usual; toasted bread with chocolate sauce for breakfast, complete mixed rice (_nasi campur_) for lunch, and fruit salad for dinner. All I do is just drink more and not eating snack. Whenever I crave snack, I always try to repress it by drinking as many mineral waters as I can. By drinking more mineral waters, I can reach an ideal weight and my clothes fit better without exercising. 

Not necessarily muscle problem like other posters in this thread said, though.


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## Snakecharmer

Krou said:


> Yeah I know about those gains
> but I think in this case it's much less than 8 weeks, like between few days, but the OP hasn't clarified so we can't know for sure.
> 
> (love your signature!)


I was wondering about the OP's time frame too.

Are you a Douglas Adams fan too?


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## Red Panda

Snakecharmer said:


> I was wondering about the OP's time frame too.
> 
> Are you a Douglas Adams fan too?


Maybe when she tells us we'll be able to determine why it's happening.

Yea definitely!  I was kinda sad about the humans though


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## Hunny Bunny

Sorry, guys. Haven't been online in a while. Been working my tail off interviewing, etc.

Anyway, here's a good example. I used to live in Maryland about 4 months ago. Didn't really have time to exercise much.
Recently moved to Colorado, and ever since have been a lot more active and actively exercising. I would say I'm in better shape than I've been in in a long time. But, I'm a good 7 lbs heavier than I was when I lived in Maryland. My clothes fit tighter too (they used to be loose and now "fit").
It could be that I'm not drinking enough water. It's really dry here.
But also I kinda tested out my theory and a few weeks ago and stopped exercising for about a week. When I weighed in I was 2 lbs lighter. *scratches head* As far as I know, my eating habits haven't really changed.
I wouldn't consider myself overweight. I'm pretty much in the middle of where I "should" be for my height, just to give you some frame of reference.


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## chickydoda

Maybe you should keep a food diary? If you're exercising and gaining weight (and doing it the right way), your clothes should fit better, or be looser. Do you want to lose any weight?


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## Stelmaria

Most people, unless they strictly control their diet, tend to eat more than what was consumed by exercising (and drink more water too). I guess it is sort of an exercise/weight-loss paradox.

Someone posted a poll on how much weight people lost when going on a bicycle tour (eg biking through Europe). The most common result was that they didn't lose any weight, or that they gained weight. Some people did in fact lose a significant amount of weight though, those people probably did not change their diet much or perhaps ate less!
Bicycle Touring For Weight Loss


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