If you gained weights, that's good for fat loss

29 May 2026 · 1 min

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In this short monologue, fitness coach Eric Roberts explains why the number on the bathroom scale can increase even while you are losing body fat. He outlines three physiological reasons: (1) glycogen storage in muscles during a calorie deficit brings accompanying water weight; (2) training‑induced muscle inflammation holds short‑term water; and (3) newly built muscle tissue retains extra water during its growth phase. These sources of water can mask fat loss on the scale. When the body finally releases this retained water, the previously hidden fat loss becomes visible as a sudden drop in weight. Roberts frames this temporary weight gain as a positive sign that fat loss is underway.

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If your weight on the scale went up this week, that might be the best sign you're about to lose a lot of fat. When you lift weights in a calorie deficit, your muscles store something called glycogen. Think of glycogen as energy for your muscles. This extra glycogen storage comes along with extra water weight storage. Number 2, your body is gonna have inflammation inside of your muscle. Because you're tearing your muscle fibers down. The inflammation also stores short-term water weight. Number 3, building brand new fresh muscle holds extra water while it's being built. So even if fat is leaving your body, water is moving in from those 3 directions to fill the space. So the scale isn't seeing the fat leave. All of that water your body was holding onto finally lets go of it all at once. And when the water is dumped, the fat you have been losing this entire time is suddenly visible on the scale.