Is weight gain at the beginning of fasting normal?

Hi all! I used to do 16:8 years ago and liked it quite a bit; trying it again now! The only thing I'm noticing this time around is I'm actually slightly gaining despite being at a caloric deficit and exercising daily. I've only been at it for 8 days though, so is that a normal response or is something amiss? I'm up 1 pound since starting. Thanks!

Answer

It’s quite common. And 8 days is very short. But here is an article about common reasons for weight gain.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/intermittent-fasting-mistakes-that-could-make-you-gain-weight

Answer

If you are at a calorie deficit it’s most likely water weight from your food, drinking lots of water, or muscles retaining water due to exercise (especially the case if you haven’t worked out in a while or are sore). If you remain consistent it will eventually go down. But continue to track calories in detail to eliminate it as a variable.