I have been working really hard to get in shape for the last 8 wks. I am not doing this to loose weight although for the burn and sweat going into it I thought I would have lost a couple of pounds. My problem is that I am actually gaining weight and my pants are tighter. This is obviously discouraging to say the least. I don’t want to give up my workouts I actually enjoy that time. I’m running 25 min. every other day and doing cross training with light weights 3 times a week along with a walk. PLEASE tell me what I’m doing wrong. [via Ask Questions]

It is a bit difficult to tell you what is going on with your body without having at least some basic information about your diet and workout. It could be any number of things, but first let me tell you the good news.

Good exercise programs are not designed to induce weight loss; they are designed to stimulate muscles. When muscles are stimulated, they grow, assuming you supply them with enough calories and nutrients to recover from exercise. So if you follow a good diet and exercise program, what you perceive as a weight gain could actually be an increase in muscle mass, which is obviously a good thing.

Now let’s assume you are not paying a close attention to your diet, but you do exercise. If you are not supplying your body with enough nutrients, exercise in general, and cardio exercises in particular can weaken your immune system. When that happens, you could experience a number of side effects, one of them being water retention issues, which in many cases translates into a weight gain.

How do you deal with water retention? First, make sure you are properly hydrated, which does not mean you need to drink water all day long, but always drink water when you are thirsty and always drink some water 30 minutes after your workout.

Second, realize that exercise puts a lot of stress on your body, which means you have to eat fruits, vegetables, good fats and protein to help your body heal and recover from exercise. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants which strengthen your immune system and help prevent water retention issues.

Last but definitely not least, have a clear goal in mind. What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to gain muscle? Do you want to improve your cardio? Do not try to do more than one thing at a time. If your goal is to lose weight, focus on that and find a diet and exercise program which is designed for that purpose.

If you are not overweight and just want to get in better overall shape, find a structured conditioning program for that specific purpose. Keep in mind that a good conditioning program should explain which diet is the best fit for an exercise regime it prescribes.