Exercising and Dieting over a month and the scale will not budge
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JetlaggedExpat wrote: »Going in a different direction, I'd suggest measuring yourself (arm, thigh, waist, hips, bust) and keeping a record of the results. I work with a trainer who does this for me every few weeks and the last time I started to get weepy about not losing weight she pulled out my chart and said "well, the scale's the same but you've lost an inch and a half off your hips and an inch of your waist." Muscle really does weigh more than fat.
Yes to this. I did the same thing with my trainer and she busted out the tape measure and showed my progress. That month I was down many inches it just took a little extra time for the scale to catch up. It usually always did.
PS- I love Body Pump and Body Combat.0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »blueeyesgrace wrote: »When I started the heavy part of my weight loss journey, it took a little over a month for me to really start to see a difference. Biggest advice I can give you is eat the NECESSARY amounts of calories each day. Each day will be different based on if it's a workout or nonworkout day. If you essentially starve yourself by eating too little, then the body will automatically store the fat and not let it burn off. You have to feed your body energy for it to be able to burn off the fat. Also, if you have kickstarted exercising, remember that muscle will weigh more than fat. So you may be losing fat, but you are gaining muscle. That will cause the scale to not budge.
Thanks for the advice, I was kind of hoping to hear from someone who shared a similar experience and for who it worked out! I do feel a bit "dryer", less "puffy" I guess, and my face is slimmer but overall like I mentioned above, I am also measuring myself, and I can't say I've dropped centimeters ( or inches
!...
How long would you say it took you to see a noticeable loss? And did that mean exercing even more ( like 1 to 2 hours a day?)
If you want my story, my plateau lasted for two months in the middle of my weight loss. I was exercising twice a day, eating 1200-1400 calories, none of my exercise calories back, and I was depressed, moody, hangry, didn't have the energy to get through my workouts, and just generally not okay. I was also getting lax on my logging and moving less since I was tired and retaining water since I was trying to do so much exercise on so little food. I bumped my calories back up to 1500, then up to 1600, and realized how not okay I'd been. I was able to push through my workouts better and log better and had fewer cheats. The weight started to come back off within a week.
Don't assume that just because we're not all telling you our plateau stories we haven't been through one ourselves.
Thanks, it's nice to not feel alone!
But I am assuming that the thing about a plateau, is that it usually occurs after some initial weight loss, then plateau, then (hopefully) you resume losing... right?
My problem is I can't really even claim to have hit a plateau yet, because I haven't even started losing! Aaaagh, well, but I get your point, and thanks for sharing!0 -
Thewolfhoof wrote: »Are you eating the same thing every day? Consistency is the key.
No, I am consistently inconsistent I suppose... Calories can range from 900 to 2000 at extremes, and somedays I eat fish, others...well other stuff... What do you recommend?
Big changes in your calories and big changes in your exercise can cause your body to hold onto excess water weight. This can mask any fat loss that's happening. You might just want to try a really consistent (and reasonable) routine for a while.
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diannethegeek wrote: »blueeyesgrace wrote: »When I started the heavy part of my weight loss journey, it took a little over a month for me to really start to see a difference. Biggest advice I can give you is eat the NECESSARY amounts of calories each day. Each day will be different based on if it's a workout or nonworkout day. If you essentially starve yourself by eating too little, then the body will automatically store the fat and not let it burn off. You have to feed your body energy for it to be able to burn off the fat. Also, if you have kickstarted exercising, remember that muscle will weigh more than fat. So you may be losing fat, but you are gaining muscle. That will cause the scale to not budge.
Thanks for the advice, I was kind of hoping to hear from someone who shared a similar experience and for who it worked out! I do feel a bit "dryer", less "puffy" I guess, and my face is slimmer but overall like I mentioned above, I am also measuring myself, and I can't say I've dropped centimeters ( or inches!...
How long would you say it took you to see a noticeable loss? And did that mean exercing even more ( like 1 to 2 hours a day?)
If you want my story, my plateau lasted for two months in the middle of my weight loss. I was exercising twice a day, eating 1200-1400 calories, none of my exercise calories back, and I was depressed, moody, hangry, didn't have the energy to get through my workouts, and just generally not okay. I was also getting lax on my logging and moving less since I was tired and retaining water since I was trying to do so much exercise on so little food. I bumped my calories back up to 1500, then up to 1600, and realized how not okay I'd been. I was able to push through my workouts better and log better and had fewer cheats. The weight started to come back off within a week.
Don't assume that just because we're not all telling you our plateau stories we haven't been through one ourselves. Thanks, it's nice to not feel alone!
But I am assuming that the thing about a plateau, is that it usually occurs after some initial weight loss, then plateau, then (hopefully) you resume losing... right?
My problem is I can't really even claim to have hit a plateau yet, because I haven't even started losing! Aaaagh, well, but I get your point, and thanks for sharing!
Actually, plateaus are fairly common at the beginning of a new diet and exercise routine, especially if you're adding in exercise for the first time or really increasing the amount of activity you normally do. When you start a new exercise routine your body tends to flood those sore muscles with excess fluid to help cushion and repair them between workouts. This can look like a stall on the scale but it's really just masking the fat loss that's still happening.
I don't know whether or not this is what's happening to you. It usually goes away after 3-4 weeks, but if you've been changing things up a lot or stressing your body out by not feeding it then it may just linger a bit.0 -
trianglevision wrote: »I once spent a month burning 400-500 calories a day with rigorous excercise and only ate about 1200-1300 calories a day. I gained 5lbs that month.
I'm pretty sure my body was just really stressed out and it was storing water or something...I did not feel good...I wouldn't do that again.
Once I stopped working out so hard I think my body finally relaxed and I started losing weight.
Anyway, I wouldnt eat less than 1200 a day, especially if you are working out.
If you've only been trying for a couple of months and your not losing weight then I would say your body is in shock and you need to give it a rest. If it's been longer than that then maybe you should see a doctor about thyroid/hormone issues?
I think those juice fasts/liquid diets or whatever are fine for a few days for detox but you shouldn't work out when you do those- your body will just freak out again.
Thanks for this advice:)
Yes, I've heard something like that before, that when you fist work out your muscles can be shocked into retaining glucose or something like that.
Thyroid issues just seem so extreme I don't see myself looking into that right now..
You are right, it has been only a month, so perhaps I should just ride it out a bit longer and see..
And regarding the detox period I was considering adding, given the advice in this thread I guess I will have to reconsider it !
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at 158 lbs, you probably need to eat more. Try aiming for 1500 calories instead. And add some lean meats and whole grains to your diet. MFP does a nice job of showing when you're eating too many carbs and too much sugar, or not enough protein.
I do not eat meat, but I will add some more protein & grains, good point! Thank you!0 -
Roxiegirl2008 wrote: »JetlaggedExpat wrote: »Going in a different direction, I'd suggest measuring yourself (arm, thigh, waist, hips, bust) and keeping a record of the results. I work with a trainer who does this for me every few weeks and the last time I started to get weepy about not losing weight she pulled out my chart and said "well, the scale's the same but you've lost an inch and a half off your hips and an inch of your waist." Muscle really does weigh more than fat.
Yes to this. I did the same thing with my trainer and she busted out the tape measure and showed my progress. That month I was down many inches it just took a little extra time for the scale to catch up. It usually always did.
PS- I love Body Pump and Body Combat.
Thanks girls, excellent tips!
I have indeed been keeping track of measurements .. but, well I can't say that they have budged much .. The general aspect is less puffy, but no real inches lost yet...
I've got to keep up the Body Pump & Body Combat I guess! 0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »Thewolfhoof wrote: »Are you eating the same thing every day? Consistency is the key.
No, I am consistently inconsistent I suppose... Calories can range from 900 to 2000 at extremes, and somedays I eat fish, others...well other stuff... What do you recommend?
Big changes in your calories and big changes in your exercise can cause your body to hold onto excess water weight. This can mask any fat loss that's happening. You might just want to try a really consistent (and reasonable) routine for a while.
Really good point, thanks!0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »blueeyesgrace wrote: »When I started the heavy part of my weight loss journey, it took a little over a month for me to really start to see a difference. Biggest advice I can give you is eat the NECESSARY amounts of calories each day. Each day will be different based on if it's a workout or nonworkout day. If you essentially starve yourself by eating too little, then the body will automatically store the fat and not let it burn off. You have to feed your body energy for it to be able to burn off the fat. Also, if you have kickstarted exercising, remember that muscle will weigh more than fat. So you may be losing fat, but you are gaining muscle. That will cause the scale to not budge.
Thanks for the advice, I was kind of hoping to hear from someone who shared a similar experience and for who it worked out! I do feel a bit "dryer", less "puffy" I guess, and my face is slimmer but overall like I mentioned above, I am also measuring myself, and I can't say I've dropped centimeters ( or inches!...
How long would you say it took you to see a noticeable loss? And did that mean exercing even more ( like 1 to 2 hours a day?)
If you want my story, my plateau lasted for two months in the middle of my weight loss. I was exercising twice a day, eating 1200-1400 calories, none of my exercise calories back, and I was depressed, moody, hangry, didn't have the energy to get through my workouts, and just generally not okay. I was also getting lax on my logging and moving less since I was tired and retaining water since I was trying to do so much exercise on so little food. I bumped my calories back up to 1500, then up to 1600, and realized how not okay I'd been. I was able to push through my workouts better and log better and had fewer cheats. The weight started to come back off within a week.
Don't assume that just because we're not all telling you our plateau stories we haven't been through one ourselves. Thanks, it's nice to not feel alone!
But I am assuming that the thing about a plateau, is that it usually occurs after some initial weight loss, then plateau, then (hopefully) you resume losing... right?
My problem is I can't really even claim to have hit a plateau yet, because I haven't even started losing! Aaaagh, well, but I get your point, and thanks for sharing!
Actually, plateaus are fairly common at the beginning of a new diet and exercise routine, especially if you're adding in exercise for the first time or really increasing the amount of activity you normally do. When you start a new exercise routine your body tends to flood those sore muscles with excess fluid to help cushion and repair them between workouts. This can look like a stall on the scale but it's really just masking the fat loss that's still happening.
I don't know whether or not this is what's happening to you. It usually goes away after 3-4 weeks, but if you've been changing things up a lot or stressing your body out by not feeding it then it may just linger a bit.
Oh I really hope this is the case! I will have to be patient I guess and... Consistent! Thanks for the great advice, it really helps to talk to others to feel less freaked out... MFP is such a nice place sometimes 0 -
Have had a look. Did you start your diet on 14 Dec as that was the earliest entry I could find. Diannes post is a good one and covers the basis. Dont worry about starvation mode.
Just a few observations.
1. When people are not losing weight, which is the most common query, then it tends to be that they are at maintenance.
2. I note there are 5 days not logged, which is quite a gap considering you have only been on the diet 26 days. No info what you ate or drank there.
3. You need to start weighing your food to make sure you have an accurate deficit and that you really are eating at the level you think you are. Its quite common for people to understimate how much they are eating. At your level then you only have 590 calories to play with.
4. Dont go below 1200 and if you need to increase then do it by using half your exercise calories or less. As you are doing only 4h gym then I assume 2 or 3 of those are cardio burns of say 450-700 calories an hour? You might feel its a lot, but if accurate it amounts to about 1/3- 1/2lb a week. Just keep in mind in terms of direct weight loss then it takes a lot of exercise alone.
5. Give it another three weeks, but weigh your food, dont eat below 1200 and try to keep a bit consistent although from what I saw your diet looked ok.
6. Report back. Your aim at the moment is just to check you are at an accurate sustained deficit and then it should kick in.
ps what D said above about water retention, try to avoid salt and be sure to drink plenty of water.0 -
Have had a look. Did you start your diet on 14 Dec as that was the earliest entry I could find. Diannes post is a good one and covers the basis. Dont worry about starvation mode.
Just a few observations.
1. When people are not losing weight, which is the most common query, then it tends to be that they are at maintenance.
2. I note there are 5 days not logged, which is quite a gap considering you have only been on the diet 26 days. No info what you ate or drank there.
3. You need to start weighing your food to make sure you have an accurate deficit and that you really are eating at the level you think you are. Its quite common for people to understimate how much they are eating. At your level then you only have 590 calories to play with.
4. Dont go below 1200 and if you need to increase then do it by using half your exercise calories or less. As you are doing only 4h gym then I assume 2 or 3 of those are cardio burns of say 450-700 calories an hour? You might feel its a lot, but if accurate it amounts to about 1/3- 1/2lb a week. Just keep in mind in terms of direct weight loss then it takes a lot of exercise alone.
5. Give it another three weeks, but weigh your food, dont eat below 1200 and try to keep a bit consistent although from what I saw your diet looked ok.
6. Report back. Your aim at the moment is just to check you are at an accurate sustained deficit and then it should kick in.
ps what D said above about water retention, try to avoid salt and be sure to drink plenty of water.
Hello!
I actually started on Dec 6th , but discovered MFP only on dec 14th when looking for a calorie counter app.. So happy I found this here
Thanks so much for your advice, as to everyone else as well. This really helps a lot.
Tomorrow I will buy that scale, keep logging in as accurately as possible, and check in in 3 weeks as you say.. fingers crossed!
Cheers!0 -
Here's a BMI chart.5"4 (163 cm) and weigh 158 pounds (72 kg).
My ideal goal weight is to get back to what I weighed in college which was 110 pounds
To be in the healthy range, you should be 110 - 140.
So you're not far from a healthy weight, and 110 is really low.
Because you're close to a healthy weight, you're going to lose weight slowly. Aim for 0.5 lb / week. That's a reduction of 250 cal/day from what you need to maintain your current weight (1580 - 250 = 1330).
No.arsc02 wrote:If you don't enough calories your body goes into starvation mode and stores what calories you do eat.
The body needs energy (calories) to run. It will not hold onto calories if it needs them to live.
It will preferentially burn carbs (glucose, then glycogen), then fat, then as a distant third it turns to muscle. That's an inefficient conversion.
Starvation mode is when the body burns muscle, hoping that you will find food before your heart & diaphragm stop working & you die. That takes a LONG time of VLCD.
Again, no. Eat a varied diet of not less than 1200 cal/day so you're getting all the nutrition you need.Are you eating the same thing every day? Consistency is the key.
(I do tend to have the same thing for breakfast pretty much every day, but that's just because I don't want to have to think in the morning. The rest of my diet is varied.)
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If you're staying below 1200 calories, you're not eating enough and your body is saying Whoa! I better hold onto whatever fuel I've got so I don't run out.
Also, if you don't have a lot to lose, you just may not lose particularly fast. I lost my first 20 lb in about 6 months and the last 10 in another 6 months. I was eating about 1450 cal a day and working out about 6 days a week.
Everyone is different.0 -
Roxiegirl2008 wrote: »JetlaggedExpat wrote: »Going in a different direction, I'd suggest measuring yourself (arm, thigh, waist, hips, bust) and keeping a record of the results. I work with a trainer who does this for me every few weeks and the last time I started to get weepy about not losing weight she pulled out my chart and said "well, the scale's the same but you've lost an inch and a half off your hips and an inch of your waist." Muscle really does weigh more than fat.
Yes to this. I did the same thing with my trainer and she busted out the tape measure and showed my progress. That month I was down many inches it just took a little extra time for the scale to catch up. It usually always did.
PS- I love Body Pump and Body Combat.
Thanks girls, excellent tips!
I have indeed been keeping track of measurements .. but, well I can't say that they have budged much .. The general aspect is less puffy, but no real inches lost yet...
I've got to keep up the Body Pump & Body Combat I guess!
You bet and in Body Combat just act like you are punching away the puffiness.
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