Weighted machines at the gym

C12254

3ish months at the gym....first 2 months i focused on cardio. the last month and a half or so i added the weighted machines. and as soon as i did i stopped losing weight. at first i expected it because i knew i was building muscle. but after a month or more of not even losing a single ounce im frustrated. so i stopped the weighted machines and lost a pound and a half like it was nothing!

i still have a minimal of 80 pounds to lose. i like the weights but i dont feel like with so much weight left to lose that its good to stall for so long.. why did i stall for SO long? i know a lot of people do for a few weeks maybe. but over a month?

am i being extremely impatient or what?

C12254

no one?

griffith5150

You could be building muscle, try measuring yourself with a tape. like hips, waist and neck, I had to do that for awhile to notice I was getting smaller

kathleennf

Yeah- I agree with the measurements. Follow your measurements for 1-2 weeks and see if they are changing. Meanwhile- look for topics on "plateau" for a lot of good advice on how to break a plateau. And please don't give up on the weight training! You will love the results.

bumblebums

Awesome that you started weight training!

You are probably not gaining muscle if you are eating at a deficit. It's much more likely that you are experiencing some water retention in your muscles from increased glycogen storage. That's something that happens when you start strength training. But the water weight will go away eventually, or at least you'll stop noticing it. Keep up the training, it's good for you.

mustgetmuscles1

Its just water. Totally normal to retain water in muscles when you start lifting weights and to lose it once you stop. This is to help your muscles recover. You may have gained a little muscle but in only a month of lifting it would not be much, (maybe a couple ounces).

Pick a workout routine that fits your goals. If you want to be stronger, retain your current muscle, have stronger bones and joints then continue lifting. If all you care about is the number on a scale, well....

ShannonM_777

People tend to only go by the scale and not bother to measure. You could be losing inches without losing any weight. I used to step on the scale daily and now I don't even think about it. I pay more attention to how my clothes are fitting. I did the same as you and stepped out of the cardio world and am now training with professional bikini fitness competitors and we do less cardio and more weight training. I love it! I see and feel my body transforming in areas that cardio will do nothing. So don't give up! Try to balance it out and do both maybe.... You have to find what's right for you. You really should measure and just pay attention to how your body feels muscle wise and in clothing. You may be getting results you don't realize and they are good. Best wishes at achieving your goals! :-)

bumblebums

People tend to only go by the scale and not bother to measure. You could be losing inches without losing any weight. I used to step on the scale daily and now I don't even think about it. I pay more attention to how my clothes are fitting. I did the same as you and stepped out of the cardio world and am now training with professional bikini fitness competitors and we do less cardio and more weight training. I love it! I see and feel my body transforming in areas that cardio will do nothing. So don't give up! Try to balance it out and do both maybe.... You have to find what's right for you. You really should measure and just pay attention to how your body feels muscle wise and in clothing. You may be getting results you don't realize and they are good. Best wishes at achieving your goals! :-)

Take measurements, yes! They are a much better indicator of fat loss progress than the scale is.

I would also suggest regularly taking progress pictures, in approximately the same light and wearing something like a swimsuit. Even if you do not love what you're seeing in the mirror now, you might regret not having a comparison at the end of the process. (You don't have to show the pics to anyone, obviously, but they are a very useful indicator of progress and a good motivator.)

extremely11

It happened to me too. Doing MFP alone I was losing weight, once I started weights I gained, stalled, and the weight loss was slow. Even though I was not losing weight as fast I did notice that my bodyfat % was going down. I’d recommend getting a scale that does weight, water, & bodyfat, if possible muscle but not necessary. You can find a Health O Meter scale at your local a WalMart. This way you can see what’s going on with the other numbers and not just go by weight.

C12254

I HATE the measuring tape. I never feel like i get the perfect spot each time to where the measurements are accurate. but here is what I got on 6/20 vs today 7/6.

neck was and still is 13.75in
hips were 55in and now 52.75 (see why i have my doubts! Thats a lot in 2 weeks!)
belly button level was 49.75 and now is 47.75
bust was 47 and is now 45.5- again...i doubt this one a lot! I doubt them all but ive heard nothing but "damn your boobs look huge!" lately- but ive lost an inch and a half?

I dont doubt that ive lost SOME. but it doesnt seem like it would be a total of 5.25 inches! Or maybe 5 inches isnt as much as i had thought? sure my pants fit a little better but I don't know about 5 inches better...

I don't know.

bumblebums

I HATE the measuring tape. I never feel like i get the perfect spot each time to where the measurements are accurate. but here is what I got on 6/20 vs today 7/6.

neck was and still is 13.75in
hips were 55in and now 52.75 (see why i have my doubts! Thats a lot in 2 weeks!)
belly button level was 49.75 and now is 47.75
bust was 47 and is now 45.5- again...i doubt this one a lot! I doubt them all but ive heard nothing but "damn your boobs look huge!" lately- but ive lost an inch and a half?

I dont doubt that ive lost SOME. but it doesnt seem like it would be a total of 5.25 inches! Or maybe 5 inches isnt as much as i had thought? sure my pants fit a little better but I don't know about 5 inches better...

I don't know.

Well, you have to realize that there is a margin of error in measurements, both of weight and girth. [Edit: but the more measurements you take, the less it matters that there is error.]

And even if you hate the measuring tape now, you won't forever, if you keep up being good.

By the way, I find that measuring tape is essential to maintaining weight. The only reason I've managed to stay within a healthy BMI my whole life is because I have a habit of measuring myself and freak out when I start expanding in certain places. You don't have to freak out, but keeping track of progress is not a bad idea.

LJCannon

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