Why am I not losing weight? I need a smart explanation please
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bernadettetarubal
Posts: 7 Member
I've been working out since January, my clothes and pants fit better now, and i feel lighter and my friends told me that i am slimmer now, but reality check, nothing has changed on my weight. What the hell is going on here?
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Replies
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So in the last 4 month you haven't lost a single pound?0
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The scale can only measure the downward force. It cannot measure your clothes fitting better or how you feel about yourself. Water weight, hormonal changes, poop can all mask fat loss.4
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Scale doesn't tell the full story.
Have you taken progress pics? Measurements?0 -
You're basically losing fat and holding water. The fat cells that shrink do not do so over all your body at the same time, so that's why you notice your clothes fitting better. I presume you mean a little less tight. I don't understand what 'feel lighter' means because I've lost 42 lb and I don't 'feel' lighter. Water is retained throughout the body uniformly because you have cells and tissue everywhere. So, why no measured weight loss? Water. Don't worry about it. If your exercising has been vigorous you've probably introduced some muscle strain that your body needs to heal. That retains water. If you've had a delicious diet with sodium regularly spiking over 2300 mg your body needs to retain water to handle the sodium. If your recent measurement coincided with your time of month, your body needed water to handle that. Try limiting your sodium intake and measure again in 2 weeks.0
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I agree with the other posters that the scale doesn't tell the whole story, but in 4 months if you're doing everything right, you should lose something.
So you haven't lost anything? Not a single pound in 4 months? I ask because many people come here saying, "I haven't lost anything" and what they really mean is, "I haven't lost as much as I thought I would".
Exercise is great for fitness, but losing weight happens in the kitchen You talk about how much you're working out, but you don't mention your eating habits. Do you weigh all of your food on a digital food scale? Measure all liquids (besides water) in measuring cups/spoons? Log everything you eat?
What are your stats (height, weight, age)? How much do you want to lose?8 -
Thanks for all the replies. I think I lose 1 or 2 kilos since then, and I'm also very conscious about the food i take, I don't measure them but I stopped eating a lot of carbs and other unhealthy food. I think my type of work is also the other reason as I'm sitting 80% of the time.
Btw I'm 63 or 64 kgs now, 5'5 and 21 years old.1 -
If you are not measuring your food you are probably eating more than you think. Cutting out carbs and "unhealthy" food does not equal weight loss. To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you are eating.10
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bernadettetarubal wrote: »I don't measure them
There's your problem. You need to start at least measuring your food intake (even better accuracy if you use a food scale).bernadettetarubal wrote: »I stopped eating a lot of carbs and other unhealthy food
Not really important in weight/fat loss. Weight loss comes down to eating less than you burn.bernadettetarubal wrote: »Btw I'm 63 or 64 kgs now, 5'5 and 21 years old.
How much are you looking to lose? At your weight weight loss will be slow. Think 0.5 lb per week loss (maybe 1lb per week, but I wouldn't expect to be able to maintain that deficit for long at your current weight). That's a 250 calorie a day deficit which will be very easy to end up eating with just simple logging errors.6 -
If you are losing inches you're doing great. I always day that losing weight is one thing, but looking good in the skin you're left with is another. Exercise helps you look better when skinny (better curves, etc).
I suggest not focusing on weight and focus on your BF percentage and measurements. You are likely losing fat but gaining muscle in combination with other things. As long as your clothes are fitting better you are doing the right thing.3 -
If you have been working out that whole time and building muscle, you may have changed the composition of your body. Muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are replacing some of the fat you are losing with muscle, you may see more of a change in the shape of your body than a change on the scale. It is also important to note what other's have said, and focus on a precise, well thought out diet. While working out and gaining muscle can boost your metabolism, if you are not careful with what you eat, it will not elicit the weight loss many of us are hoping for. As for your sedentary work environment, I recommend getting a pedometer or using an app on your phone to count steps. Aim for 10,000 steps a day by doing a few here and there when you can, and then going for a walk or hitting the treadmill when you have a chance. That should help you keep track of how much you have or have not moved throughout the day so you can offset it if need be.1
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Thanks Ivy0
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If you have been working out that whole time and building muscle, you may have changed the composition of your body. Muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are replacing some of the fat you are losing with muscle, you may see more of a change in the shape of your body than a change on the scale. It is also important to note what other's have said, and focus on a precise, well thought out diet. While working out and gaining muscle can boost your metabolism, if you are not careful with what you eat, it will not elicit the weight loss many of us are hoping for. As for your sedentary work environment, I recommend getting a pedometer or using an app on your phone to count steps. Aim for 10,000 steps a day by doing a few here and there when you can, and then going for a walk or hitting the treadmill when you have a chance. That should help you keep track of how much you have or have not moved throughout the day so you can offset it if need be.
She won't be building muscle if she is eating at maintenance.3 -
It sounds like you have been doing well with what is called a recomp. Where you slowly change your body composition.
If you are wanting to lose weight though you will have to start eating at a deficit. Try cutting 250 calories off what you are currently eating, you should then start to slowly lose.0 -
The comment was made that it's not muscle if you're at maintenance. That's generally correct, but not always. For a beginner, which you seem to be, then yes, it can happen.
Good luck to you. Sounds like you are doing well. Keep up the great work!3 -
Thanks for this0
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bernadettetarubal wrote: »I don't measure them but...
That is your problem. Working out tends to make us overestimate how much we can eat.
Consider these rough comparisons...
30 minutes of moderate strength training = 1 banana
45 minutes of 14-16mph cycling = Subway 6" ham on wheat with cheese
1 hour of walking @3mph = 1 beer
10-mile run = 2 slices of Casey's pepperoni pizza.
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »If you have been working out that whole time and building muscle, you may have changed the composition of your body. Muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are replacing some of the fat you are losing with muscle, you may see more of a change in the shape of your body than a change on the scale. It is also important to note what other's have said, and focus on a precise, well thought out diet. While working out and gaining muscle can boost your metabolism, if you are not careful with what you eat, it will not elicit the weight loss many of us are hoping for. As for your sedentary work environment, I recommend getting a pedometer or using an app on your phone to count steps. Aim for 10,000 steps a day by doing a few here and there when you can, and then going for a walk or hitting the treadmill when you have a chance. That should help you keep track of how much you have or have not moved throughout the day so you can offset it if need be.
She won't be building muscle if she is eating at maintenance.
You can get some muscle, but it's highly unlikely that anyone can lose fat and gain muscle at the same rate, especially when actually trying to lose weight.
Also OP didn't say what she does for workouts, if it's a progressive lifting routine then it's possible to get at least some muscle for a while, else it gets unlikely again.2 -
If your are not losing weight - you are not eating at a calorie deficit . for weight loss to occur , one must be at at caloric deficit.
Since its been 4months with no loss, I would get yourself a food scale. Learn how to weigh all your solids and measure your liquids.
Just because someone goes to the gym doesn't automatically mean they will lose weight .
Remember- calories in - calories out2 -
bernadettetarubal wrote: »Thanks for all the replies. I think I lose 1 or 2 kilos
So your weight has changed then, even if it was slow2 -
You're essentially recomping, which is good at your height/weight. I'd keep doing exactly what you're doing if I were you.1
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