Same weight, smaller clothes?

RLFlores92

For the past 5 months I've been doing Strong Curves strength training program. I'm currently 5'2" and 148lbs.

My fitness performance has gotten significantly better and I totally have some muscles now! Yay!

I've been eating between 1200-1250 calories per day with about 1 to 2 days where I eat around 1500-1600 calories.

I usually strength train 4 days a week 50 min sessions each with a cool down of a 20 min jog at 5.5mph pace.

Yesterday I was able to buy a size 6 Skinny jean at American Eagle. I haven't worn any other brand of jeans since I was 15. I've also gone down to a size Small in shirts.

I'm absolutely ecstatic with the progress I've made! However, I'm really confused because my scale has not moved at all in the past 1.5 months.

Can someone help me understand exactly what is happening? Should I be concerned that my weight hasn't gone down at all?

quiksylver296

Muscles, baby! Although a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, it is denser (takes up less room). Therefore, you fit in smaller clothes at the same weight.

RLFlores92

Really?! I didn't think I would be able to make that much progress in just 5 months and on a deficit! I just figured I didn't want to lose whatever muscle I had so strength training while losing was the best way to go! I'm probably doing more of a re-comp rather than weight loss at this point.

I'll keep getting my gains then!

Nikki10129

Including those days you're eating more calories, yeah you probably are eating closer to maintenance and since you were new to lifting probably saw some more accelerated gains which would explain quickly results in the first 5 months. Things may start to become a little more slow going, but you've already seen what following the process can do, just trust it and do what's working! Great job!

RLFlores92

So at this point should I just worry about measuring progress by a tape measure instead of a scale?

quiksylver296

RLFlores92 wrote: »

So at this point should I just worry about measuring progress by a tape measure instead of a scale?

That is personal preference.

I still have a goal weight (13 pounds away). I still step on the scale each morning.

But I'm wearing a size 10, and last time I wore size 10, I was about 25 pounds lighter than I am right now. I'm happy with my body, but I still have room for improvement. So, I still do both.

trigden1991

You have successfully re-comped by the sounds of it. Use a combination of scales/measuring tape and photos (or whatever works for you).

RLFlores92

Ah got ya. I'll still use both then but I'll just make sure I don't get too discouraged if I'm not losing weight as fast as I would like.

quiksylver296 wrote: »

RLFlores92 wrote: »

So at this point should I just worry about measuring progress by a tape measure instead of a scale?

That is personal preference.

I still have a goal weight (13 pounds away). I still step on the scale each morning.

But I'm wearing a size 10, and last time I wore size 10, I was about 25 pounds lighter than I am right now. I'm happy with my body, but I still have room for improvement. So, I still do both.

French_Peasant

quiksylver296 wrote: »

RLFlores92 wrote: »

So at this point should I just worry about measuring progress by a tape measure instead of a scale?

That is personal preference.

I still have a goal weight (13 pounds away). I still step on the scale each morning.

But I'm wearing a size 10, and last time I wore size 10, I was about 25 pounds lighter than I am right now. I'm happy with my body, but I still have room for improvement. So, I still do both.

Agree with the above--I have been stuck at 5 lbs away from my goal weight since late spring, but have been dropping clothing sizes due to lifting and recomp. I still step on the scale every morning just to make sure it's not going the wrong direction!

RLFlores92

trigden1991 wrote: »

You have successfully re-comped by the sounds of it. Use a combination of scales/measuring tape and photos (or whatever works for you).

I try to use all 3 if I remember

RLFlores92

jmbmilholland wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

RLFlores92 wrote: »

So at this point should I just worry about measuring progress by a tape measure instead of a scale?

That is personal preference.

I still have a goal weight (13 pounds away). I still step on the scale each morning.

But I'm wearing a size 10, and last time I wore size 10, I was about 25 pounds lighter than I am right now. I'm happy with my body, but I still have room for improvement. So, I still do both.

Agree with the above--I have been stuck at 5 lbs away from my goal weight since late spring, but have been dropping clothing sizes due to lifting and recomp. I still step on the scale every morning just to make sure it's not going the wrong direction!

Good plan. I'll use the scale just to make sure I'm gaining a ton of weight :X

markrgeary1

Great job.

Same thing happened to my wife. After a few months her weight hardly changed, but she went from an 8 to 4.

It's amazing what weights do.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Do other people see the number on the scale?

Or do they see what size your body is?

Time2bFit12

You're burning fat, not muscle resulting in the weight of inches! Don't let the scale get you down.

RLFlores92

markrgeary1 wrote: »

Great job.

Same thing happened to my wife. After a few months her weight hardly changed, but she went from an 8 to 4.

It's amazing what weights do.

This is really helpful thank you! It's good to know that weight training really pays off in the end

RLFlores92

BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »

Do other people see the number on the scale?

Or do they see what size your body is?

Very true. I keep getting compliments on thinning out so I guess the scale doesn't really matter then

RLFlores92

Time2bFit12 wrote: »

You're burning fat, not muscle resulting in the weight of inches! Don't let the scale get you down.

I won't! My main goal was to lose fat and gain some muscle if I could. I guess I'm on the right track

sumsalchris

Thank you for posing this question. I have been in the same spot for the last 2 months. I have gone from an XL to L and it was frustrating the crap out of me that the number on the scale wasn't moving, I didn't get it. Keep going after your goals, you look great!

RLFlores92

sumsalchris wrote: »

Thank you for posing this question. I have been in the same spot for the last 2 months. I have gone from an XL to L and it was frustrating the crap out of me that the number on the scale wasn't moving, I didn't get it. Keep going after your goals, you look great!

You're welcome! I was super confused too so I'm glad i got some explanations as to what was happening lol.

mlewon

Amazing job!! When I first started lifting again (back in September) I actually had a 10lb INCREASE which horrified me, but I kept working at it and now I'm the same weight I was when I started (not when I started on MFP, but when I started going to the gym again), but I'm 8" smaller overall. So I totally understand your confusion!! Pictures and measurements have helped keep me on track mentally so I don't get discouraged! Keep up the good work!

ccsernica

For me, this is an illustration of how we sometimes get things backwards.

It's not weight that's unhealthy and makes us look wrong, it's fat. Since our weight that's genuinely in excess is fat almost by definition, we think that weight loss is the same as fat loss, and so is key to everything. For those of us who are just a little overweight, though, it ain't necessarily so. We want to be healthier and to look good -- but that doesn't always mean we should weigh less! Not all weight is created equal, as @quiksylver296 has illustrated for us. Some weight is good for us. Which is why BMI is a useless metric for athletes. Their "excess" weight is healthy weight.

Right now I'm measuring my progress by the scale, partly because I'm in a fat reduction mode and partly because I have a shoulder injury that makes it difficult to work my upper body. But when I was in the best shape of my life, my waist was an inch or two smaller than it is now, but I was 10 lbs heavier. What I'm really going for right now is a return to that shape, and I don't really care that I'll be technically overweight once I get there if I go by BMI. I'll still be able to fit into jeans with a 30 or 32 inch waist, and my BFP will be lower.