WORKED OUT HARD AND ATE CLEAN ALL WEEK AND DIDN'T LOSE A LB!!!

simply_bubbz
simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Someone please tell me what is going on! I have been doing intense workouts 5 days this week Mon through Friday ate clean except I had a cheat meal last sat n Sunday but the calories were at maintenance so why didn't I lose this week?????? It's that time of the month but idk If that's affecting or not! I know I shouldn't be discouraged and shouldn't let the scale have this big of impact on me but it does!!!! What do y'all assume is going on? I didn't drink as much water this week, could that be a factor? I only had a BM once this week too could that have an effect?** I know weight lost isn't linear so please don't mention that lol I'm just looking to c what could be a factor for the scale because I definitely should have lost something
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Replies

  • SarahFromWalthamForest
    SarahFromWalthamForest Posts: 101 Member
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.
  • simply_bubbz
    simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    My thighs feel like they are toning up but I wasn't sure if it would make a difference on the scale that fast..
  • simply_bubbz
    simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    Cheat days, intense or increased workouts, and time of the month can all lead to a slight water weight gain. It's just one bad weigh-in. Don't worry about it.

    My cheat days were almost a week ago so I didn't know if I was still paying the consequences of retaining water or not lol guess I am
  • simply_bubbz
    simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    simply_bubbz wrote: »
    Someone please tell me what is going on! I have been doing intense workouts 5 days this week Mon through Friday ate clean except I had a cheat meal last sat n Sunday but the calories were at maintenance so why didn't I lose this week?????? It's that time of the month but idk If that's affecting or not! I know I shouldn't be discouraged and shouldn't let the scale have this big of impact on me but it does!!!! What do y'all assume is going on? I didn't drink as much water this week, could that be a factor? I only had a BM once this week too could that have an effect?

    Odds are good the bolded statements are the issue.
    And if the infrequent bowel movements are unusual for you, you might want to consider seeing a doctor. In the meantime, make sure you're getting enough fat and liquids in your diet, and enough fiber (but increase fiber gradually, since sudden increases, especially without adequate fat and liquid, can have a short-term constipating effect).

    Edited to fix a typo.

    yeah I'm going to increase my fiber this week and c how it goes
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    simply_bubbz wrote: »
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    My thighs feel like they are toning up but I wasn't sure if it would make a difference on the scale that fast..

    You would not see any noticeable gain in muscle weight in one week.

    Were those five workouts cardio or strength-training, or a mix? If they included strength-training, did you alternate muscle groups, or only do the strength-training every other day. Muscles are (re)built on rest days. On training days, you tear your muscles down.

    And on your original question, I've been assuming that when you said
    I had a cheat meal last sat n Sunday but the calories were at maintenance

    you meant that you ate at maintenance on Saturday and Sunday but maintained a deficit the other five days. Is that correct?
  • simply_bubbz
    simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    simply_bubbz wrote: »
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    My thighs feel like they are toning up but I wasn't sure if it would make a difference on the scale that fast..

    You would not see any noticeable gain in muscle weight in one week.

    Were those five workouts cardio or strength-training, or a mix? If they included strength-training, did you alternate muscle groups, or only do the strength-training every other day. Muscles are (re)built on rest days. On training days, you tear your muscles down.

    And on your original question, I've been assuming that when you said
    I had a cheat meal last sat n Sunday but the calories were at maintenance

    you meant that you ate at maintenance on Saturday and Sunday but maintained a deficit the other five days. Is that correct?

    Yes that is exactly correct
  • simply_bubbz
    simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    Gaining muscle in one week for a woman in a deficit isn't going to happen.

    It's possibly water weight from the workouts or TOM.

    So even if I haven't been drinking nearly as much water as I should I still could have the water weight?
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    Muscle gain? In 5 days? Highly unlikely.

    What is likely is:
    -water retention from TotM, excess sodium and increasing/starting exercise.
    -impatient. Expecting too much too soon. A plateau is no losses for 6+ weeks.
    -Innacurate logging (if OP has been at weight loss for a little while). This could be using cups/spoons for solid food instead of a scale, not logging everything, and/or not choosing correct database entries.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    lol. no.
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  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
    This is why I log daily, then look at the averages. If you are weighing weekly the same idea applies but over a longer time span and requires patience and consistency.

  • simply_bubbz
    simply_bubbz Posts: 245 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    You're only going to the loo once this week could easily account for an extra 2lbs on the scale, I don't even bother weighing myself if i haven't had a BM first thing that morning, and i go everyday! This, accompanied by your TOM is most likely the reason IMO.

    Get your colon working properly and wait til your TOM is finished before panicking.

    Yes great advice!
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    Last week was my TOTM i lost nothing. Was i bothered? Nope because i fully expected it as i always retain water at that time

    It will show this week instead

    Log your weight for a month, that will show the downward trend

    If after a month your weight is still the same then you need to reasses weather your actually eating more than you think ( weigh all solids, choosing food entrys that match the actual calories in the food you ate, many database entries are incorrect)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    In one week? No.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    There's a weird paradox that trips people up with water weight: we need to drink more water to get rid of water retention. Since your fluid intake was down this week it might be a small part of why you're seeing more retention.

    BUT I think it's important that even if we pick this scenario to death and list every possible reason for it, it's still going to happen from time to time no matter how perfect you are with your diet. You need to come to terms with the idea that sometimes your body just holds onto water because it needs it right now. Give it time and it will release it again.

    Yes, the dreaded water weight. As a reminder, all people, healthy or not, obese or not, owning model-like bodies or not, retain water as the body directs. This will be with you when you're trying to lose weight, maintain weight, gain weight, or not trying to do anything. Water weight is not evil or bad - though it may be uncomfortable at times. It won't stop fluctuating regardless of what you try to do.
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    Since you're on your period and likely retaining water and are exercising, likely that is the primary reason. Give it another week and see where you're at. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water and getting enough fiber if you're having trouble having BMs. Also... water is retained for a variety of reasons and isn't a *bad* thing unless done in excess. The best way to retain less water is ensure you're drinking enough water and keep sodium intake moderate.

    The other possible reasons for failure to lose weight is, inaccurately calculating exercise calories and eating them back... not actually weighing food and underestimating quantities you're eating. MFP massively over estimates calories burned during exercise in my experience... and we are terrible at estimating portions until they have a LOT of experience at it... and even then we're subject to doing it poorly when we're hungry. When in doubt, weigh it out.

    Also remember as others have mentioned, weight loss is NOT perfectly linear, it trends in a general direction... lots of things can effect the numbers from a cold, period, excess salt, not enough fluids, retaining water from exercise, etc in an infinite number of ways short term.

    Gaining enough muscle mass to offset fat loss, on the scale of a week... not possible... also not really a thing unless you're very close to your goal weight and a low bf% to begin with... also hard to gain muscle mass during a calorie deficit except for newbie gains and starting at a high bf% (hence why body builders go through a cycle of cut and bulk.)

    Starvation mode isn't even a thing on the scale of a week of diet and exercise (it's also not really a thing at all if your calories are tracked accurately, yes there is a slight metabolic slow down... but if you're eating few enough calories to get that "slight metabolic slowdown" then you're eating FAR to few to stop losing weight... its NOT healthy to eat that few a number of calories and it drastically increases the chances of regaining weight when you're no longer 'starving'.) 99% of the time when someone claims they're eating 1200 calories a day and not losing weight... they're not weighing food, not accurately tracking, overestimating calories exercising, etc. There have been so many scientific studies disproving the whole starvation myth its ridiculous, that myth as people put it forward currently just needs to die outright as a reason for failure to lose weight. http://www.nowloss.com/starvation-mode-myth.htm (simple easy to read version.) CICO. BMR. TDEE. There is no magic modes your body has, it obeys the laws of physics.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited April 2017
    simply_bubbz wrote: »
    Someone please tell me what is going on! I have been doing intense workouts 5 days this week Mon through Friday ate clean except I had a cheat meal last sat n Sunday but the calories were at maintenance so why didn't I lose this week?????? It's that time of the month but idk If that's affecting or not! I know I shouldn't be discouraged and shouldn't let the scale have this big of impact on me but it does!!!! What do y'all assume is going on? I didn't drink as much water this week, could that be a factor? I only had a BM once this week too could that have an effect?** I know weight lost isn't linear so please don't mention that lol I'm just looking to c what could be a factor for the scale because I definitely should have lost something

    Of course it does...big time.

    And 1 BM in a week means you have a whole lot of waste in your system...waste has mass and thus weight.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    trogalicious wrote: »
    SarahFromWalthamForest wrote: »
    You could have lost fat-weight but gained muscle-weight, that could be why the scale hasn't changed even though you've been working out.

    WNYEj9G.gif

    Where you been?
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    simply_bubbz wrote: »
    Someone please tell me what is going on! I have been doing intense workouts 5 days this week Mon through Friday ate clean except I had a cheat meal last sat n Sunday but the calories were at maintenance so why didn't I lose this week?????? It's that time of the month but idk If that's affecting or not! I know I shouldn't be discouraged and shouldn't let the scale have this big of impact on me but it does!!!! What do y'all assume is going on? I didn't drink as much water this week, could that be a factor? I only had a BM once this week too could that have an effect?** I know weight lost isn't linear so please don't mention that lol I'm just looking to c what could be a factor for the scale because I definitely should have lost something

    Okay I'm just shaking my head here. This is too funny. :D Do people not realize that BM's have actual weight???
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