I’m struggling with weight loss

zachar350

I’m a teen (f) who weights 155 lbs at 5’2. I’ve been working out for 17 days so far and all I’ve seen is more muscle. I decided to start restricting calories to see if it changes everything. Can I please have some advice to help me?
Edit- just realized I’m on the wrong board.

Leo_King84

Put your details into the app, it'll tell you how many calories you need to either gain/lose/maintain weight. Pick either maintain or lose and count your calories.

Also muscle is heavier than fat, so if you weighed 155lbs 17 days ago and you worked out, counted calories and put on more muscle but still weigh 155lbs, you've lost fat. Take photos, measure your waist, arms, etc or keep an eye on how clothes are fitting to get a better idea if how things are going.

AnnPT77

If fat loss is the goal, reduced calories is the direct route.

But 17 days isn't long enough to have a clear picture. When we increase exercise (or even do new types), we tend to retain a little more water in our bodies for muscle repair. That can mask fat loss on the scale for a couple of weeks or more.

On top of that, since you're female, I'll point out that although it's not the most common pattern, some women only see a new low weight once a month, at a particular point in their menstrual cycle. Hormonal water weight can be that weird. Even if you're not one of the "new low only once a month" women, if you happened to start at a low-weight point in your cycle, and it's now a higher-weight point in hormonal water retention terms, that too can mask fat loss on the scale.

One big piece of advice for you: I understand that the pressure to be slim can be quite high at your age. It's hard to keep perspective. Still, as a li'l ol' lady who went through that age (and did some dumb stuff!), I'd encourage you to think in terms of starting to establish good long-term life habits, and fast loss is not a good long-term life habit. Finding enjoyable exercise and working on nutrient-dense ways of eating (with a few treats for joy) can be a good long-term life habit.

In particular, you're of an age to be still growing: Maybe not getting taller depending on how old you are, but still maturing in other ways, potentially all the way through your teens as a woman. It would be a bad plan to do a big calorie cut, unless quite obese . . . which you aren't.

My best suggestion would be to stick with a reasonable workout plan for at least one full menstrual cycle, so you can compare body weight at the same relative point in at least 2 different cycles. That will give you a more realistic estimate of loss rate. With the new exercise in the picture, going even a bit longer before cutting calories would be a good, conservative thing to do.

I'm suggesting you want to be sure you're fueling your exercise and your growth well, for your long-term benefit. Also, if you now believe you're gaining muscle, putting yourself in a calorie deficit would put the brakes on that to some extent. (You'd be trying to gain one type of body tissue while losing another, which are kind of conflicting goals. Right now, the muscle gain probably has more long-term value, since you're at prime age to accomplish that. )

If you go on for another month or two, and still aren't losing weight, I'd suggest only reducing calories enough for a half pound per week loss, even knowing that that will take some time to start showing up on the scale amongst water retention fluctuations. You have a long future ahead of you. Setting yourself up for that to be excellent is a good goal, plus the patience it requires can be a useful life skill in itself.

Hang in there, and best wishes!

babyluthi

Forget weighing yourself. Use a measuring tape.