Is one month too soon to see results?

sugamonstaa

I'm getting frustrated and discouraged. I started being serious about my diet and workout a month ago. I want to drop a little body fat to get lower abs to show.

I started at 124 and I'm now 122. I am 5'2, 24 years old, female, and I'm eating 1450 calories and try to hit 90-100g protein.
I lift heavy 3 days a week and include cardio 1-2x a week on non lift days.


I am not seeing any big difference at all. I haven't lost inches but the scale is moving down very slowly. The only thing I notice is teeny differences like seeing a hint of my tricep, my quads are more pronounced popping out a bit, I feel good, my strength is going up...

Yet there's barely any changes to my body!! Am I just being impatient?? I feel like progress is so slow....I'm afraid it'll be two months and I will still look the same.

stealthq

I'm getting frustrated and discouraged. I started being serious about my diet and workout a month ago. I want to drop a little body fat to get lower abs to show.

I started at 124 and I'm now 122. I am 5'2, 24 years old, female, and I'm eating 1450 calories and try to hit 90-100g protein.
I lift heavy 3 days a week and include cardio 1-2x a week on non lift days.


I am not seeing any big difference at all. I haven't lost inches but the scale is moving down very slowly. The only thing I notice is teeny differences like seeing a hint of my tricep, my quads are more pronounced popping out a bit, I feel good, my strength is going up...

Yet there's barely any changes to my body!! Am I just being impatient?? I feel like progress is so slow....I'm afraid it'll be two months and I will still look the same.

Yes. You're being impatient.

You're in a healthy weight range and the weight is going to come off slowly unless you want to starve yourself. I'm in the same boat and am now losing about a lb/month (after averaging a lb/wk for months), so I get it. Make sure you're weighing/measuring everything you eat and not over-calculating your exercise burn because you have a narrow deficit margin and you need to be as accurate as possible. Maybe ignore the scale for a while and concentrate on your performance.

lisalsd1

I'm going to agree with impatient, BUT it's understandable.

I'm about your same size. I started lifting weights in July. I didn't notice a big difference for the first month, then around the 6 week mark, I had multiple people at the gym (strangers) come up to me and tell me that they noticed that I had gotten "a lot smaller."

I stuck with that routine for about 4 months. I just switched up what I have been doing a few weeks ago (maybe a month ago)...again, I didn't notice any change until last week. All of a sudden, I can see a difference (particularly in my legs). Again, I've had a couple people comment.

You have to give it time. It also sneaks up on you, b/c you see yourself everyday, so it is harder for you notice the small changes.

Ainar

teeny differences like seeing a hint of my tricep, my quads are more pronounced popping out a bit, I feel good, my strength is going up...

RESULTS right there!!

Yes, one month is too little time for more than that. You already are low body fat so seeing any changes where you want it will take a while. Maybe more more 1 or 2 months. Don't be impatient.

sugarkissprincess

I didn't notice until 35-40 pounds lost

Cheeky_and_Geeky

I agree with above comments. You're in the healthy range so you're just not going to lose weight/ inches as much as overweight individuals. I was losing tons in the beginning, but as I inch closer to my goal weight, my progress has slowed down.

Just remember: any progress is better than none! Keep doing what you're doing & take before & after pics!

sugamonstaa

Thanks everyone. I do weigh my food every chance I get. My family and boyfriend's family look at me weird when I do. It's just frustrating. Whenever I workout I tend to obsess more about how I look which is one thing I hate.

I feel like my stomach is the hardest to tone at the lower ab portion.

tonybalony01

Ignore the scale. It's not going to show you your true progress. Use a tape measure instead. You said you're already feeling stronger and better and seeing some slight results. That's awesome! Keep it up and you'll continue to feel and see the progress you're looking for.

cwolfman13

Weight training is a long term investment in your body composition..it doesn't happen in a couple of weeks or even months. Body re-comp is detail work...like any detail work it takes time...and you have all of the time in the world considering that fitness and nutrition are lifetime endeavors.

I don't think you should focus so much on dropping Lbs...you're already small...focus on the re-comp and put the work in the weight room

sugamonstaa

Wouldn't recompin (eating at maintenance) just maintain my body?

I just want abs to be more defined that's why I want to drop body fat
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l520/chelle21689/null_zpsadbffa12.jpg

sugamonstaa

Bumpity bump

stealthq

Re-composition is an effort to decrease %BF. You eat at maintenance and lift heavy. Balance it right, and apparently you are able to burn some fat and replace that with the muscle you build (or maybe that's build muscle and use it to burn fat ) while staying basically the same weight. But it's sloooooow.

Personally, I think doing bulking and cutting cycles is simpler. Probably not any faster, but simpler.

DopeItUp

Close to goal weight like that, 2lbs/month is normal (that's what I lose too). It goes a lot slower at the end. One month is just a drop in the bucket.

_EndGame_

I'm getting frustrated and discouraged. I started being serious about my diet and workout a month ago. I want to drop a little body fat to get lower abs to show.

I started at 124 and I'm now 122. I am 5'2, 24 years old, female, and I'm eating 1450 calories and try to hit 90-100g protein.
I lift heavy 3 days a week and include cardio 1-2x a week on non lift days.


I am not seeing any big difference at all. I haven't lost inches but the scale is moving down very slowly. The only thing I notice is teeny differences like seeing a hint of my tricep, my quads are more pronounced popping out a bit, I feel good, my strength is going up...

Yet there's barely any changes to my body!! Am I just being impatient?? I feel like progress is so slow....I'm afraid it'll be two months and I will still look the same.

As others have said, weight lifting takes time, dedication over prolonged periods of time.

You've done a month, and even though you seem disappointed with the result, you yourself have noticed small changes. So just think what you'll notice the month after, and so on.

I've been at it 7 months now, and although I had/have a lot more to lose than you, I've lost over 100lbs. So just stick with it!

sugamonstaa

Thanks for the support everyone. I was getting frustrated to the point where I'm wondering if I'm going no where with this.

I'll stick with it a few more months and compare! If not then maybe change up a routine or diet....or SOMETHING

BlueBombers

Yes

cwolfman13

One month is jack...your expectations are out of sync with reality.

bumblebreezy91

Patience, grasshopper.

One month is too soon.

Poofy_Goodness

Yes, it is too soon considering what your goals are.

simsburyjet

My wife was in a fit contest.. 6 weeks.. She lost 13 lbs and looked like a different person..
45 staight days at the gym.. No sugar products.. Tons of vegetables and fruits. whats funny is she never
got sick only stronger each day.. Out of 110 people she came in 3rd in weight loss percentage..
Hard work yes but can be done.