still losing inches but scales not budging :(

rubysparkle

ok so i am doing a lot of exercise and the inches are melting away quickly...but it's still disheartening not seeing this reflect on the scales

i am eating well, drinking alot of water but the scales haven't dropped this week despite losing yet again through the tape measure..should i just be patient?

TooFine4MFP

I had the exact same problem when I first started MFP. I got to a point where I gave up on the scale and just focused on the inches. The inches are really what matters most, but once I stopped being worried about the weight thats when the weight loss started showing up on the scale. Next thing I knew I got back on the scale and 4 lbs were gone. Then 4 more. Pretty soon I had lost 12 lbs without realizing it. Sometimes your body is slow to catch up to what you are doing. Once it starts dropping, it will continue. Don't be discouraged! Keep doing what you are doing because obviously you are getting results if you are losing inches.

vkpmusic

Muscle weighs more than fat. It also burns more calories than fat during a normal day. If your close are getting too big...you're doing it right! I've got to go measure today. I was too busy to bother when I first signed up and now I've gained a half pound this week. I've also been doing a lot of strength training..so I'm thinking it's muscle. Hang in there. Healthy is more important than ANYTHING else!

Natural

yep, be patient. it will happen. if your clothes fit, you feel fine, you're eating right, exercising and getting enough rest, there's not much more you can do but be patient. you'll get there.

jrich1

Muscle weighs more than fat. It also burns more calories than fat during a normal day. If your close are getting too big...you're doing it right! I've got to go measure today. I was too busy to bother when I first signed up and now I've gained a half pound this week. I've also been doing a lot of strength training..so I'm thinking it's muscle. Hang in there. Healthy is more important than ANYTHING else!

Muscle and fat weigh the same thing btw

Holton

Sounds to me like you ARE seeing progress, so be patient an only weigh yourself once a week at the same time. Don't get so focused on the scales numbers if you are eating well, exercising and seeing inches decrease....that is success in and of itself and the pounds will be reflected on the scale if you are just patient and keep plugging along.

vickiele1

Does Muscle weigh more than fat?

someone posted above that it doesn't - I had to look it up because I have been hearing that it does for most of my adult life. Here is what I found.

"It has been a myth for a very long time that muscle weighs more than fat, but that's not necessarily true. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat is all the same, it weighs a pound after all. Muscles can never weigh more than fat if their weights in pounds remain the same.

Fat is usually bulky, while muscles tend to be leaner and that's the reason why 5 pounds of fat seems to be bulkier than 5 pounds of muscle. A pile of 10 pounds of fat quite obviously takes more volume than a pile of 5 pounds of muscles. There is no difference at all. Muscle is denser as compared to fat and as such it needs more space or volume which causes all the misunderstandings. Also a pound of muscle can help you burn fat, even when you are at rest; an increase in the lean muscle mass tissues allows you to burn calories.

A bit of weight loss can be achieved with the help of weight training. You might not be satisfied with the numbers but you'll definitely look slimmer. How? Well that's because the lean mass of the body increases and the fat in the body decreases. Though there might not be a noticeable change in the scale, but your best fit clothes will tell you how you look.

Exercise is undoubtedly the best way to maintain a healthy body, but while you exercise to train your muscles you might not lose weight. Now it's not that shocking, as you gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously you actually cannot notice what you've lost. The results cancel out each other.

People have a notion that as we start working out, our fats are turned into muscle and once we stop, the muscle gets converted to fat, which is unlikely to happen. You may either gain muscle mass or reduce body weight, you might either gain weight or lose it, the whole process of conversion is unscientific.

If your motto is to gain muscle mass, you need to follow a typical set of weight training that will trigger the growth of muscle followed by more calorie intake and rigorous exercise. For growing your muscle you need to go through intensive and progressive resistance training.

Remember, losing excess fat is totally different from developing your muscle mass, it is difficult to achieve both of these in chorus. Moreover, the route to these missions is totally different from the other. Losing fat involves crash diets, loads of exercise and aerobics, whereas gaining muscle mass involves proper diet, increased calories and weight trainings.

Muscle makes proper use of calories which would otherwise be stored in the body as fats, the more you have, the better. It helps in burning these calories and allows you to have a leaner body. And with the help of resistance training, your bone density increases and strengthens your body and supports your joints.

The bottom line is that a few pounds of muscle is always more dense, firm and also occupies less space as compared to fat, but the weight remains the same. A pound is always a pound, not less than that. It is the same incase of muscle and fat.

I Askd.com offers a large variety of information - from how to gain weight to how to get a six pack.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Salmon

http://ezinearticles.com/?Does-Muscle-Weigh-More-Than-Fat?&id=1415837

So, the correct response would be "Muscle is more dense than fat as far as cell mass is concerned. Therefore while a lb of muscle is still a lb of muscle, the cell mass is more dense, therefore it can do more work for your body than a lb of fat can." Makes sense to me.

Vickie

heatypablo

thanks for posting this vickiele1!

Tamishumate

Muscle weighs more than fat. It also burns more calories than fat during a normal day.

Muscle does NOT weight more than fat, a pound is a pound, it takes up LESS space ( A pound of fat takes up a whole lot more space than a pound of muscle) But it all weighs the same. :flowerforyou: Put two people next to one another that both weight 155 pounds, both the same height, the one that is 23% body fat is going to look ALOT smaller than the other one with 27% body fat. But they both weigh the same.

Tamishumate

Does Muscle weigh more than fat?

someone posted above that it doesn't - I had to look it up because I have been hearing that it does for most of my adult life. Here is what I found.

"It has been a myth for a very long time that muscle weighs more than fat, but that's not necessarily true. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat is all the same, it weighs a pound after all. Muscles can never weigh more than fat if their weights in pounds remain the same.

Fat is usually bulky, while muscles tend to be leaner and that's the reason why 5 pounds of fat seems to be bulkier than 5 pounds of muscle. A pile of 10 pounds of fat quite obviously takes more volume than a pile of 5 pounds of muscles. There is no difference at all. Muscle is denser as compared to fat and as such it needs more space or volume which causes all the misunderstandings. Also a pound of muscle can help you burn fat, even when you are at rest; an increase in the lean muscle mass tissues allows you to burn calories.

A bit of weight loss can be achieved with the help of weight training. You might not be satisfied with the numbers but you'll definitely look slimmer. How? Well that's because the lean mass of the body increases and the fat in the body decreases. Though there might not be a noticeable change in the scale, but your best fit clothes will tell you how you look.

Exercise is undoubtedly the best way to maintain a healthy body, but while you exercise to train your muscles you might not lose weight. Now it's not that shocking, as you gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously you actually cannot notice what you've lost. The results cancel out each other.

People have a notion that as we start working out, our fats are turned into muscle and once we stop, the muscle gets converted to fat, which is unlikely to happen. You may either gain muscle mass or reduce body weight, you might either gain weight or lose it, the whole process of conversion is unscientific.

If your motto is to gain muscle mass, you need to follow a typical set of weight training that will trigger the growth of muscle followed by more calorie intake and rigorous exercise. For growing your muscle you need to go through intensive and progressive resistance training.

Remember, losing excess fat is totally different from developing your muscle mass, it is difficult to achieve both of these in chorus. Moreover, the route to these missions is totally different from the other. Losing fat involves crash diets, loads of exercise and aerobics, whereas gaining muscle mass involves proper diet, increased calories and weight trainings.

Muscle makes proper use of calories which would otherwise be stored in the body as fats, the more you have, the better. It helps in burning these calories and allows you to have a leaner body. And with the help of resistance training, your bone density increases and strengthens your body and supports your joints.

The bottom line is that a few pounds of muscle is always more dense, firm and also occupies less space as compared to fat, but the weight remains the same. A pound is always a pound, not less than that. It is the same incase of muscle and fat.

I Askd.com offers a large variety of information - from how to gain weight to how to get a six pack.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Salmon

http://ezinearticles.com/?Does-Muscle-Weigh-More-Than-Fat?&id=1415837

So, the correct response would be "Muscle is more dense than fat as far as cell mass is concerned. Therefore while a lb of muscle is still a lb of muscle, the cell mass is more dense, therefore it can do more work for your body than a lb of fat can." Makes sense to me.

Vickie

Thanks Vickie! didnt see your post before my rant ... lol

Alioth

Wow, that was really helpful, Vickie.

Ruby, maybe to help you see what's going on in your body, you should invest in a scale that tells you your percentage body fat to muscle ratio? There are tons of them on Amazon and other places on the web. They range from about $25 to $70 in price. I plan to get one myself when I'm further along in my goals. I thought it would be helpful to see if I'm toning right, but I'm not toning much right now. You, on the other hand, seem to be toning nicely. :flowerforyou:

And with all those inches lost, you'll soon be in a smaller size! I haven't dropped any clothing sizes yet.

jrbowers83

A couple of things could be happening. One is that if you are doing strength training, the muscles will often retain some water to aid in repairing small tears. Another thing is that if you've just recently begun exercising, or increased your exercise, your metabolism may be taking some time to catch up. It's going whoa, what's happening here! But if you just continue as you are now, it will eventually realize you're not damaging yourself, this is just the new way your body works, and things will even out. You'll probably see a big loss once that happens. One thing I've begun doing is weighing in only after a rest day. This gives my body time to rehydrate, rid itself of water retention and give those swollen muscles a break. I usually see a pretty big loss that way.

If it really gets you discouraged not to see that scale budge, I would suggest switching to a less frequent weigh-in. Maybe once a month, or once every other week. You'll see a bigger change that way! And try to keep in mind that those inches lost are a greater indicator of a healthier body than the scale is anyway, as many others have encouraged you as well! Are you documenting your progress through pics? If not, you should start. Take one now (full body, with clothes you can use again as a gauge of progress) and put it away for a couple of months, then take a new one (in same pose, outfit). For me, this was the only way I saw a difference, despite dropping pants sizes, inches, and pounds I still didn't (don't) like what I see in the mirror, but the pictures prove there's a huge difference.

abbychelle07

Inches are what matter right now for you! Your body is changing shape. People will see a difference and your clothes will fit better. Whoo-hoo!!!! Celebrate! I have lost weight but my stomach measurement is the same..which is a bummer since I look pregnant when I'm not .

rubysparkle

Inches are what matter right now for you! Your body is changing shape. People will see a difference and your clothes will fit better. Whoo-hoo!!!! Celebrate! I have lost weight but my stomach measurement is the same..which is a bummer since I look pregnant when I'm not .

thanks for all your comments - i actually went shopping this afternoon for some work clothes and that was the biggest indicator so far of my body changing shape as i fit into the next size down - which is so exciting for me

i will be patient and trust that all is well

rubysparkle

Wow, that was really helpful, Vickie.

Ruby, maybe to help you see what's going on in your body, you should invest in a scale that tells you your percentage body fat to muscle ratio? There are tons of them on Amazon and other places on the web. They range from about $25 to $70 in price. I plan to get one myself when I'm further along in my goals. I thought it would be helpful to see if I'm toning right, but I'm not toning much right now. You, on the other hand, seem to be toning nicely. :flowerforyou:

And with all those inches lost, you'll soon be in a smaller size! I haven't dropped any clothing sizes yet.

i've just realised i do have some of these scales i just never use that function - i think i will start using now so thanks for your advice

rubysparkle

A couple of things could be happening. One is that if you are doing strength training, the muscles will often retain some water to aid in repairing small tears. Another thing is that if you've just recently begun exercising, or increased your exercise, your metabolism may be taking some time to catch up. It's going whoa, what's happening here! But if you just continue as you are now, it will eventually realize you're not damaging yourself, this is just the new way your body works, and things will even out. You'll probably see a big loss once that happens. One thing I've begun doing is weighing in only after a rest day. This gives my body time to rehydrate, rid itself of water retention and give those swollen muscles a break. I usually see a pretty big loss that way.

If it really gets you discouraged not to see that scale budge, I would suggest switching to a less frequent weigh-in. Maybe once a month, or once every other week. You'll see a bigger change that way! And try to keep in mind that those inches lost are a greater indicator of a healthier body than the scale is anyway, as many others have encouraged you as well! Are you documenting your progress through pics? If not, you should start. Take one now (full body, with clothes you can use again as a gauge of progress) and put it away for a couple of months, then take a new one (in same pose, outfit). For me, this was the only way I saw a difference, despite dropping pants sizes, inches, and pounds I still didn't (don't) like what I see in the mirror, but the pictures prove there's a huge difference.

thank you this is really good advice if i weigh myself after a rest day i might see a difference. i'm not doing rsistence training yet just cardio. i have full body of before MFP pics so i will keep taking them. i can definitely see i've lost weight it just doesn't show on the scale yet.

thanks