Losing inches but not weight

Papa_Swearingen
Papa_Swearingen Posts: 139 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I guess I know the answer to my general posted topic here, but I am more looking for motivation and encouragement from others who have seen this phenomenon but made it through.


I have been low-carb dieting since the beginning of the year. I started at 255 lbs. Since Jan 13, I've only dropped to 251 lbs. I have incorporated both cardio and weight lifting into my routine. I've notice my jeans fit looser and my wife says I look thinner/leaner, but the freakin' scale won't budge! I'm the type of person who places a lot of emphasis on what the scale tells me, an even though I know that the scale is usually deceiving I just can't get over the number it tells me. It seriously depresses me and a lot of times ruins my mood/morning.. sending me into a low self-esteem state. I don't usually give up, but I do wonder what the point in all this hardwork is. I would like to be leaner, but I definitely want to be lighter on my feet. It's physically taxing to be 6'2" 251 lbs, even though I'm an athletic build. Especially since three years ago I was around 220-230 without focusing hard on diet/exercise.

I don't know what the answer is today. I don't know if I should take a break from the weight lifting to initiate a weight drop, or if that will be detrimental to my progress in the long run. I haven't officially taken measurements, partly because I'm embarrassed in my own skin to do so, but I'm reading a lot about losing inches (equals losing fat/gaining muscle). I don't know which is more important either, to slim down with just cardio or to continue both cardio and weight training.

I apologize this message is a bit, write-as-I-think, but I need to get this down before this feeling subsides. Just FYI, the anxiety I get from the scale this phenomenon is strong. Causes me to sleep poorly and makes me and overall unhappy person.

Replies

  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    Get rid of the scale. Some people can take that number with a grain of salt but it appears that you can't, so just get rid of it. If your pants continue to get looser then awesome, if they start getting tighter you need to tweak things a bit.

    And just fyi 4 lbs in just over a month isn't nothing, it is actually pretty good!
  • michael300891
    michael300891 Posts: 275
    Bin scales.

    Continue progress.

    Be happy!

    Doctoral Researcher in Exercise Adaptation and Metabolism:

    Follow me on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/Michael300891 )
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Who cares what the scale says? I went six months with no scale change, but was out buying new jeans because the inches were coming off and my body was changing!

    No one sees the scale number but you - but as you pointed out, others can see the physical changes of inches lost.

    Ditch the scale if the numbers drive you crazy. Stick with the tape measure, progress photos and how your clothes fit. The scale WILL eventually catch up and show losses, but the better gauge of your progress is on the tape.

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