A bit confused

Linnybear1974

I've been under cals the majority of days since 1st Jan and cycling like a demon most nights, had good weight loss at first and then stalled for 3 weeks, kept on with the cycling knowing at some point the weight loss would restart. This week I haven't been on the bike and the weight loss has started again.
I thought that maybe I was building muscle so that's why I wasn't losing but I keep reading that you only build muscles at maintenance calories, is this true? I also have a lot to lose so I figure that muscle wouldn't make much difference if I am actually building it, after all I'm definitely not toning yet
The scales actually show a bigger loss than I've recorded because I can't quite believe that I have lost the 4lbs that the scales have shown so thought I had best record 1.5lbs lost for now and see what I weigh over the next couple of days.
So, should I stay off the bike for a bit to see if the loss continues or get back on it and still hope to see results?

Any advise always welcome!!

fattybumclaire

Weight loss doesnt always resond immediately to diet and/or exercise - keep doing the exercise and even if you stall for a few weeks, don't give up, the weight will come off when you least expect it.

MagdaSea

Despite what most people think, weight gain from muscle is very slow. You would be lucky to gain 10lbs of muscle within a year which equals to maybe a pound of muscle per month.

What you experienced is a plateau. It's when your body has become used to what you are doing and compensates which slows down weight loss. I would advise to try a different cardio workout or maybe cycle at a different intensity level.

The weight loss you experienced once you stopped cycling could be anything from coincidence to water weight.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/10-ways-to-move-beyond-a-weight-loss-plateau

That's really the first thing that came up for weight loss plateau. It's something you can take a look into and see which solution you like best.

Linnybear1974

Weight loss doesnt always resond immediately to diet and/or exercise - keep doing the exercise and even if you stall for a few weeks, don't give up, the weight will come off when you least expect it.

Thank you

Linnybear1974

Despite what most people think, weight gain from muscle is very slow. You would be lucky to gain 10lbs of muscle within a year which equals to maybe a pound of muscle per month.

What you experienced is a plateau. It's when your body has become used to what you are doing and compensates which slows down weight loss. I would advise to try a different cardio workout or maybe cycle at a different intensity level.

The weight loss you experienced once you stopped cycling could be anything from coincidence to water weight.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/10-ways-to-move-beyond-a-weight-loss-plateau

That's really the first thing that came up for weight loss plateau. It's something you can take a look into and see which solution you like best.

I have so much to lose that I was surprised I could plateau so soon, I thought I was doing something wrong but am totally confident that my food logging is correct.

Thank you for the link and advise :happy:

Linnybear1974

Thanks, I am losing the inches so must be doing something right :bigsmile:

Tangosgrandad

Just a thought......... one reason you may have stalled whilst exercising is that you may have been burning off too many cals versus the cals you have been taking in? Perhaps you actually need to up your intake a little. Are you working from your TDEE and eating your exercise cals? If not, you might be going into too much of a deficit.

taimih

What does this mean? "I've been under cals the majority of days"


Net cals under? Gross cals under? Under 1200?

Could be you're not eating enough.

Linnybear1974

I did have quite a deficit for the first 4 weeks, sometimes net cals were 400 or 600 under, now I eat more of my exercise cals back. Guess I just wasn't eating enough!!