Not losing weight, gaining muscle....whatever!

LeAnn_Mae

I always hear people say, oh if you're not losing weight you must be gaining muscle, etc. But fit women DON'T weigh 212 pounds! So if I gain muscle but never lose weight that doesn't make me fit! I'm still fat! So should I assume that you gain the muscle FIRST and THEN lose the fat? (pounds). I'm not sure I understand! Or maybe it's my feeble mind

skinnyme125

I agree and think that either you are going through a transition time or you have a chemical problem that needs addressed with your Doctor. Maybe a thyroid or something.

kwardklinck

The weight will come off. When I started, I was losing inches but not pounds. My body was retaining water in my muscles to protect them from all of the unexpected activity. Once my body got used to the exercise, the pounds started coming off. Hang in there. If you keep it up, eat a balanced diet, and exercise regularly, you will see results.

shamsybabobska

It can happen. I agree maybe that you might need to see a doctor if this problem persists.

One side bar comment: A Fit Woman can weigh 212 pounds. It depends on body composition, height, activity levels and personal goals/history. There is no blanket ideal of fitness that matches a weight. It might not be a comfortable weight for you-so I do understand.

princesschikee

Using the scale shouldn't be your only tool. A body fat caliper which measures your body fat is the most important tool to use to determine whether or not you are making progress. You should also be able to tell with the tightness or looseness of your clothes.
If you gain muscle, you are losing fat.

GAIN MUSCLE TO BURN FAT

When losing weight, the way to lose just fat is by adding strength training into your fitness program. Don't try to lose weight simply by performing cardio. The pounds you lose through cardio will come right back if you stop the cardio, without muscle mass to keep the weight off. Don't worry about bulking up or gaining too much muscle. For the majority of the population, it's simply not a concern. When you add muscle, you improve the body fat composition ratio, which is the main goal.

detl1

leenie1, It all depends on how much strength training/exercising that you are doing. Muscle weighs more than fat and at times during your journey it may cause you to stagnate for a little while... The key here is the journey... How much cardio are you doing and are you tracking your eating throughout the day? What are some of the things that you are doing to lose weight? I started this year (1 Jan 2011) out at 228lbs and I will be around 210 when I weigh in on Sunday morning... I stayed at 223-225 for the longest all because I was not tracking my food intake/exercise calories. I thought that I was doing the right things but it was my mind telling me that I was, when I wasn't. After I started tracking food intake and exercise (calorie output) did I start to see results that I was after...

Greg

Irish_Gal_74

Yeah, that's what people kept telling me! I just started losing weight (again) and started Weight Watchers and working out at the same time. The ladies at the gym wanted me to get into Turbo Kick, Zumba, Boot Camp, Cardio Funk and weight training all the time. What they didn't consider is that I've been away from the gym since 2008 and am very out of shape! I only lost 3.4 pounds in 1-1/2 months! Crazy as I am 75 pounds overweight! The first time I did Weight Watchers and the gym, I lost 7.5 pounds the first week. I started back on MFP last Friday and lost 4.8 lbs in 1 week...though I have fallen off the wagon slightly and gained back a couple. I think MFP works much better. Also, you should be doing mostly if not all cardio exercises right now. You will build muscle doing cardio as well. If you are doing mostly strength training, you ARE replacing fat with muscle, but won't see much movement on the scale and not much difference in your physical size either. That's my 2 cents worth

Lesley

princesschikee

Just as a side note.....if you are weight lifting you need to up your protein intake. You also need to refuel your muscles within a half an hour after working out. A protein shake mixed with fruit is great or anything with lots of protein.

runningneo122

Yes, princesschikee, I swear by Tom Venuto's books as well. Excellent source of info that cleared up quite a few Q's for me.

princesschikee

Tom Venuto....he's my hero. Hehe. That's where I learned a great deal of information. It's the best $40 I ever spent.

runningneo122

I found them in a mass PDF download on fitness/exrercise/weight training. Awesome find!!

LeAnn_Mae

Yeah, that's what people kept telling me! I just started losing weight (again) and started Weight Watchers and working out at the same time. The ladies at the gym wanted me to get into Turbo Kick, Zumba, Boot Camp, Cardio Funk and weight training all the time. What they didn't consider is that I've been away from the gym since 2008 and am very out of shape! I only lost 3.4 pounds in 1-1/2 months! Crazy as I am 75 pounds overweight! The first time I did Weight Watchers and the gym, I lost 7.5 pounds the first week. I started back on MFP last Friday and lost 4.8 lbs in 1 week...though I have fallen off the wagon slightly and gained back a couple. I think MFP works much better. Also, you should be doing mostly if not all cardio exercises right now. You will build muscle doing cardio as well. If you are doing mostly strength training, you ARE replacing fat with muscle, but won't see much movement on the scale and not much difference in your physical size either. That's my 2 cents worth

Lesley

I'm doing the 30 Day Shred so there is some weights involved but I'm also using a stationary bike and elliptical so I do get some cardio too. Thanks for your reply, makes sense!

MissPriss30

Hi doll, been here done this scenerio before UGH! ACTUALLY......going through this right now. Let me explain in short, I have ALWAYS been 160lbs + it seems like no matter what I do UNLESS I do a no carb 1000-1100 calorie diet I do not seem to drop weight at all really. However I do NOT feel like ANY human being much less an active woman should have to go carbless to lose 20lbs!! So I just started this past week and have averaged around 1600 calories a day everyday one day I got up to 1800 which I thknk was bad but I still showed a deficit! So My TOM Is like 4 days away and here has been my weight results just in the past week, I am telling you all of this because I feel like you and I have a simular issue with the muscle/fat and weight gain so here it is maybe this will make you feel better honey......Weighed LAST FRIDAY after only have a smoothie from smoothie kind weighed 163.4 I decided at this point "darn, I really need to get on this diet and working out" Soooo. I start the next day and I fall off the horse once will ONE glass of red wine on random Wednesday night. I get on the scale THURSDAY NIGHT after almost a week of working out cardio weights etc and guess what??? I weight 171LBS!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to CRY.....ok the next morning I weigh and not too bad 165lbs so at this point I think well it's almost tom so I am sure I have put on at least 5 lbs and perhaps by the time it's all over with IF I continue to push forward without getting discouraged I will be less than 163lbs after my cycle. This morning 170lbs :-x and I ate 1300 calories or less yesterday I only say this because I am showing 1163 calories but I had take out from a chinese restaurant, which I ordered steamed so I think MAYBE it's the soy sauce and salt in the hot and sour soup??? Either way you can see my frustration? When you get up and bust your rear working out, measuring EVERYTHING weighing ALL of your food DRINKING tons of water over 3 liters a day. You start to think to yourself "Am I just doomed to be fat or stuck at this undesirable weight forever?" So I do understand where you are coming from. TRUST ME, times like these are the very ones that get me to thinking "Well, heck! If I am going to keep going UP in weight then why am I torturing myself?? If I want to gain weight ill just eat what I Want!" Which I won't be doing but I DO totally understand. It was brought to my attention YESTERDAY that it is possible your muscles retain fluid when you work out especially at the beginning of any work out program and also tom of and salt intake have a lot to do with how much your weight fluctuates. I am right there with you, just keep your chin up eventually IF you keep watching calories working out etc you have to see a weight reduction. I have always had to take fluid pills due to water retention and I have stopped taking them so much but after todays readings I think the good old hctz is going to make a come back for me!

Sorry sooooo long, but I hope this at least gives you some sort of peace of mind dear!

LeAnn_Mae

I didn't mean to imply that there was a medical problem, I know that my calorie intake is part of the problem. But I do have weeks of time that I work out diligently and watch what I eat, but still no change on the scale. And then I have people tell me that 'oh you're just gaining muscle'. Which just seems to be a way of saying 'I have no idea what the problem is'. I just wanted it explained to me, that's all. LOL Thanks for all the replies!

That_Girl

Yea, that's how I feel. People say that losing weight loses muscle too but oh well. I am not healthy at 184 pounds (I started at 205).

I did lift weights with my husband and I lost some inches but I was still very fat.

So...yea. You'll lose that weight that is just clinging...drink your water and watch your sodium intake!! Good luck!

LeAnn_Mae

Hi doll, been here done this scenerio before UGH! ACTUALLY......going through this right now.


Sorry sooooo long, but I hope this at least gives you some sort of peace of mind dear!

Thank you! It sounds like you know what I'm going through! I had one of those days yesterday where I thought, well if I'm not going to lose weight by eating right then I'll just eat what I want. And so I ate some really bad stuff and probably sabotaged my weight loss. It's just frustrating and difficult to stay motivated when I'm not seeing any results. The only thing that keeps me going is MFP! I just stroll over to the Success Stories and look at some before and after pictures and it puts my brain right back where it needs to be! It is close to TOM so I'll hang on for a while longer and see if the weight starts dropping afterwards. Crossing FINGERS!

LeAnn

my8kidsmom

Yeah, that's what people kept telling me! I just started losing weight (again) and started Weight Watchers and working out at the same time. The ladies at the gym wanted me to get into Turbo Kick, Zumba, Boot Camp, Cardio Funk and weight training all the time. What they didn't consider is that I've been away from the gym since 2008 and am very out of shape! I only lost 3.4 pounds in 1-1/2 months! Crazy as I am 75 pounds overweight! The first time I did Weight Watchers and the gym, I lost 7.5 pounds the first week. I started back on MFP last Friday and lost 4.8 lbs in 1 week...though I have fallen off the wagon slightly and gained back a couple. I think MFP works much better. Also, you should be doing mostly if not all cardio exercises right now. You will build muscle doing cardio as well. If you are doing mostly strength training, you ARE replacing fat with muscle, but won't see much movement on the scale and not much difference in your physical size either. That's my 2 cents worth

Lesley

I strength train (heavy) three days a week and do cardio the other three. My weight loss has been slow but I look much better. In fact there is a big difference in my physical size. I have lost 8 inches total!

MissPriss30

Maybe we should all call Jillian Michaels and have her meet us up at the gym to do 4 hrs of cardio a day like she had to biggest loser contestants do....don't think I am not contemplating it LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

labgirl3

I do weigh myself every morning, hoping for that number to go down. I know I'm probably gaining muscle (I crossfit at least 3 times a week and we lift heavy stuff!), but I still have a lot of fat to lose. A few things that keep me from going insane when the scale isn't moving:

1) Think aobut it this way - if I got on the scale and lost 5 lbs, I would be happy. But what if it were 5 lbs. of muscle? What if I got on the scale and stayed the same. I'd be disappointed, but what if I had gained 5 lbs. of muscle and lost 5 lbs. of far? The scale just gives you a number, but it doesn't give you the information you really need.

2) My scale also measures body fat, and while I know it's not accurate, I can at least count on it to trend downwards (with some random spikes at least once a week due to who knows what). It seems that when I "gain" on the scale, my body fat number goes down.

3) Take my measurements about 1x / month. That always shows an improvement, so I know I'm headed in the right direction.

4) Watch what I eat. That's at least 80-90% of weight loss. The exercise is for getting healthy - not so much for losing weight. We have women at my gym who can kick my butt when we lift weights, and go more often than I do, but they haven't lost as much weight as I have. I think my weight loss has been because I have been extremely dedicated to eating clean and low-carb. However, since I am losing weight I am not building as much muscle. It's all a trade off I guess...

5) After tracking weight for the past 4 months, I always seem to plateau (or worse, gain several pounds!) and then dip back down again. I'll see a number I haven't seen before, get excited, and then not see it again for a couple of weeks! :grumble: But it does eventually make a reappearance - it's just a teaser of things to come!

knittnponder

I've been tracking since about the beginning of January. I lost pounds initially but then nothing. The scale didn't move for quite awhile. However, I was losing inches so I wasn't too frustrated. This week I've started P90X with a lot more weights than I had been doing. The first few days my weight was up. Then I had a stretching day where I didn't lift and the next morning my scale had dropped to a new low for me. (Only by about 1/2 a pound but remember, the scale had been up!) Then yesterday I did a killer legs and back workout that has left my entire lower body feeling like it was run over repeatedly and what do you know? The scale is up again!

Our bodies take a little time to get used to what we're doing and when we activate the muscles they can retain fluid while they repair themselves. I'm not foolish enough to think that I magically gained four pounds of muscle overnight! It takes a lot of time to really build a muscle! But I am doing good things for my body and need to be patient while it tries to catch up with me.

Have you taken measurements? If not, go take some and record them! It's a far better indicator of how things are going. If you aren't lifting weights or doing something that would cause your muscles to hang on to fluid you might want to review your food diary. I know people will tell you that a calorie is a calorie but from my own personal experience I lose when I restrict carbs to about 100-150 a day and I stall or even gain if they're above that regardless of what the calorie number is. Experiment a little bit and see what your body likes and what it doesn't. Also be aware of how much salt you're taking in and if you're drinking enough water.

And hang in there! I don't know how long you've been at it but eating better and exercising are going to do good things for your health even if the scale doesn't move as fast as you'd like.

detl1

I am a Licensed Health and PE Teacher and I will try to break this down for you. You are fighting the phenomenon called delayed onset muscle soreness, and the extra fluid can add 3 or 4 pounds to your weight. Water weight adds weight as your muscles try to recover themselves from the shock of you exercising. This results from small tears in muscle tissue, inflammation and yes, fluid retention. You may not even feel sore but your muscles are repairing themselves... Whenever you lift weights or challenge your muscles through running you cause a chemical change in those muscles call lactic acid... This is what causes your muscles to feel heavy and tired... The body then holds onto water to help hydrate these muscles. Many people will tell you that it takes 3,500 calories to lose a pound and they are correct, but what they fail to understand is the fact that the body will also go through chemical changes when you first start an exercise routine and lose a few pounds initially, until this process is complete... This is why you will see more inches loss and clothes fitting better before the weight loss catches up. Your muscles are toning themselves and need the water retention for this process... So what you are fighting is water weight... Stay consisten and you will start seeing the weight fall off as you build lean muscle mass as it takes more calories to maintain muscle... This can take a couple of weeks if you stay consistent... This si what makes people quit as they want to see weight change immediately...

Good luck and stay consistent...