help - weight lost vs inches lost and trouble spots

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mandy935
mandy935 Posts: 6
in Fitness and Exercise
I am hoping someone can help me. I have been loosing weight, albeit it seems agonizingly slow, as I try for 1 to 1.5 lbs per week and have had varying success. But what I seem to be having more trouble with is losing inches. I know muscle weighs more then fat so I am trying to look at the whole picture and watch my measurements, and that has changed so little it's hard to feel like I have accomplished much even with my weight creeping down (slow as it does). I watch what I eat, although not perfect I do ok, and exercise at least 6 days per week and still have a soft mid section and need much more firming and toning.

Can anyone suggest something for me to loose the belly and get a more toned firm mid section and general overall toning and how too loose inches as well? I do both strength and cardio and feel like I am getting no where and always feel bloated by mid day, which makes it even harder to notice any changes! Please help!

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  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    First, muscle does not weigh more than fat. 5lbs is 5lbs. I had the same problem however, for the first 10-15lbs that I lost. I didn't lose many inches until later on but slowly the inches did start coming off. You just have to continue what you are doing and be patient.
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
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    yet muscle is denser than fat
  • maletac
    maletac Posts: 767 Member
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    First, muscle does not weigh more than fat. 5lbs is 5lbs. I had the same problem however, for the first 10-15lbs that I lost. I didn't lose many inches until later on but slowly the inches did start coming off. You just have to continue what you are doing and be patient.

    okay thats kinda missleading yes 5 lbs of each equals 5 lbs of each

    BUT muscle is significantly denser than fat so 5 lbs of fat is much larger than 5 lbs of muscle
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    yet muscle is denser than fat

    Yes, in which case she would be losing inches if she were actually building that muscle, not the opposite, which is what she is assuming.
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    First, muscle does not weigh more than fat. 5lbs is 5lbs. I had the same problem however, for the first 10-15lbs that I lost. I didn't lose many inches until later on but slowly the inches did start coming off. You just have to continue what you are doing and be patient.

    okay thats kinda missleading yes 5 lbs of each equals 5 lbs of each

    BUT muscle is significantly denser than fat so 5 lbs of fat is much larger than 5 lbs of muscle

    Of course fat is larger. That has nothing to do with the original statement that muscle weighs more than fat, however.

    Now maybe you can offer the original poster some actual advice rather than trying to pick apart my advice.
  • gcineas
    gcineas Posts: 121
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    how heavy are you lifting? You need to be lifting HEAVY! LIKE benching and squating and such. You should also really focus on core exercises like doing planks and any variety thereof...I find that helps me a lot :)

    Hope my post helped! You can do it just dont get discouraged and really up the intensity of your workouts!
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    I can't see your logs to know if there is anything I could tweak to help you with your goals. But, based on my past experience (15 years as a certified trainer), I'd bet the reason you're not losing fat (hence the lack of inches lost) has something to do with the type, intensity, order, and duration of your workouts. If you want to PM me a sample of your daily exercise routine and eating, I'll be glad to look it over without you having to open up your logs.
  • gcineas
    gcineas Posts: 121
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    just re-reading your post and as an anecdote. Right now I also try and workout six days a week and have not lost any weight. Prior to this I was working out with a trainer maybe 3 times a week and lost about 6 or 7 pounds in a month. I was not tracking calories like I do no or really calculating the number of calories I burned. The sheer intensity of my work-outs (we only lifted weights) caused me to lose the weight. I really want to reinforce that it is the intensity of the workouts and not that you are working out a lot that matters :)

    I find it hard to follow my own advice even though I know it worked at least for me!
  • mandy935
    mandy935 Posts: 6
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    thanks everyone, much appreciated. My workouts at usually at home (as I live on a military base the gym is often insanely busy) but a quick example of some dvds i follow are Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 and I follow that with approx 20 min of pilates, I also alternate with anywhere from 45 to 75 min of interval training with jari love's extremely ripped or fast walk mixed with jogging for 7 to 8 km, I do get shin splints if ai run too much so I do some but not a huge amount and do mostly interval and pilates and occasional yoga....aslo I do my warmups and cool downs.
  • aanddplusoanda
    aanddplusoanda Posts: 189 Member
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    I lost an inch off my belly flab in a week by cutting fat down and doing 100 sit-ups a day on top of 30 Day Shred. Good luck!

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