Losing inches... not pounds.

KaytiGirl

Hello! This is actually my first post on here. Although I have been reading posts regularly I have sort of been sitting on the sidelines. BUT I was hoping maybe one of you have had the same problem I am having. I started heavily working out (zumba, tae bo, stability ball, belly dancing, etc) 4-5 days a week on March 17th. Now, I can absolutely see a difference and my clothes fit differently and all that jazz BUT my stupid scale has only shown me losing .2 lbs! .2! In all that time?!? I mean, is this something anyone else has experienced? I count my calories religiously, eat a ton of protein and am so careful about too much drinking on the weekends (I still drink but I do massive cardio on days I plan on drinking, and eating tons of super healthy foods). I just dont get it! I do feel like I am becoming more toned, is the fat just being replaced by muscle and thats not why I am losing? Last year I did the whole no carb thing and lost 20 lbs in record time WITHOUT working out. However I hate not eating carbs and as soon as I added them into my diet again I gained ALL the weight back. So this time I am trying to be realistic and do it right... Any advice or knowledge would be greatly appreciated

kaitlinmre

Bump!

Rose91851

The most important thing is how your clothes fit, and your measurements. Muscle weighs more than fat, but it takes up much less room. You're losing fat and gaining muscle tone, which is healthy. You're lucky!

wonnder1

Yup, had the exact same thing. Nobody believes me when I say 7 pounds. (14 inches total.) I've gotten over it now, but it took a long time of people telling me I looked good to believe it. I just want to see NUMBERS! Keep measuring, and realize technology is partly evil.

I say evil cause if not for this site I found randomly through BBWorld, I wouldn't even have those 7.

MrsRawwwr

It's a very frustrating situation to be in. I just had a discussion with my trainer yesterday. She had to keep repeating that it's "Not all about the scale. If you are losing inches, you are still in a good position." It's a tough pill to swallow.

OnionCookie

Yes, its very likely. I had the same issue. Most people will tell you that fat weighs more than muscle but its not true. A pound of fat and pound of muscle weigh the same. Its just that muscle takes up less space. (That's how it was explained to me). I suggest taking measurements. They are a better indicator.

Xaspar

Muscle IS denser and therefore 1 square inch of muscle would be heavier than 1 square inch fat and 1 pound of muscle would not take up as much space as 1 pound of fat.
So, if you are losing inches, but not weight, it is not necessarily a bad thing.
Are you drinking enough water? When you don't drink enough water, the muscle tissue will retain as much water as possible to help it repair itself.
And are you drinking extra water on the days when you indulge in alcohol? Alcohol is very dehydrating and could have an effect on your water retention issues as well. For every serving of alcohol, you might consider drinking an additional 8 ounces of water to counteract the dehydration effect. Although a glass of wine or two on the night before weighing in has been recommended to combat water retention (because it DOES dehydrate)... LOL
I hope this helps a little, Just my $.02

KaytiGirl

Wow you guys are great!!!! This is why I LOVE MFP! This is EXCELLENT advice and I feel so much better knowing that I am not the only one going through this! ESPECIALLY the 14 inches but only 7 lbs! THAT IS AMAZING! Wow thank you SO much I cant begin to tell you how much I appreciate everyones response!!! I wish I had time to respond to everyone one by one but stupid work will not allow that Thanks again! I think everyone on this place is so great and I cant stop talking about it with everyone I see!

The water advice is ESPECIALLY helpful because I struggle with drinking enough, except on days I drink believe it or not LOL! I will do my VERY best to drink my 8 glasses a day!!!

KaytiGirl

That is AMAZING 14 inches?!?! CONGRATS! I agree, stupid technology! I am throwing away my scale lol! Nothing but tape measures from now on

crisanderson27

I'm the opposite lol, I lost 20lbs, and only a half inch or so around my waist. BUT...if you look in my profile at my pictures...you'll see a huge difference in appearance from one to the other.

The muscle/fat weight thing is sort of misunderstood. People are right in that fat weighs less than muscle...I mean, 1lb of feathers weighs the same as 1lb of lead...you just need a HELL of a lot more feathers! What I mean by misunderstood though, is that at best...and I mean max effort 1g+ protien/lb/day, and heavy bulk type strength training...a home body builder can only gain 1lb of lean muscle per month or so. Fat burns MUCH more quickly than muscle builds. BUT!! Some people are much more lucky in where their fat burns from initially it seems. My waist, love handles, and cheeks seem to be where my 'reserves' are kept lol. I'm hoping another 10lbs of fat loss will eliminate them. That initial 20lbs of fat I lost came in small increments off my chest (mostly under my pecs), arms (I didn't realize there was much fat here to begin with lol), upper abs (thank you...but I need the LOWER abs damnit!), and some off my butt. Looks like you guys are very lucky in that it's coming off where you want it to first lol.

Cris

mjlebsa

Don't worry. Your weight fluctuates based on changes in body water, the contents of your digestive system, and the level of glycoguen in your muscles. Stay positive & keep it up.