What Is Going On?

Run4UrHealth

I have been eating right and excersing and the scale either does not move or only lose 8 ounces in 1 week. My muscles are really sore from all the cardio work-outs (especially in my legs) and I am wondering if my muscles are swollen and that could make the weight loss seem slower? My leg muscles are extremely sore. I think it may also be water retention so I am trying to drink more water this week. Anyone else experience this?

brandyk77

I normally retain some water the day following lifting. That could be part of it.

Run4UrHealth

I normally retain some water the day following lifting. That could be part of it.

I just edited that all I have been doing is cardio.

cmriverside

Are you logging your food? All of it? Are you using a food scale and measuring spoons and cups?

Run4UrHealth

Are you logging your food? All of it? Are you using a food scale and measuring spoons and cups?

Oh yeah...I have a digital scale and measuring cups and I religiously measure and weight...my husband laughs at me because I weigh and measure everything that goes in my mouth.

Pollyfleming

I only weigh myself every two weeks. I seem to lose weight in clumps of 3-4 lbs. I wake up one morning and I'm 4 pounds lighter. It's crazy! Just keep going and track every calorie!! Good luck!

japruzze

I was looking at your food diary. You seem to eat a lot of carbs and much less protein. I find that the more carbs I eat, the less weight I loss even when I stay way under calories.

fiberartist219

Half a pound a week isn't bad...

oharabears

If you've just started an exercise routine and your muscles are SORE, they're holding on to the fluids they need to repair themselves. It's a necessary, but annoying thing.

Run4UrHealth

If you've just started an exercise routine and your muscles are SORE, they're holding on to the fluids they need to repair themselves. It's a necessary, but annoying thing.

I have heard this before...hopefully it is what it is. My calf muscles hurt to the touch and has been hard to walk since Sat. morning.

Run4UrHealth

Half a pound a week isn't bad...

I know but I at least want to lose 1.5 to 2 a week. I have a long way to go.

Run4UrHealth

I was looking at your food diary. You seem to eat a lot of carbs and much less protein. I find that the more carbs I eat, the less weight I loss even when I stay way under calories.

...not sure what you are seeing...I do eat a lot of carbs but I do not see where I have gone over my carbs but many days I have been over my protein. ??????

krazyforyou

Its really important to get your calories in to help your body burn properly. Be sure to EAT enoug, dont skimp on your calories in the begginning. Give your body time to adjust to this new routine. You will see a diffrence I promise.

daphnemoon

Hey I just had a quick look at your diary and for the last week your cals seem to be very very low, perhaps this is why? I couldn't function on less than 1200 cals, let alone with exercise too! Good luck.

melaniecheeks

Agreed - are you sure you are logging everything? Being significantly below 1200 on a continued basis isn't good for your metabolism.

shana_phoenix83

I agree with a few people that have commented above. It doesn't seem like you're eating enough, especially if you're exercising.

carrieann1967

Remember to measure yourself, you will probably see a difference there first. Muscle weighs more than fat and you will be building muscle on your legs if they have been aching from exercise.

glacroix

Hi there

I find that what trips people up the most when they're trying to lose weight and doing everything right is that they aren't sticking to the right calorie deficits and I took a peak at your diary and I think that might be the problem, or at least contributing to it.

First off, any woman anywhere at any weight needs a *minimum* of 1200 in her day to be healthy (ie, have all the macronutrients like fats, proteins necessary to fuel and repair the body), that's why you'll notice almost every single diet out there says to go for 1200 (but *not* less). So going under 1200 is not a good idea (especially when you consider the next point below). I would encourage you more to strive to *hit* 1200 instead of "keeping under". If you get to 1205 or 1225, that's not going to break your day.

Second, you have to look at how much you're outputting everyday (don't forget to count things that aren't strictly exercise, such as general walking). For example, if in a normal day you would be outputting about 2000 calories and you eat 1200, then your deficit is 800. If you're adding exercise to that and bump your output to 2500, then your calorie deficit is 1300 and that's not good. I know it sounds counter-intuitive but your body is okay with losing between 750-1000 calories per day, if you stray near that 1000 limit or go over, your body will stress up and stop losing at all. I know it's hard to believe and you just want to lose more and faster and a higher calorie-loss per day sounds like the way to go but it's really not. (Consider that in some diets, when people plateau, its recommended that they UP their eating for a few days until they start losing again.)

This is all based on research I've done for myself and through diet plans over the course of a decade but I'm by no means a professional. Look these things up online (key words can be things like: "healthy calorie deficit for weight loss") and if what you find agrees with what I've said, try implementing it and hopefully you'll see those pounds just slide off!

Good luck!