I'm not losing ANYTHING?

Angieeeebabayy

I've lost roughly 70 pounds within the last year, and ever since I've hit the 170's- I've been having the most difficult time trying to lose weight. It's like I've hit this strange plateau.

A week and a half ago, I started working out again involving a lot of cardio and strength training. I've been doing this regimen nearly every day. I've also been eating healthy and constantly drinking water whenever I possibly can. But the thing is, I've been fluctuating from 174.8 to 175.8 for the past two weeks. And I weigh myself every morning so it's at it's most accurate. I just don't understand it, honestly. I googled it, and I read that I could possibly be building muscle. But... I don't know.

Can someone please offer me some tips to help me out? I feel like all this work is sort of going to waste. Although I feel slightly slimmer, obviously it's not that dramatic of a difference since the numbers on the scale aren't dropping.

MinnieInMaine

You're not building muscle, that's for sure. It's tough to do on a calorie deficit and even if you do, as a woman, it takes quite a bit of time and specific effort and diet. What's likely happening is that your new workout routine is causing water retention. When you start a new workout or change things up or increase intensity, you cause little tears in the muscles and as part of their natural healing process, those tissues retain water.

If you're not eating your exercise calories, start doing that - at least 50-75% of them. You need to fuel or body or it will retain what little you give it (aka starvation mode). Keep drinking that water and eating healthy and I'm sure you'll start losing again.

Congrats on your progress so far!!

donut290483

I think a good idea would be to take some measurements, as although you can't see any weight loss on the scales you may just find that your chest, waist, hips and thighs are shrinking. This would then let you know that although you can't see it on the scales yet your hard work is actually paying off. Muscle weighs double what fat does and leaves a leaner shape too.

mallory3411

I agree with the above poster who said to take your measurements. Sometimes we don't see the number on the scale moving but our measurements decrese.

Muscle DOES NOT weight more (or double) what fat does. It's rare that you will build it on a calorie deficit. Muscle weights the SAME as fat but takes up less room... hence why the scale may not move but inches will.

If you can open up your diary people will be better able to help you... How many calories are you eating a day? How many exercise calories do you eat back? Are you weighing and measuring everything you eat even those little nibbles while cooking? Drinking enough water? Eating too much sodium? All thsoe things can affect your losses.

Crawflowr

This may be obvious to you but have you reset your goals since losing all that weight? You may be eating for a much larger person than you now are.

lizard053

It sounds like your body is mad at you for changing your routine, and retaining water. The plateau will break sooner or later. Congrats on the loss so far, you're doing fantastic!

Some plateau breaking strategies that may help:
-Try a new type of exercise
-Drink more water
-Eat more calories
-Have a cheat day (100-200 extra nutritious calories)

Hope this helps some!

funkycamper

Hide the scale from yourself for awhile. I look at this as getting fit. As I get fitter, the weight will drop. However, weight loss happens in its own time. You can't control it. However, you can control what you eat and your exercise program. Focus on those and ditch the scale for awhile.

I just lost my first pound since Christmas but I have gone down a pant size. If I was on the scale every day, I would have been discouraged, too. But I only get on the scale once or twice a month.

Anyway, you've gotten good advice form others here. I agree that you should have occasional days of eating more to boost your metabolism. However, instead of 100-200 calories, I think it should be much more than that.