How do I know for sure if my diet is working?

LauRoxx

Okay, let me try to word this correctly.

Every single time I diet, about one to two weeks into it I start noticing that I look fatter/flabbier. Most of the time I start cheating on my diet by this point and go back to what I normally look like, yadda yadda yadda. Anyways, this time it won't be that way.

My weight is staying ridiculously consistent, so I know I'm not losing muscle and having that make me look flabbier, but what is it? Is it possible to appear flabbier before you start losing weight? Like my body is "loosening up" fat before shedding it (I know, freakin ridiculous concept)? or am I truly gaining fat?

I'm just nervous that I'll continue with this diet and have it turn out that I'm gaining fat.


Anyone have some insight? (even if it's just I'm dumb and actually getting fatter)

My diary should be open, but ignore todays list since b/t work, oversleeping, and needing to buy groceries i wasn't very good.

JeSuisPrest

For starters don't think of this as a diet. Diets are temporary, this is permanent. In order for this to work and have lasting effects it has to be a lifestyle change. Make healthier choices, exercise, log everything!!! Eat up to your calorie goal, eat back calories and soon you will see result and you will feel better. This is a journey, not a race.

captainlindarg

Hmm. Maybe loose skin as your body loses some fat? Do you do measurements? I've found those help me to figure out if I'm actually losing. HTH!

freezerburn2012

My weight is staying ridiculously consistent, so I know I'm not losing muscle and having that make me look flabbier, but what is it? Is it possible to appear flabbier before you start losing weight? Like my body is "loosening up" fat before shedding it (I know, freakin ridiculous concept)? or am I truly gaining fat?

How do you know you're not losing muscle? Are you getting your BF% checked to verify this?

Temple_Fit

For starters don't think of this as a diet. Diets are temporary, this is permanent. In order for this to work and have lasting effects it has to be a lifestyle change. Make healthier choices, exercise, log everything!!! Eat up to your calorie goal, eat back calories and soon you will see result and you will feel better. This is a journey, not a race.

I couldn't have said it better! You have to change your lifestyle. You have to burn around 3500 calories to lose 1 pound.

SteveHunt113

It's really hard to gain enough weight over a couple of weeks to noticeably look flabbier. Like someone mentioned, take measurements with a tap measure. That is the single best way to know what is going on.

Do you exercise? If so, what are you doing? Are you drinking enough water? Water consumption is important and you can retain water if you don't get enough.

knowwhentoshutup

I notice the same thing, and have done the same on/off the wagon before too. But this time I'm keeping my promise to myself.

My best explanation is that I'm just more focused on it, that I become obsessed with the results. It is easy to get discouraged if that is all you think about and you don't see immediate results. I find it's better to base it on measurements and photos (before/durings/etc) and put more time into strength training than cardio. To help even more, I keep track and look back every 4-8 weeks. It takes time, but it will happen with effort.

Also, I find often that if my diet is high in sodium, I feel more puffy anyway.

lovinmysoldier

Trust what you are doing is right until proven otherwise. It takes time to see real results, whenever I change things up I make a point to stick with it for at least 2 weeks, if after that time it is obvious that it isn't working than I change it up, if it's not obvious give it another week. Be honest and diligent. And WORST case scenario if you are gaining fat, which I doubt, but if you were and you diligent you would have extremely minimal work to get back to where you were. We aren't perfect and we make mistakes along our journey but it's when you choose to stick your head in the sand that it becomes a problem. So it wasn't the right thing for you, try something else and see what that does.

LauRoxx

Hmm. Maybe loose skin as your body loses some fat? Do you do measurements? I've found those help me to figure out if I'm actually losing. HTH!

I don't think it's skin. I can pinch more off of my stomach now than I could two weeks ago. Even if I'm not using an actual caliper or anything, it's enough to be able to tell with just my fingers.


@freezerburn20
I believe I'm not losing muscle because of how consistent my weight is (even somewhat gaining about 0.3lbs per week). I just doubt that I'm gaining so much fat that I can't notice the muscle loss on the scale... If anything I'd think that if I'm losing muscle I'd lose overall weight.

SteveHunt113

Just viewed your food and exercise diary. It looks like you are doing the right things! You don't log water, so that's something to consider. I just read this article posted by a MFP member, which I found to be very enlightening.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/350212--why-scales-lie

mmarie111

I think I kind of understand what you are saying about looking flabbier. I was wondering if that was happening to me in the beginning, but just thought I was imagining it. I can tell you 2 weeks is not enough time to tell if a diet is working. I have just a little to lose and my tummy was super flabby to start. I've been at it since January and am just now starting to see small results. Tummy is still flabby but much better, and other areas like my legs and shoulders look much more toned. I do not work out as hard as you do, so I imagine you will see better results more quickly. Just keep at it and like the others said it's a permanent lifestyle change, not a temp thing just to tone up.

lmkelly679

try the jillian michaels 6 week 6 pack, i haven't tried it but I've heard that others have done great with it

LauRoxx

Just viewed your food and exercise diary. It looks like you are doing the right things! You don't log water, so that's something to consider. I just read this article posted by a MFP member, which I found to be very enlightening.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/350212--why-scales-lie

I think I kind of understand what you are saying about looking flabbier. I was wondering if that was happening to me in the beginning, but just thought I was imagining it. I can tell you 2 weeks is not enough time to tell if a diet is working. I have just a little to lose and my tummy was super flabby to start. I've been at it since January and am just now starting to see small results. Tummy is still flabby but much better, and other areas like my legs and shoulders look much more toned. I do not work out as hard as you do, so I imagine you will see better results more quickly. Just keep at it and like the others said it's a permanent lifestyle change, not a temp thing just to tone up.

Thanks guys! These comments will help me keep going I'll try not to be too disappointed with how these past two weeks have gone.
and thanks for the article too, but to be honest I don't pay too much attention to the scale. What worried me was that I looked fatter and then having the scale confirm I wasn't losing, in fact I was slightly gaining (but I sort of attribute the slight weight gain to my slow digestive system. still working on getting more fiber).

LauRoxx

I am sure on your other topics we already told you what to do, bust you just disregard them.

Oh no! I wasn't disregarding them, I tried the day off of diet but couldn't manage to just have one day and would end up having 2 or 3 breaking diet days.

And actually, I thought of it from a new angle. I always thought I looked skinnier when I broke diet because of the metabolism spike, but now I'm thinking about it more from the side of I was actually FLABBIER while on the diet, so breaking actually just brought me back to normal.

trying to see which of the two points of view on it is actually correct for my body.

LauRoxx

I notice the same thing, and have done the same on/off the wagon before too. But this time I'm keeping my promise to myself.

My best explanation is that I'm just more focused on it, that I become obsessed with the results. It is easy to get discouraged if that is all you think about and you don't see immediate results. I find it's better to base it on measurements and photos (before/durings/etc) and put more time into strength training than cardio. To help even more, I keep track and look back every 4-8 weeks. It takes time, but it will happen with effort.

Also, I find often that if my diet is high in sodium, I feel more puffy anyway.

HEY EVERYONE, LOOK AT WHAT I FOUND!

http://fitnessblackbook.com/dieting_for_fat_loss/why-you-may-look-a-bit-fatter-when-first-losing-body-fat/