How long before I lose weight instead of build muscle?

MrsKosal

Everyone keeps telling me that due to my workouts, that right now I am building muscle instead of losing weight. But, I am not at a healthy weight right now. It would be different if I were close to goal, but I am not anywhere near my goal of 130-135. I've been hardcore at this for about 6 weeks now, have lost 3 lbs, and keep gaining and losing 2 of them. I've lost inches over the last few weeks, but its actually been 4 weeks since I had a loss on the scale. I see everyone around me losing all this weight and I am doing pretty intense workouts 6 days a week, at 1200 calories, and eating back my calories from working out as suggested. At what point do I actually start losing this weight?

Sl1ghtly

You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.

JSheehy1965

I have found the same thing, however, I am losing inches slowly and people have noticed that I look healthier and a little more toned and asked me if I've lost weight. Honestly, sometimes I think that scales rule our world but I want to be healthy and toned. If that means I don't lose as much weight, but I lose inches, I think I'm fine with that. If the fat is being replaced by muscle, I'm fine with that. Don't lose heart - perhaps your doc could look at your food diary and suggest something different diet wise?

autumnk921

I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan

Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.

I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!

Reckabek

Im in the same boat! Plateau for about three months...lose a pound gain a pound! Sigh. But working out hard for me and eating well...and nothing. Im sure ive lost inches but grr...waiting for it to move down!

Reckabek

I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan

Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.

I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!

How do u learn ur body fat %

tifarahmonteith

First off, congratulations on sticking with it despite not seeing the results you want!! It's so hard to continue on if you're not seeing the results on the scale. I am definately not an authority on this, but seeing as no one else has commented I'll let you know what i think The more muscle you put into your body, the higher your metabolism will go, so even after you finish working out your body will still keep burning calories. The way I think of it, is that it is easier to turn fat into muscle than it is to turn nothing into muscle......unless your goal is to be anorexic looking, you are going to want muscle tone and definition when you get to your goal weight. I think it is easier to put on a little muscle when you are heavier than once you have no fat to spare! You didn't say how much weight it is that you want to lose so I don't know if this applies or not, but I am 23 years old, and right now I weigh 138 and only plan on losing about 4 more lb. But the first week I was on here I gained 2 lb and was at 142. I was actually happy to see that number go up, simply because I know that regardless of what I weigh, I never want to be "skinny." I want to see muscle definition everywhere! No I don't want to be a bodybuilder, but I don't want to look like an anorexic dancer either. If you are losing inches but not yet the weight I am still so excited for you.....because once that weight does come off you aren't going to be one of those "hollow" looking people, you are going to have beautiful muscle definition under there! I don't know what you do for cardio, but I love Turbo Jam workouts as far as cardio goes.....they really do work.....my mom actually took them away from me when I was about 19 because I got so addicted I couldn't stop, and got down to about 126 lb, which was NOT a healthy weight for me! They tone a little too, but they also give you a HUGE calorie burn.

tyra47

bump

tifarahmonteith

haha, let me clarify...there were no comments when i started, but then it took me so long to respond that there were LOTS of comments by the time i hit post!

autumnk921

I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan

Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.

I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!

How do u learn ur body fat %

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator

Hopelessbird

I had this problem last year also. I used to workout 3-5X/week and didn't lose weight. So I added strength training and worked on my diet 2.5 weeks ago.

I noticed that the calories burned on MFP is almost double than actual calories bruned on my HRM. So if you are eating back your calories based on the MFP estimate, you maybe eating too much. There are days that I just cannot eat anymore because I am already satiated.

I do cardio for 45-60 min (90 if I have time) 5X/week, lift weights 2X/week and work on clean healthy eating. The strength training really kickup my weightloss faster than I thought. I am lost 9lb in a short time and I believe it is from cardio, stregth training and diet. For me, it has to be all three.

good luck!

DAM5412

I agree with the folks who say don't let the scale tell you how much progress you are making. You need to trust your body and realize that every good habit you develop and every time you exercise, you are doings something good. We all want to be able to say "I lost 10 (or 20 or 100) pounds!" because that's how society values your health, your jeans size. Don't accept that as the full picture.

I am in a similar position, where I started to modify my diet in January, then added in working out in February. in 2.5 months, I've lost about 10 lbs, which I was a little depressed about because I've been working really hard...however, I've lost 27 inches all over my body-including 5 at my waist, dropped down a little more than a clothing size and am SO much stronger than I was before. That's what is a real improvement. I am sure, if you think about it, your body is showing you improvement also. If you're not all ready tracking your body measurements, you really should. Having that positive number to hold onto will help you let go of the scale number being your end all.

Reckabek

I have been learning that you need to eat way more than 1200 cals b/c your body thinks its starving & won't let go of the fat...Find Helloitsdan on here & he will help you with the numbers that you need in your diet....Send him

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/helloitsdan

Age
Height
Weight
BF%
Waist measurement.

I am sure that he won't mind helping you...He's great!!

How do u learn ur body fat %

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator

32.11 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 40.00 % using the formula developed by the YMCA. ..which on do i go by?

Reckabek

Wonders how those can be my bf% when i feel like im way fatter then the avarage person with those measurements! I have alot of extra skin too!

Reckabek

Cool i figured out my numbers! Woohoo! Im supposed to eat 1466 not 1220! And like 2100 with how active i am! Wow madness!

MorissaW

I don't know the answer to this but I can tell you my expereince.
Last year when I was going to zumba 3-5x a week I went through about 6 weeks without losing a single lb! I did however go down a pants size or even 2!
I know that it is hard to look and the scale and not see a change but I promise, if you stick with it and clean up your diet a little, IT WILL MELT OFF!!!!!!!
Unfortunantly you and I have the same issue, an accumulation in the midsection. I don't know about you but it seems like the fat wants to hang out there and it is the LAST place I lose at

Stick with your bootcamp and those classes you are doing and I bet the inches and the lbs start to melt away.

jacksonpt

You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.

Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.

jacksonpt

Honestly, sometimes I think that scales rule our world but I want to be healthy and toned. If that means I don't lose as much weight, but I lose inches, I think I'm fine with that.

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!

We have a winner Bob! This may be the best thing you'll read on these forums all day.

MrsKosal

Thanks everyone! I am going to check the BF site you posted too. I've been using a HRM to calculate my calories too, since MFP was way overestimating them for me. I appreciate all of the advice. It's just hard to not obsess with the scale. I need to just hide it.

meanface1

I started lifting heavy , eating right and doing cardio almost daily. I lost 2 lbs in a month! Needless to say I was really discouraged, until I went clothes shopping and found I went down a size. I still have about 30 lbs to lose, but as long as my clothes keep getting smaller I really don't care what the scale says.

meanface1

You won't start building muscle until you start eating a surplus and progressive lifting.

Agreed. You aren't building muscle, you are retaining water.

From my personal experience, I don't agree. I have been lifting heavy for only 6 weeks and I can see a marked difference in my shoulders, chest, and especially my legs. There is definitely muscle there where there wasn't before. I have only lost 2 lbs in that time but have gone done a pants size. This at eating 1500-1800 calories a day.