The numbers haven't changed for 4 weeks!

hheater

Hey everyone...
I am so frustrated right now...for about 4 weeks now, my weight and my measurements have not changed ONE bit. I eat all whole foods and do cardio 3-4x a week, and lift 2x a week. I eat around 1600 calories a day, which is my BMR, and then I eat my exercise calories as well...which usually puts me around the 2000 range, which is my TDEE. I feel good, and I SEE a change in the way I look, but the numbers aren't changing at all. Maybe the weight training has something to do with this? Perhaps I'm replacing fat with muscle? I know it's not my diet...I eat a plant based diet that is very balanced...sometimes I have a splurge of course, but it's always in my calories and macros. Or...maybe the whole BMR/TDEE thing is crap and I really am eating too much?? Ugh. Help?

Kim55555

How long have you been exercising for and/or doing weight training for? Because if you have changed your routine what happens is fluid gets retained inside your muscle and along with the fluid is stored glycogen. This may be the cause for the reason the scale has not moved yet. How much have you lost? scale wise and measurement wise. cos you wont always lose measurements all the time. You will go through periods of stagnation like this. If this happens for more than 2 months then its more like a real platuea and something to be worried about. Perhaps try a change in routine. A change of exercise/intensity. Sprints worked wonders for me when I stalled out.

hheater

I've been working out for years...especially doing hard core cardio. But I just started incorporating heavy lifting 2 weeks ago. I've lost about 7-8 pounds so far (it keeps fluctuating for that pound). I've lost quite a few inches since March (can't remember the number off hand right now...but it's pretty significant). I'm just frustrated because I SEE a change in my body...and I feel stronger. But NO number change at all? Sad. It makes me feel like I'm psyching myself out.

Kim55555

I feel good, and I SEE a change in the way I look, but the numbers aren't changing at all.

Ohhhhhhhh. Yes!!! This is has happened to me too. You are on the right track if you can see the change in how you are looking. What about your clothes? Are they looser. Its strange because about 3 months ago when I last had my measurements taken. (im close to goal btw) my measurements hadn't changed hardly at all or scale weight yet my clothes were looser and people kept telling me I looked like I had lost weight!!

So sometimes you wont always lose the measurements all the time however you will notice your body is changing in appearance and people tell you you are looking thinner. Your on the right track eating your bmr and your exercise calories. You just need to show some patience and keep working away because it is working for you but its just not showing yet with your results. The numbers aren't always going to change.

Hope I've helped.

Kim55555

But I just started incorporating heavy lifting 2 weeks ago. I've lost about 7-8 pounds so far (it keeps fluctuating for that pound). I've lost quite a few inches since March (can't remember the number off hand right now...but it's pretty significant). I'm just frustrated because I SEE a change in my body...and I feel stronger. But NO number change at all? Sad. It makes me feel like I'm psyching myself out.

aha. There you go *heavy lifting!!* It will do it to you every time. Fluid/glyocogen storage in the muscles! This is what increases that number on the scale. Your body is recomping. Keep doing what you are doing. Dont and I repeat dont rely on the scale when you are implementing a heavy weights routine! How many more lbs did you want to lose. You may not lose scale weight or only a little bit yet rapidly change the way your body looks by lowering your body fat. See what happens is you lose the fat but the scale can stay the same as you change your body composition (more LBM, less fat)

hheater

You have helped...thank you. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this. My story's exactly the same. People are starting to notice...my clothes are fitting better, and my husband is like, "wow, you're toning up, baby!" I feel the same way, but when there is no change on the scale or in measurements...it's hard to believe that you're actually making any progress. I guess I'll just have to keep being patient! What made the plateau break for you?

hheater

I'd like to lose around 15--20 lbs more...and then reassess how I look. I don't really expect myself to be within my BMI range...I'm a pretty muscular girl...lol. I just want to look awesome. I guess the scale isn't THAT important, but I would like SOME kind of evidence of change....lol.

Kim55555

You have helped...thank you. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this. My story's exactly the same. People are starting to notice...my clothes are fitting better, and my husband is like, "wow, you're toning up, baby!" I feel the same way, but when there is no change on the scale or in measurements...it's hard to believe that you're actually making any progress. I guess I'll just have to keep being patient! What made the plateau break for you?

Yeah I know how you feel. I've been at it for the past 2 years and losing it the slow way. Intense exercise and weights. I also only have a small defecit. I eat between 1800 - 2300 most days. When you do it this way you just have to try to be patient because at times you cant always tell if you are making progress lol. Sometimes when i look in the mirror I cant always see the changes but when I see current photos taken of me I think omg wow I'm looking so thin!! Photos just dont lie and that brings me to another important point and I wish I had done this more regularly. It is so so important to take photos. Front on side on bikinis even. This way you can see a real difference and yes the scale and your measurements arn't always going to change so its at this point you need to focus on how your clothes are fitting, the comments you are getting from people about how your looking thinner. Look at photos. Sometimes you'll actually lose fat around the middle (as you can tell your clothes are looser) but your waist measurement doesnt change. Go figure! So your definately on the right track. Keep doing exactly the same thing and i dont know when but eventually the numbers will move again. Maybe in a few weeks but it will shift.

I've lost 30 kgs. I'm so close to goal weight now. I'm 61 kg and 5 foot 2. I look more like im 55 people say. In the past 8 months I have lost just 3.5 kgs scale weight but my transformation has been f**** amazing!! People that I havent seen in a couple of months notice big time how much thinner I look and its great because often there are some family members I dont see for a few months at a time and this is a strong guage to me of how I'm going. So yes I have been in your shoes. Just perservere and keep plugging away chisseling away at your fat one day at a time and you'll get there! It takes time but I'm sure you'd rather do it this way and look nice and toned from weight training than lose it faster and end up just skinny with no definition. You do it that way and you also have resigned yourself to eating less when you do start to maintain. Because you are doing it the slow way you will build up your muscle base and be able to eat more after you've lost the weight because your metabolism will be higher.

Hope I have reassured you and encouraged! seeya.

Oh I just saw your question. I had 1 tough plateau that lasted 2 months (where I felt I was at a bit of a standstill) I decided to incorporate hill sprints and interval running. It melted the fat away. Just what my body needed. I Changed up my weights routine. Totally different program. I also cut my bread intake down for a bit and started eating mostly brown rice, lean meats, veg fruit. Worked a treat. Anyway I gotta get going. Its getting late.