Lose inches, not weight?

angieleekid

I've been working really hard for almost a month and have only lost one pound. People say it looks like I'm losing inches, but weighed myself this morning (first time and a week and 1/2) and nothing
How does this happen? And what can I do to boost the weight loss? ( I have been recording everything I eat on here and doing good!)
Thanks!

Andre_dre

Have you Tried taking Supplements??

littlewitch1973

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

angieleekid

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

angieleekid

Have you Tried taking Supplements??

I really haven't. Any suggestions?

darcie81

I've been told the scale is an evil thing, to measure and put away the scale but i can't do that!! but maybe you are gaining muscle so it appears that you aren't losing weight! I agree with littlewitch19, you should measure so you can see whats dropping and that should boost you up and make you proud!! Keep up the great work!! ;0)

nikic50

You definitely need to take measurements!! I've been doing 30DS for almost 25 days & I've only lost 3-4 pounds, but 8.5 inches. I'm a numbers person so I would rather see the weight come off, but I do see more definition in my stomach & thighs...I just really wish I would've taken before pics - I would recommend doing that right now!!

RenVan

Because muscle weighs more than fat. You've probably lost inches but because of the muscle gain, it's not reflected on the scale. Take your measurements and be aware of how your clothes fit. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

jennifer52484

patience. Losing inches is great. You are tightening up.. You will soon lose lbs, you just have to be patient. Keep doing what you are doing because you are seeing results even if they aren't the scale results you wanted.

Andre_dre

Yes, I am using Oxyelite Pro and L-Carnitine.

Oxyelite Pro is a thermogenic. It speeds up your metabolism and it will make you sweat a lot when working because it's a thermogenic

L-Carnitine use the your bodyfat for energy causing you to burn more fat.

I use both together and I am getting good results

sdow

Another good measure is how your clothes fit.

coliema

You could have lost inches and gained muscles. It's not the number on the scale that counts if you want to lose weight, it's the inches.

Jbbaby111

Ive lost inches first...and ALOT of them! I like it better Buti do enjo watching the scale go down! So i invested in the advocare 24 day challenge and now my weights finally going down!!! Its all natural vitamins and minerals and stuff!!

dhakiyya

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

Healthy muscles and bones are stronger and heavier than unhealthy ones. If you take body fat out of the equation, then heavier is healthier. It's only body fat that messes things up because too much body fat is unhealthy, and of course the more of that you have the more you're going to weigh. Also your body stores glycogen in the muscles and the liver, this is stored with water and this increases the weight of your muscles and liver. Your bones get stronger and denser when you exercise and eat calcium, this helps protect you against osteoporosis, and your bones get heavier too.

The best advice I've heard with regards to this is to try to be as heavy as you can at a goal dress size.

Body composition is more important than how much you weigh, i.e. how much body fat you have and how much lean body mass you have. More lean body mass = healthier, less body fat = healthier (up to a point of course there is such a thing as too little body fat). When people have a lot of fat to lose, the scale will go downwards as they lose fat, but the less fat you have to lose the more likely it is that the scale will stay the same while you lose inches. Even if you don't have that much fat to lose what sometimes happens is that your weight is stable while you lose fat (loss of inches = loss of body fat) because you have lean body mass gains going on at the same time, but then after a while the lean body mass gains stop but you carry on losing fat so the weight does go down.

bkarels76

I have found that when I begin a workout routine, the 1st month I see absolutely no change in my weight what-so-ever but my clothes fit differently... then after the 2nd month or so i see the weight melt off... i think its to muscle toning... the major problem i find with that is that after a month of working towards my goal as hard as i can, i dont see the results on the scale and i lose interest because i dont believe im getting anywhere... i like the "its not the number on the scale that counts if you want to lose weight, it's the inches" because basically i just want to fit back into my clothes comfortably

Sam3622

I'm the same. I haven't lost any weight (even out on a pound) but have lost 2.5 inches of my waist and 1.5 inches off my waist in the last 3 months. I say definitely measure yourself, because i understand how disheartening it is to work so hard and those scales dont budge, but the measuring tape probably has. Good luck x

mcrowe1016

I have lost two inches in a bit over a month and only a pound. If I had to choose, I would choose inches over pounds any day. (I measure every day)

christinegarza

Don't lose faith! I am almost finished with my first month of Insanity and have seen very (VERY) little difference on the scale. But just yesterday, I was able to button a pair of work slacks that didn't even come close to buttoning when I purchased them six months ago! The physical change is visible! So don't focus on the scale - that will happen for you (and me!) eventually. Stick with it! The only thing that keeps me going is the reminder that I didn't gain 25 pounds in a month, so I won't lose it in a month. It takes work and commitment. Also, ask yourself how your body feels - energized, healthy, strong? If it does, then you are getting results! :-)

msue482

Taking pictures and measuring is key. I have been on this site since February and I kid you not I have lost only between 2-4 lbs BUT I can see a big difference in my body. Good luck!

DyanCB

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

Healthy muscles and bones are stronger and heavier than unhealthy ones. If you take body fat out of the equation, then heavier is healthier. It's only body fat that messes things up because too much body fat is unhealthy, and of course the more of that you have the more you're going to weigh. Also your body stores glycogen in the muscles and the liver, this is stored with water and this increases the weight of your muscles and liver. Your bones get stronger and denser when you exercise and eat calcium, this helps protect you against osteoporosis, and your bones get heavier too.

The best advice I've heard with regards to this is to try to be as heavy as you can at a goal dress size.

Body composition is more important than how much you weigh, i.e. how much body fat you have and how much lean body mass you have. More lean body mass = healthier, less body fat = healthier (up to a point of course there is such a thing as too little body fat). When people have a lot of fat to lose, the scale will go downwards as they lose fat, but the less fat you have to lose the more likely it is that the scale will stay the same while you lose inches. Even if you don't have that much fat to lose what sometimes happens is that your weight is stable while you lose fat (loss of inches = loss of body fat) because you have lean body mass gains going on at the same time, but then after a while the lean body mass gains stop but you carry on losing fat so the weight does go down.

I LOVE your thinking. OP, please follow this.

The scale does NOT tell the complete truth. PLEASE take your measurements , track your body fat % AND take photos. Take a look at my blog - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DyanCB. I had the same frustrations as you. I have lost few pounds but my body composition has improved significantly. I have vowed not to get on the scale until July and, instead, focus on measurements and how my clothes fit.

I am one who wishes MFP would give us body fat % tickers in addition to weight tracking tickers. The focus is fitness, not just weight.

Keep going

mdbs2004

I've actualy gained a few pounds the last month and yet I now fit into jeans 2 sizes smaller. Scale isnt everything. I'm guessing in a couple weeks I'll see a big scale drop over a 2 week period.

cici1028

So, it is definitely possible to lose inches without losing weight. I dropped two dresses sizes without dropping a pound (from an 8 to a 6) just from yoga, which is all strength training. My weight remained the same but I lost two inches off of my waist and everything else contracted as well. So take your measurements and track those, especially if you don't have a lot to lose.

If you have a good bit to lose (more than 15 pounds) and the scale isn't moving, it's probably what you're eating or how often you're moving.

kdeaux1959

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

If you do weights, it is very possible to add lean body mass and lose inches since muscle weighs more per cubic inch than fat does... Essentially your body fat percentage is getting lower in that case and that would be a very good thing. Best wishes on achieving your goals.

natesangel

something i've recently learned, when you first start it can take up to 3 months to see real serious results, don't give up, it tool a long time to get here and the body can be stubborn, show it who's boss! tape measure can be a better friend than the scale especially in the beginning! even 1 lbs lost in the first month is better than the gains from the past!!!

tangal88

Heres some pictures that may help you.

Water storage in muscles, sodium and carbs in the diet, changes in muscle density, shifting of bodyfat - all effect scale weight, and make it appear you are not improving.

Inch measurements and body composition are MUCH more important then scale weight only.

Weight loss can be muscle and fat. (per the scale)

You want to loss fat and keep lean muscle - not lose weight only.

My results have been similar to below , I am 10-15 pounds heavier then my "rough goal weight" but am already AT my goal clothing size, and physically I am about 1-2 times smaller clothing wise, then last time I was at my goal weight (when I had less muscle) - So I look tighter leaner and smaller, then before at my "small" weight. (size 7/8)

So to everyone else I look like I am already at my goal weight. But I am scale weight heavier, which is fine Don't stress to much over the scale, or at least not as your only guide. Its a limited tool, and only ONE tool to use.

Less weight - yep you will look good dressed and may fit the smaller clothing size - but, add more muscle and a bit more scale weight - you also fit the smaller clothing size, AND look good dressed AND look good nakkid. Thats a win-win

5 lbs heavier in after pic, but tighter and leaner


Not same girl, but cute example


Same weight, after was when she started lifting heavy


Different girls but both size 4


Same girl, before and after lifting heavy weights, she lost 5 lbs


Stacy, read her story here: She is 14 lbs heavier in after
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/


10 lbs heavier in after


10 lbs heavier in after


Different girl, but both size 2


5 pounds difference - big body change


Fat vs Muscle

crudd123

Take your measurements! I did today! I've lost 1.5 inches off my neck, 4 inches off my waist, 2 inches off my hips! I've only lost 1.5 pounds since I've measured! Good luck to you!

tangal88

And this

Why the Scale Goes Up When You Start a New Workout Plan


By Chalene Johnson

Probably the most common question I get when I release a new exercise program is, "Help! I'm gaining weight! Am I doing something wrong?" This is a common phenomenon with any new exercise program, such as Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, or others! It's especially common (and temporary) with intense strength training programs like ChaLEAN Extreme or Tony Horton's P90X.

The motivation to start a new exercise program is almost always to lose weight. However, what most personal trainers know--and most at-home exercisers do not--is that a new exercise program often can cause an immediate (and temporary) increase on the scale. (Notice I didn't say weight gain! I'll explain.) This common increase in the scale is also the reason why perhaps millions of people start and then quickly quit their resolution to get fit.

The temporary weight gain explained:
When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and "unfamiliar" the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to "protect and defend" the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.

Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated, become discouraged and quit!

When I worked with a group of 70 test participants during the development stages of ChaLEAN Extreme, this happened. Who was the most upset and discouraged? You guessed it... the women! I'm happy to report absolutely for every single woman (and man) in our group, the weight increase was temporary and never lasted more than two weeks before they started to see a major drop in the scale. However, these people had the advantage of working with someone who was able to explain to them why this was happening and assure them the weight would come off if they stuck to the nutrition plan and stayed true to the program.

If you follow a multi-phase exercise plan, such as ChaLEAN Extreme, keep in mind that when you start each phase, your body will be "in shock" again. Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience a temporary gain on the scale the first week of each phase.

My own personal example of this is running 10Ks. I don't do it very often, maybe once or twice a year. Even though I run on a regular basis, when you run a race, you push much harder. It's natural for me to be insanely sore the next day. It�s also very common for me to see the scale jump 4 pounds the next day from forcing fluids post race and the resulting DOMS. Even though I know the cause of it, it's still a bummer. We're all human and hard work should mean results. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break. Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.

The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!

When to be concerned:
If you experience a significant weight gain (exceeding 5 pounds) that does not begin to decrease rapidly after the second week, guess what it is? I'll give you one hint... you put it in your mouth and chew it. You know it! Your food (or calorie-laden beverages). News flash, friends� exercise doesn't make you gain weight. Consuming more food than you burn makes you gain weight!

So if after two weeks you are not losing weight and have gained weight that's not coming off, it's time to take a close and honest look at your food intake. Start using SparkPeople's Nutrition Tracker regularly, and be honest.

Moral of the story:
Be patient young grass hopper. You'll be lean and mean in no time!

from here
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan

ShutterBugMomof2

I have lost maybe 2 pounds in 2 weeks BUT I have lost 9.5 inches in those 2 weeks. Screw the scale, the tape doesn't lie

obeserat

Because muscle weighs more than fat. You've probably lost inches but because of the muscle gain, it's not reflected on the scale. Take your measurements and be aware of how your clothes fit. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

1lb of fat weighs the same as 1lb of muscle

picassoadagio

It's how your weight is distributed and not about the number on the scale. You want to lose inches. Lots of things can play factors on why your not losing the weight, but losing inches. Just bask in the glory of knowing people are noticing.

nightsrainfall

It is possible to lose inches and not weight. Have you taken your measurements? If not, you should. I record all of them - waist, hips, chest, thighs, calves, arms (upper and lower) and neck - I even started watching my wrist measurements, because I was losing inches everywhere, but not the pounds. I am happy with inches lost though - means I get to wear smaller clothes sooner!!

I will start. Good idea!! Do you know how that works? I was always told losing lbs is more important... Why doesn't it go down?

A pound is a pound. A pound of water is healthy if you are going from dehydrated to hydrated so that's a gain. A pound of muscle is healthy. However both muscle and water do not take up as much volume as a fat, so if the scale isn't moving but your inches are, you are losing fat but probably gaining in strength or hydration. Plus there is also the whole fact that our body will vary 2-4 pounds within a 24 hour period and for women we tend to vary based on hormones too, so the scale isn't quite as accurate as we like to think it is.