After 3 weeks, should I have any results?

FitGirl329

I posted this on the support and motivation forum but think that was the wrong forum since no one responded. So here goes again. I'm hoping someone can help me figurw this out.

Up until about two years ago when we started with our house build, I was in very good shape. I've put on about ten pounds and am just jiggly and can't fit in a lot of my pants. The ones I do fit in are too snug and uncomfortable. Now that we're in our house and getting settled, I started back with eating healthier and working out. Yet my clothes still fit the same and the scale hasn't budged. I've done this before after having kids. I know what it takes. But you'd think after eating what I wanted for two years and not exercising, I'd see SOMETHING once I started working out diligently and eating 1350-1600ish calories again. I'm 5'5" and 129. My good weight is in the low 120s and I need to get unjiggly and back in my clothes again.

I'm just confused as to why I've been watching my eating and measuring my portions since July 8 and not seeing anything happen. Can anyone offer any insight? There are a few days missing from my tracker and those are just when I was busy and forgot to log. But the calories stayed in the 1500-1600 range.

My specific workouts have been as follows:
7/8- FIRM Complete Aerobics & Weight Training (cardio + weights for an hour)
7/9- Turbo Jam Cardio Party 2
7/10- Squeeze with Tracey Effinger (a tough barre workout)
7/12- FIRM Cardio Sculpt (cardio + weights for an hour)
7/15- FIRM Aerobic Body Shaping (cardio + weights for an hour)
7/16- FIRM Ultimate Calorie Blaster (cardio)
7/18- Squeeze
7/19- Turbo Jam Punch Kick & Jam and 20 minute core work
7/21- FIRM Complete Aerobics & Weight Training (cardio + weights for an hour)
7/22- Squeeze and 20 minutes cardio
7/25- Turbo Jam Cardio Party 3
7/26- Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones
7/27- 30 Day Shred level 1
7/28- 30 Day Shred level 1 and 20 minutes cardio
7/30- 30 Day Shred level 1 and 20 minutes cardio and lower body Pilates

I would appreciate any help. I know it's only been three weeks but I'd hoped to have seen something in terms of results by now...if not on the scale, by the way my clothes fit. I need some sort of encouragement. Is this because I don't have a lot to lost to begin with? Is it because I'm almost 37 and not 27 so it's just not going to be easy??

Thanks all!

smilesalot1969

i'm having the same problem, i'm 4 weeks in and havent seen a single change, if anything ive gained. It does get harder as you get older but i heavy weight train and ive now cut my exercise down to 5 days a week instead of 7 because i need to let my muscles repair. Maybe youre replacing fat with muscle??

FitGirl329

Someone else mentioned that since I'm starting over fresh and don't have much to lose, it could be water retention. I'm just going to keep at it and try to stick to a bit lower...maybe stagger around 1250-1500 instead of getting up to 1700? It's like a puzzle.

smilesalot1969

i had to totally change my way of eating, i'm doing intermittent fasting now and my body is finally responding and starting to drop the weight. Its all a case of seeing what works for your body

JosieRawr

Try tracking your sodium(it's a biggy for water retention) also I noticed that there were several days that were either flat out not tracked or that you went over on, maybe you just need a little more time and try to track every day. might be that you're eating more than you think. Also I go by measurements more than scales it lets me see differences more reliably and fluctuates less readily(except t.o.m. i swell up about an inch which is always disturbing!) good luck n be patient, I have also heard the closer you are to your goal the harder it gets!

Nadie4444

I exercise alot, jogging 5 times a week and on weekends I'm out jogging anything between 3 to 6 hours. It's been on MFP from 12th of July. have been jogging seriously again for about 10 months now. At first I lost very qiuckly, from Okt 2011 till Feb 2012 I lost 6kg's. My weight then stayed there and then I picked up weight again, even though I was still exercising alot. Since 12 July I started to watch what I ate and the results didn't show. It has been 3 weeks now and the results are starting to show. I restricted my calorie intake to 1200 per day adn since I burn alot with the jogging, I can eat more, even though moste of the time I'm under my calorie intake.

I've only lost 1kg in these weeks, but lost lots of cm's. SO I guess what I want to say is, just hang there, the results will show eventually. I'm 31, alos have one child whose 18months old. Just keep doing what you are doing, I was very depressed for not losing more, but then I started to realise how much better my clothes fit. I'm 5feet6inches and weigh 123 pounds.

Good luck!

FitGirl329

I'm not giving up. I'm sticking with it. I agree about not being stringent enough with myself every single day. Maybe my eyeballing my food wasn't good enough at this stage of the game. I'm going to log every day every single thing I put in my mouth. I had forgotten my diary wasn't fully public until last night! My friends could view it but that was it. I am new so if anyone wants to friend me, feel free!

I wish I saw a difference in the way my clothes fit at this point and didn't feel so puffy. Back when I helped out on The Firm boards, I used to tell people all the time to ditch the scale and go by your measurements and how your clothes fit. The scale is so psychological.

I think I need to focus more on eating real whole foods and less processed foods. I mean, realistically for me, I love cereal and I eat "healthy" breakfast sandwiches made with whole grains regularly that keep me full until lunch. So to eliminate these isn't realistic. Oatmeal doesn't keep me as full but I'll eat it. I'd love to go all Paleo but it's not realistic for me. I think I may try to do less carbs later in the day maybe? And more fruits and veggies.

elisa123gal

I have not lost anything in two days..but my clothes fit better..so perhaps yours are also.

I think since you are exercising and dieting at the same time..you are not showing a loss on the scale. I don't have the article on hand...but did read how when you start excercising it makes your tissues retain fluid and you gain "false" weight..and for some it takes six weeks or so for the scale to move.

side note: I discovered last year when I lost weight that I did so more easily when I didn't excercise. (don't kill me..but it is true) Right now..I'm tryng to lose by diet..and when I hit a stall..I'm gonna hit the gym..use it as my second line of defense.