Working out stalling the weight loss?

littlesuzieq

I've done a couple searches on this and found a little information but I just wanted to confirm a couple of things I found.

I started on MFP mid-January and changed my eating habits. I lost pounds and have been ecstatic! I recently added working out (two weeks ago) and the weight loss has seemed to stall. I usually work out 5 days per week. I walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, 3.5-4.0 speed at 3.0 incline and burn between 220-250 calories and do some weight training besides. Every other day I do upper body (biceps, triceps, chest) and abs. On the other days I do legs (some squats, quads, etc.) and abs. Every once in awhile, I throw a 30-day Shred workout in there instead of the treadmill. I add calories for the cardio and almost always eat them. I don't add my calories for the strength training because, frankly, I'm not sure how much I burn doing what I do.

With all that being said, I've gone down a pants size (almost 2) and I feel really good. I took measurements a couple of weeks ago and need to take them again (I'm scared!:ohwell: ). I know that the numbers on scale aren't as important as how I feel but I'm not going to lie... I like to see smaller numbers EVERYWHERE!:laugh:

My question is: How long does it take for the exercise to kick in and start showing up on scale? I've read the muscle/fat spacial ratio discussions but I'm looking for the personal experiences about what to expect. Anyone? :flowerforyou:

iRun4wine

I had similar questions and someone suggested that since I started a relatively intense workout that my body wasn't used to, my muscles could be retaining water (thus either a small weight gain, or a lack of loss).

Check out this link:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/83742-muscles-retaining-water

Hope that helps :flowerforyou:

mromnek

Your take on things seem right in line with the reading I have done.

I would suggest getting a heart rate monitor to measure your calories while you work out. It will be a LOT more accurate so far as the aerobic and the anaerobic exercise. There are a bunch out there, but the reading I did suggested only getting one with a chest strap. The other recommendation was that both batteries can be changed by you. Evidently Polar has a few models that need to have a service representative change out the battery in the chest strap. I got my wife and I each a Timex HRM and it works great.

Another thing I have read is that when you do strength training, your muscles become inflamed and collect water. So... when you work out, expect a bit more water retention afterward.... Enought to see on the scale.

Keep up the monster work-outs and I am sure you will see the results!

littlesuzieq

Ahhhh, thanks!! I didn't search by "muscles retaining water". I should have!!!!! :flowerforyou: Thanks for the linky!

Iceprincessk25

Working out will stall the weight loss a little. But I think it's worth it really. When you are trying to lose weight it's inevitable that some of the pounds you are losing are coming from not only fat but from muscle too. We REALLY want to keep that muscle so throwing some weight-training in is good. But to make muscle we have to break it down first.

I was working out HARD - 2 a days ~ 6 days a week and my weightloss stalled A LOT. I dropped down to 3 days of running and 2 days of weight lifting and tabata and it has picked up again.

It will happen it just takes time. I can't give you a date because everyone is different but it can be anywhere from 4-6weeks.

mromnek

You know, the whole question about exercise "stalling" weight loss usually brings another response that is a matter hotly contested on other threads. However, the response that nobody really seems to make is this: the difference between fat and muscle on the metabolism and the basal metabolic rate.

A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day, whereas a pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day. Therefore, as we exchange fat for muscle, our BMR goes up.

littlesuzieq

Well, when I weighed in yesterday at work for our BL contest, I only lost .7 lbs for the week. That's OK - not great in my mind but OK. I went home and did my workout like normal. Just for kicks, I thought I'd weigh in again this morning - just to see. :noway::huh: I lost 1.1 more lbs!!!!! Woot! Maybe I'm hitting the 2-3 week threshold for the new workout and I'll start seeing more results.

Keep on keeping on everyone and thanks for the replies!!!!:drinker:

mromnek

woot woot on the big 2-0!!! :drinker: