Lost inches not weight...

I have been very dedicated to logging my calories and staying within my target, not eating late, drinking my water and working out a minimum of 3 days a week. Started out doing very well the past two weeks; however his past week I gained two pounds. To my discouragement I measured myself because I feel smaller and sure enough did loose inches. How common is it for the scale to not show a loss?

Replies

  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    Common enough that as a woman, I only weigh every 10 weeks. Measure/pictures are the first of every month. The scale is from the devil. :explode:
  • It sounds like you are doing all the right things. So don't give up. :smile: I had the same problem. I am associated my weight gain as water weight gain for now. I'm trying not to stress about it because stress can add to weight gain but I going to keep watching how things progress me. Keep up the Good Work!!
    Congrats on losing inches!!! Any progress is better than no progess!!
  • Common enough that as a woman, I only weigh every 10 weeks. Measure/pictures are the first of every month. The scale is from the devil. :explode:
    LOL.:laugh: ... I agree!!
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    It took over a month before the scale caught up with the inches. Dropped 6 inches (about an inch a week) before any real pounds came off. Take those inches as motivation - it's proof that what you are doing is working! The scale fluctuates - inches never lie.
  • zaxx1953
    zaxx1953 Posts: 389 Member
    Why are people so obsessed with numbers on a scale?\

    I was in my best shape as 265 lbs college kid and people used to think I was like 220....

    I was healthy, athletic (could dunk a nerf ball), muscular and had a great sex life...

    Numbers are meaningless....
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    I would rather lose inches over the number on the scale any day...lol.
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member
    How common is it for the scale to not show a loss?

    Well done you for sticking to the course. Scales are not a reliable indicator - two people that both weigh the same amount can have very different bodies and be very different sizes.

    Measuring inches is the way to go!
  • verdancyhime
    verdancyhime Posts: 237 Member
    You look better and feel better, right?
    So you're succeeding. If you wind up weighing 25 lbs less than you do now in 6 months and being down 3 sizes, looking amazing in clothes you never thought you could wear, and being able to run a 5k for charity or something, are you still going to be sad?
  • Sounds like you did lose weight- in fat, water, etc.- but then gained it back in muscle! I did a similar thing a while back. I went to work on a month-long, very physically intense excavation. When I got back, I weighed myself and my weight hadn't changed a pound, but my clothes sure fit differently!
    Remember, it's not the number on the scale that matters, it's how you look and feel in your body. Losing inches is a great accomplishment! Just because the scale doesn't reflect the changes we're seeing doesn't mean those changes aren't happening.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Losing inches means you'll fit into smaller sizes and look smaller. If that's happening, who cares what the scale says?
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Very common...the scale is not a very good indication of progress alone. You have to consider water retention after work outs plus normal body fluctuations. The tape measure is always a better scale to judge.
  • Don't get discouraged, sounds like you are making great progress! If you are drinking more water than you used to that might be a tiny part of it but I'm willing to bet that you lost fat and gained muscle - that's awesome! Muscle is more dense than fat and so will take up less space in your body than the fat that it replaced, so the scale reads the same but your clothes are saying "YEAH!!"
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Only you see the number on the scale. Everyone else sees the inches lost on your body.

    I went 6 weeks without losing a single lb, but I lost inches everywhere and went down at least a clothing size. Don't worry about the scale. It's an *kitten*.
  • I've been at the same weight for almost two months, after losing 50+ pounds, but I know my clothes are fitting better and people think I've lost more weight since I've lost inches. When you think about it, if you had to choose between the two, what would you rather have?
  • i'm in the same boat and just keep re-reading posts like these and reminding myself to stay motivated and keep doing what i'm doing. it seems like it's pretty common for it to take weeks or months for the scale to catch up but it eventually does so we're on the right path. don't feel like you're alone - i'm just as eager to see the numbers go down too!