I feel alot slimmer but scale isn't going down much

2»

Replies

  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
    Tip: forget the scale and use measuring tap!
    Support: You look great :-)

    You are busting your butt to look good and be healthy not for a certain number.
  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
    :blushing: Thanks for all the positive responses, I just found my measuring tape and I am going to start that today. Also are there any workouts that really helped people lose weight or kickstart fat loss that worked for you guys? I am interested in cardio right now, I meet with a trainer next week to learn a weight training program.

    I was at a 3 month plateau until I started using weights. I've seen great results since I started heaving lifting...
  • SugaRhee
    SugaRhee Posts: 6 Member
    As the other comments say... taking measurements is extremely helpful and motivating. You may building muscle, which weighs more than fat, which is a good thing. Muscle burns calories and fat. I've had weight gain but still lost inches. I've noticed this site doesn't track all my favorite body measurements to keep an eye on. I think they should include chest, and thigh at minimum. Bicep and calf would be nice too, but sometimes they get bigger depending on muscle growth and some people don't like to see any gain, but I find it encouraging to know as I am developing more muscle. But how you feel is most important! :smile:
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    Remember when you start increasing exercise your muscles start retaining more water for repair too, the scale is just a guide it says nothing of body composition, as other have said use the scales as a rough tool along with taking your measurements (which are a better indicator of fat loss) you may have lost many more pounds of fat than the scales indicate.

    For example you may have lost 8 pounds of fat but gained half a pound of muscle (women gain extra muscle very slowly in comparrison to our testosterone fuelled counterparts) and your freshly challenged muscles may be retaining 2.5 pounds of extra water as they need to heal as they strengthen.

    Ps This is just info I've gleaned from similar threads and questions, but to the best of my amateur knowledge I believe this is fairly acurate :)
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    muscle does NOT weight more than fat.

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat

    the VOLUME of 1 lb of fat is a lot bigger than the VOLUME of 1 lb of muscle. With that in mind, if you take off 5 lbs of fat and replace it with 5 lbs of muscle, you will technically weigh the same but look thinner because of this.

    So.....maybe you have lost fat inches and replaced them with muscle, and that is OK!!!! IN FACT, IT'S GREAT!!!

    Keep up the good work!!!

    THANK YOU! :)
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Ignore the scale - embrace the tape measure! Over a period of six months my scale didn't change at all, but I lost fat and inches and dropped a full pants size. Who cares what the scale says?? :bigsmile:
  • Kaddyshack21
    Kaddyshack21 Posts: 225 Member
    Don't feel discouraged at all. I have had the exact thing happen to me. I have gone from barely fitting into size 22 to fitting into 18 with wiggle room but according to the scale I have only lost 12 lbs.

    So pay attention to your body not the scale. Even though I know it is super hard. :tongue:
  • jendraka
    jendraka Posts: 117 Member
    muscle does NOT weight more than fat.

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat
    Not in relation to size it doesn't. Man, how I hate this argument. You might as well say that gold doesn't weigh more than cotton just because a pound is a pound. That's not the point. The point is how much of each it takes to make a pound. How heavy each is. Muscle tissue is heavier than fatty tissue, flat out, that's a fact. So it takes less muscle tissue to equal a pound (as it is a heavier and denser substance) than it takes fatty tissue. Muscle IS heavier than fat. Those who don't get that fact and just want to say a pound is a pound is a pound is a pound have issues. No one is ever saying a pound isn't a pound when they say muscle is heavier than fat.
  • rmcminn89
    rmcminn89 Posts: 37
    its very possible. I've only lost 5.5 pounds, but last night my trainer measured me and I've lost 10.7 inches all over my body combined. I recommend taking measurements along with checking the scale, especially if you are exercising.
  • Millie2045
    Millie2045 Posts: 31
    I agree with all the above I was disheartened at the beginning of the
    week as the scales said I have put on 2 pounds but today I can start seeing
    a difference in my shape & a couple of other people have also noticed that
    I'm starting to get my waist back.(I started doing the 30 day shred 8 days ago)
    I have been obsessed with the scales but am not going to worry about them
    again until I finish all 3 levels :-))
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
    So you're saying...

    You feel better

    You look better

    Friends/family are commenting on positive changes in your body

    But because the SCALE doesn't show enough change, you're failing?

    Take a step back and think about what's really important here. Congrats on your progress! :)

    And has been said, measurements can be much more helpful. Check that every couple weeks, it's a much better indicator of progress than pounds (which jump all over the place because of water, sodium, the time of day, the time of the month, the weather, the orbit of mercury, the value of the dollar, the US national debt...........)
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    As the other comments say... taking measurements is extremely helpful and motivating. You may building muscle, which weighs more than fat, which is a good thing. Muscle burns calories and fat. I've had weight gain but still lost inches. I've noticed this site doesn't track all my favorite body measurements to keep an eye on. I think they should include chest, and thigh at minimum. Bicep and calf would be nice too, but sometimes they get bigger depending on muscle growth and some people don't like to see any gain, but I find it encouraging to know as I am developing more muscle. But how you feel is most important! :smile:

    If you click the weigh in tab, at the bottom of the measurements it says add more measurements. Select that and you can add any other measurements that you like to track.
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 942 Member
    muscle does NOT weight more than fat.

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat

    the VOLUME of 1 lb of fat is a lot bigger than the VOLUME of 1 lb of muscle. With that in mind, if you take off 5 lbs of fat and replace it with 5 lbs of muscle, you will technically weigh the same but look thinner because of this.

    So.....maybe you have lost fat inches and replaced them with muscle, and that is OK!!!! IN FACT, IT'S GREAT!!!

    Keep up the good work!!!
    Geez, not again.
  • Ploogy
    Ploogy Posts: 115 Member
    muscle does NOT weight more than fat.

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat

    the VOLUME of 1 lb of fat is a lot bigger than the VOLUME of 1 lb of muscle. With that in mind, if you take off 5 lbs of fat and replace it with 5 lbs of muscle, you will technically weigh the same but look thinner because of this.

    When someone says that muscle weighs more than fat, they are implicitly speaking in terms of a given volume. The whole point of the statement is that you may weight the same but feel smaller, because you are of less volume and more dense.
  • calisunrise
    calisunrise Posts: 307
    muscle does NOT weight more than fat.

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat

    the VOLUME of 1 lb of fat is a lot bigger than the VOLUME of 1 lb of muscle. With that in mind, if you take off 5 lbs of fat and replace it with 5 lbs of muscle, you will technically weigh the same but look thinner because of this.

    So.....maybe you have lost fat inches and replaced them with muscle, and that is OK!!!! IN FACT, IT'S GREAT!!!

    Keep up the good work!!!
    Geez, not again.
    ^ this


    most likely water retention
  • hmadrone
    hmadrone Posts: 129 Member
    First, for women, a sustained loss rate of 2-3 pounds per month is TERRIFIC. As we get smaller, we need fewer calories and exercise burns fewer calories, so it can get hard to sustain a 500-calorie deficit without tanking your metabolism. I can't get a 500-calorie deficit myself; that puts me below my BMR, so I have to settle for a 420-calorie deficit.

    Second, your tape measure is your friend. It gives you a clearer idea of how you're restructuring your body.

    Third, you might enjoy using calipers to measure body fat. It will really show if you're changing your body composition even if the scale is being stubborn.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    You could just be building your leg muscles ... as muscle weighs more than fat.
  • LM_hustle
    LM_hustle Posts: 15 Member
    Holy crap people are sensitive.

    IIIII understood what was meant when it was said that "muscle weighs more than fat." However, I just wanted to put it out there if there was anyone who didn't understand.

    I ended it on a positive note, didn't I?
  • SugaRhee
    SugaRhee Posts: 6 Member
    As the other comments say... taking measurements is extremely helpful and motivating. You may building muscle, which weighs more than fat, which is a good thing. Muscle burns calories and fat. I've had weight gain but still lost inches. I've noticed this site doesn't track all my favorite body measurements to keep an eye on. I think they should include chest, and thigh at minimum. Bicep and calf would be nice too, but sometimes they get bigger depending on muscle growth and some people don't like to see any gain, but I find it encouraging to know as I am developing more muscle. But how you feel is most important! :smile:

    If you click the weigh in tab, at the bottom of the measurements it says add more measurements. Select that and you can add any other measurements that you like to track.

    Wow, thank you! I can’t believe I missed that! :)
  • Resa52
    Resa52 Posts: 182 Member
    There's a great recent success thread around here somewhere of a gal who was like 184 lb and a size 14 who "only" got down to 175 lb but was a size 4-6. The scale isn't the end all number - BIG changes can happen to your body even without big drops on the scale!
  • McChubbyruewho
    McChubbyruewho Posts: 194
    muscle does NOT weight more than fat.

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat

    the VOLUME of 1 lb of fat is a lot bigger than the VOLUME of 1 lb of muscle. With that in mind, if you take off 5 lbs of fat and replace it with 5 lbs of muscle, you will technically weigh the same but look thinner because of this.

    So.....maybe you have lost fat inches and replaced them with muscle, and that is OK!!!! IN FACT, IT'S GREAT!!!

    Keep up the good work!!!

    when people say this they mean in size not pounds, At least that is what I mean when I sy it
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I have been dieting and working out since Jan. 13. I feel lighter and my stomach seems slimmer, my friends and family say my face and arms look skinnier, but I have only lost 5 lbs. I feel like the scale is lying and I am discouraged. Any tips or support? I went from not working out, (but I am an active person normally) and eating whatever I wanted, to cutting carbs, watching calories and sugar intake, and doing 3-6 days of cardio a week. I am fast walking on treadmill, elliptical trainer, and stationary biking.

    With a total of 30 pounds to lose, 5 pounds since January 13th is amazing progress. You should be aiming for one pound a week. The only thing that might be out of whack is your expectations. :smile:
  • kdlfit
    kdlfit Posts: 14 Member
    I am a recovering scale-a-holic. I no longer worry about that number, but I do keep an eye on the tape measure. The scale is only part of the equation. Water, salt, time of month can all affect the scale. If you're happy with the way your clothes are fitting, then celebrate and keep up the great work!
  • holliwood97
    holliwood97 Posts: 138 Member
    The best reminder I have seen in these instances is a picture of a woman who weighed 155 in both pictures, but she doesn't look like the same woman.

    Check her out: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=155+lbs+woman&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=A8D3EC00101A59236BF6FE6F777891729F255B15&selectedIndex=2

    There's nothing to be disouraged over!

    i cant get this to work :(

    can you send me a link?? i'd love to see this
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    The best reminder I have seen in these instances is a picture of a woman who weighed 155 in both pictures, but she doesn't look like the same woman.

    Check her out: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=155+lbs+woman&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=A8D3EC00101A59236BF6FE6F777891729F255B15&selectedIndex=2

    There's nothing to be disouraged over!

    i cant get this to work :(

    can you send me a link?? i'd love to see this
    This is a direct link - had the img tags on it, but the pic is too big for the boards here, so better to go to the actual photo to see the whole thing.
    http://crossfitdelawarevalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Deb155lbs.jpg

Categories