Please explain or clarify for me...

jonesin_am
jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
At the risk of sounding dumb this keeps running through my head.

If you don't build muscle while eating at a deficit and clothes are fitting better (which means I am losing something), why doesn't that fat loss show up on the scale?

I don't care what the scale says. I have moved past that as my measure of success. But this thought keeps bugging me. I know I must be missing something here. For months the scale didn't move and neither have my measurements. I assume, from reading other posts, that I am losing inches but not in places that I measure. Which is fine. My clothes fit differently so I know I am losing it from somewhere. But, like I asked already, if I'm not building muscle then why doesn't the scale go down? Sorry if this is a stupid question or you feel that I am beating a dead horse...

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    As a newbie, if you're lifting, you can make some muscle gains, but it's still unlikely to be more than 1/2 a pound a month. Your muscles could also be retaining water. While it is always touted at 3500 calories = 1 pound, weight loss (showing up on the scale) is a bit more complicated. For some people, a big loss will show, but clothes won't fit differently. For others, a loss will show, but measurements won't budge. For some, measurements go down, but weight goes up. As long as you see progress and you feel good, that's what truly matters, as it seems you realize.
  • PeachyKeene
    PeachyKeene Posts: 1,645 Member
    It could be a lot of water retention, but I don't really know. This whole weightloss thing can be tricky at times.

    Personally, I believe thta you would see better results limiting your carbs/sugar and increasing your protein intake. It has worked for me better thru out my journey. I know that is not what you were asking, but I felt it could be useful for you.
  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
    check your nutrition. your daily calorie counts are pretty varied. are you eating back your exercise calories? if not, have you made sure that the calorie goal suggested to you by MFP accounts for you workouts when calculating it? if you set your activity level to "sedentary" or "lightly active" and you're not eating back your workout calories, you could be netting too few calories.
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
    I'm not wondering why I'm not losing weight. What I am doing is working. I eat 1800 calories a day (sometimes a little more on the weekends) which includes my exercise. My clothes are fitting differently and are getting big on me so I know that there is fat loss. I just don't understand how I can be losing inches, not gaining muscle (because of eating at a deficit), and it doesn't show up on the scale. What's offsetting the fat loss?

    It's more of a "for my information" type of question. I'm happy with my progress. I don't need to see a loss on the scale to make me happy. I just feel that there is something that I am missing educational wise. Exercise isn't new to my body...I've been working out since April 2012 and have changed up my routine here and there. I suppose it could be some water...

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