Frustrated

Jacqui_Marie83

So, I have been doing the P90X challenge for a week and 1 day. I weighed in today and I am exactly the same weight I was a week ago....not what I expected to see when I feel like I have been working my butt off and usually (not always) coming in under my calorie goal...anyone else have this problem? What is the explanation and how do I change it? Please help!

Careygirl1968

There could be many reasons. Some things to consider? Did you reduce your calorie goal too drastically? Are you making healthy food choices even if you are staying under your calorie goal? Are you staying adequately hydrated? Have you had a physical recently to ensure there are no physical issues like thyroid, diabetes, etc? Is your scale correctly calibrated? Did you weigh at the same time of day both times? Could you be pre-menstrual? What kind of effort is exerted when you do the P90x?

Finally, a week isn't necessarily that long, depending on your lifestyle before you started. Don't let it get you down, frustrated, or off track. I personally have had weeks where I worked so incredibly hard I just knew the scale would move LOTS, and it wouldn't move. So I would back off a little, add a few more calories and the next week seemed to make up for it. Hopefully that is the case for you!

MyRoad2Health

Jacqui:

One major thing P90X does is builds muscle. Muscle naturally weighs more than fat. So while you may be loosing fat you are also gaining muscle and since it is a new journey for you "Only a week" in you could be just swapping one for the other. Did you take your measurements? One thing I have learned is that I can never and I mean never go off what the scale tells me. I strictly go off inches.

Last week I only lost a pound but I lost 5 inches all together. To me the inches mean more than a number on a scale.

CA_Emily

I think of it like this.

You are replacing fat with muscle. That means your total weight is not changing, but you've exchange a pound of fat for a pound of muscle. That means you are shrinking! There will be less of a fat pad around your internal organs. Your clothes will be looser (eventually). Even the muscle you have will get leaner.

There may even come a point where you are much smaller, much leaner, but actually weigh more than some other time in your life when you were larger, but weighed less. That has happened to me. I weigh 10-15 lbs more than a few years ago, but actually am 2-3 sizes smaller. Kind of a mind trip.

Think of a fatty piece of steak. Can you picture all the marbling (the fat veins)? Now think of a lean cut of meat without all the marbling. You are the steak- still the same weight, but entirely different- much leaner and much healthier.

My advice: stop weighing yourself! Start measuring. Keep moving.

blues4miles

So while you may be loosing fat you are also gaining muscle and since it is a new journey for you "Only a week" in you could be just swapping one for the other.

Probably not.

You are replacing fat with muscle. That means your total weight is not changing, but you've exchange a pound of fat for a pound of muscle.

Again, no.

It is near impossible to build muscle while eating at a calorie deficit. Some obese individuals see some minor "newbie gains" along this lines, but in general you do not ADD muscle while eating at a deficit.

It's probably water. Or sodium. Or weight loss just often isn't linear. Stick to weighing once a month if once week of no loss is going to demotivate you that much. Take measurements instead, they are likely to show actual progress. Your body often retains water when you start a new exercise program. So give it a few more weeks and be more realistic.

Also go here and make sure you are eating the right amount of calories for your weight and activity level:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

You know what they say about abs being made in the kitchen not the gym...

Jacqui_Marie83

Thanks everyone! I'm going to keep trucking on, just was a bit of a downer this morning....the retaining water makes sense because I have noticed some in my shin area (like when I was pregnant, but it's not as bad as it was when I was preggers). I have done measurements, but just did them a couple days ago for the first time and going to do them about every 2 weeks...so in a couple weeks I guess I will see what changes there are...Thanks again for all the positive words of advice!