What have I done wrong?

This week is the first week I have done exercise along with eating better, infact I have done 6 sessions out of 7 days and yet I have only lost 1/2lb

The week before, I had done zero exercise and lost 4.5lbs

What am I doing wrong?

Replies

  • Remember that muscle weighs more than fat and in order to burn fat your have to gain muscle.
  • So what you are saying, is that by me doing exercise I may be converting the fat into muscle, and that is why I havent really lost anything this week?
  • So what you are saying, is that by me doing exercise I may be converting the fat into muscle, and that is why I havent really lost anything this week?

    yup. Just keep eating healthy foods and exercising and you'll keep losing weight.
  • birdieaz
    birdieaz Posts: 448 Member
    There really is no way to know because you provide no information to make an informed decision.
  • misswager
    misswager Posts: 67 Member
    loosing weight should be a slow loss, not too much too fast
  • There really is no way to know because you provide no information to make an informed decision.

    What kind of information should I be giving?
  • loosing weight should be a slow loss, not too much too fast

    I can cope with it being slow, I think i was just a bit down at the thought of all the effort I put in this week, only for it to barely register. I just need to get a better understanding of what to expect

    Thanks
  • AnaissIsabel
    AnaissIsabel Posts: 6 Member
    The best thing you can do is forget the scale, put it away and once a month weigh yourself... only measure you body weekly or every two weeks to indicate if your losing inches around hips, arms, stomach, thighs. . . putting the scale away for a bit helps ease off any added pressure you get from stressing about the two digits numbers on the scale, better use your focus on good eating and continuing on your excercise... remember it's consistancy that makes results happen Nutrition+Excercise= Results.
    - best wishes,
    Anais
  • Lmezz11
    Lmezz11 Posts: 619 Member
    When you first start working out your body can retain more water to help repair your muscles. And, workout or not, not every week is going to be the same. Weight fluctuates all the time. Make sure you are doing measurements as well.

    Edited for typo
  • Thanks for the advice guys, really appreciate it
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you cannot turn muscle into fat, and while you might have built muscle, you did not build enough to offset a loss.

    you initial weight loss is typical for a person that starts a new way of eating. the shock to your system causes a quick loss of weight. your body will now even out. results are typically a loss of pound or so average a week. some weeks you might lose more, some will be less, some weeks you will lose none.

    if you exercise regularly, your body will hold on to water to help repair muscles. i suggest that you eat back your exercise calories, however, eat them back in an efficient way. having a protein fruit smoothie within an hour or so of exercise helps replenish your body with the nutrients it needs to rebuild itself, while also helping to prevent the EAT ALL THE THINGS feeling we get 1hour+ after a work out.
  • When you start exercising you will build muscle, you muscle needs protein, try to eat more protein in your diet while still staying within your calories. I like to drink a protein mix, which I mix with just water after I have worked out. Remember don't give up. Persistence is key. Try also taking bi weekly measurements, I do waist, hips, bra line, upper arms, upper thighs. Keep up the good work!!
  • birdieaz
    birdieaz Posts: 448 Member
    There really is no way to know because you provide no information to make an informed decision.

    What kind of information should I be giving?

    There's a lot of knowledgeable people who can help you take a look at what your eating but you need to open your diary for that. Also what is your height, current weight, age...assuming your male because of your name.

    If you're fueling your body sufficiently then it could be as Lmezz11 suggested, water retention from working out.
  • you cannot turn muscle into fat, and while you might have built muscle, you did not build enough to offset a loss.

    you initial weight loss is typical for a person that starts a new way of eating. the shock to your system causes a quick loss of weight. your body will now even out. results are typically a loss of pound or so average a week. some weeks you might lose more, some will be less, some weeks you will lose none.

    if you exercise regularly, your body will hold on to water to help repair muscles. i suggest that you eat back your exercise calories, however, eat them back in an efficient way. having a protein fruit smoothie within an hour or so of exercise helps replenish your body with the nutrients it needs to rebuild itself, while also helping to prevent the EAT ALL THE THINGS feeling we get 1hour+ after a work out.



    This is very true!
  • Kanlassak
    Kanlassak Posts: 101 Member
    Weight loss doesn't necessarily happen consistently, because there are a lot of other factors (water, food, etc) that change your weight besides fat. For me, it seems to stay constant within 1 lb for a week or three and then drop off 4-5 lbs suddenly. But my schedule also varies a lot, so it could be environmental factors.
  • joygwen
    joygwen Posts: 30 Member
    Well said captain. Increase your water, increase your protein and keep making healthy choices and exercising and you'll get to your goal.
  • MessyLittlePanda
    MessyLittlePanda Posts: 213 Member
    You can retain water after a workout, particularly after resistance training.
  • leanne9876
    leanne9876 Posts: 301 Member
    I've been told the first 1-2 weeks you will lose the most weight then it will slow down.

    The slower you lose it, the better.
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    you cannot turn muscle into fat, and while you might have built muscle, you did not build enough to offset a loss.

    you initial weight loss is typical for a person that starts a new way of eating. the shock to your system causes a quick loss of weight. your body will now even out. results are typically a loss of pound or so average a week. some weeks you might lose more, some will be less, some weeks you will lose none.

    if you exercise regularly, your body will hold on to water to help repair muscles. i suggest that you eat back your exercise calories, however, eat them back in an efficient way. having a protein fruit smoothie within an hour or so of exercise helps replenish your body with the nutrients it needs to rebuild itself, while also helping to prevent the EAT ALL THE THINGS feeling we get 1hour+ after a work out.

    This^. You cant build enough muscle in a calorie deficit to offset a loss of fat, your body needs surplus calories to build muscle. Its more likely that you just had a high loss first week. You also didnt say what kind of exercise you were doing, but unless its lifting, muscle gain is unlikely anyway, youre not going to 'build muscle' long distance running or doing zumba.
    Weight loss isnt the same every week, it will go up and down. Dont focus on it too much, just keep at it and you'll get there :)
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    You didn't gain 4 lbs of muscle in a week. You can't even do that in a month.

    It's water, and maybe a pound, or two, of fat.
  • EllieMo
    EllieMo Posts: 131 Member
    You'er doing nothing wrong - the human body is a complex thing and doesn't always behave as we anticipate!

    I expect what you are experiencing is a little water retention, which is something that occurs naturally when you increaser your exercise. Exercise causes minute "damage" to muscles, which are then made stronger by the repair process, but for that repair process to take place, the body needs water and so will retain more. If you continue to include exercise in our normal routine, then you will continue to see losses - but do bear in mind that so many things affect the body, so it will not always be a consistent loss!
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
    So what you are saying, is that by me doing exercise I may be converting the fat into muscle, and that is why I havent really lost anything this week?

    yup. Just keep eating healthy foods and exercising and you'll keep losing weight.

    sorry, but muscle builds VERY slowly. you may have gained an ounce -- maybe. what you are experiencing is water retention. when you start a new excercise or increase intensity, your muscles retain water to act as a cushion, to protect themselves. this will pass shortly.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    you cannot turn muscle into fat, and while you might have built muscle, you did not build enough to offset a loss.

    you initial weight loss is typical for a person that starts a new way of eating. the shock to your system causes a quick loss of weight. your body will now even out. results are typically a loss of pound or so average a week. some weeks you might lose more, some will be less, some weeks you will lose none.

    if you exercise regularly, your body will hold on to water to help repair muscles. i suggest that you eat back your exercise calories, however, eat them back in an efficient way. having a protein fruit smoothie within an hour or so of exercise helps replenish your body with the nutrients it needs to rebuild itself, while also helping to prevent the EAT ALL THE THINGS feeling we get 1hour+ after a work out.



    This is very true!

    this
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    If thats enough to make you give up, you should. You just dont have the chops for flying.
  • madamepsychosis
    madamepsychosis Posts: 472 Member
    If thats enough to make you give up, you should. You just dont have the chops for flying.

    This.

    Also, can we please stop acting like muscle sprouts out of nowhere like weeds in a garden? Gaining muscle is really, really hard and requires just as much - if not more - effort than losing fat. You will not have gained 4lbs of muscle from doing some exercise for a week. Your muscles may have retained water due to your new exercise regime, but no way have you gained muscle, especially not that much.

    The first week of attempting to lose weight, you will often see a huge loss on the scale and most of it is water weight. You're probably drinking more water, eating less food and especially less sodium-rich food. You don't want to see a loss of 4.5lbs a week. That's way too much. 0.5lbs is a perfectly healthy loss for a normal week, especially if you're not drastically overweight. Don't panic and don't expect such huge numbers all the time. The closer you get to your goal, the slower your progress will be.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Also- fat doesnt go anywhere. It doesnt leave. Research what happens and find out for yourself so you are at the very least - intellectually invested in your journey.

    If you dont make it your own, through thorough comprehension, then you're just trying to work the most complicated machinery in history based on what your friends tell you, you read on the internet and hear on tv while ignoring the manual.

    get biological or get stuck.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    So what you are saying, is that by me doing exercise I may be converting the fat into muscle, and that is why I havent really lost anything this week?

    yup. Just keep eating healthy foods and exercising and you'll keep losing weight.

    No, just no!


    Did you start exercising and eat back all your exercise calories? Or did you just eat the exact same way?
  • madamepsychosis
    madamepsychosis Posts: 472 Member
    Also- fat doesnt go anywhere. It doesnt leave. Research what happens and find out for yourself so you are at the very least - intellectually invested in your journey.

    If you dont make it your own, through thorough comprehension, then you're just trying to work the most complicated machinery in history based on what your friends tell you, you read on the internet and hear on tv while ignoring the manual.

    get biological or get stuck.

    You mean fat doesn't go to that magical land of disappearing things along with those cookies I ate after logging for the day? Well, crap...