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virgocoley
virgocoley Posts: 80 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Good Morning everyone,

I am just after a bit of advice. I started my healthy life style 2 and a half weeks ago but didn't see to have lost any weight.

I never go over my calorie allowance and have been exercising (mostly cardio) everyday but I started the 30 day shred but I will be doing cardio alongside.

However over the weekend I did not do any exercise apart from the odd 20 minute walk to my sisters or the supermarket, I came to weigh myself on Monday and I had lost two pounds...... what's up with that?

I appreciate that the scales can be unreliable etc and I have taken my measurements this week to see if I notice I'm losing weight that way. I also use one of those body fat monitor thingys and I have put on about 2% muscle and lost about 3% fat, my sister also says she can notice a difference in my shape (she says my stomach is flatter and my bum is perkier).

I just don't understand why I didn't lose any weight when exercising then the moment I stop I drop like 2 pounds!!!

Can anyone shed any light on this.

Thank you

P.s sorry for the massive essay

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Your body doesn't respond "instantly" to good eating an exercise - you've lost 2 pounds which is excellent, and that is probabaly as a result of your diet and exercise over the past 2 weeks as a whole, not just a couple of days at the weekend.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    If weight loss is the primary goal maybe exercising every other day would be better.
  • Aedrah
    Aedrah Posts: 100 Member
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    I have a friend (who isn't an MFP'er, yet) who only sees results 2 weeks later. I find this happens to me to some degree too. So it might be helpful to you to think that's a possibility. Remember too, if you see the scale value go up you could just be retaining water. If you've been following MFP, it's very unlikely that you've gained actual weight - the likely culprit is water retention.

    Don't get discouraged :)
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12


    Take a look at this and check to see if your calorie targets are realistic. You should be eating between your BMR and your TDEE.
    If you loose after you stop your exercise and have a full feed weekend then you calorie target may be too low. Since you do a lot of exercise and burn extra cals you need a higher intake to loose weight consistently.

    Also 2 lbs in 2 weeks is not a bad rate of loss!
  • virgocoley
    virgocoley Posts: 80 Member
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    Thank you for all your help guys, I really appreciate it - very helpful
  • dandelion39
    dandelion39 Posts: 514 Member
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    When you exercise, your muscles retain water, which can mask weight loss (or even cause weight gain). Your body released that water during the two days you didn't work out....and you saw your weight loss. Also, as someone else said, weight loss isn't instant, and isn't linear. You may go up a little, down a little, up a little, down, no change, down, etc. Weighing once a week, after a day or two of rest, is a pretty good tactic (and don't forget that your cycle could mess things up, too, with more water weight gain...) Good luck!
  • virgocoley
    virgocoley Posts: 80 Member
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    When you exercise, your muscles retain water, which can mask weight loss (or even cause weight gain). Your body released that water during the two days you didn't work out....and you saw your weight loss. Also, as someone else said, weight loss isn't instant, and isn't linear. You may go up a little, down a little, up a little, down, no change, down, etc. Weighing once a week, after a day or two of rest, is a pretty good tactic (and don't forget that your cycle could mess things up, too, with more water weight gain...) Good luck!

    That's great advice thank you, you are right, I will have a couple days rest before I weigh in then hopefully I will see the drop but I will also be a bit more patient
  • mfkn_Titanium
    mfkn_Titanium Posts: 131
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    When you exercise, your muscles retain water, which can mask weight loss (or even cause weight gain). Your body released that water during the two days you didn't work out....and you saw your weight loss. Also, as someone else said, weight loss isn't instant, and isn't linear. You may go up a little, down a little, up a little, down, no change, down, etc. Weighing once a week, after a day or two of rest, is a pretty good tactic (and don't forget that your cycle could mess things up, too, with more water weight gain...) Good luck!

    This ^^. She knows what she's talking about. Also - don't forget about our little friend - SODIUM! I never get on the scale a day after having a high sodium day. Or high carb day for that matter. Damn water.
  • virgocoley
    virgocoley Posts: 80 Member
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    Tell me about - stupid water - makes me feel like i'm a jelly fish or something
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    It took me three months to lose the first 30 pounds.

    focus on something besides your gravitation pull, babe.
  • Captain_Spatchcock
    Captain_Spatchcock Posts: 136
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    I never go over my calorie allowance and have been exercising (mostly cardio) everyday but I started the 30 day shred but I will be doing cardio alongside.

    That's the problem. You never HIT your calorie target either.
    I just don't understand why I didn't lose any weight when exercising then the moment I stop I drop like 2 pounds!!!

    When you stop exercising you quickly drop water weight. When you start exercising you quickly gain water weight. This is normal. Focus on fat weight, not water weight.

    And eat more. dot com.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    I never go over my calorie allowance and have been exercising (mostly cardio) everyday but I started the 30 day shred but I will be doing cardio alongside.

    That's the problem. You never HIT your calorie target either.
    I just don't understand why I didn't lose any weight when exercising then the moment I stop I drop like 2 pounds!!!

    When you stop exercising you quickly drop water weight. When you start exercising you quickly gain water weight. This is normal. Focus on fat weight, not water weight.

    And eat more. dot com.

    ^ this
  • katiechau888
    katiechau888 Posts: 1 Member
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    2hobbit1 wrote: »
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12


    Take a look at this and check to see if your calorie targets are realistic. You should be eating between your BMR and your TDEE.
    If you loose after you stop your exercise and have a full feed weekend then you calorie target may be too low. Since you do a lot of exercise and burn extra cals you need a higher intake to loose weight consistently.

    Also 2 lbs in 2 weeks is not a bad rate of loss!

    I always do my exercise at night after dinner. Should I eat after my exercise because my calories allowance show I have hundreds something calories left or should I not eat. I'm trying to lose weight and i have been eating normal calories allowance but noticed i always have hundreds something calories left at the end of the day and I'm just not sure what to do. I have lose any weight at all for the past year.

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