The scale and I are not friends right now...advice please

So I've lost 25 pounds so far and now I've hit that wall. I've not budge on scale in over a week, but my clothing are fitting looser so I'm losing inches. Should I adjust my cals (doing 2000) to kick the weight to fall off again or is this normal? I work out six days a week and do cardio and weights. Also fast walk/run two miles a day so twelve miles a week. Thanks!
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Replies

  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
    Throw away the scales and go on inches !!!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    One week is nothing. Weight loss isn't linear, some weeks you lose a bit, some weeks you lose big, some weeks nothing, and other weeks gain. Stay the course, particularly if clothes are getting looser. Most likely water retention due to muscle repair.
  • If you have been on consistent deficit for a while, I would bump up your calories to maintenance for a day. These always got me out of plateaus when I was losing weight.
  • germangirl88
    germangirl88 Posts: 35 Member
    One week is nothing. Weight loss isn't linear, some weeks you lose a bit, some weeks you lose big, some weeks nothing, and other weeks gain. Stay the course, particularly if clothes are getting looser. Most likely water retention.

    I'm going on almost two weeks no budge so why I was getting kind of discouraged. Thanks for the info!
  • It seems to me though that you are just holding some water weight.. Make sure you are consistent with your sodium levels.
  • ditch the scales!!!!
  • Karabobarra
    Karabobarra Posts: 782 Member
    If you stop stepping all over it, it might be nicer to you. lol (kidding, couldn't help myself)
  • germangirl88
    germangirl88 Posts: 35 Member
    ditch the scales!!!!
    I need to but it's a female thing lol. If numbers wern't so important!!! I need to though!
  • germangirl88
    germangirl88 Posts: 35 Member
    If you stop stepping all over it, it might be nicer to you. lol (kidding, couldn't help myself)
    LOL
  • kdroppo
    kdroppo Posts: 19 Member
    The scale and I have this love/hate relationship. I believe if you are going to weigh yourself only do it once every couple of weeks. I use the measuring tape it is way more accurate. Your clothes don't lie. If they are getting loose then you are losing weight.
  • Macstraw
    Macstraw Posts: 896 Member
    One week is nothing. Weight loss isn't linear, some weeks you lose a bit, some weeks you lose big, some weeks nothing, and other weeks gain. Stay the course, particularly if clothes are getting looser. Most likely water retention.

    ^ This. Lost the vast majority of my weight in the first few weeks, then the scale stalled completely for a few weeks. Lost 2 lbs. over the past 2 weeks but it doesn't bother me because I can feel the difference in my clothes - my belt is a notch tighter & I'm very close to dropping a pants size. At some point I'm sure the scale will move, but I'm not overly concerned with how much or when because I'm not doing this for a #, I'm doing this to be healthier.........
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    dont worry about it. everyone will eventually hit a plateu on thier weight loss. its the devils way of trying to throw you off track! i was losing 2 pounds each week since september, went from 246 in september, to 189 feb 1. then from feb 1 until this past friday feb 26, i lost NOTHING!!! i didnt even budge an ounce. i actually bounced from 189 - 192 those 3 weeks, but never an ounce under 189!!! i stuck with it, stuck to my eating habits, kept going to the gym, and to my surprise, this morning, i am down to 186!!! its just a bump in the road, dont let it throw you off course!!!
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    So I've lost 25 pounds so far and now I've hit that wall. I've not budge on scale in over a week, but my clothing are fitting looser so I'm losing inches. Should I adjust my cals (doing 2000) to kick the weight to fall off again or is this normal? I work out six days a week and do cardio and weights. Also fast walk/run two miles a day so twelve miles a week. Thanks!

    Are you eating 2000 a day before or after you subtract your calories burned through exercise?
    How long have you been following the same exercise routine?
    Have you recently changed your routine?

    If you are eating 2000 before subtracting your exercise calories, then I'd say don't lower your calories. The lowest you want to go is 1400-1500 AFTER subtracting your exercise calories. So unless you are above that, I wouldn't consider it.

    If you have been following the same routine for a long time, your weight loss may have slowed down because your muscles are no longer working as hard as they were because they are used to the work they have to do. You can change this by completely changing your routine, adding an extra 10-15 minutes on to a routine or you could bring in heavier weights.

    If you have recently changed your routine, it could be water weight and you do tend to gain before you start losing when particularly when you first start exercising or start a completely new style (e.g. weight training).

    Finally, if you are losing inches but the scales aren't budging then chances are you are building muscle which is a good thing. Sometimes the scale takes a little longer to catch up with stuff like this but also you should check out some of the success stories on here. Some people reached their goal weights and then gained 20lbs through "toning up" with weights but still dropped dress sizes. Muscle weighs more than fat.
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
    So I've lost 25 pounds so far and now I've hit that wall. I've not budge on scale in over a week, but my clothing are fitting looser so I'm losing inches. Should I adjust my cals (doing 2000) to kick the weight to fall off again or is this normal? I work out six days a week and do cardio and weights. Also fast walk/run two miles a day so twelve miles a week. Thanks!

    I'd go back to goals and put in your new weight and see what MFP gives you for calorie goal, it will probably go down. Only weigh yourself twice a month. You've added some lean muscle and it will offset your fat loss, so weight will be misleading... :bigsmile:
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    lol... my scale is a douche also! I step on it every am and some days way more than others. I am at 147-153 and it sucks and the pounds don't drift away after a huge dump so i'm kind of screwed but am happy with my overall appearance! SCORE!
  • Schmidty102
    Schmidty102 Posts: 168 Member
    I have noticed that I often will go a week or two with the scale not moving (or even going up a lb), and then suddenly I will wake up with a 4lb loss. Weight loss for me has not been linear at all.
  • carrietehbear
    carrietehbear Posts: 384 Member
    Take a deep breath and relax! Two weeks of no show on the scale doesn't equal hitting a wall. I know it's hard not seeing the scale move but it could be a lot of things. Maybe your calories do need adjusted. What does your workout routine look like? Have you had your body fat % checked? Keep track of your inches loss in addition to weight loss. It will help you out on times like this.
  • germangirl88
    germangirl88 Posts: 35 Member
    One week is nothing. Weight loss isn't linear, some weeks you lose a bit, some weeks you lose big, some weeks nothing, and other weeks gain. Stay the course, particularly if clothes are getting looser. Most likely water retention.

    ^ This. Lost the vast majority of my weight in the first few weeks, then the scale stalled completely for a few weeks. Lost 2 lbs. over the past 2 weeks but it doesn't bother me because I can feel the difference in my clothes - my belt is a notch tighter & I'm very close to dropping a pants size. At some point I'm sure the scale will move, but I'm not overly concerned with how much or when because I'm not doing this for a #, I'm doing this to be healthier.........
    Very true, thank you for the reminder about it being to a healthier life! I need to stop worrying about the number. I guess it's the female in me lol
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
    Just break up....with the scale that is.
  • ktdidit78
    ktdidit78 Posts: 29 Member
    A long plateau means you need to reevaluate and kick things up a notch. But 2 wks is nothing - and you are seeing progress in your measurements. I still get on the scale, but I also do measurements because I'm losing inches, but hardly anything on the scale. This is a slow and steady process, patience is key.
  • eclectic_ladee
    eclectic_ladee Posts: 18 Member
    Ditch the scale. I never thought I could only do a weigh-in once per month, but I had to. I've been weighing in at the end of each month at my gym. However, I would monitor every once in a while at home. It became mentally and emotionally frustrating because the readings on both scales would be different. After changing batteries and questioning the validity of both scales, I just ditched the temptation to hop onto one altogether which is during my monthly weigh-in. Good luck! ;)
  • germangirl88
    germangirl88 Posts: 35 Member
    Take a deep breath and relax! Two weeks of no show on the scale doesn't equal hitting a wall. I know it's hard not seeing the scale move but it could be a lot of things. Maybe your calories do need adjusted. What does your workout routine look like? Have you had your body fat % checked? Keep track of your inches loss in addition to weight loss. It will help you out on times like this.

    With the machine thing that they have at the gym where you add your weight and height, my fat % is rediculous. When I do it with waist/hips/thigh/calf/wrist/arm measurements I'm in the ok fat % range. I do two miles each day and one day I do legs ( three sets of 12 and the weight is 80-90lbs) and the other day I do arms and stomach ( arms are 40/50lbs three sets of 12). Some days I will throw in 15 minutes on the bike or 15 on the elliptical.
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
    HOw much you weigh is a number, it is gravitational pull, no one knows what the scale says but you... inches is were it is at!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Wow 25 lbs and this is the first week you haven't lost? That's amazing.

    I wouldn't change anything if you're losing inches. Just keep doing what you're doing, it's clearly working. Don't forget though to adjust your calorie goal every 10 lbs or so.
  • germangirl88
    germangirl88 Posts: 35 Member
    So I've lost 25 pounds so far and now I've hit that wall. I've not budge on scale in over a week, but my clothing are fitting looser so I'm losing inches. Should I adjust my cals (doing 2000) to kick the weight to fall off again or is this normal? I work out six days a week and do cardio and weights. Also fast walk/run two miles a day so twelve miles a week. Thanks!

    Are you eating 2000 a day before or after you subtract your calories burned through exercise?
    How long have you been following the same exercise routine?
    Have you recently changed your routine?

    If you are eating 2000 before subtracting your exercise calories, then I'd say don't lower your calories. The lowest you want to go is 1400-1500 AFTER subtracting your exercise calories. So unless you are above that, I wouldn't consider it.

    If you have been following the same routine for a long time, your weight loss may have slowed down because your muscles are no longer working as hard as they were because they are used to the work they have to do. You can change this by completely changing your routine, adding an extra 10-15 minutes on to a routine or you could bring in heavier weights.

    If you have recently changed your routine, it could be water weight and you do tend to gain before you start losing when particularly when you first start exercising or start a completely new style (e.g. weight training).

    Finally, if you are losing inches but the scales aren't budging then chances are you are building muscle which is a good thing. Sometimes the scale takes a little longer to catch up with stuff like this but also you should check out some of the success stories on here. Some people reached their goal weights and then gained 20lbs through "toning up" with weights but still dropped dress sizes. Muscle weighs more than fat.
    I don't add my workout for calories. So I'm consistantly under calorie.
  • Karabobarra
    Karabobarra Posts: 782 Member
    I found that I get my best results if I only weigh once a week, first thing in the morning after a good nights sleep. I also found that my body retains more water after a good cardio workout so I try to make my weigh day after a rest day when I haven't done cardio that day before... also sodium intake can add to water weight but seriously if you are hitting a plateau you may need to tweak a few things in your nutrition, (up your protein, lower your sodium) and change your workout routine to start getting results again.

    I use the scale and measurements, when the scale is being mean I usually fall back on my measurements and surprisingly I will continue to see improvement in my measurements even if the scale isn't budging. I highly recommend both, a pound of muscle takes up less room than a pound of fat ...that's why measurements are important.

    Hope this helps
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    If it helps, I went six months without a change on the scale, but during that time I lost fat and inches and dropped a full pants size. :smile: Love my tape measure!
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
    The scale gives you a number that only you see. Every one can see the change in measurements! Ditch the scale!!
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    Make you are NET calories are high enough..I stalled when I found my NET cal was very low.. Now I make sure at least 1200 cals or more.
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    focus on measuring and by inches not the scale. I have a group for those of us who want to focus on inches. the scale flucates all the time. when you hit a plateau you up your activity and bump you calories.