Help please! Losing inches but not weight :(

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  • nicoleashley_24
    nicoleashley_24 Posts: 144 Member
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    I know it's frustrating to not see the number on the scale go down quickly but since you're losing inches, perhaps you should try tracking your body fat. You'll definitely see that number coming down!
  • TinaBean007
    TinaBean007 Posts: 273 Member
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    Throw out the scale! It's just a very small piece to a big puzzle. Don't get discouraged. Yes it's important to evaluate your overall health on a regular basis but it's not just weight, but measurements and body fat.

    If you didn't realize it, you've done a lot in 3 months and you should be very proud of that!
  • dp1228
    dp1228 Posts: 439 Member
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    I would up your calories by a few hundred. And, try eating some of those calories burned back.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Take inches over weight. You're doing amazing.
  • amandacillin
    amandacillin Posts: 39 Member
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    Best free advice I've gotten is all found right here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

    Been eating according to the info there for over a year and have steadily dropped fat and inches, hit my goal weight, and will continue to eat this way for the rest of my life. Read it - good stuff.

    I will definitely check it out and apply it to what I am currently doing. Anything to improve. Thank you so much :)
  • vkruithof
    vkruithof Posts: 227 Member
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    You're doing great!!! Why are you so worried?! You're seeing results (and good ones)! Just keep going. You have to be patient. How long did it take you to put all that weight on? A long time. It will take you a while to get it off too. Also, it's not a bad thing for the inches to change and the scale NOT. It means you're changing your body composition. Losing the fat, gaining muscle, and getting fit!! Be happy with your success!!

    Exactly. That's great. You have nothing to worry about.
  • sensitivetobees
    sensitivetobees Posts: 8
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    If I had to pick, I'd definitely pick losing inches over losing weight. But I do hope you get the weight loss too! You are on the right path.
  • vkruithof
    vkruithof Posts: 227 Member
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    Best free advice I've gotten is all found right here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

    Been eating according to the info there for over a year and have steadily dropped fat and inches, hit my goal weight, and will continue to eat this way for the rest of my life. Read it - good stuff.

    I will definitely check it out and apply it to what I am currently doing. Anything to improve. Thank you so much :)
    [/quote

    helloitsdan knows what he's talking about.
  • ryanwood935
    ryanwood935 Posts: 245 Member
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    It's not muscle on a 1200-1400 calorie diet, especially if exercise cals are not consumed.

    Losing inches trumps losing pounds in my book. Who cares what the scale says - no one sees that number but me, but when I drop a whole pants size because of the fat and inches I've lost, people notice! I went six months without losing a pound, but did lose that pant size during that time due to all the inches that were quietly melting off.

    Ignore the scale, embrace the tape measure, and if you're netting below 1200 calories, please eat more! Food is fuel!

    This accurately sums up my thoughts, and I think deserves an echo. I assume you are losing weight to look better, not weigh less. You probably aren't gaining a lot of muscle mass eating 1200 calories a day with your workouts. I would imagine you have a lot more water in your body right now than you did 3 months ago. This is why your weight loss hasn't been greater. If you are losing the inches, you are looking better. Eat a few more calories and you probably won't notice much difference in the scale, but you will find yourself building more lean body mass. More LBM means you look better!
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I have Hashimoto's...so I know your pain with thyroid issues. Our bodies lose weight and burn fat differently. Try cutting grains out and see how your body responds. I've cut them out for almost 3 weeks now as part of the Ultimate Reset and I'm dropping weight much easier now than I have been able to in the last 7 years or so. Another thing to look at is dairy.

    Also, I don't think you are eating enough calories...
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
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    i can't stress this enough. you are the only one that knows the number on the scale, so what's the big deal about it? People see the inches you are losing, not how much your body weighs.
  • ctpeace
    ctpeace Posts: 327 Member
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    You are probly gaining some muscle, and remember, muscle weighs more!!! Scales don't tell the whole story

    Sorry I just have a pet peeve about post like this...if you have 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat would they not weigh the same? So the correct response is muscle takes up less space than fat. So if you are burning fat and replacing it with muscle then that takes up less space so you have lost size but not matter. Keep up the good work.

    Yes, as does a pound of lead and a pound of feathers! But if you take the same volume of fat and muscle, the muscle weighs more (thus losing inches but not pounds). So saying it weighs more is in fact correct.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    You may want to start wearing a HRM and adjusting your TDEE
  • ZETAZEN
    ZETAZEN Posts: 46 Member
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    Inches = fat loss
    Scale weight = weight loss [includes water, fat, muscle...Etc.]

    Two different measurements of success.

    Reality = Inches are better [determines percentage of body fat and lean body mass]

    Your Perception = Scale weight is optimal [But not really]
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    You're doing great!!! Why are you so worried?! You're seeing results (and good ones)! Just keep going. You have to be patient. How long did it take you to put all that weight on? A long time. It will take you a while to get it off too. Also, it's not a bad thing for the inches to change and the scale NOT. It means you're changing your body composition. Losing the fat, gaining muscle, and getting fit!! Be happy with your success!!

    This! This! This! No one sees the scale, or knows that number but you. What everyone else knows is how you look. When you lose inches, you get smaller. That's what people see. Embrace it and learn that the scale won't always reflect how we feel or look! Great job on your accomplishments thus far, those are some good numbers!

    ETA: On a calorie deficit you probably aren't gaining much muscle, if any, there will be some initial muscle gain but it tapers off pretty quickly. It is fat loss though and maintaining the muscle you have, still great things!
  • ladyjh578
    ladyjh578 Posts: 207
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    WHY is that a bad thing? I would be thrilled. Its all how you look and feel that matters...not a stupid number on a stupid scale :-)
    EMBRACE these changes!!! You are doing something right sister!! Keep it up!!!
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    It's not muscle on a 1200-1400 calorie diet, especially if exercise cals are not consumed.

    Losing inches trumps losing pounds in my book. Who cares what the scale says - no one sees that number but me, but when I drop a whole pants size because of the fat and inches I've lost, people notice! I went six months without losing a pound, but did lose that pant size during that time due to all the inches that were quietly melting off.

    Ignore the scale, embrace the tape measure, and if you're netting below 1200 calories, please eat more! Food is fuel!

    This. I've lost 21 inches and 7-10lb (scale bounces naturally). Why people are so bothered by the scale I really don't know. I could quite happily gain weight and continue to lose fat and inches and I wouldn't care.
  • pollyineedtobeskinny
    pollyineedtobeskinny Posts: 362
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    I would be absolutely made up if I was losing inches. Honestly do not go by what the scales say, scales = THROW OUT! They really don't matter, stop weighing yourself.

    Losing inches is the most important thing!! Your doing amazing clearly.
  • mmuzzatti
    mmuzzatti Posts: 706 Member
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    You are probly gaining some muscle, and remember, muscle weighs more!!! Scales don't tell the whole story

    Sorry I just have a pet peeve about post like this...if you have 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat would they not weigh the same? So the correct response is muscle takes up less space than fat. So if you are burning fat and replacing it with muscle then that takes up less space so you have lost size but not matter. Keep up the good work.

    Yes, as does a pound of lead and a pound of feathers! But if you take the same volume of fat and muscle, the muscle weighs more (thus losing inches but not pounds). So saying it weighs more is in fact correct.

    You earth women......( Watch this...I'm going to start a topic of this and watch it go to over 20 pages of comments, all in fun of course!)
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    I have been circuit training for 3 months and had my measurements done this week. I only lost 10 inches overall and lost 6 pounds overall. Is this normal? I am overweight so I expected much more to come off in the beginning. I have been meticulous with counting calories 1200-1400 (not making up net calories) and working out with a personal trainer 3xs a week and doing cardio on my own for 20-40 minutes per day when I'm not training. I don't plan on giving up anytime soon but should I make changes or is this good progress?? My trainer says I should expect even better results at my next weigh in at 6 months and said I did great the first 3 with my loss so why is the scale bothering me so much?!

    I guess I"m a bit confused. If you are losing inches but not weight, what is the problem? That means you are turning fat into muscle which is always a good thing.

    Next time you see your trainer, tell them about your calorie intake. I would guess that you aren't eating enough food and this is slowing down your metabolism a bit.

    It doesn't happen overnight. You are doing all the right things. Focus on that and not on some number on a scale that means nothing.

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