23lb down now...

nicole_andan
nicole_andan Posts: 127
in Health and Weight Loss
:grumble: But I haven't budged a dress size! And it's VERY annoying. I have lost 2 inches from my waist, my face is slimmer I think, but that appears to be it!!!!
So essentially a human head weighs 8 lb... Mine must've weighed 28lb as that appears to be the only place I've lost anything.

It's VERY frustrating! I'm not giving up but I am annoyed.

:grumble:

Anyone else gone through the same thing? Does it take ages and then you drop 4 dress sizes @ once (you know like public transport or boyfriends, you wait 4 ages and then 4 turn up @ once?)
... Please say that's the case?!!!!

Replies

  • ursiestar
    ursiestar Posts: 45 Member
    Mine's the other way Nicole, not losing on the scales but getting back into size 14s again... Understand your frustration... It will start to happen :smile:
  • mrsjoyw
    mrsjoyw Posts: 80 Member
    :grumble: But I haven't budged a dress size! And it's VERY annoying. I have lost 2 inches from my waist, my face is slimmer I think, but that appears to be it!!!!
    So essentially a human head weighs 8 lb... Mine must've weighed 28lb as that appears to be the only place I've lost anything.

    It's VERY frustrating! I'm not giving up but I am annoyed.

    :grumble:

    Anyone else gone through the same thing? Does it take ages and then you drop 4 dress sizes @ once (you know like public transport or boyfriends, you wait 4 ages and then 4 turn up @ once?)
    ... Please say that's the case?!!!!

    LOL at your head weight comment!!! I feel ya! Although I've only been at this since March 26 my most noticeable weight loss to me is my FINGER! My wedding ring just slides off when my hand is down. Now if only my PANTS and SKIRTS would do the same! LOL! Oh there was a time that I could pull my jeans up and down without unzipping/buttoning but now...things have changed but I'm faithfully working on it! They say it takes time so I'm trusting them to know what theyre talking about! :wink:
  • duckiec
    duckiec Posts: 241 Member
    Right there with you. Sure, things are a bit looser, but the next size down does NOT fit. Hubby and a friend have said I look a bit trimmer, but I see no difference in the mirror, or when I look at photos, either. Eventually I'm going to have to get them off my phone and put them next to each other to see, but in the meantime- frustrating as hell.

    I also took measurements before starting the 30ds (on day 20 now) and will take measurements when I'm done... hoping there will be some kind of difference there, even if I can't see it.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    My clothes fit EXACTLY the same as when I started - sometimes I think they are even tighter - so I feel your pain. I think you are right though, at least from my past experience w/weight loss - it takes forever and then all the sudden you can't keep up with the loss and all your clothes are too big.

    But it's a new season and I want to buy some smaller cute warm weather clothes too!!!! :sad:
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    , but I see no difference in the mirror, or when I look at photos, either. Eventually I'm going to have to get them off my phone and put them next to each other to see, but in the meantime- frustrating as hell.

    I have the BodyLog app - I need to take another set of photos but it's made so you can compare your photos side by side and see the differences. There's a few others out there too - but BodyLog was free so I picked that one.
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
    I had someone tell me that I look like I thinned out through my neck. Still can't fit in my pants, but thanks. I guess it's heading the right direction. I suppose the good news is that when we gain, we get fat faces last?
  • mamosh81
    mamosh81 Posts: 409 Member
    :grumble: But I haven't budged a dress size! And it's VERY annoying. I have lost 2 inches from my waist, my face is slimmer I think, but that appears to be it!!!!
    So essentially a human head weighs 8 lb... Mine must've weighed 28lb as that appears to be the only place I've lost anything.

    It's VERY frustrating! I'm not giving up but I am annoyed.

    :grumble:

    Anyone else gone through the same thing? Does it take ages and then you drop 4 dress sizes @ once (you know like public transport or boyfriends, you wait 4 ages and then 4 turn up @ once?)
    ... Please say that's the case?!!!!

    yay i am not alone in the BIG HEAD CLUB!!! I lost 25 lbs so far and still wear all my old cloths and they fit fine
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
    Yeah, I just whined about this in my blog last night LOL. I'm gonna stick around and see what happens next, but in the meantime it's frustrating isn't it?:angry:
  • Amyy1982
    Amyy1982 Posts: 369 Member
    I've lost 29lbs and I'm still wearing the same clothes ... they just fit better and some are a bit big ...

    WTH?!! :angry:
  • RawCarrots
    RawCarrots Posts: 204 Member
    This is really annoying! Are you taking measurements, I'm sure you are noticing change there. I'm 5' 7.5 and know it will show in my clothes way slower than somebody who is 5'. I'm 12lb down and nowhere near getting out of this size, while my waist has dropped few inches, my hips as not moving yet! So I will join you and blame my big head:laugh: :laugh:
  • auntjojoma
    auntjojoma Posts: 4 Member
    I have lost 25 pounds and it wasn't until recently that I started to go down in sizes. There has been no dramatic change in my sizing but my BMI is lower which is what i am focusing on as well as how my clothes fit. I started using myfitness pal in July of last year, I am eating roughly 1200-1300 calories a day and exercising like a maniac. I thought by now that I would be a size 6 by now,but im not there yet. Hanging in there. you are making progress. Try not to let the scale own you!
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I'm guessing one (or both) of two things have happened -

    1. You've lost fat predominantly from your limbs, not your torso. I'm a guy, but that's also the way I lose weight. Pretty soon I'll have ripped arms and legs, with a little potbelly. Hopefully then, finally, my body will burn off the last of the paunch.

    2. You've lost muscle mass. Check all which apply -

    > High caloric deficit.
    > Low protein (you want way more than MFP suggests.
    > No resistance training.

    If you checked two or more of the above, you're probably losing a lot of muscle along with fat. And since muscle is more dense than fat, a pound of lost muscle is way fewer inches lost than a pound of lost fat.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I just checked your diary. You're running on very low cals some days. Your protein could be higher, but isn't terrible.

    For exercise, you have walking, calisthenics, seated rowing and elliptical. I personally believe the last three of these can protect lean body mass if done with sufficient intensity - i.e. keep the resistance cranked and don't treat it as just another flavor of cardio. Many who are more knowledgeable than me say that lifting heavy is a must, however.

    Overall I'm going to guess you are losing some lean body mass.

    My prescription, based on what I've learned during my weight loss would be -

    1. Always hit your 1400 net calorie limit, which means eating back your exercise calories. Take the weight off slowly and it's more likely to be all fat, and more likely to stay off.
    2. Up your protein a bit. I'll take a wild guess and say you should be at about 100 to 110 grams of protein a day. (on the assumption you have 100 - 110 pounds of lean mass)
    3. Crank the resistance on the elliptical and rowing - make them resistance training, not cardio. Keep the walking as your cardio, and build it up to jogging with the C25K program if you want to improve your cardiovascular heath. Even better, lift some heavy weights (heavy enough that you can only do 8 to 10 reps without a break). I promise it won't make you look like a man.
  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
    I had someone tell me that I look like I thinned out through my neck. Still can't fit in my pants, but thanks. I guess it's heading the right direction. I suppose the good news is that when we gain, we get fat faces last?

    I'm not sure I'd want to be told i'd thinned out in my neck... all the effort i'd put in and you're commenting on my neck?!!! I'd kill them!!!!! But then any compliment is better than none?!

    Maybe we lose weight from the head downwards?! Keep at it xx
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    ive lost 21lbs and although my clothes are loose its still not enough to go down a size, so i look rather frumpy at the moment. Im 5'8 and a size 14 btw
  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
    I'm guessing one (or both) of two things have happened -

    1. You've lost fat predominantly from your limbs, not your torso. I'm a guy, but that's also the way I lose weight. Pretty soon I'll have ripped arms and legs, with a little potbelly. Hopefully then, finally, my body will burn off the last of the paunch.

    2. You've lost muscle mass. Check all which apply -

    > High caloric deficit.
    > Low protein (you want way more than MFP suggests.
    > No resistance training.

    If you checked two or more of the above, you're probably losing a lot of muscle along with fat. And since muscle is more dense than fat, a pound of lost muscle is way fewer inches lost than a pound of lost fat.

    I definitely have not gained muscle mass as when I started I was 55% fat and the only muscle I had was the seafood kind!!!!!
    I don't have a high calorie deficit I think, I'm inline with my BMR TDEE etc and I do resistance training alongside my cardio but I'm restricted with logging my exercise so I log the closest thing.

    Basically I'm a bit of a chubster!!! I'm actually down 10cm's off my waist and on a 41% body fat now so I'm happy to keep plugging away... I will lose it eventually!!!

    Thanks for your in put, I'll definitely look at more resistance.
  • jkandktmom
    jkandktmom Posts: 1,010 Member
    I posted the same the yesterday!! So frustrating to see the scale go down but not see any changes. My clothes aren't even any looser. I'm spending this weekend shoping with a friend and I wanted to buy smaller summer clothes it doesn't look like that is going to happen at this rate I won't even be buying smaller winter clothes:sad:
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    oh i forgot to add, sometimes our clothes were a little tight to begin with so that might also have something to do with it. By the time i started my diet my size 14's were probably to tight for me
  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
    I just checked your diary. You're running on very low cals some days. Your protein could be higher, but isn't terrible.

    For exercise, you have walking, calisthenics, seated rowing and elliptical. I personally believe the last three of these can protect lean body mass if done with sufficient intensity - i.e. keep the resistance cranked and don't treat it as just another flavor of cardio. Many who are more knowledgeable than me say that lifting heavy is a must, however.

    Overall I'm going to guess you are losing some lean body mass.

    My prescription, based on what I've learned during my weight loss would be -

    1. Always hit your 1400 net calorie limit, which means eating back your exercise calories. Take the weight off slowly and it's more likely to be all fat, and more likely to stay off.
    2. Up your protein a bit. I'll take a wild guess and say you should be at about 100 to 110 grams of protein a day. (on the assumption you have 100 - 110 pounds of lean mass)
    3. Crank the resistance on the elliptical and rowing - make them resistance training, not cardio. Keep the walking as your cardio, and build it up to jogging with the C25K program if you want to improve your cardiovascular heath. Even better, lift some heavy weights (heavy enough that you can only do 8 to 10 reps without a break). I promise it won't make you look like a man.

    I'm a fan of protein so I'll try and up that and keep going with meeting my 1400 net. The 20lb has been lost since September so I have been losing about 1lb every 10 days so when I am a bit naughty it does stay off because I'm trying to make this much more about long term sustainability.

    My exercise generally consists of 2 different days. 1 is cardio resistance with abs... walking is done at a steep incline, eliptical is done at high resistance with bursts of speed, the rowing is also done with bursts of speed at a high resistance. Unfortunately running does not work for me due to knee injuries which is why I stick with low impact cardio. when I put in 20-25 mins calisthetics it will be abs traingin, planks, push ups, etc Day 2 is similar cardio but on days when it's 40 minscalisthetics it'll be because I'm doing weights (machine) lats, legs, arms. Legs at 40kg, arms and lats at 20-25kg on 4 reps (up from 3). At the moment I'm quite comfortable with that... it's hard but I'm not killing or hurting myself... But I still get out of bed the next day and know that I have muscles not mussels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Long explanation but I wanted to thank you and explain as you'd spent the time to comment in depth so thank you xx
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    I had no idea what I was doing or what my weight was in October when I started out on my own. No MFP until the middle of March. I had no scale or anything but a tape measure and my clothes. So, it was really hard to tell I was losing weight until I put on a pair of jeans that didn't fit me at the end of October, they fit by December. I kept tweaking things and finally I ended up here. I am probably losing faster, but it seems slower cuz now I am measuring stuff and before it was like "oh I am just eating healthier and I try to walk a wee bit more".

    Now, I am torn. I wish I would have known my start weight. I can guesstimate, but I still don't really know. BOTOH, I don't know if I would have gotten where I am now if I had been tracking my weight and trying to get into a smaller size. My goals are still health oriented with the side effect of losing weight. But, it really is a bit harder when you are focused on the scale and getting into smaller clothes.
  • amyx593
    amyx593 Posts: 211 Member
    I lost 30lbs a few years ago and have since gained it back- in the process of losing it again right now. I have been able to fit in the same pair of jeans the entire time though! It is frustrating, but keep in mind that your body composition and muscle mass have a lot to do with it. I definitely looked a LOT slimmer without the weight, but those damn jeans... it's strange.
  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
    General response... Thank you all for commenting,:flowerforyou: it's great to know that there are several other people in the same situation and it's not just me!!!!!!!!!!!! :drinker: I definitely thought I'd look like at least 1 of the Kardashian sisters right now... and NOT the one that's pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :grumble:

    I am sure that it will happen, I would recommend measurements... I have lost 10cm's off my waist (3.5 inches) since the end of Feb so that is great, clothes are less tight but i'm not close to dropping a dress size and like I said... not a Kardashian figure in sight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:frown:

    We'll get there! xx
  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
    :grumble: But I haven't budged a dress size! And it's VERY annoying. I have lost 2 inches from my waist, my face is slimmer I think, but that appears to be it!!!!
    So essentially a human head weighs 8 lb... Mine must've weighed 28lb as that appears to be the only place I've lost anything.

    It's VERY frustrating! I'm not giving up but I am annoyed.

    :grumble:

    Anyone else gone through the same thing? Does it take ages and then you drop 4 dress sizes @ once (you know like public transport or boyfriends, you wait 4 ages and then 4 turn up @ once?)
    ... Please say that's the case?!!!!

    LOL at your head weight comment!!! I feel ya! Although I've only been at this since March 26 my most noticeable weight loss to me is my FINGER! My wedding ring just slides off when my hand is down. Now if only my PANTS and SKIRTS would do the same! LOL! Oh there was a time that I could pull my jeans up and down without unzipping/buttoning but now...things have changed but I'm faithfully working on it! They say it takes time so I'm trusting them to know what theyre talking about! :wink:

    My finger too... so that's 19lb from my head and 1lb from my ring finger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Linkdapink
    Linkdapink Posts: 128 Member
    , but I see no difference in the mirror, or when I look at photos, either. Eventually I'm going to have to get them off my phone and put them next to each other to see, but in the meantime- frustrating as hell.

    I have the BodyLog app - I need to take another set of photos but it's made so you can compare your photos side by side and see the differences. There's a few others out there too - but BodyLog was free so I picked that one.

    That is EXACTLY what I've been looking for! I've been googling it but had no idea what to google for! I'm so happy I've stumbled across this post! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!

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