Today's weigh-in :(

Cortneyrenee04
Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am so beyond disappointed with today's weigh in. I have been exercising daily for an hour, except one day last week when I only made it half an hour. My workouts are either biking 10-15 miles or walking 3 miles. Once a week I go on a 25 mile bike ride. I have been at or just below my calories for the day and I managed to gain 2.5 pounds! I'm so frustrated I can hardly think of anything else today and I just want to give up. My scale hasn't budged in two weeks. I feel better, my clothes fit better, but I want the scale to show me that this is working! Has this happened to you guys??
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Replies

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    If your exercising to this degree is new, it's probably your muscles retaining water for cushioning and repairs. Give it a couple of days to a week, and that will go away.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
    I really hope that's what it is. I started exercising on a regular basis in June but recently stepped it up to working out every day. (About three weeks ago).
  • Vivian06703188
    Vivian06703188 Posts: 310 Member
    Have you never heard the fact that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are building muscle you are shrinking and this is a good thing. Get a tape measure you will see inches dropping off your body and this is great progress. It is a wonderful thing to turn fat into muscle. If you were not staying on your diet it would be different you might be gaining fat but if you are doing what is right you are probably converting fat to muscle.
  • fredf2112
    fredf2112 Posts: 110 Member
    I'll second the water theory. The numbers on the scale are just a small part of the overall equation. Keep up the great work.
  • SmilinSue12
    SmilinSue12 Posts: 71 Member
    It's ok... Been there... Wait a couple days. It could be bloating. It could be anything. It will show. I promise. Don't give up.
  • emczech5
    emczech5 Posts: 224 Member
    I feel better, my clothes fit better,

    I think this is way more important than the number on the scale. You may not have seen the scale change, but you have seen something change for the better and should focus on that change.

    I remember when I was in high school and first stated lifting weights. I lost 2 pant sizes and didn't loose a single pound. If you are working out as much as you say you are I'd expect to gain some muscle weight.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Scale changes for me nearly every day, and women seem to have more dramatic fluctuations than guys. Lots of potential options, especially with infrequent weighing. Could have just caught an up-day or up-week.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Have you never heard the fact that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are building muscle you are shrinking and this is a good thing. Get a tape measure you will see inches dropping off your body and this is great progress. It is a wonderful thing to turn fat into muscle. If you were not staying on your diet it would be different you might be gaining fat but if you are doing what is right you are probably converting fat to muscle.

    No
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    could be the muscles retaining water, or you're not nearly eating enough to exercise that much and are netting too low. Your diary is closed, so I can't tell.
  • R4eBro
    R4eBro Posts: 44 Member
    Is it close to your cycle? I can always guarantee myself a two to three pound gain before it. Check your measurements and I bet you are leaner!!
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    THE SCALE IS A USELESS TOOL!!! As long as you are seeing changes in your body and your clothing fits better, then it's working. You will likely not see a loss every week. "Weight" fluctuates based on so many things that your scale does not measure. I'm sure in another week or so, that slight gain will be gone. Don't sweat it.
  • Wilhellmina
    Wilhellmina Posts: 757 Member
    Could it also be you are exercising too much? I read more and more this is not a good thing and your body needs to rest as well. They mostly advice to train about 3 times a week. And how is it with your calorie intake? Does that add up with the training?
  • CastoChristina
    CastoChristina Posts: 6 Member
    I had the same thing happen to me. MFP friends suggested I upped my calories and stop working out for a little while. I was working out almost daily. I gave myself a three day break and I was down three more pounds this morning. I was losing inches but not pounds. I am starting my routine back up today and will see next Monday what the scale will say. Good luck to you.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Don't focus so much on the scale right now. If you feel better and your clothes are fitting better then you are doing something right. Also it has only been 2 weeks this is a long road don't get so upset so soon in. Patients is key here.

    I urge you to take pictures and measurements. Seriously if you look and feel better what does the number on the scale really mean?
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Have you never heard the fact that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are building muscle you are shrinking and this is a good thing. Get a tape measure you will see inches dropping off your body and this is great progress. It is a wonderful thing to turn fat into muscle. If you were not staying on your diet it would be different you might be gaining fat but if you are doing what is right you are probably converting fat to muscle.

    No

    Double no.

    No debate here. Muscle takes up less space than fat therefore when you build muscle and lose fat you get smaller. That aside, the OP is not likely building much muscle while eating at a deficit and doing only cardio.

    OP you are likely retaining some water whether it is from exercise, food or maybe your period is arriving soon. Don't worry about it. Weigh in again tomorrow or wait until next week to weigh in again. It's not tragic to not lose every week! Hang in there!
  • Salt_Sand_Sun
    Salt_Sand_Sun Posts: 415 Member
    It is most likely not ^^ muscle as you haven't been at it long enough and its been mostly cardio work and not strength training. I do agree however that it could be water retention due to the new exercises. Not to mention heat. Not sure where you live, but working out plus summer heat will cause you to retain more water than normal.

    Your diary is closed so I'm not sure how much you are eating or drinking. But with this much exercise I'd guesstimate you should be eating at LEAST 1400 calories (or more) and drinking at LEAST 120oz of water per day!! In order to reduce water retention you need to drink more - sounds weird, but water is needed to make all your organs function properly. So when you dehydrate your body will naturally retain any and all water to keep you alive. When you start to flush your body only then will it start letting go of the water. Same with food - your body is a machine and needs fuel to function properly. If you are not fueling your body it will store food/nutrients to keep you alive. When you eat more it will burn more!

    I would also suggest strength training. Lean muscle will burn more calories through the day vs cardio only!
  • megsi474
    megsi474 Posts: 370 Member
    My scale hasn't budged much at all but I've lost over 7 inches and my body fat percentage has gone down. I've decided to move the scale down the list of ways to measure success and to concentrate on measurements instead. There are far too many variables that contribute to the number on the scale that I'd drive myself crazy trying to fix them all to make the scale go my way right now.
  • LosinItAll2012
    LosinItAll2012 Posts: 238 Member
    I feel better, my clothes fit better, but I want the scale to show me that this is working! Has this happened to you guys??



    Feeling better + Clothes fitting better = IT"S WORKING!!!


    Forget the scale! :smile:
  • NumbrsNerd
    NumbrsNerd Posts: 202 Member
    Have you never heard the fact that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are building muscle you are shrinking and this is a good thing. Get a tape measure you will see inches dropping off your body and this is great progress. It is a wonderful thing to turn fat into muscle. If you were not staying on your diet it would be different you might be gaining fat but if you are doing what is right you are probably converting fat to muscle.

    No

    :happy:
  • ehte_h
    ehte_h Posts: 297 Member
    I feel better, my clothes fit better.

    This is far more important
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Have you never heard the fact that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are building muscle you are shrinking and this is a good thing. Get a tape measure you will see inches dropping off your body and this is great progress. It is a wonderful thing to turn fat into muscle. If you were not staying on your diet it would be different you might be gaining fat but if you are doing what is right you are probably converting fat to muscle.

    No

    Double no.

    No debate here. Muscle takes up less space than fat therefore when you build muscle and lose fat you get smaller. That aside, the OP is not likely building much muscle while eating at a deficit and doing only cardio.

    OP you are likely retaining some water whether it is from exercise, food or maybe your period is arriving soon. Don't worry about it. Weigh in again tomorrow or wait until next week to weigh in again. It's not tragic to not lose every week! Hang in there!

    Triple No.

    I'm 100% with your muscles retaining water. You need to mix in a day (or two) for rest to allow this repair to happen, allow for the fluid to flush from your body, then weigh....IMHO.
  • whippettt
    whippettt Posts: 7
    You want results forget the biking and walking.. Start doing strength training.. Push ups, Planks Jumping jacks
    weights... and if you are going to bike or walk switch that to spin and jogging.. Get your heart rate up...
  • Mrs_Bones
    Mrs_Bones Posts: 195 Member
    I know it's frustrating waiting for the scale to change, but you have to remember that the scale is too easily influenced by a hell of a lot of other factors (ie: water weight and things). If your clothes are fitting better, than that's a wonderful thing! Maybe step away from the scale a bit and start taking weekly measurements with a tape measure to get a better feel for how your body is changing. Don't forget, even if you didn't lose any weight ever, there is no reason to give up. You are doing this to have a healthier body. Even if the scale doesn't change, eating healthier and exercising regularly are brilliant for your body!
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    not sure if this has been asked yet, but what are your methods for tracking foods...

    are you estimating or are you measuring/counting/weighing EVERYTHING?

    reason i ask is because we are terrible at eye-balling portions, and it can be quite shocking what you thought you were eating vs. what you are actually eating.




    and guize....muscle weighing more than fat is SO june 2013. pssh
  • Lmns218
    Lmns218 Posts: 155
    Sure has!!!! After a month into working out and eating better, I always stall or fluctuate 5-7lbs. It gets so discouraging that I always end up giving up! Well, giving up wasn't an option and I got more and more discouraged.....so I decided to take the advice of a whoooooollllllleeeeee lot of people!!! I ditched the scale!!!! It was the most liberating experience!!!! And the next week I lost more inches off my body.
  • nicnicbell78
    nicnicbell78 Posts: 14 Member
    DONT FOCUSE SO MUCH ON THE SCALE!! IT CAN BE THE DEVIL SOMETIMES!! FOCUS ON HOW YOU FEEL AND HOW YOUR CLOTHES ARE FITTING!! THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING I HAVE TO TELL MYSELF ALL THE TIME!!
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
    I feel better, my clothes fit better, but I want the scale to show me that this is working!
    If your clothes fit better, you're getting smaller. If you need to see numbers change, try a tape measure. :flowerforyou:
  • ellipse1
    ellipse1 Posts: 30 Member
    How is your sugar intake? I noticed when I dropped my sugar intake to 12-15g a day I was seeing a difference in the scale and my clothes. Just a thought :)
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    If you give up, your clothes will get tighter and you will start feeling worse....and then when you decide to try to lose weight again, you will have more body fat to lose.

    Seriously, there are a lot of reasons why the scale does what it does. could be water retention. could be TOM. could be that you aren't giving your muscles any time to rest and recover (meaning more water retention). There are some real good benefits to taking some rest days.

    Also, if you are eating back your exercise calories, try eating back only half of them for a while.
  • erikak16
    erikak16 Posts: 2 Member
    yeah, this isn't true. A pound is a pound...1 lb of fat = 1 lb of muscle= 1 lb of feathers, they all weight a pound. Muscle's just more dense than fat, it takes up way less room in your body. Just keep it up, you're doing great. Consistency is key, you'll see it come off in no time

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