scale going down but not losing inches

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Just wondering what it means when you are losing weight according to your scale but not seeing any difference in inches.

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  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Sorry, can't help there, but I'm having the same problem - would love to hear an explanation!

    Have you dropped dress sizes at all? Maybe clothes feeling looser than they used to? That's also a positive sign - numbers are just numbers after all, but I get your frustration.
  • cssyti
    cssyti Posts: 108 Member
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    Sorry, can't help there, but I'm having the same problem - would love to hear an explanation!

    Have you dropped dress sizes at all? Maybe clothes feeling looser than they used to? That's also a positive sign - numbers are just numbers after all, but I get your frustration.




    No, I havent seen any difference in how clothes fit. I feel stronger though.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    I am terrible at measuring myself, I never get the same spot or something because I've gone from a size 16 to a size 8 and most of measurements have barely budged which obviously cant be right. I gave up and decided I'm just measurement challenged and went to the skinny jean method. I buy pants that are too tight and try them on every week or two until they fit.

    Also for most people aside from site specific bloating from junky foods you gain/lose weight gradually all over your body, so losing a lb isn't going to make a huge difference on your hips measurement by itself, it might only be a centimeter off so you don't notice it.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    Losing weight on the scale but not getting smaller is usually not a great thing, because you could be losing muscle and maintaining fat.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    It means you're losing weight. You could be losing visceral fat (fat around the organs), and you lose everywhere, not just the places you measure. So you could actually be dropping in measurements, it just might be from your face, wrists, ankles, feet, fingers, etc. I've dropped 15 lbs now and am still wearing the same size clothes, although they do feel a little loose.
  • callas444
    callas444 Posts: 261 Member
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    Give it some time. Make sure you are watching your sodium and drinking at least the recommended amount of water a day. Water is necessary in the flushing of fat from your body and also helps your muscles. Finally, you might consider adding some strength and toning exercise to your routine. You want to keep your lean muscle while getting rid of the fat, and studies show that lean muscle actually increases your metabolism. (Meaning you burn more fat even while at rest.)

    It definitely takes some time though, so try to be patient with yourself.
  • mcsweetly
    mcsweetly Posts: 133 Member
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    I am having the opposite problem. I am seeing my clothes fitting better, but the scale isn't going down as much as I feel like it should. I have noticed some muscle build up on my body though. Hoping the scale soon follows! Good Luck!
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
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    You could be retaining water.

    Sometimes your body holds onto all this water and you are nice and puffy fora while and then poof it gives up and all the inches disapear.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I have the same issue - not a single inch lost or single clothing size down. Just losing in places that I don't measure or don't affect my clothing size. Definitely frustrating!! Rumor is working out - heavy lifting and such will help - but it hasn't worked for me.
  • mehitabel83
    mehitabel83 Posts: 13 Member
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    Persist.

    If you are strength training three days a week and hitting a two pound a week calorie deficit, you ate unlikely to be losing muscle. If you are on the heavier end, its a sad truth that the difference between an 18 and a 16 is a lot more than ten pounds for most of us (unless you are shorter). Furthermore, we tend to stretch out our last pairs of pants before we start losing weight. I swore to myself I was a 16/18. I was probably more like a 20/22. (I lied to myself about my bra size too. 38D my plump rear, I was a 38F. Sigh.)
  • snowflakeln99
    snowflakeln99 Posts: 54 Member
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    My guess is that you're losing fat from places you didn't measure. Example being your face, feet, ankles, fingers, etc. I know that even though I took starting measurements, there isn't a way that I know of to measure every single aspect of my body without going somewhere to have it done. Keep up the good work!
  • cssyti
    cssyti Posts: 108 Member
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    My guess is that you're losing fat from places you didn't measure. Example being your face, feet, ankles, fingers, etc. I know that even though I took starting measurements, there isn't a way that I know of to measure every single aspect of my body without going somewhere to have it done. Keep up the good work!

    I didn't think of that, thanks. :smile: