Losing inches, but not weight

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kimgriffinapparently
kimgriffinapparently Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey there,

So I've started seeing a PT and I've changed my 100% cardio work out for intense strength and some cardio. I am feeling firmer all over and I am losing inches but the scales are the exact same. Within 7 months this year, I shot up 21 pounds so I'm hate seeing them there.

Is it possible that I'll just keep losing inches without it showing on the scales or is there a point where the scales should be coinciding?
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Replies

  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
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    That is great your losing inches..........!!!

    Yes you could get smaller, change your body shape and lose inches... But could even weigh even more as you are building muscle now!!!

    Sounds like your doing well - Keep it up : )

    Get your body fat % done, or use a tape measure!
  • LinkousSara
    LinkousSara Posts: 29 Member
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    I struggle with the same thing! I have only lost about 25lbs in the past 2 years, but I have lost about 50 inches.... so I say put the scale away for a while and focus on how your clothes are fitting.

    Good Luck!
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
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    If you're eating at a deficit, you're not building much muscle. I think what's happening is when you start to lose weight, you take fat from your fat cells but your body isn't sure it wants to let go yet, so it fills them up with water. The. Eventually you get a. "Woosh" where you lose all the water at once. For more info on this, check out Leigh Peele.

    Also, if you're really working out hard, it could be your muscles taking on water/fluid to repair. (If you're sore, this is likely contributing).
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
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    I'll try and dig out the picture I saved, it was 3 different pictures put together with the 4th one explantion at the bottom, the girl in the picture took the pictures over time in a 2 piece bikini, body was slim, but started getting more toned and muscled but at the same time getting heavier.
    The 4th picture was the difference showing a pound of fat compared to a pound of muscle, the pound of fat took up much more room on the scales whereas the pound of muscle was very neat and small when compared (but still the same weight)
  • kimgriffinapparently
    kimgriffinapparently Posts: 31 Member
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    Cheers guys, I really appreciate all your advice here. I weighed myself today (have been doing this 3 weeks now) and I actually weigh more than I did starting (by around 2/3 pounds). Inches are coming off slowly but I just know that 2 years ago, I was 10 st and fairly happy (Still with tummy) and now I'm 12 stone. I mean, if I get toned etc, shouldn't weight come off?
  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
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    I often wonder this too..what if you're over 200lbs and don't see the scale move.
    Would i be stuck in the 200s but leaner? LOL :p
    I've gotten much much smaller but the scale hasn't moved much..

    (that'd suck bc i'd like to weigh less also.)
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
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    After more than forever being a slave to the scale ive finally got it that the inches and clothes dont lie. I recently traded clothes with my aunt who is my exact height but weighs 10 lbs less than me. Im wearing her 4 s and shes wearing my 8 s. One pair of jeans are the same exact levis. I kept thinking she was in denial about her weight but it wasnt the case im just way more muscluar. That made me finally get it.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    you're on the right path, dont worry about the scale weight as i'll eventually even out. plus why worry about a scale? are you seriously going to walk around with a scale to show people what you weigh or will you just be walking around in your smaller body?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    I often wonder this too..what if you're over 200lbs and don't see the scale move.
    Would i be stuck in the 200s but leaner? LOL :p
    I've gotten much much smaller but the scale hasn't moved much..

    (that'd suck bc i'd like to weigh less also.)

    i've always weight a good 30-40 pounds more than what i look like for instance i'm 5'5 weigh around 220 pounds and i can comfortably wear a size 14 express jeans yet a really good friend of mine is 5'7 170 pounds and the jeans fit her the same. i always say that those extra pounds are made up of my sheer unbridled awesomeness :laugh:
  • Rachelc1992
    Rachelc1992 Posts: 246 Member
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    Exactly this! And it's making me want to give up. I just want to see the scale move! :( . Also my inches are moving slow, but moving. Scale. Still and staying there :(

    And if I hear another person saying "oh I've lost a stone in 3 weeks" and they haven't done anything I may just sit on them!!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    ignore the scales... no one else can see that number, but everyone can see you're losing inches!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    Mine moved! It took a while but the pounds lost started to fit the inches lost.

    But now I've lost even more inches in a whoosh and the scale didn't budge. I don't care, lol. It's the inches I'm concerned with. But I'm assuming I'll drop pounds later after this round of inches. ???
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
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    i always say that those extra pounds are made up of my sheer unbridled awesomeness :laugh:

    This has always been my approach. :laugh:
  • kimgriffinapparently
    kimgriffinapparently Posts: 31 Member
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    Thanks guys. Thank god for this site. Otherwise I'd have gone nuts by now!
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Don't sweat the scales. It's not about what you weight - it's about how you feel.

    If the belt's getting looser - you're heading in the right direction.

    Keep up the good work.:smile:
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
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    Your in that magical place that we all dream about. Keep going and don't complicated it.
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
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    you're on the right path, dont worry about the scale weight as i'll eventually even out. plus why worry about a scale? are you seriously going to walk around with a scale to show people what you weigh or will you just be walking around in your smaller body?
    Thats too funny and true,i got an image like a flava flav with a scale around my neck instead of huge clock.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    If you want more advise, you are going to want to start logging calories. If you continue to gain, it' s because you are eating more calories than your are burning. So while you might be seeing some moderate recomposition or you are not measuring exactly in the same spot. It' s also possible your weight gain is either water weight increase from exercise or you truly are gaining new fat from eating too much.

    Not trying to put you down, but if you want success in terms of weight loss, diet is by far more important than just exercise. With that said, I personally don't care about scale results but you do use it as a trend tool to allow you to understand how many calories you can eat a day.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
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    If you want more advise, you are going to want to start logging calories. If you continue to gain, it' s because you are eating more calories than your are burning. So while you might be seeing some moderate recomposition or you are not measuring exactly in the same spot, it' s possible your weight gain is either water weight increase from exercise or you truly are gaining new fat from eating too much.

    Not trying to put you down, but if you want success in terms of weight loss, diet is by far more important than just exercise. With that said, I personally don't care about scale results but you do use it as a trend tool to allow you to understand how many calories you can eat a day.
    Not necessarily. A new maintenance level will occur followed by a deficit while maintaining the same caloric intake.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
    Options
    If you want more advise, you are going to want to start logging calories. If you continue to gain, it' s because you are eating more calories than your are burning. So while you might be seeing some moderate recomposition or you are not measuring exactly in the same spot, it' s possible your weight gain is either water weight increase from exercise or you truly are gaining new fat from eating too much.

    Not trying to put you down, but if you want success in terms of weight loss, diet is by far more important than just exercise. With that said, I personally don't care about scale results but you do use it as a trend tool to allow you to understand how many calories you can eat a day.
    Not necessarily. A new maintenance level will occur followed by a deficit while maintaining the same caloric intake.


    Sorry, but what are you implying. I am not trying to be rude, but I don't see which part my paragraph you are addressing.. Heck, maybe it's the drugs I am on for my sinus infection :laugh:

    Are we talking a decrease in TDEE post weight loss or what?

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