Loosing inches but not weight

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nickisa28
nickisa28 Posts: 116 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

Just wanted to ask if this was a myth or true- if you are working out and building muscle will you not really lose weight but just tone up? I'm on a 1200 calorie diet but on the days I go to the gym I up calories by how much I burnt iykwim. I don't do much weight training, it's mostly cardio so this theory of 'muscle weighs more than fat' doesn't make sense to me? It's only been a week or 2 so I'm not worried yet but I've lost about a kilo and 1 inch around my stomache. I feel more toned and healthier but was just wondering if I will see the weight start to drop a bit more?

Replies

  • Hybrice
    Hybrice Posts: 117 Member
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    Hmmm no, you either burn fat on a deficit or gain muscle on a surplus. Building muscle and losing fat are contraindicated and you can't do both at the same time. The chances are that you have in fact lost body fat and therefore inches off your waist but your muscles are retaining water as they recover from your cardio. If you drink lots of water and don't exercise for a day or two I'd imagine you'll see the weight drop down on the scales.

    To be honest, if you're losing inches off your waist you're doing something right, forget about the weight for now. Keep at it and weigh yourself in a month.

    P.S 1200kcal is a hell of a deficit, typically reserved for petite old and inactive ladies, why so low if I may ask?
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
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    You can but only if you start out morbidly obese. One of the "Biggest Loser" contestants gained a bunch of muscle mass from working out (in addition to the weight loss for the show), but it's more likely that you are carrying water weight. Most people don't gain much muscle from week to week and you generally need to eat at a surplus in order to do so.
  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
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    You can only gain muscle mass and loss fat at the same time, when you just starting with weightlifting. But that won´t last for a long period.
  • nickisa28
    nickisa28 Posts: 116 Member
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    Hmmm no, you either burn fat on a deficit or gain muscle on a surplus. Building muscle and losing fat are contraindicated and you can't do both at the same time. The chances are that you have in fact lost body fat and therefore inches off your waist but your muscles are retaining water as they recover from your cardio. If you drink lots of water and don't exercise for a day or two I'd imagine you'll see the weight drop down on the scales.

    To be honest, if you're losing inches off your waist you're doing something right, forget about the weight for now. Keep at it and weigh yourself in a month.

    P.S 1200kcal is a hell of a deficit, typically reserved for petite old and inactive ladies, why so low if I may ask?


    Lol that's what my fitness pal is telling me. I am a 5ft 1 female and naturally small which is why the smallest amount of weight really shows on me :(
  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
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    Lol that's what my fitness pal is telling me. I am a 5ft 1 female and naturally small which is why the smallest amount of weight really shows on me :(

    Well don´t lissen to MFP calculator it underestimate maintenance big time
  • Hybrice
    Hybrice Posts: 117 Member
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    Hmmm no, you either burn fat on a deficit or gain muscle on a surplus. Building muscle and losing fat are contraindicated and you can't do both at the same time. The chances are that you have in fact lost body fat and therefore inches off your waist but your muscles are retaining water as they recover from your cardio. If you drink lots of water and don't exercise for a day or two I'd imagine you'll see the weight drop down on the scales.

    To be honest, if you're losing inches off your waist you're doing something right, forget about the weight for now. Keep at it and weigh yourself in a month.

    P.S 1200kcal is a hell of a deficit, typically reserved for petite old and inactive ladies, why so low if I may ask?


    Lol that's what my fitness pal is telling me. I am a 5ft 1 female and naturally small which is why the smallest amount of weight really shows on me :(

    MFP has really screwed you on this one, visit this site please and get your daily intake from that.

    http://www.calorieking.com/interactive-tools/how-many-calories-should-you-eat/?ref=nav

    Then adjust your MFP accordingly, without knowing your exact weight it's hard to tell but it appears MFP has put you something close to a 1,000kcal/day calorie deficit, which is HUGE.
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
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    You can only gain muscle mass and loss fat at the same time, when you just starting with weightlifting. But that won´t last for a long period.

    True. There are a couple of other ways, for example by muscle memory if you trained consisentently before and stopped, although it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

    I'd say you're carrying water weight OP as someone else suggested. This will pass so keep it up!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    Hmmm no, you either burn fat on a deficit or gain muscle on a surplus. Building muscle and losing fat are contraindicated and you can't do both at the same time. The chances are that you have in fact lost body fat and therefore inches off your waist but your muscles are retaining water as they recover from your cardio. If you drink lots of water and don't exercise for a day or two I'd imagine you'll see the weight drop down on the scales.

    To be honest, if you're losing inches off your waist you're doing something right, forget about the weight for now. Keep at it and weigh yourself in a month.

    P.S 1200kcal is a hell of a deficit, typically reserved for petite old and inactive ladies, why so low if I may ask?


    Lol that's what my fitness pal is telling me. I am a 5ft 1 female and naturally small which is why the smallest amount of weight really shows on me :(

    MFP has really screwed you on this one, visit this site please and get your daily intake from that.

    http://www.calorieking.com/interactive-tools/how-many-calories-should-you-eat/?ref=nav

    Then adjust your MFP accordingly, without knowing your exact weight it's hard to tell but it appears MFP has put you something close to a 1,000kcal/day calorie deficit, which is HUGE.

    Incorrect, at her height, if she doesn't have much to lose, and is generally inactive except exercise, your site will put her in the 1100-1300 cal range. She doesn't have a 1000 cal deficit.

    Smaller women, with TDEE in the 13500-1500 range need to remain very active for effective weight loss, the amount of calories one can reasonably cut is limited.
  • nickisa28
    nickisa28 Posts: 116 Member
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    I'm just over 9st and want to get down to 8 and a half. I don't feel hungry on 1200 cal's, I just miss chocolate :( lol I used to work in a restaurant running around non stop for at least 8 hours a day but now I spend most of my working day driving or sitting in meetings so now go to the gym 3/4 times a week burning around 500 cal's each time so my calorie intake on those days would be 1700 calories
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
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    I am 5 feet tall. Starting weight 153. I am at 1200 calories. As of today I have lost 4 pounds, yes only four pounds. But here is the good news:

    After six weeks I have lost a total of 10.5 inches all over me. The most dramatic being in my under bust and waist.

    Yes, I do have to work very hard. I swim approximately 8000 to 10000 meters a week. I also walk approx 12 to 15 miles a week. I eat some of my exercise calories back every day, I leave a deficit most days.
    Yes...I have to work very hard!

    I really am not too concerned with the scale right now. I look and feel better and that is why I am here.

    Good luck to you....
  • nickisa28
    nickisa28 Posts: 116 Member
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    Thanks for all your replies guys :) a quick update- the last few days I have not eaten all my calories back. It wasn't on purpose, was just busy and think my appetite is shrinking maybe? As I said, normally I have 1200 calories and days I go the gym I burn around 500 so was eating 1700 on those days. I have been leaving about 200 a day and have finally seen a whopping 4lb come off in 3 days and a few more cm's around my spare tyre ;) I am really enjoying feeling fitter and more toned so will probably stick to this 1500 Cal's a day and exercise.
  • stephanieross1
    stephanieross1 Posts: 388 Member
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    You can still gain muscle one a deficit of calories, and lose fat. It all comes down to what you are eatog. You need protein to build more muscle, if you are eating 1200 calories of junk yah you may not gain any muscle..

    Although 1200 is quite a deficit depensig on your body height and weight.it was an example.

    Congrats on your weight loss!

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