Sanity Check

Gingerkid05
Gingerkid05 Posts: 60 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I need to bounce this off the community. I've been on a plateau for about 4 weeks. I have been really killing myself during my work outs and careful what I eat during the week with a few cheats on the weekend. The scale isn't moving, but I swear I look different, I feel slimmer. Is it in my head or can I really be losing fat but not pounds?

Replies

  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    I need to bounce this off the community. I've been on a plateau for about 4 weeks. I have been really killing myself during my work outs and careful what I eat during the week with a few cheats on the weekend. The scale isn't moving, but I swear I look different, I feel slimmer. Is it in my head or can I really be losing fat but not pounds?

    Are you logging everything, including your "cheats"?

    I don't know how you cheat, but when I cheat, it can very easily knock me out of my deficit and put me right at maintenance.
  • marissanik
    marissanik Posts: 344 Member
    You can't be sure of a "plateau" until normally about 6 weeks. I hit one recently and just broke it. It's possible you're losing inches and not pounds. The scale isn't the only measure of success.

    If you are concerned, try zig-zagging your calories and changing up your exercise. When it hit week 6 of not being able to get below 155.4lbs on the scale, I figured it was time for a change. For a week I varied my calories between 2000-2400 and then dropped back down to 1700. I also changed up my routines. I started doing the elliptical, zumba, mixing up my weight sessions and number of reps I do. Your body might just be used to your routine. Best of luck and stay positive!
  • Gingerkid05
    Gingerkid05 Posts: 60 Member
    Thanks, I started weight lifting so I'm hoping that will shake it up enough
  • 115s
    115s Posts: 344 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
  • srd_23
    srd_23 Posts: 43 Member
    It happens. You should get one of those scales that measures body fat %. My coworker just bought one for $50 on amazon. I have the fitbit aria, which I love, because I can see the results even when I'm not loosing weight.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I need to bounce this off the community. I've been on a plateau for about 4 weeks. I have been really killing myself during my work outs and careful what I eat during the week with a few cheats on the weekend. The scale isn't moving, but I swear I look different, I feel slimmer. Is it in my head or can I really be losing fat but not pounds?

    Are you logging everything, including your "cheats"?

    I don't know how you cheat, but when I cheat, it can very easily knock me out of my deficit and put me right at maintenance.

    would be my question as well.

    One weeks worth of deficit can be erased on one day of binging
  • 115s
    115s Posts: 344 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
    You don't know if she truly IS eating at a deficit. Her diary is not visible. The way she's "Cheating" with her foods, she's not on a deficit.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    If you just started weight lifting then for one, you are probably retaining water. Also is most likely the reason you look different and not losing weight. Many people lose dress sizes without even losing a lb. Eating enough protein and lifting weights makes that happen. Measurements and pics :)

    ETA: sorry just realized you started lifting after being in a plateau already. Basically a plateau is eating a maintenance, so make sure you are accurate with calorie counting.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
    You don't know if she truly IS eating at a deficit. Her diary is not visible. The way she's "Cheating" with her foods, she's not on a deficit.

    True, but muscle gain is very hard to begin with...
    Even more so with a woman....

    As well as not knowing what kind of lifting she is doing to boot....

    My first look would be to eating at this point
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    If you're eating at a conservative deficit daily, one cheat day can put you over for the week pretty easy. I'd give those up for a while and see if that doesn't break the plateau.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
    You don't know if she truly IS eating at a deficit. Her diary is not visible. The way she's "Cheating" with her foods, she's not on a deficit.

    True, but 4 weeks isn't long enough for a female to build any significant muscle eating at what is most likely maintenance.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Since she has been lifting only for about 4 weeks...
    And without knowing the lifting being done...

    Conservative/accurate LBM gain over four weeks....I would say 0.5 lbs
  • 115s
    115s Posts: 344 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
    You don't know if she truly IS eating at a deficit. Her diary is not visible. The way she's "Cheating" with her foods, she's not on a deficit.

    True, but muscle gain is very hard to begin with...
    Even more so with a woman....

    As well as not knowing what kind of lifting she is doing to boot....

    My first look would be to eating at this point
    Well, she didn't say how long ago she started lifting, either D:
    When I say recently, I'm thinking in woman time. For me, recently = 6 months ago haha. (Just like when a woman says I'll be ready in ten minutes, two hours go by?)
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
    You don't know if she truly IS eating at a deficit. Her diary is not visible. The way she's "Cheating" with her foods, she's not on a deficit.

    True, but muscle gain is very hard to begin with...
    Even more so with a woman....

    As well as not knowing what kind of lifting she is doing to boot....

    My first look would be to eating at this point
    Well, she didn't say how long ago she started lifting, either D:
    When I say recently, I'm thinking in woman time. For me, recently = 6 months ago haha. (Just like when a woman says I'll be ready in ten minutes, two hours go by?)

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • 115s
    115s Posts: 344 Member
    You're building muscle and burning fat. That's all.

    Wrong. If she's eating at a deficit, she's not building muscle. If she JUST started lifting, this "plateau" definitely isn't due to muscle gain.

    "It must be muscle." - The perfect excuse for some people. Here's a hint - it's usually not.
    You don't know if she truly IS eating at a deficit. Her diary is not visible. The way she's "Cheating" with her foods, she's not on a deficit.

    True, but 4 weeks isn't long enough for a female to build any significant muscle eating at what is most likely maintenance.
    She said plateau for 4 weeks, not that she started lifting 4 weeks ago >.<
    How long ago she began to lift still remains a mystery to us :O
    Wish she'd tell :) I'll just sit back and wait to see if she'd like to open that diary so we can all take a peekaboo and see how long she's been lifting for, if she'd like to share that with us. I pray that she's not on "woman time" like myself.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    :wink: :wink:
  • Gingerkid05
    Gingerkid05 Posts: 60 Member
    I started lifting this week to break the plateau because I figured what was already said. My body is used to my old routine so I need to change it up a bit.
    My worry wasn't so much breaking the plateau, I was wondering if I was just being delusional that clothes are fitting better, I look better, yet the scale isn't doing anything as of late.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    then enjoy it and continue

    prolly water retention
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    also make sure you are tracking/logging/weighing food properly.

    Maybe re-check your numbers, see if you need to drop calories.....since it has been 4 weeks.

    If you get out to 6 - 8 weeks....
    Do a carb refeed, minimal fat, some protein...at or maybe 200 calories over maintenance
    for a day or two
    Then back to your diet
  • Gingerkid05
    Gingerkid05 Posts: 60 Member
    Thank you!
  • stillhere1981
    stillhere1981 Posts: 119 Member
    I think how your clothes fit and how you feel is more important than the number on the scale, but that's just me.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Thanks, I started weight lifting so I'm hoping that will shake it up enough

    When you first start weight lifting you cause changes in your body where there is additional storage of glycogen in your muscle leading to a large increase in water retention. It is VERY easy to gain weight from weight lifting due to this water retention. If you haven't gained weight then most likely this is because you have been losing a considerable amount of fat. Give it time, keep up with your routinue and eventually your fat loss will outpace the additional water retention.

    4 weeks is not a very long time, easy to see a "plateau" (notice the quotes) from starting weight lifting for that long or longer just due to water retention.

    I wouldn't be so focused on the scale.
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    would be my question as well.

    One weeks worth of deficit can be erased on one day of binging

    I should read this statement every day!
  • Gingerkid05
    Gingerkid05 Posts: 60 Member
    Thanks everyone! I could push a little hard to eat better. This was what I needed to get my but in motion to watch those calories a little closer. Plus I got a "hey you look skinnier!" So, it's working just got to get my head back in the game more fully.
  • 115s
    115s Posts: 344 Member
    would be my question as well.

    One weeks worth of deficit can be erased on one day of binging

    I should read this statement every day!
    Can also be fixed by one tough day of exercise. Not even joking.

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