Need Advice: Down 2 pant sizes but no weight loss

A pound of muscle takes up much less space than a pound of fat. So all your working out is converting fat to muscle, meaning you're more compact but not losing as much scale-wise.

I think you would rather be losing inches than pounds because that shows real weight loss. When people show a drop in the scale but not in inches that sometimes means they're losing muscle... I would be pretty excited about losing 2 pant sizes! For me that would mean much more than what a lousy scale says!

This is interesting.. I feel the same way. I have only lost 5 lbs but I feel that my pants are fitting again. But then again only 5 lbs makes me wonder.

Hey Tracy,
Well if you are working out that often you are probably building up a lot of muscleton and slimming down on fat. Which would drop your waist line but not your weight because muscle weights more than fat.

My opinion? Who cares about the stupid scale - you're down 2 pants sizes!!!!!!!!! Celebrate!! Measurements are the best way to tell your success anyway. I'm sure the scale will catch up eventually. Sounds like you're doing this the healthy way, and you're seeing results. Maybe you should toss out the scale and just take measurements instead. Congrats!!!

Well done on going down two pants sizes though. A lot of people think that the way your clothes fit is a better indicator of weight loss anyway.

I completely agree with this statement! I'm sure it is frustrating not seeing that number change but you know that you are losing weight by going down 2 pants sizes. That's amazing! Muscle is more dense than fat so you can reduce the fat, build muscle, weigh the same, but become smaller.

I would be super excited if I dropped 2 pant sizes, can't realy rely on the scale as like everyone else is saying you are gaining muscle!! keep up the good work!!!!

When strength training you can't rely on the scale. Muscle is much denser than fat. You are losing fat but most likely keeping your muscle mass intact (dieting and cardio exercise cause muscle mass loss. Why strength/resistance training is so important).

And I'm glad you upped your calories. Medical schools don't focus on nutrition and 800 is way too low although maybe a bad thyroid might have something to do with it. If you are strength training you will need more calories.

Don't put too much into the scale. It doesn't tell the whole story.

Did you take your measurements before you started working out? You have obviously lost inches but have you check your body fat % to see if its gone down? I was stuck at the same wt for 6 weeks. When I checked my body fat is was down 2% and I had lost inches. I asked around at my gym and was told by trainers that Im currently replacing fat for muscle, muscle being denser/ smaller so once I break through my plateau then I'll start loosing the lbs again.

1lb of fat = 1 lb of muscle The difference is the density. Fat being the size of an orange and muscle being the size of a lemon.

The next week I had lost 1 lb. Don't get discouraged we all have been there. You are seeing positive changes, gaining muscle and doing good by your body. Keep up the good work and it will pay off.

Switch your cardio up. Try running, rowing, biking, zumba or kick boxing. Making changes will help. You are doing a good job.

At ome time I read a post with a link about a woman talking about losing inches but not pounds. She kept at her weight but began fitting in size 10's, 8's, 6', and was almost into a size 4 pants at the same weight. She even had pictures to go along with it. She wanted people to not be discouraged because it happened. I wish I could find the post or link to that article on here. I know the link was to livestrong but that is about it. I haven't been able to find it again. It was really helpful especially since I felt my clothes looser but no budge or sometimes an increase on the scale. Keep it up beause it sounds like you are going on the right track. Also do eat 1200-1400 instead of what you were told. You don't want to go into starvation mode! :O) Good work!