Stuck

allie_00
allie_00 Posts: 73
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I was 149 lbs at my last recorded weigh-in on March 16th but for the last 2 weeks I seem to be stuck at 151. I didn't change my weight because I thought maybe it would go back down but it hasn't! I've definitely gained some muscle mass and I'm logging EVERYTHING I eat. My clothes are definitely fitting better but I'm not losing on the scale. My body really likes to be at 150 lbs and it isn't used to going below that! I do a minimum of 60 mins of cardio/weights at least 5 times a week.

It should be noted that I started taking whey about a week and a half ago. Could this just be muscle mass?

Suggestions? Thoughts?

Replies

  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    What has your waist measurement been?
  • allie_00
    allie_00 Posts: 73
    I haven't been taking it! :( I suck like that. Lol. But I truly know that I feel better and my formerly snug clothes now fit a little better.

    I guess all I'm wondering is what the next step is! I workout all the time, eat healthy but I'm not seeing a difference on the scale (not that I'm obsessed with numbers but a change would be nice!)
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
    you need multiple ways to measure your successes

    ....scale
    ...measuring tape
    ....how are you're clothes fitting
    ....take another progress pic and compare

    My scale hasn't budged in a month....my inches have for sure, and I'm down another size even though the scale hasn't moved.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    Wow then you know what you need to do. Only going by the scale is a big mistake. ESPECIALLY while on a weight training program.
    You're probably right and have gained muscle. Muscle weights more than fat.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    I'd just be patient...my body has been tending to hang on to these last few pounds as i reach my goal. I'm at 154 right now, so pretty close to you. keep logging everything and maybe increase the intensity of your work outs, but really its a matter of time.

    good luck!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    Got stuck at a similar point (146 give or take) and upped my cals (and slowed my weekly loss). Right now I alternate weeks between 1250 cals per day and 1400 per day- it's been slow but it's moving.
  • hyoung3
    hyoung3 Posts: 85 Member
    More than likely, you haven't gained a couple of pounds of muscle in a week, or two.

    Natural bodybuilders (on average) gain a couple of pounds of muscle per month, although they often gain some fat in the process, as well.

    If you're lifting heavy (muscle failure after 8-10 reps) and eating 5-6 times / day, you can expect to gain muscle if your fat intake is roughly 1/3 of your protein intake.

    If your exercise time is of aerobic nature, I wouldn't expect too many pounds of muscle gain. You may however, see more definition in your muscles as your body fat percentages decline.
  • allie_00
    allie_00 Posts: 73
    I guess I need to break out the tape measure!

    I can definitely see a difference in myself. Tank tops I felt uncomfortable wearing to the gym two months ago are now part of my weekly wardrobe. My abs are more defined and I can really see a different in my arms. My collar bones are very prominent anyway but I really see a huge difference there and with my hip bones as well (all more prominent)

    As for exercise, I go to bootcamp 5 days a week where we do a combination of weights and cardio. Sometimes we lift pretty heavy amounts until fail. I live in a small town and it's the same diehards that have been working out together for almost a year and a half so our trainer is consistently pushing us to the max with new plans and such. I also run pretty regularly on top of all this. I run on the weekends to so I honestly don't see where I could improve exercise wise unless I start heading to the gym in the morning before work and then again in the evening. Of course, then there's the question of a life as well!

    How about staggering calories/upping them? Are there any foods I should be avoiding in the pm? I heard that you should mostly try to eat protein in the pm and slowly reduce your carbs as the day progresses but where I workout in the evenings I realize that I do need recovery carbs.

    Anybody have any thoughts? I would just LOVE to meet my goal of 145 before I head to the Dominican on April 28th but I realistically don't see this happening in the least!
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
    I guess I need to break out the tape measure!

    I can definitely see a difference in myself. Tank tops I felt uncomfortable wearing to the gym two months ago are now part of my weekly wardrobe. My abs are more defined and I can really see a different in my arms. My collar bones are very prominent anyway but I really see a huge difference there and with my hip bones as well (all more prominent)

    As for exercise, I go to bootcamp 5 days a week where we do a combination of weights and cardio. Sometimes we lift pretty heavy amounts until fail. I live in a small town and it's the same diehards that have been working out together for almost a year and a half so our trainer is consistently pushing us to the max with new plans and such. I also run pretty regularly on top of all this. I run on the weekends to so I honestly don't see where I could improve exercise wise unless I start heading to the gym in the morning before work and then again in the evening. Of course, then there's the question of a life as well!

    How about staggering calories/upping them? Are there any foods I should be avoiding in the pm? I heard that you should mostly try to eat protein in the pm and slowly reduce your carbs as the day progresses but where I workout in the evenings I realize that I do need recovery carbs.

    .Another thing to try would be to mix up your workout routine. If you are already running or cycling, add in some interval training/sprint workouts. If you aren't running or cycling, try adding that in - try a Zumba class or a spin class. Our body adjusts to our routines so we need to keep it on it's toes :)

    Make sure you are eating enough as well.....you should be eating your exercise calories back to re-fuel your body --- the 1200 calories we start each with already has a deficit built in to allow for weight loss.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
    I guess I need to break out the tape measure!

    I can definitely see a difference in myself. Tank tops I felt uncomfortable wearing to the gym two months ago are now part of my weekly wardrobe. My abs are more defined and I can really see a different in my arms. My collar bones are very prominent anyway but I really see a huge difference there and with my hip bones as well (all more prominent)

    As for exercise, I go to bootcamp 5 days a week where we do a combination of weights and cardio. Sometimes we lift pretty heavy amounts until fail. I live in a small town and it's the same diehards that have been working out together for almost a year and a half so our trainer is consistently pushing us to the max with new plans and such. I also run pretty regularly on top of all this. I run on the weekends to so I honestly don't see where I could improve exercise wise unless I start heading to the gym in the morning before work and then again in the evening. Of course, then there's the question of a life as well!

    How about staggering calories/upping them? Are there any foods I should be avoiding in the pm? I heard that you should mostly try to eat protein in the pm and slowly reduce your carbs as the day progresses but where I workout in the evenings I realize that I do need recovery carbs.

    .Another thing to try would be to mix up your workout routine. If you are already running or cycling, add in some interval training/sprint workouts. If you aren't running or cycling, try adding that in - try a Zumba class or a spin class. Our body adjusts to our routines so we need to keep it on it's toes :)

    Make sure you are eating enough as well.....you should be eating your exercise calories back to re-fuel your body --- the 1200 calories we start each with already has a deficit built in to allow for weight loss.

    Forgot.....to break through when I stopped losing, on top of the adding the interval/sprints to my run once a week, I make sure that my three main meals have some good carbs in them, and I have a healthy protein snack inbetween....planned out, there is at least 5 hours between all my meals that contain carbs (good only) I have a snack between each meal that is protein. This has busted through and made the scale start moving again. When it stops again, I'll probably add an interval/sprint to my cycling once a week to spark it back up.
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