Not Losing Weight, Muscle Gain?

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lmg1212
lmg1212 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started a new job 3 weeks ago, very physical with lots of walking. Although I've been slack with counting calories I know I am within or very close to my allowance but my weight is staying steady. I don't get it, I'm sweating just about all day from the physical exertion and and am stiff and aching each morning until I get going so I'm doing a pretty intense work out and eating really well. Breakfast toast and marmalade, lunch yoghurt, fresh fruit, cherry toms, sometimes a salad sandwich instead of the yoghurt and a muslei bar for morning tea. Then because I'm working longer than my hubby he cooks and only knows about 3 dishes, stir fry chicken with veg, pork chops and homemade fish and chips. Could it be muscle gain or is that just a myth?

Replies

  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
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    You're not gaining significant muscle just from walking on the job. It's only been 3 weeks, so you really don't know what's happening. Even if you're in a deficit, it takes time to show on the scale. Usually you'll see it in how your clothes fit first.

    Track your intake as well as you can because more exercise means more hunger levels, so you might be eating more than you think.

    Congrats on the new job, and good luck.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    You have to eat MORE than you burn per day, and train with heavy weights to gain muscle. Walking isn't going to do it. You could be retaining water due to increased activity, but it's more likely that you aren't in a calorie deficit. If you aren't logging accurately, you really don't know how many calorie per day you're eating.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    I was having the same problem. I was working out, burning 400cal - 500cal per day, getting within my caloric goal and the scale did NOT move for 4 weeks. It was so annoying. Up 3lbs, down 3lbs, up 3lbs, down 3lbs....

    I started the 2-week-Dr Oz diet 4 days ago. Finally moving past my 3lbs plateau!
    No bread, pasta or any kind of wheat
    No dairy except greek yogurt
    No sugar or sugar substitutes
    No alcohol, sodas & coffee
    No fruits except 1/2 cup of berries and 1/2 a banana

    Unlimited low glycemic vegetables
    Unlimited Greet tea (don't like it)
    in moderation:avocado, olive oil
    6oz of protein
    1/2 cup of rice
    Snacks: hummus, nuts, pickles

    SO far it is ok. My sister is having a hard time with the restrictions. I am thinking I may continue past the 2 weeks.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    kiminikimkim wrote: »
    I was having the same problem. I was working out, burning 400cal - 500cal per day, getting within my caloric goal and the scale did NOT move for 4 weeks. It was so annoying. Up 3lbs, down 3lbs, up 3lbs, down 3lbs....

    I started the 2-week-Dr Oz diet 4 days ago. Finally moving past my 3lbs plateau!
    No bread, pasta or any kind of wheat
    No dairy except greek yogurt
    No sugar or sugar substitutes
    No alcohol, sodas & coffee
    No fruits except 1/2 cup of berries and 1/2 a banana

    Unlimited low glycemic vegetables
    Unlimited Greet tea (don't like it)
    in moderation:avocado, olive oil
    6oz of protein
    1/2 cup of rice
    Snacks: hummus, nuts, pickles

    SO far it is ok. My sister is having a hard time with the restrictions. I am thinking I may continue past the 2 weeks.

    There's nothing particularly wrong with this diet for two weeks (other than that it's fairly unnecessary to cut these things out unless you specifically need the motivation of a quick water weight loss), but I think you'll find that Dr. Oz isn't particularly well-respected around here. Especially not after admitting before the US Congress that the products he has backed don't actually work.

  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    kiminikimkim wrote: »
    I was having the same problem. I was working out, burning 400cal - 500cal per day, getting within my caloric goal and the scale did NOT move for 4 weeks. It was so annoying. Up 3lbs, down 3lbs, up 3lbs, down 3lbs....

    I started the 2-week-Dr Oz diet 4 days ago. Finally moving past my 3lbs plateau!
    No bread, pasta or any kind of wheat
    No dairy except greek yogurt
    No sugar or sugar substitutes
    No alcohol, sodas & coffee
    No fruits except 1/2 cup of berries and 1/2 a banana

    Unlimited low glycemic vegetables
    Unlimited Greet tea (don't like it)
    in moderation:avocado, olive oil
    6oz of protein
    1/2 cup of rice
    Snacks: hummus, nuts, pickles

    SO far it is ok. My sister is having a hard time with the restrictions. I am thinking I may continue past the 2 weeks.


    Glad to hear you found something that is working for you, but it's not the foods you've given up that are helping you lose weight, it's the fact that you're eating less than you burn. This diet sounds miserable, and anything with Dr. Oz's name on it is *kitten*.

    OP, just start tracking your food properly. No reason to give up several food groups and make yourself miserable.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    lmg1212 wrote: »
    Although I've been slack with counting calories I know I am within or very close to my allowance but my weight is staying steady.

    If you aren't counting, you don't know. Especially when someone else is preparing the food.
    Could it be muscle gain...?

    No.

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    kiminikimkim wrote: »
    I was having the same problem. I was working out, burning 400cal - 500cal per day, getting within my caloric goal and the scale did NOT move for 4 weeks. It was so annoying. Up 3lbs, down 3lbs, up 3lbs, down 3lbs....

    I started the 2-week-Dr Oz diet 4 days ago. Finally moving past my 3lbs plateau!
    No bread, pasta or any kind of wheat
    No dairy except greek yogurt
    No sugar or sugar substitutes
    No alcohol, sodas & coffee
    No fruits except 1/2 cup of berries and 1/2 a banana

    Unlimited low glycemic vegetables
    Unlimited Greet tea (don't like it)
    in moderation:avocado, olive oil
    6oz of protein
    1/2 cup of rice
    Snacks: hummus, nuts, pickles

    SO far it is ok. My sister is having a hard time with the restrictions. I am thinking I may continue past the 2 weeks.
    Totally unnecessary. Eat less than you burn and you will lose weight.

    Dr. Oz loves a good fad diet.
  • lmg1212
    lmg1212 Posts: 3 Member
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    Its not just walking, I am lifting things all day, climbing up and down steps to reach high storage areas, bending, stretching, pretty much an aerobics class with added walking that lasts 8 hours each day! My clothes do feel looser.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    If you're eating at a deficit you're not packing on the muscle. Could possibly be water retention from the extra work or you're eating more than you think.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    Water perhaps but not muscle.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    kiminikimkim wrote: »
    I was having the same problem. I was working out, burning 400cal - 500cal per day, getting within my caloric goal and the scale did NOT move for 4 weeks. It was so annoying. Up 3lbs, down 3lbs, up 3lbs, down 3lbs....

    I started the 2-week-Dr Oz diet 4 days ago. Finally moving past my 3lbs plateau!
    No bread, pasta or any kind of wheat
    No dairy except greek yogurt
    No sugar or sugar substitutes
    No alcohol, sodas & coffee
    No fruits except 1/2 cup of berries and 1/2 a banana

    Unlimited low glycemic vegetables
    Unlimited Greet tea (don't like it)
    in moderation:avocado, olive oil
    6oz of protein
    1/2 cup of rice
    Snacks: hummus, nuts, pickles

    SO far it is ok. My sister is having a hard time with the restrictions. I am thinking I may continue past the 2 weeks.

    oh my NO ….
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    lmg1212 wrote: »
    Its not just walking, I am lifting things all day, climbing up and down steps to reach high storage areas, bending, stretching, pretty much an aerobics class with added walking that lasts 8 hours each day! My clothes do feel looser.

    putting on muscle is hard work ..unless you are eating more and progressively lifting heavy things you are not going to be putting on muscle..plus it will take more than three weeks to put on any muscle…

    do you own a food scale? Weight/measure/log everything you eat?
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    kiminikimkim wrote: »
    I started the 2-week-Dr Oz diet 4 days ago.

    :noway:

    OP, water retention from the new activity could be masking a loss but it's hard to say unless you're counting your calories.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    Yeah, it's not muscle. More likely water retention. But you need to track your calories. Weigh everything, measuring cups don't cut it for solids.

    Dr. OZ is a fraud.

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