Losing weight, but not inches

Jbledsoe42
Jbledsoe42 Posts: 74 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I've heard of people losing inches and not weight (what with extra weight from muscle gain) but I seem to be losing weight and not inches.

I've been trying hard to be healthier; staying in my doctor suggested calorie intake and exercising at least 4 hours a week (mostly Zumba and training with c25k).

I've lost 15 lbs since January, but my clothes aren't fitting any differently. I've measured myself at the end of every month and have lost maybe 1/2 from some parts. I'm measuring neck, chest, waist, bellybutton, hips, and thighs.

I'm at a loss. I thought I would be feeling and looking different with this weight loss progress..

Replies

  • Neliel
    Neliel Posts: 507 Member
    Do not worry! The inches will drop in time. My inches hardly seemed to move for a while either but as long as you're losing something then you're headed in the right direction. Time and pressure my friend.
  • V44V
    V44V Posts: 366 Member
    Glad it's not just me!!! I've lost an inch off my neck and another off my waist...
  • katyrose221
    katyrose221 Posts: 69 Member
    Believe me, you are losing! Don't give up hope because your clothes seem to fit the same. It could be that you are losing weight from your butt, thighs and arms. I don't know how much you weigh now, but I have noticed that my larger size clothes fit longer (I think they are made with a little extra room to begin with). I didn't see a reduction in my waist size until I started doing the 30-day shred (which focuses on losing inches, and that too was when my weight loss slowed. So it seems to be a trade off). I was like you, losing the pounds, but not the inches. It took some time. Maybe right now you just need to focus on the weight loss and worry about inches later. That is what I try to do, focus on one aspect of my weight loss at a time.

    Good luck! Don't let it get you down.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    The initial part of weight loss is mostly excess fluid buildup being flushed out from the body when you sweat. Once that's all done and over with, the weight loss will start slowing down, but the burning of fat [and some muscle] are going to happen, and THAT'S when the inches will come down. To minimize muscle loss, include strength training into your routine and make sure to get an adequate amount of lean protein into your diet [usually by taking in more] so that your muscles can start repairing themselves once you've used them. Make sure to get a carb AND protein intake, preferably no longer than half an hour, after your workout. The carbs will replete glycogen stores that were used up, and the protein, again, to help repair torn muscle fibers.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Agreed! As long as one or the other is going down, you are doing fine. When one stops, the other seems to start moving, which is why it's definitely a good idea to be tracking both weight and inches. As usual, I have trouble losing inches in my thighs. It's taken nearly two months, but I've finally lost 1/2 inch there. I did a happy dance when I first saw 21.5" on the tape measure. :laugh: Keep up the good work and you'll start to see the results you want soon.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Two things: It can take a while to see inches lost, depending on where and how evenly you carry/lose your fat. I haven't had a huge change in inches, because I carry my fat very evenly and lose it first in stupid places (like my wrists :indifferent: )

    Also, I would suggest incorporating strength/resistance training and make sure you're getting enough protein to prevent muscle loss. Sometimes when you're losing weight but not inches, it can mean you're losing lean tissue (muscle) rather than fat.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    You may be losing visceral fat, that is the fat that builds up under your muscles around your organs. This fat is the most dangerous fat to your health, so if you are losing it that is a very good thing as it will really help your health. Keep going, eventually you will start losing that body fat between your skin and muscle, but for now you are certainly losing, and likely losing what is much more detrimental to your health. Loss of visceral fat, if you have enough, will show up in measurement changes eventually as well, but depending on how it is distributed it might not make big differences in measurements.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    The initial part of weight loss is mostly excess fluid buildup being flushed out from the body when you sweat. Once that's all done and over with, the weight loss will start slowing down, but the burning of fat [and some muscle] are going to happen, and THAT'S when the inches will come down. To minimize muscle loss, include strength training into your routine and make sure to get an adequate amount of lean protein into your diet [usually by taking in more] so that your muscles can start repairing themselves once you've used them. Make sure to get a carb AND protein intake, preferably no longer than half an hour, after your workout. The carbs will replete glycogen stores that were used up, and the protein, again, to help repair torn muscle fibers.

    :laugh: Jinx
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