Losing the inches but not the lbs. Confused!

WelshPhil1975
WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
I started in March, lost a fair amount, then slowed down considerably by about August. I seemed to plateau for a few weeks, then I’d lose 5lb at a time, and this went on for a month or 2.

Lately my weight loss has slowed up to a standstill again and I am not losing much atall; I gain a lb here and there, lose it, put it back on, etc. I am not moaning about this pattern, I know this is probably down to me slipping at this time of year so I am not looking for answers or blame, when it can only be down to me and my eating habits.

What IS perplexing me however, is that whilst my weight won’t shift, the inches are – I am tightening my belt on a regular basis, by clothes are getting looser and looser on me, etc; whilst the weight issue is annoying, surely my goal should be to get thinner, which I still seem to be doing, so I am obviously happy with this, yet surprised that the scales don’t reflect it. I am also getting fitter due to far more exercising (I have taken up power walking over the past 12 months) so that and the fact I am still slimming can only be good things.

But I can’t work out why I can’t see the benefits on the scales. It’s surely been too long to be just waiting for another, say, 5lb loss, I have levelled out since about late November. So why am I getting thinner?

Does anybody else experience this?

Replies

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    muscle is smaller than fat, if you google that on youtube you'll see for yourself how condensed the same weight of muscle is compared to fat, its vast the difference.
    I had a quick look at your diary, for a guy you're not eating that much, are you logging everything you eat, weighing everything etc?
    Everyone goes through plateaus at times and usually it cos we've gotten slacker at tracking our food, or our exercise calories are being over estimated. In other words we're just eating too much.
    But the fact that you are losing inches is extremely positive, thats what everyone else sees :)
  • WednesdayJanuary07th2015
    WednesdayJanuary07th2015 Posts: 163
    I understand this because I just recently gained about 2 Pounds but my waistline, stayed the same; although when I started & weighed less, at that time; my waist was larger.
  • ReeseG4350
    ReeseG4350 Posts: 146 Member
    Are you exercising? Working out regularly? If so, you are likely developing more muscle than you were previously accustomed to. It is a physical law of science: muscle is denser than fat, therefore muscle, pound for pound, takes up less space than the same weight amount of fat.

    Your weight loss pattern actually seems to follow this very pattern. Initially, you lost a lot of weight. This, in all likelihood, was a lot of water weight and a lot of fat as your body adjusted to the 'new normal'. Your body lost weight, fat, and inches in pretty much equal measure. Then, as your body became accustomed to this new pattern and you were working out, building more muscle, you were essentially 'trading' fat for muscle. But, since the muscle, as previously mentioned, takes up less space in your body, the belt notches kept going down but the scale... not so much. This is a good thing as it helps to maintain your body's integrity - less flab, more bone density, etc.
    -
    In other words, while it might not have been your intention to be bragging, you are entitled to do so! Sounds like you are doing everything right.

    Congratulations and keep up the good work!
  • WelshPhil1975
    WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    muscle is smaller than fat, if you google that on youtube you'll see for yourself how condensed the same weight of muscle is compared to fat, its vast the difference.
    I had a quick look at your diary, for a guy you're not eating that much, are you logging everything you eat, weighing everything etc?
    Everyone goes through plateaus at times and usually it cos we've gotten slacker at tracking our food, or our exercise calories are being over estimated. In other words we're just eating too much.
    But the fact that you are losing inches is extremely positive, thats what everyone else sees :)

    If I am being honest, I have been slipping lately; I'd say my diary is about 80% - 90% correct, so the margain for error could be about 300 calories a day. Mind you, I often overestimate portion sizes to take account of "slack", so I would've hoped that this would cancel itself out. But like I said in my post, I am not looking for blame, I fully acknoweldge that I haven't been as good as I could be when it comes to logging over the past couple of months, so if that accounts for the gain, then so be it and a slap on my wrist.

    It's the fact that I am getting slimmer that has been confusing me (in a good way, obviously). But as you say, it's a positive, so I'm not complaining! :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    YAY for lost inches! Much rather have that than pounds.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    This is how I lose weight.

    I lose inches for a few weeks, then I'll have a "whoosh" on the scale. It happens to a lot of people.

    Here's an article that explains one possible reason why people lose in whooshes:
    bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/
  • WelshPhil1975
    WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
    ReeseG4350 wrote: »
    Are you exercising? Working out regularly? If so, you are likely developing more muscle than you were previously accustomed to. It is a physical law of science: muscle is denser than fat, therefore muscle, pound for pound, takes up less space than the same weight amount of fat.

    Your weight loss pattern actually seems to follow this very pattern. Initially, you lost a lot of weight. This, in all likelihood, was a lot of water weight and a lot of fat as your body adjusted to the 'new normal'. Your body lost weight, fat, and inches in pretty much equal measure. Then, as your body became accustomed to this new pattern and you were working out, building more muscle, you were essentially 'trading' fat for muscle. But, since the muscle, as previously mentioned, takes up less space in your body, the belt notches kept going down but the scale... not so much. This is a good thing as it helps to maintain your body's integrity - less flab, more bone density, etc.
    -
    In other words, while it might not have been your intention to be bragging, you are entitled to do so! Sounds like you are doing everything right.

    Congratulations and keep up the good work!

    My current exercise is mostly power walking, but I do the occasional squats and other cardio I find on free phone apps and YouTube. I plan to regularly do more of this.

    Compared to others, my exercise is probably very little, but considering then I started this journey I was 292lb and my only exercise was a leisurely stroll to & from the train to work and I am now 248lb and can count mountain walks as a regular hobby, I am happy with my progress so far (even though it wasn’t my intention to boast, to be honest, so apologies), even if I have slowed to a standstill lately (and I want to lose another 48lb by next Christmas if I can, so I need to get the scales moving again pretty sharpish).

  • boredfatman
    boredfatman Posts: 100 Member
    I've had exactly the same this week. I was so disappointed to see I'd gained a couple of pounds and it got me down. However I've definitely slimmed down and gained some muscle too.

    I think sometimes the scales should be banned for our own sanity.
  • WelshPhil1975
    WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
    boredfatman wrote: »
    I've had exactly the same this week. I was so disappointed to see I'd gained a couple of pounds and it got me down. However I've definitely slimmed down and gained some muscle too.

    I think sometimes the scales should be banned for our own sanity.

    I'd go along with that!
  • NasMax
    NasMax Posts: 138 Member
    WelshPhil1975 wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    muscle is smaller than fat, if you google that on youtube you'll see for yourself how condensed the same weight of muscle is compared to fat, its vast the difference.
    I had a quick look at your diary, for a guy you're not eating that much, are you logging everything you eat, weighing everything etc?
    Everyone goes through plateaus at times and usually it cos we've gotten slacker at tracking our food, or our exercise calories are being over estimated. In other words we're just eating too much.
    But the fact that you are losing inches is extremely positive, thats what everyone else sees :)

    If I am being honest, I have been slipping lately; I'd say my diary is about 80% - 90% correct, so the margain for error could be about 300 calories a day. Mind you, I often overestimate portion sizes to take account of "slack", so I would've hoped that this would cancel itself out. But like I said in my post, I am not looking for blame, I fully acknoweldge that I haven't been as good as I could be when it comes to logging over the past couple of months, so if that accounts for the gain, then so be it and a slap on my wrist.

    It's the fact that I am getting slimmer that has been confusing me (in a good way, obviously). But as you say, it's a positive, so I'm not complaining! :)

    300 extra cals per day is considered bulking calories.. you're currently on weight gain calories

    this is your problem

  • WelshPhil1975
    WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
    But if I am bulking, shouldn't I be gaining inches, not losing them?
This discussion has been closed.

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