Losing inches but not pounds?
hlo9603
Posts: 104 Member
Anyone else find it weird to not shed pounds but continuously lose inches? I feel like I keep trimming down but my weight stays the same. Don't get me wrong I will take any loss but it just seems weird. If I'm shedding fat then shouldn't the scale match?
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Replies
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This is perfectly normal. What's happening is that you're gaining muscle and losing fat. Muscle is more dense than fat so that's why your weight is not changing. If you are losing inches you are losing Body Fat %, and you are on the right track. The scale can be an evil thing sometimes.0
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That seems to be how it goes for me. I will lose very little weight for quite a long time, while consistently losing inches. Then I'll get a "whoosh" of a several pound loss. And repeat. I had to learn to stop obsessing over the number on the scale and just pay attention to how my body is changing for the better.0
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I say embrace it, your size is what you and the world see, not the scale in your bathroom. The pounds will catch up, I have no doubt. Keep up the great work.0
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Same here ! My weight has been the same for 13 days now but I keep losing cm. ( I do workout a lot though )0
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That seems to be how it goes for me. I will lose very little weight for quite a long time, while consistently losing inches. Then I'll get a "whoosh" of a several pound loss. And repeat. I had to learn to stop obsessing over the number on the scale and just pay attention to how my body is changing for the better.
Good idea thanks!!0 -
WayneBradt wrote: »I say embrace it, your size is what you and the world see, not the scale in your bathroom. The pounds will catch up, I have no doubt. Keep up the great work.
Thank u!! I'm trying!0 -
markjacobs1987 wrote: »This is perfectly normal. What's happening is that you're gaining muscle and losing fat. Muscle is more dense than fat so that's why your weight is not changing. If you are losing inches you are losing Body Fat %, and you are on the right track. The scale can be an evil thing sometimes.
I agree the scale is evil! Lol0 -
Could be you are building muscle while you are losing fat. I struggle with keeping my spirits up sometimes because others in the community are dropping more pounds but I see my shape changing and ultimately that is what I want-
to feel strong, healthy and shapely!0 -
vvallentyne wrote: »Could be you are building muscle while you are losing fat.
Thanks I hope you're right!!0 -
vvallentyne wrote: »Could be you are building muscle while you are losing fat.
Thanks I hope you're right!!
Op, that is pretty doubtful. It is extremely....extremely difficult to put on muscle fast enough to stall out movement on the scale.
What you are most likely seeing is a mix of things. Possible noob gains...don't know your exercise regimen though....where the noob puts on a little muscle early on while in a deficit.
What makes up a majority of the weight when you lose inches, but not weight is water. When a person starts a new workout routine, or changes the intensity of their current one the body will retain water for muscle repair. This can last for a few weeks until the body adjusts and the water flushes, normally resulting in a drop on the scale.
I hope this is not discouraging, as it shouldn't be, it's proof that you're doing it right.0 -
vvallentyne wrote: »Could be you are building muscle while you are losing fat.
Thanks I hope you're right!!
Op, that is pretty doubtful. It is extremely....extremely difficult to put on muscle fast enough to stall out movement on the scale.
What you are most likely seeing is a mix of things. Possible noob gains...don't know your exercise regimen though....where the noob puts on a little muscle early on while in a deficit.
What makes up a majority of the weight when you lose inches, but not weight is water. When a person starts a new workout routine, or changes the intensity of their current one the body will retain water for muscle repair. This can last for a few weeks until the body adjusts and the water flushes, normally resulting in a drop on the scale.
I hope this is not discouraging, as it shouldn't be, it's proof that you're doing it right.
Thanks I appreciate your input. Makes sense!0 -
Bonus!0
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I often see no loss on the scale for two weeks but drop inches, then all of a sudden I have a 3-5 pound loss. All 29 pounds I've lost have been that way0
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Amanda4change wrote: »I often see no loss on the scale for two weeks but drop inches, then all of a sudden I have a 3-5 pound loss. All 29 pounds I've lost have been that way
Awesome that's good to know thanks!!0 -
oooooo you beat me to it. So yeah as Mark was saying, you're gaining muscle and losing fat, hence the reason you're seeing inches being lost.markjacobs1987 wrote: »This is perfectly normal. What's happening is that you're gaining muscle and losing fat. Muscle is more dense than fat so that's why your weight is not changing. If you are losing inches you are losing Body Fat %, and you are on the right track. The scale can be an evil thing sometimes.0 -
Anyone else find it weird to not shed pounds but continuously lose inches? I feel like I keep trimming down but my weight stays the same. Don't get me wrong I will take any loss but it just seems weird. If I'm shedding fat then shouldn't the scale match?
That's great progress! Nope, the scale does not always match.0 -
why are you complaining about this? inches lost is what you want - who gives a crap about a number?0
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wrecktechno wrote: »why are you complaining about this? inches lost is what you want - who gives a crap about a number?
I'm not complaining. I was just wondering why...0 -
You are likely not gaining muscle (which takes tons of work) but you may be losing fat while retaining muscle. Personally I am up on the scale but have lost inches and my clothes are getting loose, which is preferable to me!0
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I'm seeing exactly the same. I'm guessing it's more water retention than muscle gain.
Who cares? Its the inches I want to lose, not "weight"
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The same thing is happening to me! I have actually put on 1lb from my previous lowest weight (I dropped 1.5lbs a week and a half ago and have now gained 1lb back) but I am losing inches. I've lost over 1 inch off my hips and 0.5 off my waist in the last week alone.
I have body composition scales and they tell me I've lost slightly under 1% body fat in that time period and my water % has gone up (as others have said it would) so I guess I am retaining a little more water and possibly increasing muscle but I'm not sure.
It is very frustrating not to see the scale move I do agree. I'm now almost 6 weeks into this diet and exercise regime and for the first 3-4 weeks I lost consistently on the scale but now it seems to be happening this way. The last time the scale weight dropped it didn't happen for 10 days and now it's up a little so I hope that soon it will drop down a bit lower but we will see. I still have another 25 lbs and 12% body fat to lose.0 -
Thanks for asking this question! I was logging on to ask the same thing for myself. I appreciate the responses you've received. I'm glad it's not just me. 0
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The same thing is happening to me! I have actually put on 1lb from my previous lowest weight (I dropped 1.5lbs a week and a half ago and have now gained 1lb back) but I am losing inches. I've lost over 1 inch off my hips and 0.5 off my waist in the last week alone.
I have body composition scales and they tell me I've lost slightly under 1% body fat in that time period and my water % has gone up (as others have said it would) so I guess I am retaining a little more water and possibly increasing muscle but I'm not sure.
It is very frustrating not to see the scale move I do agree. I'm now almost 6 weeks into this diet and exercise regime and for the first 3-4 weeks I lost consistently on the scale but now it seems to be happening this way. The last time the scale weight dropped it didn't happen for 10 days and now it's up a little so I hope that soon it will drop down a bit lower but we will see. I still have another 25 lbs and 12% body fat to lose.
Yeah it's the strangest thing! But hopefully we eventually start seeing the scale go down. But I'm okay with losing inches lol0 -
lovesraspberries wrote: »Thanks for asking this question! I was logging on to ask the same thing for myself. I appreciate the responses you've received. I'm glad it's not just me.
Glad someone else could benefit!!0 -
hangnail666 wrote: »
oooooo you beat me to it. So yeah as Mark was saying, you're gaining muscle and losing fat, hence the reason you're seeing inches being lost.markjacobs1987 wrote: »This is perfectly normal. What's happening is that you're gaining muscle and losing fat. Muscle is more dense than fat so that's why your weight is not changing. If you are losing inches you are losing Body Fat %, and you are on the right track. The scale can be an evil thing sometimes.
Doubtful, that really doesn't happen. Muscle isn't built that quickly.0 -
It's more likely water weight than muscle, esp if you are drinking alot. It's REALLY hard to build muscle at a deficit, it's a fight to just keep what you already have.0
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Omg same here..glad I'm not the only one 0
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Thank-you for posting. I am in the same boat. I like to thank everyone for responding. It was what I needed. I am ok now.0
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