Elliptical/Weight/Inches

mrslmartin1001
mrslmartin1001 Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,
I'm at my goal weight and usually fluctuate 2-4 pounds.
I can't run/jog the past 5 years due to torn ACL and at times walking
Bothers my knee also.
I've discovered the elliptical at my local gym and I've been doing this almost daily
20/30 mins. I had one at home before my accident, but
I had given up on most all exercise due to "protecting" my knee, and I used to be an avid exerciser.
Over time I've felt worse and worse to the point I decided it was now or never and if I hurt my knee I just would have surgery because it will come to that at some point anyway.
I began by rotating treadmill and elliptical and now I just get on the elliptical and absolutely love it due to the full body workout, I feel accomplished when I get thru!!
My question is, I can tell my legs are more toned and so is my stomach and arms and my clothes fit better and my stomach feels so flat and not "skinny fat/flabby" anymore. BUT I've went up a couple pounds on the scale.
I'm sure this is normal but just wonder has anyone else had this happen and is it temporary?
I've always heard muscle weighs more than fat, but how much more?
Before my accident I never stepped on the scale and never dieted because I exercised so much it didn't matter but now I have to be more conscious of cals in/out.
Need some advise on this issue please!!

Replies

  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is more dense than fat so a pound of muscle takes up less volume than a pound of fat.

    Don't focus so much on the scale. A number on the scale is simply a measurement, the same as body fat %, the measurement of body parts in inches, the number of pounds one can bench press or squat, how far or fast one can run, etc. I believe that any one of these measurements should not be the end-all-and-be-all of a person's efforts to become more healthy and fit but neither should any of them be discounted.

    Here's a little personal history that may help. A few years ago I got down to 122 pounds by eating less and running. I lost focus and put some weight back on. This time around I'm lifting weights, too. I currently weigh somewhere in the mid-130s but I can wear the clothes that fit me when I weighed 122 pounds. I weigh 10-15 pounds more so that shouldn't be possible, right? Wrong. Since muscle is more dense than fat, the scale reflects a higher weight but I'm just as small as I was when I weighed more than 10 pounds less.

    Since you've already reached your weight goal and you like the way you look weigh yourself regularly but use that number in combination with your body measurements (waist, hips, thighs, etc.) to make sure you're staying on track.
  • Medlady1
    Medlady1 Posts: 1
    That's great. So I was debating to get an elliptical but several people say it is a good machine when you want to tone mid section.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    SueInAz wrote: »
    Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound. Muscle is more dense than fat so a pound of muscle takes up less volume than a pound of fat.

    Don't focus so much on the scale. A number on the scale is simply a measurement, the same as body fat %, the measurement of body parts in inches, the number of pounds one can bench press or squat, how far or fast one can run, etc. I believe that any one of these measurements should not be the end-all-and-be-all of a person's efforts to become more healthy and fit but neither should any of them be discounted.

    Here's a little personal history that may help. A few years ago I got down to 122 pounds by eating less and running. I lost focus and put some weight back on. This time around I'm lifting weights, too. I currently weigh somewhere in the mid-130s but I can wear the clothes that fit me when I weighed 122 pounds. I weigh 10-15 pounds more so that shouldn't be possible, right? Wrong. Since muscle is more dense than fat, the scale reflects a higher weight but I'm just as small as I was when I weighed more than 10 pounds less.

    Since you've already reached your weight goal and you like the way you look weigh yourself regularly but use that number in combination with your body measurements (waist, hips, thighs, etc.) to make sure you're staying on track.

    I like this response

  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Medlady1 wrote: »
    That's great. So I was debating to get an elliptical but several people say it is a good machine when you want to tone mid section.

    You can't really "tone" your midsection; that's misleading information.

    An elliptical machine doesn't create muscle. Using an elliptical burns calories. When you burn more calories than you eat you lose fat. You get "toned" by losing the fat that's covering the muscles that already exist. You can do this with any exercise or even none at all.
  • mrslmartin1001
    mrslmartin1001 Posts: 23 Member
    Thanks this really has helped, I'm going to weigh once a week and not be fixed on the numbers. It makes sense the muscle and fat mass/ratio. And yes I have noticed the most change in my med section!
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    There is no way 20-30 mins on the elliptical can build muscle.......

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