When you start working out why stall?

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I'm not really sure how to word the title.
But I have lost 53 lbs so far and I have about 45 to go.
I lost 52 pounds from counting calories and light exercise.
Now I have joined a gym and am working out like a beast. I knew it was time to start toning up.
But why do you stops for pounds?
Please don't tell me to not look at the number - because when you are fat, that's all you focus on :)
Is there a time frame that the numbers start catching up to inches?
I joined planet fitness and my workout consists of -
25 min on the arc trainer. Working my time up 5 mins each time.
Then I do legs, arms and free weights. I do this every other day. I'm at the gym about 2 hours.
I do 4 sets of 12.
But I'm not seeing numbers change. Not even slightly.
Can anyone offer any help at all? Or point me in a good direction?

Thanks from Ft. Worth!
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Replies

  • SusanKing1981
    SusanKing1981 Posts: 257 Member
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    I'm not really sure how to word the title.
    But I have lost 53 lbs so far and I have about 45 to go.
    I lost 52 pounds from counting calories and light exercise.
    Now I have joined a gym and am working out like a beast. I knew it was time to start toning up.
    But why do you stops for pounds?
    Please don't tell me to not look at the number - because when you are fat, that's all you focus on :)
    Is there a time frame that the numbers start catching up to inches?
    I joined planet fitness and my workout consists of -
    25 min on the arc trainer. Working my time up 5 mins each time.
    Then I do legs, arms and free weights. I do this every other day. I'm at the gym about 2 hours.
    I do 4 sets of 12.
    But I'm not seeing numbers change. Not even slightly.
    Can anyone offer any help at all? Or point me in a good direction?

    Thanks from Ft. Worth!

    Sorry, not sure I understand the bold section. Do you mean why do you stop losing lbs?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    When you start a new workout routine or amp up an old one, the body floods sore muscles with more fluid to help cushion and repair them. This reads like a stall or even a slight gain on the scale. But it's temporary and it's just masking the fat loss that's still happening. It could take a couple of weeks for your body to get used to the new routine.
  • br3adman
    br3adman Posts: 284 Member
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    You may be dropping fat but building muscle now. If you drop 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle it won't show on the scale. Also your cells hold water during strong workouts. I suggest work out 3 or 4 days then walk 2 days
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    faeriesue1 wrote: »
    I'm not really sure how to word the title.
    But I have lost 53 lbs so far and I have about 45 to go.
    I lost 52 pounds from counting calories and light exercise.
    Now I have joined a gym and am working out like a beast. I knew it was time to start toning up.
    But why do you stops for pounds?
    Please don't tell me to not look at the number - because when you are fat, that's all you focus on :)
    Is there a time frame that the numbers start catching up to inches?
    I joined planet fitness and my workout consists of -
    25 min on the arc trainer. Working my time up 5 mins each time.
    Then I do legs, arms and free weights. I do this every other day. I'm at the gym about 2 hours.
    I do 4 sets of 12.
    But I'm not seeing numbers change. Not even slightly.
    Can anyone offer any help at all? Or point me in a good direction?

    Thanks from Ft. Worth!

    Sorry, not sure I understand the bold section. Do you mean why do you stop losing lbs?

    Not sure why it added that part in bold. But yes, major typo there. Why am I not losing pounds - the stall sucks. Lol
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    br3adman wrote: »
    You may be dropping fat but building muscle now. If you drop 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle it won't show on the scale. Also your cells hold water during strong workouts. I suggest work out 3 or 4 days then walk 2 days

    By walking you mean cardio?
    I really really like the arc trainer. Treadmills are out. They bore me. :)
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    When you start a new workout routine or amp up an old one, the body floods sore muscles with more fluid to help cushion and repair them. This reads like a stall or even a slight gain on the scale. But it's temporary and it's just masking the fat loss that's still happening. It could take a couple of weeks for your body to get used to the new routine.

    Ahhh... makes sense. This body better catch up quick!
    Thanks! !
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
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    I don't know your specifics, but it's also possible that you've reached equilibrium. (calories in = calories out)

    Remember, your daily caloric maintenance needs will go down as you lose weight. Need to adjust accordingly.
  • SusanKing1981
    SusanKing1981 Posts: 257 Member
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    It's a pain, I've recently joined a gym and am going every other day. The scale is slowly rising every day. I ignore it, I've been beneath my calorie goal every day and not eaten any where near over maintenance so I know I've not gained weight. My muscles are just repairing themselves and holding onto water. It's disheartening but please try not to let it get to you.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
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    If you keep up the workout routine and you are not eating back all of your exercise calories this will reverse itself over time. I had the same thing happen for almost a month after I started lifting. Then in one week 8 pounds disappeared and 2 inches fell off my waist... after that things got pretty much back to normal. Hang in there and you will see the results.
  • ibamosaserreinas
    ibamosaserreinas Posts: 294 Member
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    How long has it been since you started working out more intensely? Whenever I up my workout routine I retain water like crazy for about a week.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
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    br3adman wrote: »
    You may be dropping fat but building muscle now. If you drop 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle it won't show on the scale.

    Wait for it...
  • br3adman
    br3adman Posts: 284 Member
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    br3adman wrote: »
    You may be dropping fat but building muscle now. If you drop 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle it won't show on the scale. Also your cells hold water during strong workouts. I suggest work out 3 or 4 days then walk 2 days

    By walking you mean cardio?
    I really really like the arc trainer. Treadmills are out. They bore me. :)

    Yes cardio. If you eat less and do cardio you will loose more weight. If youre building muscle aka working out you have to eat more calories. It's very hard to do both at once because its two different processes.
  • sweetone76
    sweetone76 Posts: 2 Member
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    I suggest meeting with a trainer or nutritionist at the gym.
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    I see a nutritionist - but the trainer at the gym is in her very early 20's and got her online certificates. I can't qualify her at a trainer in my head. I'm in my 40's.
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    br3adman wrote: »
    br3adman wrote: »
    You may be dropping fat but building muscle now. If you drop 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle it won't show on the scale. Also your cells hold water during strong workouts. I suggest work out 3 or 4 days then walk 2 days

    By walking you mean cardio?
    I really really like the arc trainer. Treadmills are out. They bore me. :)

    Yes cardio. If you eat less and do cardio you will loose more weight. If youre building muscle aka working out you have to eat more calories. It's very hard to do both at once because its two different processes.

    I completely watch my calorie intake. I am doing lots of cardiovascular along with some free weights too to help tone the jiggle :)
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    br3adman wrote: »
    You may be dropping fat but building muscle now. If you drop 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle it won't show on the scale.

    Wait for it...

    Lol. Definitely will be.
    I will succeed :)
  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    How long has it been since you started working out more intensely? Whenever I up my workout routine I retain water like crazy for about a week.


    I only started a more intense workout about 2 weeks ago. I've started my lifestyle change in late January early February.

  • ChanceyTx
    ChanceyTx Posts: 38 Member
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    kwtilbury wrote: »
    I don't know your specifics, but it's also possible that you've reached equilibrium. (calories in = calories out)

    Remember, your daily caloric maintenance needs will go down as you lose weight. Need to adjust accordingly.

    My nutritionist told me 1100 calories... and I stick with it....for now.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    You arent building muscle and what Dianne said. Just be patient and keep on exercising. Take one rest day a week.
  • ajnb88
    ajnb88 Posts: 339 Member
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    If you're working your muscles properly for the first time, they're going to react very quickly. When I first started lifting, I actually gained just over a kg of muscle while simultaneously losing a kg of fat in the first month or so, meaning my actual scale weight didn't change, but I looked better. As your muscle mass increases, so will your BMR, meaning that you need more calories just to maintain weight, and so if you stick to your original deficit, it'll actually be increasing - ergo, you'll lose weight.

    Two weeks really isn't worth looking too much into though, try four weekly - oh, and 53lbs in 5/6 months is very dramatic, don't forget to reassess calories etc once in a while, especially if you're massively increasing workouts.