Not losing weight...

meaganlael
meaganlael Posts: 32
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
So about three weeks ago, I started using MFP and started on not a 'diet', but a complete life change as far as fitness goes. The day I decided to start doing this, I was 192 lbs. At the end of the first week, I was down to 187. For the past two weeks, my weight has fluctuated between 187 and 191 and I'm feeling like somehow I've made no progress, even though I've exercised 6 days each week (at least 60 minutes of cardio 5 days a week and mild strength training 2-3 days a week), I have cut fast food/processed food out of my diet and have only been eating fresh foods. I've upped my water intake from 0 cups daily, to 6-8 cups per day, yet I'm not seeing any results. Also, every day I try to push my workout a little harder -- walk an extra mile, walk faster, increase resistance on machines, etc. I have noticed a difference in the way my body feels, like my stomach feeling more muscular and waist seemingly thinner and clothes fitting better. Is this possibly just muscle weight? If so, how long does it take to generally see positive results on the scale? Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this?
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Replies

  • chelseelovesyou
    chelseelovesyou Posts: 109 Member
    I didn't see numbers dropping for the first month I was working out heavily and eating right. But, my body changed rapidly. As long as you feel like you are making progress as far as your body changing and you feeling healthier, don't worry about the scale. no one knows what it says but you...
  • Kolohe71
    Kolohe71 Posts: 613 Member
    Please share you diary, so we can get a better idea of your intake, exersize etc.
  • alisatomp
    alisatomp Posts: 20 Member
    hello! my advise is to get a food scale, measuring cups, spoons and measure everything! and get a heart rate monitor to see if you are actually burning calories on your workouts...good luck!
  • cpip85
    cpip85 Posts: 15 Member
    Just keep going, if your excerising I am sure that it will show on the scales eventually. I've been trying really hard the past couple of weeks too and i've put on weight so I think it's probably muscle building up. I hope so anyway!

    Just don't give up!!

    xx
  • nicolebev436
    nicolebev436 Posts: 20 Member
    I am exactly in the same place that you are. Especially lately my motivation has decreased drastically and it's been difficult for me to keep up with logging everything. I am fairly new to MFP and I lost weight at first and now I am at a constant roller coaster state. What I've been told multiple times is that it takes time. This is exactly what we don't want to hear but it will happen! Friend me and we can motivate each other! :) good luck!
  • Ladydi1982
    Ladydi1982 Posts: 218 Member
    I am in the same boat and I wish I could see the results like everyone else here seems to be seeing. Good luck to you and I hope you see results soon... :flowerforyou:
  • doratobias85
    doratobias85 Posts: 2
    i did similar with myself i went from 204 pounds to 199 two months ago i was doing at least 2 1/2 - 3 hours worth of excersice which was a combination of yoga, step ups, walking, jillian michaels 30 day shred , and tae bo. i have no idea what most of that is i think it all came up under cardio. well anyhow my weight has been the same ever since i lost the first five pounds. my weight never changed since. when i spoke to my doctor she said that chances were it was muscle and that eventually after the body re levels out to the new changes the "weight" would probably go faster. I dont know if that helps any.
    but its food for thought.
  • gec1266
    gec1266 Posts: 201 Member
    It seems as if your body is adjusting to it's new life style. you will always lose "water weight" in the beginning. It just seems to melt away. looking at your progress,the muscle is starting to add onto your body. By doing so,it will look as if you aren't losing weight (you are). What is happening is that muscle weighs more than fat and as you continue to lose fat/unwanted weight,the good weight (muscle) will continue to add to your frame. You will see a body transformation and the weight will beginning to fall off and you will see a body change. Keep up the great work!!!!
  • AlexandraR2011
    AlexandraR2011 Posts: 114 Member
    That happened to me for a while. My body needed a kick start, I guess to shock it into burning fat so I would start running intervals. Start at 3.5 for 5 minutes and then go up a half every 30 seconds and go back down to 4.0 for about 30 minutes. It's a workout and it helped. Also watching sugar intake. I never knew how much sugar I was really eating because I focused on calories but that helps too. If you need anymore help let me know!:) Also clothes fitting better is the best feeling in the world! I just got smaller sizes in shorts and jeans so hopefully they'll feet better soon :) Keep it up!
  • radio_flyer
    radio_flyer Posts: 85
    I've been doing this a month too and at months end, I only lost 2 pounds too .... I know my body is changing though because I have to wear a belt to keep my shorts and jeans from falling off me. Just keep at it.
  • K1Teacher
    K1Teacher Posts: 324 Member
    Your muscles may be retaining water due to the new exercise. Every month when I "bump up" my exercise, there's a week or 2 that I don't lose at all but then on week 3...BAM...a huge loss. Great job with the changes...your body will catch up. :wink:
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    In some people (I am one), there is a phenomenon called the "whoosh" effect. This is where your body stays the same weight....and stays...and stays.... (although you might get a bit squishy in places) and then...BAM!! suddenly some weight disappears all at once. I go weeks with no change, then suddenly lose 2, 3, 4 pounds with a couple of days. Recently, I went 6 weeks with no change, then lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks. Averaged out to 1 pound a week.

    Here is an article by Lyle McDonald (fitness expert) explaining this:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    Suggest you just hang in there!
  • ande2994
    ande2994 Posts: 136
    I think that losing five pounds the first week got your expectations set too high -- the most that people should lose, without doctor's supervision, is more like two pounds in a week.

    Aside from that, you said yourself that this isn't a "diet", it's a lifestyle change. Three weeks is just the beginning of your new lifestyle, so keep up the good work and your body will respond.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    It takes a while for your body to get used to working out. Once it does, it'll start flying off. Stick with it! Remember you're doing this for your health and wellbeing as well as the number on the scale.
  • Flwrsme
    Flwrsme Posts: 39
    I HEAR YOU!.... this just happened to me this week too. The first week I lost about 4 and a half pounds and this week, just .6 ounces.... Talk about discouraging??? BUT everyone says the same thing...sometimes you loose big the first week and then you wont see actual pounds come off until maybe even a month or so. A friend of mine watches "The Biggest Losser" and she says this is very common. Im in a wieght loss challange at work, so unfortunately, atleast for this challange...the pounds matter. But it is a 8 week challange so im hoping it starts coming off by week 4 or 5. Regardless though, I keep reminding myself that im in this for the lifestyle change, Healthier eating and fitness goals are good for you no matter what that STUPID scale says. =) Keep it up, your doing great.
  • ddalhoff
    ddalhoff Posts: 48
    Same thing happens to me all the time. I get so disgusted that I want to quit over and over again. Then I start slacking. It's a viscous cycle!!!! Hang in there though:)
  • Beaukitty
    Beaukitty Posts: 34 Member
    I've had this same "problem". I started at the beginning of May, saw the first little bit of weight drop off quickly, and then just have been holding steady for the last 2 weeks or so. And I have a lot of weight to lose so it's not like the difficult 'final 10' or anything. Just like you're experiencing, clothes seem to fit a little better, but that darn number just mocks me! :tongue: People have been telling me it's muscle because of the increased activity. Hopefully (for both of us) they're right! I'm also curious how many other people get stuck in the first couple of weeks...
  • jmcharles52
    jmcharles52 Posts: 12 Member
    Try measing yourself with a tape you're probably losing inches. Go by how your clothes are fitting, even if you aren't losing weight you are getting healthier.
  • laneybird
    laneybird Posts: 532 Member
    Like you, I lost the first week. I'm assuming it was water weight since I cut out all other drinks and increased my water intake. It was about 3 weeks before I have seen a drop on the scales. As hard as it is not to, try to no focus on the scales. I have a long way to go...but I feel so much better just by living a healthy lifestyle, I love having more energy. Just keep on going, you will see results!
  • daisabelle
    daisabelle Posts: 74 Member
    With you doing quite a lot of strenuous exercise, I could only think that it's possibly your body retaining water in your muscles. I have started doing Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and in week 2 or 3 had a 2lb gain in water weight and then seemed to have pleateau'd. I've changed my goals on here to 40% carb, 40% protein and 30% fat as most days I'm barely getting protein and getting way too much carbs. Also when you go from a sedentary lifestyle to exercising quite a lot you will notice yourself muscle soreness. This then causes your body to repair itself and the body naturally send fluid to the muscles to protect them hence the number on the scale either increasing or staying the same. If you give yourself maybe 2 rest days a week you should notice that your weight drops. This being said 6-8 cups of water may not be enough if you're having excess sodium.
  • knelson422
    knelson422 Posts: 308 Member
    Sometimes it can take 4 to 6 weeks for the scale to really show a difference. If your clothes are fitting better - then you HAVE seen change. Celebrate non-scale victories like that, being able to work out longer, etc. Sounds like you are off to a good start, keep going and you will see the scale move!!! You can do it!!!!
  • Countrymade
    Countrymade Posts: 183 Member
    I know it is easier said than done but don't base your success with just the scale. We are always looking for the scale to go down. You are probably loosing inches and that is also being successful.
  • ChirishGirl
    ChirishGirl Posts: 111
    ARG! So many of us go through this when we start out! I'm on month 2 of all-out working out 7 days a week, new foods, new approach and I keep bouncing about with 4 lbs. It's totally not just you and I'm hoping the "whoosh" effect someone mentioned happens soon! LOL

    It's definitely frustrating, but the thing I keep telling myself is it HAS to happen at some point. You can't keep putting this much effort and energy into something without some kind of change. Keep the faith - you CAN do it... just not as quick as you may want to.

    GOOD LUCK & Keep up the good work!
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    You're doing all the right things. That first big loss is typically water weight. Give your body a chance to adjust to the new changes. Here's another bit of advice; stop weighing yourself so often it's gonna make you nuts. You didn't gain all that weight in a month, so it's gonna take a minute for it to come off. You're on the right track, just hang in there.
  • Blueberry09
    Blueberry09 Posts: 821 Member
    ARG! So many of us go through this when we start out! I'm on month 2 of all-out working out 7 days a week, new foods, new approach and I keep bouncing about with 4 lbs. It's totally not just you and I'm hoping the "whoosh" effect someone mentioned happens soon! LOL

    It's definitely frustrating, but the thing I keep telling myself is it HAS to happen at some point. You can't keep putting this much effort and energy into something without some kind of change. Keep the faith - you CAN do it... just not as quick as you may want to.

    GOOD LUCK & Keep up the good work!
    I'm exactly the same but I've been bouncing around 5 lbs for 3 months now. It's really hard to remain upbeat about the inches lost when the scale goes up and down more times than a yo-yo!
  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
    this happened to me. turns out it was a week before my period. I was down to 137 then I gained to 143 during my period. =[ it could be because your bloated or water weight!!
  • Forensic
    Forensic Posts: 468 Member
    You may be retaining water due to your strenuous exercise. Definitely try to drink enough water - especially with that much exercise you should be drinking even more water. And add protein to recoup after workouts. You'll see the results eventually!
  • ladybugz_247
    ladybugz_247 Posts: 120
    I experienced this too, I am new to MFP and have lost 5 lbs but before that I had been working out and didn't lose but my clothes felt better.. hmmm go figure..
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
    I've been on here for 50 days and the first month I gained 3 pounds. Its figuring what works for you. Suddenly I had an injury due to over worked muscles and lost the 3 pounds I had gained.

    Now I have started Low Carbs (2 days) and eating as clean as I can, bloating is gone and I think I am starting to lose. I cheated and stepped on the scales tonight and am just a bit higher then this morning yay!

    Here is a site to help you set up for low carb if you chose to do it. I was also doing the 30 day shred and lost 4 inches in 2 weeks before my injury.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm
  • meaganlael
    meaganlael Posts: 32
    Thank you all for the motivation! Hopefully for all of us who aren't yet seeing slim numbers on the scale, we all still know that what we're doing is only making our lives better, smaller numbers or not!

    Also, I've been taking Green Tea pills because I read that they can help with weight loss, but I'm wondering if maybe this is having some kind of adverse effect also. Anyone know anything about these?
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