Help.. I'm having the hardest time losing weight!

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amorreal
amorreal Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there.. I guess I am just writing as I have found that I need some encouragement. I am 6 ft tall, female, and 195 pounds. Having a pretty "athletic" frame.. I tend to gain most of my weight in my upper body and mid section. I recently have been training for a half marathon, and eating extremely healthy and watching my calorie intake. Although my body has changed shape and my clothes fit better, I have not lost one pound in the last month and I still stand here at 195!

I am just so discouraged. Ultimately I would like to get down to 160.. but at this rate, I literally think it will never happen :( Does anyone have any suggestions or similar experiences?

Replies

  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
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    That can account for a lot of things. But I think that if you are working out hard-- you probably arent seeing a loss because you are replacing fat with muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. Give it some time, you will see it budge.
  • mehmig
    mehmig Posts: 55 Member
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    I will be watching this thread as I'm going through something similar. My shape is changing, but I'm still not losing weight. I think it may be that I'm not drinking enough water, but I'm unsure. Good luck
  • p_mendoza
    p_mendoza Posts: 4
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    i think you are gaining muscle so that is why the scale isn't moving, but as you said, you look better and feel better and i think that is the most important thing....even if the scale is being a total idiot :D
  • p_mendoza
    p_mendoza Posts: 4
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    i think you are gaining muscle so that is why the scale isn't moving, but as you said, you look better and feel better and i think that is the most important thing....even if the scale is being a total idiot :D
  • angel29476
    angel29476 Posts: 4
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    i have lost almost 4 kgs - i think its almost 8 pounds- so far and then i found this site.

    during my first 1-2 weeks of dieting i havents shed anything but 0.5 - 1 kilo.
    after 3 weeks, one morning i got on the scales and i had shed 2 kilos! whole 2 kilos!
    i guess that it takes some time to see results.

    also google the equal of 1 kilo of muscle compared to 1 kilos of fat. fat is like 2-3 times bigger that muscle.
    so i would suggest not to look at your scales but your clothes.

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_x9XqO71g3iQ/TJDSqPBa1fI/AAAAAAAAAA4/bfYyMMVuZO8/s1600/fatvmuscle.jpg

    xxx
  • johnnythebaptist
    johnnythebaptist Posts: 103
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    I am just so discouraged. Ultimately I would like to get down to 160.. but at this rate, I literally think it will never happen :( Does anyone have any suggestions or similar experiences?

    Just want to say dont worry about the scale>>>>>Your body may handle that weight well at this moment; in your training stage. Measure yourself and that is where you will get those great feelings of accomplishment.
  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
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    What does a scale know?
    Actually, all it knows it the effect of gravitational pull on your body. It knows NOTHING about your body's composition. Don't worry about the number on the scale so much. Muscle is denser than fat so therefore, weighs more in comparison to size.
    If your clothes are fitting better, your body is responding to activity better and you are meeting your goals for fitness, don't worry about the weight so much. Scales are pretty stupid. And some are even fickle. Mine will tell me I weigh 2 pounds heavier one minute than the next. I KNOW it is nice to see the weight go down (I am proud of the number of pounds my scale reads less than when I started), but I am even prouder that I can bike 10 miles in an hour without feeling like I am going to pass out. I can walk 40 minutes at the highest incline on my treadmill and not feel like I have been hit by a mack truck when I am done and when injuries aren't plaguing my existence, I can do Jillian Michaels' 30 DS without threat of a coronary. I'll bet you're doing even better!
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
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    The only time that muscles weighs more than fat, is if the pounds of muscles is higher than the pounds of fat. If they are the same weight, then they will weigh the same. 5lbs of muscles and 5lbs of fat = 5 pounds.

    Muscle takes up less space than fat and is heavier than fat.

    Amorreal,

    How are you eating? How many calories?

    Pick up your workouts. Try interval workouts and boot camp workouts. Exercises that will challenge you. If you are doing the same workouts over and over, your body will get use to that and not want the weight to move.
  • amorreal
    amorreal Posts: 3
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    Thank you for all the support! I understand that sometimes when you do up your workouts and start to develop more muscle, you see less actual improvement on the scale at first.. it is true my clothes are starting to feel better, and I do look slimmer.. so maybe I just have to keep waiting. I guess my main concern is that for a 6 foot female at 194 I am considered "overweight" according to BMI charts. I have always been a bit on the heavier side, but being both a swimmer and water polo player for 13 years.. I always figured i was getting enough exercise, just not eating properly.

    Once I stopped swimming and playing polo, I made some significant diet changes. I aim for about 1500 a day and I have cut out gluten (mostly just to stop eating white bread and pasta..) and have reduced my sugar and fat intake a lot. I have been to a nutritionist and have been trying to eat more balanced meals.. but as far as nutrition goes, I think I am much better off now. I just started training for my first half marathon (ran a 10k last month in 50mins) and have seen my body change.. just not the number on that scale!

    As I am traveling through europe for the next month, I can't do much more than run as I don't have gym access.. but any suggestions of workouts for when I get back? I am looking at spending two months (july-sept before I move back to University) to get really strict and focused. I am going to be training for the run... but along with that, I was thinking of adding in three days of weight training and possibly some stadiums? Any suggestions?

    Thank you for all the support, it means the world to me. I will keep everyone posted on my progress, and let me know if you run into any issues yourselves! I would love to be here for you as well.

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