Please answer! :)

MissAnjy · June 2011

Question: I have been doing CLX for 6 weeks now. When I began the program, I took my weight & measurements. After my first 30 days, I took pictures, however, my weight stayed the same. I didn't really care because I knew when you start a new program, that can happen. I logged in my same weight (in my results) and moved on. I had about 4 days rest between the end of BURN & the beginning of PUSH. I still did c25k those days, but not the CLX. My ending weight for CLX (and starting since it never changed during the month) was 159!

Monday came along and I weighed in for my starting weight in PUSH. My weight (4 days after completing the first phase) was now 155! 4 lbs. Obviously my muscles had been holding water, etc. I was fine with that, obviously.

Starting weight for PUSH was 155. Next weigh in 1 week later .... 162. Hmph, oh well. This morning (after 2 weeks of PUSH) back to 159.

What my question here is: How will i ever know my true weight if i hold & retain until i STOP lifting? Right now, it appe ars like I've lost 0lbs and that never encourages someone to do the routine i'm on when they seem to believe by numbers that i've lost no weight. I'm curious to see what my # is after the 4 days of rest between PUSH and LEAN phase, i'm just curious as to how I will ever really know what my true weight is? I don't rely on the scale to show me whether i succeeded or failed, however, it can be an indicator here and there if you're on the right track, step it up, etc.

I was under the impression that when you started a new program your muscles will retain water, etc & you will see a gain in the beginning (which i was fine with, i disregard the scale for the most part). What i'm wondering is, why do I seem to hold for months at a time? It's odd.

If I never stopped lifting between phases, I would think that I hadn't lost a darn pound in 3 months (scale-wise). It's only when I stop for a few days that I see the massive drop in numbers,but when i pick it back up, the number goes right back. why is that?

ChirishGirl · June 2011

I really wish I had an answer for you... because then I'd know too...lol. I had worked out in some form or another every single day since starting this - I think I was at 50 days. This past Sunday I actually took a rest day for the first time, got on the scale after my day of rest and lost 5 lbs. I have a Doc friend that told me I NEED to take my rest days so my muscles have the time to recover and rebuild. Maybe that's what you're seeing when you did the in-between?

Regardless - you are doing a GREAT job sticking with it even when discouraged. I'm still hanging on to the "Lean Phase" light at the end of the tunnel...LOL!

epj78 · June 2011

You never mention what your measurements did in that time frame. I would definitely use this as a gauge of your success. Weight is just a number that no one but you knows. Measurements are a number --- but one everyone sees (not the number per say - but they see the increase or reduction). Plus, it tells more a story of true fat loss. Since fat is "fluffly" and muscle is dense.

Morale of the story: When you are working on health - the scale is just one measurement. Don't count on it. It lies sometimes. Use your measurements, how close fits, etc to tell the whole story. I'm saying throw the scale out (thats how I get myself in trouble) - but just take it with a grain of salt.

I'll let others more versed in weight lifting speak to the scientific part of the question - as I'm sure I'd screw it up!!

dirtyblue · June 2011

I totally agree with above - how did your measurements come in after each phase?

I am currently doing CLX as well, just finishing up the Push Phase. During the month of Burn I lost 9 inches! And my bodyfat (using the calipers) went down by 4.5%. So you can't just go by your weight. And absolutely your muscles will hold water from working out. I even find that if I weigh myself the morning after lifting isn't as good as weighing myself after the morning of cardio.

Try to not concentrate on the scale as much and go more by your measurements.

Juggernautpint · June 2011

First of all, good for you for not looking to the scale as a measure of success. I recently wrote a blog about My Love Affair with the Scale. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Juggernautpint

And while we say we don't care what the scale says, like you pointed out in your post, we still yearn for that movitation seeing the numbers fall. Afterall we posted a weight goal which not only inspires us but others when we lose weight. You've lost 39 lbs so far and you are doing AWESOME! You are looking good and most importantly you are sticking not merely with a fitness plan but hopefully a way of daily living.

My two cents.... and that is all it is because honestly you are doing great. Maybe your metabolism has climatized to your regime? Glancing over your food diary you consistently have daily calories remaining surplus to your daily deficit with some days with huge remainders which I assume are 'cheat' days in which you didn't record?

I know at some point in my workout regime my metabolism will have an "a ha" moment and realize what is happening. At this point I intend to have a metabolism jump start where I will have to adjust my food plan for a week or two. For example right now my daily caloric intake is 2,500 minus 500 per day to lose one pound a week. In theory, I should be able to eat 2,500 calories a day and maintain, but if I'm consistenly having a calorie deficit my body will have that "a ha" moment and adjust.

Guess what I'm saying is, maybe you need to take a week or two and eat to your 'maintenance' calories. Not suggesting junk food or anything but give back those 500 calories of protein rich muscle building fuel for a couple weeks until your metabolism feels happy again.

Keep it up!

MissAnjy · June 2011

First month, I lost 7.5 inches.

I think the ONLY reason I am even concerning myself with my weight (by scale) is because I want to go clothes shopping, but I want to make sure I go near the end of my "weight-loss" journey. I have this fear of going and spending hundreds of dollars and then losing another 10lbs to where everything is baggy again! I had this happen recently (luckily, only spent about 60$) but none of those work pants fit anymore. My GW is in around 145. I'm currently at 155 (or 159, depending) so I want that number to go down slightly before I think about buying new pants again. That's the only real reason I even care what my weight is. I'm using that as a gauge to when I can start my new wardrobe. It's currently failing me.

Juggernautpint · June 2011

First month, I lost 7.5 inches.

I think the ONLY reason I am even concerning myself with my weight (by scale) is because I want to go clothes shopping, but I want to make sure I go near the end of my "weight-loss" journey. I have this fear of going and spending hundreds of dollars and then losing another 10lbs to where everything is baggy again! I had this happen recently (luckily, only spent about 60$) but none of those work pants fit anymore. My GW is in around 145. I'm currently at 155 (or 159, depending) so I want that number to go down slightly before I think about buying new pants again. That's the only real reason I even care what my weight is. I'm using that as a gauge to when I can start my new wardrobe. It's currently failing me.

I understand. I don't like spending money only to have to throw it away. I purged over a thousand dollars worth of clothes and am reluctant to buy more. However, if a couple pairs of pants help you along the way, it's a cheap investment for piece of mind. You don't have to go buy an entire new wardrobe.

TrainingWithTonya · June 2011

I'd say your true weight is the 159. The reason you dropped after a few days of not lifting is that you didn't need as much glycogen to fuel those workouts, so the body let it go. Glycogen is stored in 3x as much water. You can think of muscles as bratty little kids who won't share. They store their own glycogen and will store more in the muscles you are lifting with and they won't share it with the other parts of the body because they keep it for when they work. When you started lifting again, they said, Oops, we shouldn't have let that glycogen go, and stored more so they could fuel the workouts properly. They have a set point where they basically max out on storage of glycogen, though, so when you are at that set point, you will stop seeing weight increases and start seeing the fat you are losing on the scale too. When you are losing inches you are losing body fat, so focus on that and know that while the scale may never be as low as you want it is because your body is maintaining what it needs to properly fuel the workouts. That's why this journey has to be a lifestyle change instead of a quick fix diet. I recommend to my clients to set their goals based on clothing size and shop then, regardless of what the scale says. You will find that when you are lifting weights, you will have to weigh more then someone who isn't lifting to be the same size in clothing.

Please answer! :)

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