Losing inches but not pounds
Khovde07
Posts: 508 Member
Ok let me see if I can remember to get everything on here...
I've been on MFP for well over a year but consistently logging since October (work made it impossible to log over the late spring/early summer, long story). I lost weight consistently until Christmas when I let myself loose for a couple days (not crazy, but loose). Since Christmas, I've been plateaued at the same weight. Now before anyone goes and posts that flow chart, I've seen it. I've tried it. It puts me in the bubble about the HRM which doesn't suggest anything for me to change. I've also checked my HRM against my actual pulse and it's very accurate.
Here's the crazy thing, my husband has been taking periodic progress pictures and my most recent one showed definite slimming. But I weighed myself again this morning and I'm still on my plateau. Normally I'd be happy with the smaller clothes and not think anything of it but I'm starting to wonder if my scale is broken or if something is wrong.
I've tried a bunch of different things, I've upped my workouts and added weight lifting to my routines, it didn't work. I've tried switching my MFP goals which lowered my calorie intake, it didn't work. I weigh and measure everything I eat, doesn't work. I even tried relaxing my logging and not stressing about it so much, which actually did work for a little while. I've increased my water intake, decreased my sodium intake, nothing.
I'm getting off topic. My main concern here is that I'm losing inches but not pounds. Is that something I should be concerned about when it's been going on for 3 months?
Here's my stats:
SW: 225
CW: 207
Height: 5'6"
Daily calories: 1,200, but frequently goes up a little with my Fitbit adjustment
Workouts: 2-4 times per week depending on my schedule. Mixture of cardio (mainly Zumba) and lifting (Body Pump)
I've been on MFP for well over a year but consistently logging since October (work made it impossible to log over the late spring/early summer, long story). I lost weight consistently until Christmas when I let myself loose for a couple days (not crazy, but loose). Since Christmas, I've been plateaued at the same weight. Now before anyone goes and posts that flow chart, I've seen it. I've tried it. It puts me in the bubble about the HRM which doesn't suggest anything for me to change. I've also checked my HRM against my actual pulse and it's very accurate.
Here's the crazy thing, my husband has been taking periodic progress pictures and my most recent one showed definite slimming. But I weighed myself again this morning and I'm still on my plateau. Normally I'd be happy with the smaller clothes and not think anything of it but I'm starting to wonder if my scale is broken or if something is wrong.
I've tried a bunch of different things, I've upped my workouts and added weight lifting to my routines, it didn't work. I've tried switching my MFP goals which lowered my calorie intake, it didn't work. I weigh and measure everything I eat, doesn't work. I even tried relaxing my logging and not stressing about it so much, which actually did work for a little while. I've increased my water intake, decreased my sodium intake, nothing.
I'm getting off topic. My main concern here is that I'm losing inches but not pounds. Is that something I should be concerned about when it's been going on for 3 months?
Here's my stats:
SW: 225
CW: 207
Height: 5'6"
Daily calories: 1,200, but frequently goes up a little with my Fitbit adjustment
Workouts: 2-4 times per week depending on my schedule. Mixture of cardio (mainly Zumba) and lifting (Body Pump)
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Replies
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One possible explanation is that you've added weight lifting and you're gaining muscle while losing fat, so the weight stays the same but you're getting slimmer. I'm no expert, but that would be my first thought if you're honestly doing everything else right.
The other common answer people give on here is that weight loss isn't linear and just stick with it because the plateau will end eventually.
Sorry I'm not too helpful, wish I knew something more to tell you!0 -
Less inches is more important than less a number on the scale.
Keep doing what you're doing because, despite what you think about the scale, it's working.0 -
Yeah, it seems your body is revolumizing. I would try to add a refeed day once a week.
A refeed day is a day where you increase your carbohydrate intake to restore your leptin levels and increase your metabolism. It is important to do in long term diets.
But keep going its all worth it in the end!
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I am glad that I am not the only one who's experiencing this. Like yourself, I have been eating healthy, tracking my calories and exercising a lot. I have been doing body pump and RPM (spin) too.
I do see a change in my clothes but I am not seeing the change in the scale. It is getting super frustrating as I have quite a bit of weight to lose. I can feel that I have gained muscle but when you have 100 pounds to lose it gets very discouraging.
So far, I keep my chin up and keep telling myself I am better today than I was yesterday and I feel great. That helps me get me through the hard times.
If you need motivation and support or even just someone to talk to, please add me!1 -
Losing inches is great! You should take measurements. Think of it this way - most of want to lose weight to make our bodies smaller (whatever the motivation). Regardless of the number on the scale, losing inches means you are accomplishing that goal of getting smaller.
Since you are feeling uncertain, try seeing if your scale is the problem. Try changing the batteries or moving it to another spot on the floor or another room and see if anything changes. I have also seen suggestions to weigh yourself holding a heavy book or something else that would obviously change your weight several pounds, then weigh yourself like normal afterward. I guess some scales will get "stuck" on a weight when a person has been consistent and forcing it to change the reading by forcing your self to weigh more could "unstick" it.0 -
thewestnut wrote: »Yeah, it seems your body is revolumizing. I would try to add a refeed day once a week.
A refeed day is a day where you increase your carbohydrate intake to restore your leptin levels and increase your metabolism. It is important to do in long term diets.
But keep going its all worth it in the end!
"Revolumizing" is now my new favorite word. Can my refeed be all the jack and gingers I'm going to drink at the George Thorogood concert on Wednesday and guiness on Thursday? Cause that's what I'm saving calories for.0 -
Basically what everyone else is saying.
I have been at my goal weight fir 5 months now and I am now working on body recomposition. You sounds like you are doing what I want just you didn't intend to do it.
Congrats on the progress though and stay strong.0 -
Thanks everyone! I'm trying to keep my chin up and power through. The main reason I'm concerned about pounds over inches is because late in January my office decided to hold a biggest loser contest that is only measured by pounds. I put money on this sucker! I'm just struggling to stay motivated after 3 months of being stuck.
I was actually wondering this but wrote it off because the scale is brand new. I just went and weighed myself on the (admittedly very inaccurate) scale at work after drinking about a liter of water this morning and according to that scale I'm down almost 5 pounds. What the frack?!Losing inches is great! You should take measurements. Think of it this way - most of want to lose weight to make our bodies smaller (whatever the motivation). Regardless of the number on the scale, losing inches means you are accomplishing that goal of getting smaller.
Since you are feeling uncertain, try seeing if your scale is the problem. Try changing the batteries or moving it to another spot on the floor or another room and see if anything changes. I have also seen suggestions to weigh yourself holding a heavy book or something else that would obviously change your weight several pounds, then weigh yourself like normal afterward. I guess some scales will get "stuck" on a weight when a person has been consistent and forcing it to change the reading by forcing your self to weigh more could "unstick" it.
Agreed!successgal1 wrote: »thewestnut wrote: »Yeah, it seems your body is revolumizing. I would try to add a refeed day once a week.
A refeed day is a day where you increase your carbohydrate intake to restore your leptin levels and increase your metabolism. It is important to do in long term diets.
But keep going its all worth it in the end!
"Revolumizing" is now my new favorite word. Can my refeed be all the jack and gingers I'm going to drink at the George Thorogood concert on Wednesday and guiness on Thursday? Cause that's what I'm saving calories for.
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Thanks everyone! I'm trying to keep my chin up and power through. The main reason I'm concerned about pounds over inches is because late in January my office decided to hold a biggest loser contest that is only measured by pounds. I put money on this sucker! I'm just struggling to stay motivated after 3 months of being stuck.
I was actually wondering this but wrote it off because the scale is brand new. I just went and weighed myself on the (admittedly very inaccurate) scale at work after drinking about a liter of water this morning and according to that scale I'm down almost 5 pounds. What the frack?!Losing inches is great! You should take measurements. Think of it this way - most of want to lose weight to make our bodies smaller (whatever the motivation). Regardless of the number on the scale, losing inches means you are accomplishing that goal of getting smaller.
Since you are feeling uncertain, try seeing if your scale is the problem. Try changing the batteries or moving it to another spot on the floor or another room and see if anything changes. I have also seen suggestions to weigh yourself holding a heavy book or something else that would obviously change your weight several pounds, then weigh yourself like normal afterward. I guess some scales will get "stuck" on a weight when a person has been consistent and forcing it to change the reading by forcing your self to weigh more could "unstick" it.
Agreed!successgal1 wrote: »thewestnut wrote: »Yeah, it seems your body is revolumizing. I would try to add a refeed day once a week.
A refeed day is a day where you increase your carbohydrate intake to restore your leptin levels and increase your metabolism. It is important to do in long term diets.
But keep going its all worth it in the end!
"Revolumizing" is now my new favorite word. Can my refeed be all the jack and gingers I'm going to drink at the George Thorogood concert on Wednesday and guiness on Thursday? Cause that's what I'm saving calories for.
Comparing weights on different scales at different times of day is futile.
Check your current scale and make sure the batteries are properly seated, it's not set off-kilter or wobbly at all. Then go get something that's been pre-weighed (like a 5 lb bag of flour) and weigh that. See if it's correct.0 -
I am in exactly the same boat as you. I in fact have put on 2lb! but my pics show a different story. It is so frustrating! but I guess we have to keep going and eventually it has to show on the scales, especially when you have 2 stone to lose.
Do you eat back your exercise cals now? or not? I am trying not to this week and stick to 1250. I am 5.4, CW 171 and GW 1450 -
How long have you been stuck (have you been stuck at 207 for 3 months)?
Honest answer, with how little you eat (1200 calories) and basically all of your exercise coming from cardio (bodypump, if I remember correctly, is basically a cardio based program) you're not gaining muscle....especially enough to stall the scale. Gaining muscle is really.........really hard, under ideal conditions with a progressive overload program.
I honestly wouldn't sweat the weight not coming off, if you are actually taking measurements and ensuring you are getting smaller. There is a "woosh" factor where if you are getting smaller, eventually the scale will drop. 3 months is a pretty long period of time, but like I said, if you are verifying that you're getting smaller with measurements...I wouldn't sweat it.
IMHO, a "biggest loser" competition that doesn't take BF% into account is pretty bogus.0 -
Do you look better? Feel better? Clothes fit differently? Then you are doing something right. Keep moving in the right direction.
"""I've tried a bunch of different things, I've upped my workouts and added weight lifting to my routines, it didn't work. I've tried switching my MFP goals which lowered my calorie intake, it didn't work. I weigh and measure everything I eat, doesn't work. I even tried relaxing my logging and not stressing about it so much, which actually did work for a little while. I've increased my water intake, decreased my sodium intake, nothing.""
Yes you've tried several thing but Honestly tho...at 207, I'd up those calories, not keep trying to decrease them..I know it sounds counterproductive but you'd be surprised. I'm 50lbs lighter and I'm eating more than you by at least 200 cals and still consistently losing at about 1-1.5lbs a week
Also not sure how long you are sticking with any one particular change but if you're not at least giving it a month, you're not doing it long enough..0 -
I can't work out if people who are concerned at losing inches but not weight are genuinely concerned or just showing off. If you could see your abs and had amazing definition all over your body but weighed 200 lbs, would you be happy or unhappy?0
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JediMasterNaw wrote: »One possible explanation is that you've added weight lifting and you're gaining muscle while losing fat, so the weight stays the same but you're getting slimmer. I'm no expert, but that would be my first thought if you're honestly doing everything else right.
The other common answer people give on here is that weight loss isn't linear and just stick with it because the plateau will end eventually.
Sorry I'm not too helpful, wish I knew something more to tell you!
on a deficit she is not going to gain enough muscle to cause the scale not to move(especially only 1200 calories).she would have to replace the amount of fat she lost with muscle to be even in weight and thats most likely not going to happen in a deficit,including newbie gains. weight loss is also not linear and if you start a new workout program you can retain water. you retain water when you weight lift as well. could just be holding onto water longer than normal(I do that) some weeks you may gain,some you will lose and some you will stay the same.to gain a decent amount of muscle you have to be in a surplus,to lose fat and weight a deficit. everything takes time. it can take 6 weeks for a person to start losing weight,or to see a loss on the scale,some people will lose the first week or 2. also if you are 5'6 and weigh 225 you can eat more than 1200 and still lose,if you dont have any medical issues causing you not to lose at a normal pace. Im 5'6 1/2 and when I was 209 it gave me something like 1700 or 1800 to start out with. I lost weight. If you are losing inches then I wouldnt really worry about it the scale will catch up. everyone isnt the same. if you are weight lifting you dont want to lower your calories you want to be able to fuel your workouts. how long were you weighing food and trying other things before you decided they werent working? just a normal question.0 -
I go thru stages. I lose inches and barely show on the scale then all of a sudden the weight falls off then it slows down again. I have a fitbit and never eat my burned calories. Good luck!! I hope this helped...
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I can't work out if people who are concerned at losing inches but not weight are genuinely concerned or just showing off. If you could see your abs and had amazing definition all over your body but weighed 200 lbs, would you be happy or unhappy?
Are you serious?
Do you have any concept of how much muscle you'd have to have at 5' 6" to be 200 lbs and ripped, even as a woman (allows for more body fat)!? Estimators for body builders indicate even the genetically gifted couldn't get there naturally. It's far enough away that I'm reasonably sure it's not possible with steroids, either.
Not many women want to look like an over-muscled freak of nature. And besides, most women especially are conditioned to use the scale as the ultimate measurement for weight. That number doesn't move, the measurement change might not seem real.
That said, if inches are going down then what you're doing is working, OP. Be patient and the scale will eventually follow, or your measurement improvement will stop. That's when you look to make changes.
I also agree with the poster who mentioned you've tried too many things in too short a time. When you make a change, stick to it for 6 weeks before you abandon it and move on to the next thing or you won't know if what you're doing now is what worked, or if it was the previous change that just got around to showing results.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »JediMasterNaw wrote: »One possible explanation is that you've added weight lifting and you're gaining muscle while losing fat, so the weight stays the same but you're getting slimmer. I'm no expert, but that would be my first thought if you're honestly doing everything else right.
The other common answer people give on here is that weight loss isn't linear and just stick with it because the plateau will end eventually.
Sorry I'm not too helpful, wish I knew something more to tell you!
on a deficit she is not going to gain enough muscle to cause the scale not to move(especially only 1200 calories).she would have to replace the amount of fat she lost with muscle to be even in weight and thats most likely not going to happen in a deficit,including newbie gains. weight loss is also not linear and if you start a new workout program you can retain water. you retain water when you weight lift as well. could just be holding onto water longer than normal(I do that) some weeks you may gain,some you will lose and some you will stay the same.to gain a decent amount of muscle you have to be in a surplus,to lose fat and weight a deficit. everything takes time. it can take 6 weeks for a person to start losing weight,or to see a loss on the scale,some people will lose the first week or 2. also if you are 5'6 and weigh 225 you can eat more than 1200 and still lose,if you dont have any medical issues causing you not to lose at a normal pace. Im 5'6 1/2 and when I was 209 it gave me something like 1700 or 1800 to start out with. I lost weight. If you are losing inches then I wouldnt really worry about it the scale will catch up. everyone isnt the same. if you are weight lifting you dont want to lower your calories you want to be able to fuel your workouts. how long were you weighing food and trying other things before you decided they werent working? just a normal question.
Ok I'm going to try and answer these in order and I think these were the same questions most people had as well. I thought 1200 calories seemed low as well but that is actually a relatively new change. My work is at times pretty active so I had my activity level at "lightly active", which had me eating 1410 calories per day. after being stuck for about 2 months, I switched to sedentary because this is a very slow time of year for my work and I'm basically at a desk most of the day. So that's where the 1200 calories comes from. I've been at 1200 for a couple weeks, but my Fitbit usually adjust me somewhere up closer to 1400 by the end of the day so I eat closer to that anyway.
I agree with this which is why I'm not really don't believe that it's muscle replacing fat. I know that muscle doesn't replace fat that quickly, no matter how well-intentioned people are trying to be.
Retaining water for 3 months with no loss in poundage?
I do try to eat back at least a good percentage of my workout calories.
I've always weighed and measured my food. Most of the changes I've made (more water, less salt, etc) are things that I've been continually doing throughout my weight loss, and moreso since I plateaued.
My big questions that I have (and I think it's pretty much been answered) is whether or not I should be concerned that I'm losing inches and not pounds. I know that eventually the scale will have to move if I keep it up.0 -
The scale is the least important data point on what you are trying to do. If you are losing inches that's a great thing. Maybe put new batteries in your scale?? Maybe get a new one? If you measure all your food and know your TDEE and know you are in a calorie deficit the fat will come off!0
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How long have you been stuck (have you been stuck at 207 for 3 months)?
Honest answer, with how little you eat (1200 calories) and basically all of your exercise coming from cardio (bodypump, if I remember correctly, is basically a cardio based program) you're not gaining muscle....especially enough to stall the scale. Gaining muscle is really.........really hard, under ideal conditions with a progressive overload program.
I honestly wouldn't sweat the weight not coming off, if you are actually taking measurements and ensuring you are getting smaller. There is a "woosh" factor where if you are getting smaller, eventually the scale will drop. 3 months is a pretty long period of time, but like I said, if you are verifying that you're getting smaller with measurements...I wouldn't sweat it.
IMHO, a "biggest loser" competition that doesn't take BF% into account is pretty bogus.
Yes I've been stuck between 207-209 since Christmas.
Body Pump is almost all lifting weights. It's Les Mills, if that makes a difference? I started adding it when I thought maybe I was stuck because I was only doing cardio. Honestly, I started noticing the inches coming off much faster after I added Body Pump to my routine.
As far as verifying... I haven't taken actual measurement in inches, but I have gone down 2 sizes at the store where I buy my clothes. I know it's not super accurate, but between that and seeing the progress pics, I know it's happening.
I agree! But this biggest loser is mostly just a fun thing that some of us do in the office. It's not taken that seriously or anything and I think I'm the only one from last year's biggest loser who kept taking off the weight after the competition ended. I guess that's something to be pretty proud of by itself.0 -
How long have you been stuck (have you been stuck at 207 for 3 months)?
Honest answer, with how little you eat (1200 calories) and basically all of your exercise coming from cardio (bodypump, if I remember correctly, is basically a cardio based program) you're not gaining muscle....especially enough to stall the scale. Gaining muscle is really.........really hard, under ideal conditions with a progressive overload program.
I honestly wouldn't sweat the weight not coming off, if you are actually taking measurements and ensuring you are getting smaller. There is a "woosh" factor where if you are getting smaller, eventually the scale will drop. 3 months is a pretty long period of time, but like I said, if you are verifying that you're getting smaller with measurements...I wouldn't sweat it.
IMHO, a "biggest loser" competition that doesn't take BF% into account is pretty bogus.
Yes I've been stuck between 207-209 since Christmas.
Body Pump is almost all lifting weights. It's Les Mills, if that makes a difference? I started adding it when I thought maybe I was stuck because I was only doing cardio. Honestly, I started noticing the inches coming off much faster after I added Body Pump to my routine.
As far as verifying... I haven't taken actual measurement in inches, but I have gone down 2 sizes at the store where I buy my clothes. I know it's not super accurate, but between that and seeing the progress pics, I know it's happening.
I agree! But this biggest loser is mostly just a fun thing that some of us do in the office. It's not taken that seriously or anything and I think I'm the only one from last year's biggest loser who kept taking off the weight after the competition ended. I guess that's something to be pretty proud of by itself.
I just looked it up. I wouldn't consider it a progressive overload program, more of a boot camp style where, IMHO, would still be more cardio based. My opinion.
Either way.....we're getting off the subject.
Are you weighing at the same time on the same day with the same scale? Are you consistently upping the intensity of your workouts?
If you're getting smaller, the scale will eventually drop....it has too.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »JediMasterNaw wrote: »One possible explanation is that you've added weight lifting and you're gaining muscle while losing fat, so the weight stays the same but you're getting slimmer. I'm no expert, but that would be my first thought if you're honestly doing everything else right.
The other common answer people give on here is that weight loss isn't linear and just stick with it because the plateau will end eventually.
Sorry I'm not too helpful, wish I knew something more to tell you!
on a deficit she is not going to gain enough muscle to cause the scale not to move(especially only 1200 calories).she would have to replace the amount of fat she lost with muscle to be even in weight and thats most likely not going to happen in a deficit,including newbie gains. weight loss is also not linear and if you start a new workout program you can retain water. you retain water when you weight lift as well. could just be holding onto water longer than normal(I do that) some weeks you may gain,some you will lose and some you will stay the same.to gain a decent amount of muscle you have to be in a surplus,to lose fat and weight a deficit. everything takes time. it can take 6 weeks for a person to start losing weight,or to see a loss on the scale,some people will lose the first week or 2. also if you are 5'6 and weigh 225 you can eat more than 1200 and still lose,if you dont have any medical issues causing you not to lose at a normal pace. Im 5'6 1/2 and when I was 209 it gave me something like 1700 or 1800 to start out with. I lost weight. If you are losing inches then I wouldnt really worry about it the scale will catch up. everyone isnt the same. if you are weight lifting you dont want to lower your calories you want to be able to fuel your workouts. how long were you weighing food and trying other things before you decided they werent working? just a normal question.
Ok I'm going to try and answer these in order and I think these were the same questions most people had as well. I thought 1200 calories seemed low as well but that is actually a relatively new change. My work is at times pretty active so I had my activity level at "lightly active", which had me eating 1410 calories per day. after being stuck for about 2 months, I switched to sedentary because this is a very slow time of year for my work and I'm basically at a desk most of the day. So that's where the 1200 calories comes from. I've been at 1200 for a couple weeks, but my Fitbit usually adjust me somewhere up closer to 1400 by the end of the day so I eat closer to that anyway.
I agree with this which is why I'm not really don't believe that it's muscle replacing fat. I know that muscle doesn't replace fat that quickly, no matter how well-intentioned people are trying to be.
Retaining water for 3 months with no loss in poundage?
I do try to eat back at least a good percentage of my workout calories.
I've always weighed and measured my food. Most of the changes I've made (more water, less salt, etc) are things that I've been continually doing throughout my weight loss, and moreso since I plateaued.
My big questions that I have (and I think it's pretty much been answered) is whether or not I should be concerned that I'm losing inches and not pounds. I know that eventually the scale will have to move if I keep it up.
I was in a plateau for 6 months. I finally lost 1lb a few weeks ago,now Im retaining water again and my weight is up again.but then again I have RA so for me I do have some inflammation. my scale isnt going down hardly either and Im set at 1500+ calories(set to lose .5lbs a month since I have 15-25lbs to go to goal). but I notice my belly fat(whats left of it) is getting less and less and the same with my thighs.so if you are losing inches you are doing something right. take measurements about once a month and keep track.if you went down in clothing size then yes,you are doing something right. maybe the scale is broken? do you have a digital scale?0
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