Reward - FAIL???

farmers_daughter
farmers_daughter Posts: 1,632 Member
edited September 2024 in Motivation and Support
So, question...if you set a goal to lose X amount of lbs by XXX date... and you don't lose X amount of lbs but instead you lose inches do you still reward yourself?

I want to say that because you've lost inches you're doing something right, (replacing fat with muscle) but I kind of believe the whole a pound is a pound, muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, but I haven't read enough to give facts or anything. It just makes sense to me.

Just curious.

Replies

  • Caperfae
    Caperfae Posts: 433
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.
  • _xoxok
    _xoxok Posts: 152 Member
    Sometimes it shouldn't always be about the number on the scale.. If you feel good, happy, and proud of yourself on that date then I think you should still reward yourself :) If you don't, you might get discouraged...
  • tlems
    tlems Posts: 104 Member
    A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.

    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat
  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. It DOES; however, take up less space and look entirely different. A pound is a pound no matter what you're measuring. It's how much space it takes up that counts.

    For this reason, you should DEFINITELY consider lost inches a huge success! It's not always going to show up on the scale but shrinking bodies are even better! Good luck!
  • ProjectSara
    ProjectSara Posts: 83 Member
    Yes, a pound of muscle equals a pound of fat, hence why they both weigh a pound. The point is that a pound of fat is a lot larger than a pound of muscle (muscle is more condensed), so if you weight the same as you did before, but have more muscle, you're smaller than before. Inches matter. Make sense?
  • _Khaleesi_
    _Khaleesi_ Posts: 877 Member
    Muscle weighing more than fat is an interesting concept. If we are talking the weight of a defined surface area, etc I suppose it's accurage. Muscles are more dense than fat. But ultimately a pound of muscle is the same as a pound of fat.

    If you are losing inches and not lbs, it is likely that your body is replacing the weight it is losing with muscle mass. This is a great thing! Still worth rewarding!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    A pound is a pound, of course. But a pound of fat is larger than a pound of muscle, much as a pound of feathers is larger than a pound of rocks. As for the reward, if you feel you deserve the reward then have it.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.

    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat

    Oh no... here we go again...
  • Painten
    Painten Posts: 499 Member
    Maybe it might be best to do an either or so by xxx date i would like to lose xxlbs or x inches.

    I know i've lost lbs and no inches then there are people who lose inches but not lbs. I haven't set myt self goals but if i did i think it'd be like that. Ofcourse i was expecting to have lost something inchwise by now *lol*
  • TTHdred
    TTHdred Posts: 380 Member
    to answer your actual question, the answer is yes. If you are losing inches it means you are overall reshaping your body. The number on the scale includes everything - muscles, fat, bones, organs, fat, food and water. For that reason, your scale weight can be a deceptive number. You should be celebrating making your body more capable of attaining your weight loss goals by toning and building lean muscle and dropping fat. It is tough to do so, but the best way to stay motivated is to redefine how we measure success. That includes, not just rewarding yourself for inches lost, but also setting inches lost goals; setting other goals in addition to just the scale.
  • Jconner30
    Jconner30 Posts: 311
    Muscle does not weigh more than fat :smile:. A pound is a pound :smile:. Muscle by VOLUME weighs more than fat. A lot of times people will start working out and they lose fat and gain muscle at the same rate OR they can even build muscle faster than they lose fat (which results in a weight gain). The best way to 'see' your results is by how your clothes fit. If they are looser but you are not losing weight, then the muslce is being built at the same rate as fat is being removed (pound per pound).

    Reward yourself? Sure! Make sure you reward yourself in a different way. Dont reward yourself by throwing DOWN on a large pan pizza - that is counter-productive. Look at ways to reward yourself while still focusing on your goal!
  • yes_i_can
    yes_i_can Posts: 419
    Oh dear god, I'm glad someone posted this. I was feeling SUPER guilty because I'm currently 1.4lbs short of my vacation goal and only have until Sunday to get there. My reward, which I have been SOOOOO looking forward to was parasailing while on that vacation. I'm currently in the middle of an internal debate about whether or not I will allow myself to say that 58.6 / 60 is close enough. (While still trying to acheive that 60 in the next 4 days)
  • juscallmeb
    juscallmeb Posts: 369 Member
    consider it a NSV - a non scale victory! you're work is paying off... keep up the good work.

    maybe set smaller goals and when you say "reward" yourself how are you going to reward yourself? I usually like to give myself something other than food. Go get a pedicure or manicure, get a massage. Those are rewards worth it. :)
    hope it helps.
  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
    I'd take inches over weight any day!

    And my version: Muscle has less mass than fat per unit volume. :laugh:
  • christina_michelle
    christina_michelle Posts: 225
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.

    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat

    LOL LOL LOL.

    I'm sorry this reminds me of what weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks?
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    if your goal was weight oriented..and you did not reach that weight by your goal date.. then you did not accomplish the goal did you?
    *S*
    i'd maybe revise the type of goal i set for myself nect time and consider it a lesson learned. *S*

    for the record...
    i don't set a date for any of my weight loss goals... i will lose the weight when i lose the weight.. and my goals are for the weight loss alone. i KNOW these losses are achievable, but i cannot factor in plateaus etc.

    i want to lose the weight forever...(this is for life afterall *S*) so... no sense setting myself up for disappointment when my goal is the loss itself, and my health.

    different people have different reasns though of course *S*... so it's whatever works for each person.
  • LeonaB17
    LeonaB17 Posts: 304
    I try to never set a deadline for an amount lost. Too much pressure and then if it doesn't happen I want to throw in the towel and dive into a box of krispy kremes. That's just me though :P
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.

    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat
    dude, but a pound of fat takes up more room than a pound of muscle its all about volume....stop arguing...its old and redundant.
  • emccand
    emccand Posts: 195 Member
    If you are happy with the inches you lost you should reward yourself, dont beat yourself up because you didnt lose exactly what you wanted to lb wise.
  • Caperfae
    Caperfae Posts: 433
    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat
    [/quote]

    Thanks! I have truly learned something today. So glad I don't go to that Nutritionist anymore because she was apparently misinformed .. LOL
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I think it's nearly impossible for any of us to determine what our goal is, except in vague concepts. We can't go by "This is what I weighed in high school (or college, or before my wedding, or before having babies, or anything else)" because our bodies are different now.

    I weighed 108 lbs in high school, and looked like a normal, healthy, but very thin young girl. If I tried to get down to that weight now, I'd look like a skeleton. My body has changed in the past 20 years. But at 39 years old and 134 pounds, I can zip up a size 5 prom dress that I've had SINCE high school.

    Reward yourself based on inches and how your clothes fit and how you feel about yourself.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.

    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat

    But that does not mean that muscle doesn't weigh more than fat.
  • farmers_daughter
    farmers_daughter Posts: 1,632 Member
    OH my, didn't I start the fire??? :explode:

    My goal was a small one, I wanted to be down 5 lbs by my birthday, and my reward was a trip to Victoria's Secret. :blushing:

    Thanks for all the input!
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
    she didnt state there was a lb of each right???..... just sayin....
    I have always been told that muscle does weigh more than fat.

    a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat
  • Delicate
    Delicate Posts: 625 Member
    I'd rather be thin and heavy than fat and light.

    (Yes it is entirely possible, i'm almost 2st heavier than my best mate yet my stomach is flatter than hers)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories