My scale not moving

Hello. I have started this workout session again for the 4th time in my life. I am motivated this time around. I am tired of not feeling healthy, no clothes not fitting, and just simply put being over weight. I been working out and watching what I ate since March. I have not seen a different other than a pound or two in the scale but I am lose inches. I can tell how my panties fit. However, this belly fat is awful. I am 5'3 and 229 and my long term goal is to lose 60 and keep it off but my short term is 30 lbs. I am trying not to get inpatient with this process. About two weeks again I went to see a nutritionist. My nutritionist has me on 1350 calories which is fine for me its alot of food. I work out (walk, weights, stair-master, etc.) at least 2-3 times a week for hour and drinking water water water....I have this crazy thought that water is whats adding to my weight. Now ppl tell me I look like I am losing but I don't see it. What can I do to get rid of this belly fat and see some weight loss overall.

Replies

  • KassiesJourney
    KassiesJourney Posts: 306 Member
    Just stick with it. Don't lose faith in the process. Weight loss is about calories in calories out.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited June 2016
    fat takes time to come off and you cannot spot reduce. it comes off where it wants when it wants. if you are seeing a difference in how your clothing fits then you are losing fat and sometimes it takes awhile for the scale to show the loss. are you weighing your food on a food scale? if not that could make a difference. water will add to your weight temporarily and so will food,waste,sodium,etc. weight also fluctuates from hr to hr,day to day. so weigh first thing in the am after you use the bathroom either in your underwear or naked. same time every day. a lot of things can mask weight loss. weight loss takes time,you didnt gain it overnight so it doesnt come off overnight.see a dietitian as they know more and have to go through more schooling than a nutritionist. I would honestly plug in my stats into my fitnesspal(height,weight,how much you want to lose and your activity level) and eat those calories.its not about what you eat its about how much and let me tell you if you are using measuring cups and spoons,its not going to be accurate most of the time. I learned that the hard way.but a lb or two is still a loss. be patient. hopefully someone will come along with the chart or videos that some post that can help you figure it out as well.
  • kissedbythesunshine
    kissedbythesunshine Posts: 416 Member
    Are you using a food scale to be certain you are indeed eating 1350? It's very easy to overestimate amount of food consumed.
  • cwang125
    cwang125 Posts: 76 Member
    There's no magic. Just have to eat at a deficit, it will come off eventually when you get to a low enough BF%. Unfortunately for women the abdominal area is one of the last places. For men the abdominal area is one of the first.

    Keep eating at a deficit, drinking water is good. Lipolysis aka fat oxidation requires water! Drink plenty of it, water is an appetite suppressant as well.

    Make sure you're tracking accurately and maintain the deficit and the weight will come off. Laws of thermodynamics.
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
    edited June 2016
    If you are not seeing weight loss it is likely that you are eating at maintenance calories. Are you using kitchen scale and weigh all your food? Saying 1350 kcal is a lot for you seems unlikely considering you must be eating more than that to stay the same weight. It is good that you are exercising and some water weight might be masking small weight loss, I wouldn't count that it's muscle gain in your place considering girls at optimal conditions (eating surplus, progressive lifting program) can gain at best 1 lbs of muscle per month. I would suggest logging tightly - weigh and log everything you eat and drink... stick to your calories and you will lose weight. It's that simple. It worked for me. I'm 5'2 and got from 150 to 128 lbs and close to my goal.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
  • queenofpuppies
    queenofpuppies Posts: 189 Member
    It sounds like you are doing a great job so far! Inches lost is a huge deal and you should be proud of yourself! I like to log my progress in inches and pounds, helps me know I'm getting somewhere. As for the scale, you are probably just putting on muscle as fast as you are losing fat. That is not a bad thing, and eventually the gain slow down. If you keep going you will eventually see the weight drop, it just takes time. Make sure you are counting calories accurately, weight your food, and log every single thing you eat, even mints. If it is water weight you could watch the sodium levels in your food, not your water intake. The sodium will make your body hang on to water. Best of luck!
  • Adc7225
    Adc7225 Posts: 1,318 Member
    Each body is so different! Maybe try taking your measurements and pictures (these are really important) as well as weighing. Are you measuring and weighing your food as well, initial changes will make a difference but as time goes by it will get a little more sensitive when it comes to watching what you eat. As far as the belly - for me, my greatest issue is my thighs and even after losing 85 lbs. they are still a problem, I think the area we are the most sensitive about will probably always be the area we are the most sensitive about. The water will not really add to your weight unless you are not drinking enough, if you are eating food that cause inflammation and not drinking enough water to flush your system you can retain water, but even then you would more than likely see a fluctuation with the scale. If it has only been 2 weeks since you started on the 1350 calories you probably need more time.

    Keep working out and build up your strength, that helps me accept my body as a whole, when I know that I have built up my strength and stamina.

    Keep up the good work, it will be so worth it in the end.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited June 2016
    Adc7225 wrote: »
    Each body is so different! Maybe try taking your measurements and pictures (these are really important) as well as weighing. Are you measuring and weighing your food as well, initial changes will make a difference but as time goes by it will get a little more sensitive when it comes to watching what you eat. As far as the belly - for me, my greatest issue is my thighs and even after losing 85 lbs. they are still a problem, I think the area we are the most sensitive about will probably always be the area we are the most sensitive about. The water will not really add to your weight unless you are not drinking enough, if you are eating food that cause inflammation and not drinking enough water to flush your system you can retain water, but even then you would more than likely see a fluctuation with the scale. If it has only been 2 weeks since you started on the 1350 calories you probably need more time.

    Keep working out and build up your strength, that helps me accept my body as a whole, when I know that I have built up my strength and stamina.

    Keep up the good work, it will be so worth it in the end.

    if you drink a gallon of water and step on the scale you will see a difference. same if you eat and then weigh. its not going to be real weight as you will urinate a lot of the water out. which is why its suggested to weight first thing in the am before you eat or drink anything and after you use the bathroom. I cant drink a bottle of water and then step on the scale and yes the scale will go up even if I havent eaten. that was what I was saying but its not weight gain,but can mask weight loss for a short time.same with waste. if you weigh yourself before you use the bathroom chances are you are going to weigh more before than after.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited June 2016
    It sounds like you are doing a great job so far! Inches lost is a huge deal and you should be proud of yourself! I like to log my progress in inches and pounds, helps me know I'm getting somewhere. As for the scale, you are probably just putting on muscle as fast as you are losing fat. That is not a bad thing, and eventually the gain slow down. If you keep going you will eventually see the weight drop, it just takes time. Make sure you are counting calories accurately, weight your food, and log every single thing you eat, even mints. If it is water weight you could watch the sodium levels in your food, not your water intake. The sodium will make your body hang on to water. Best of luck!

    she isnt going to put on muscle as fast as she loses fat, it doesnt work that way in a deficit.
  • mickey2942
    mickey2942 Posts: 71 Member
    The issue is expecting immediate gratification.

    This is a slow process. Focus on food, and increase exercise. In a month, you should lose at least five pounds. That is 60 pounds a year!

    The problem is that people do the work, and expect to lose 20 pounds a month. That is not the norm for most people.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    mickey2942 wrote: »
    The issue is expecting immediate gratification.

    This is a slow process. Focus on food, and increase exercise. In a month, you should lose at least five pounds. That is 60 pounds a year!

    The problem is that people do the work, and expect to lose 20 pounds a month. That is not the norm for most people.

    weight loss is NOT linear so to expect to lose 5lbs a month should not be expected. there will be weeks you lose more,gain some or stay the same.for some it may work that way and others it wont.
  • mickey2942
    mickey2942 Posts: 71 Member
    Right. But most people just expect an immediate loss. Most people project a specific amount each week, and when that does not occur, they feel "cheated" or deprived for giving up their favorite foods, exercising, and not seeing the immediate reward.

    I do yoga each day. This has created a better core, and I have tightened up my body. The scale, I check once a week, and don't obsess about it.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    mickey2942 wrote: »
    Right. But most people just expect an immediate loss. Most people project a specific amount each week, and when that does not occur, they feel "cheated" or deprived for giving up their favorite foods, exercising, and not seeing the immediate reward.

    I do yoga each day. This has created a better core, and I have tightened up my body. The scale, I check once a week, and don't obsess about it.

    oh yeah I have to agree most people want to lose it fast. there have been weeks and weeks I didnt lose anything and then lost a little.Im just glad I dont expect miracles lol Im still going almost 4 years later,still have about 15-24 lbs to lose and its been slower than molasses lol but I keep trudging on.
  • channing2610
    channing2610 Posts: 11 Member
    Thx for all the advise. I just purchased a food scale today. I am learning it's a slow process.
    When I went to my nutritionist, I did a test cslled REE to test my Metabolic rate. My lose weight zone was 1129 to 1411 calories. So that's where the 1350 came from, middle way.
    I'll just continue doing what I am doing and weigh food too see what that does....
    Stay tuned :)
    Channimg
  • mallygirl420
    mallygirl420 Posts: 66 Member
    Try smaller goals! You have to lose 5 lbs before you get to the rest of it. Time can be very discouraging if you aren't reaching what you hope for - I try to set weekly goals.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Baby steps and patience! Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Some days (miles) you'll feel great and some you won't. But if you give up you'll never get to the finish line. It doesn't matter how long it takes, just keep moving forward, even when it seems your body doesn't want to go with you. It will eventually! You can do this!
  • kzim1992
    kzim1992 Posts: 2 Member
    I worried about the "numbers" on the scale as well, especially when they didn't move but then I took my measurements and that's where I was losing! So don't just rely on the scale. If you're eating right etc. stick with it and check everything, not just the scale. Keep with it!