Weight stay the same, clothes getting loose

AnnTakapautolo
AnnTakapautolo Posts: 5 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Not too sure if I'm doing something wrong, or doing everything right. On July 27, 2016, I found out I reached 245lbs along with being pre-diabetic and high cholesterol. Having my daughter, I used my busy schedule as an excuse for not changing my lifestyle. It wasn't until the doctor told me my blood test results and I seen the number on the scale that I finally woke up and realized I needed to make a change. It is now August 29, 2016 and my current weight is 224lbs. Consuming no more than 1200 calories a day, going to the gym at least 4 times a week, and drinking nothing but water and milk, I have more energy than ever. However, I have noticed the scale is beginning to stay at 224lbs. My endurance levels have increased dramatically, so to avoid any plateaus, I increase resistance and incline during cardio, and slowly increase weights when strength training. My clothes have finally began to fit better, but my disappointment is becoming more and more everyday when I step on that scale once every three days. Could I be gaining muscle faster than I am losing fat? Should I lessen my caloric intake, am I drinking too much water? Advice would be greatly appreciated. I have suffered from obesity my whole life so when it comes to fitness, I am totally winging it. Thank you in advance. I look forward to everyone's advice and tips.

Replies

  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    You won't be gaining muscle faster than fat, especially on 1200 calories.
    If you have drastically increased exercise, you are likely to be retaining extra water. Your period cycle can also throw off the scale.

    The important thing to recognize is the scale can only weigh... it includes your clothes, the food/water in your stomach, the water in your muscles and pee/poop. The mirror and your clothes show the true changes in your body.
  • alyssa0061
    alyssa0061 Posts: 652 Member
    My question isn't how much water you're drinking, it's how much milk you're drinking and if you're tracking that accurately.
  • AnnTakapautolo
    AnnTakapautolo Posts: 5 Member
    @alyssa0061 , I never drink no more than 8 FL Oz a day, if that. I mostly drink water. I downsized to skim milk also. (Might as well be drinking water)
  • AnnTakapautolo
    AnnTakapautolo Posts: 5 Member
    @KateTii is there no way to avoid water retention or is that something I'm just going to have to expect when exercising?
  • alyssa0061
    alyssa0061 Posts: 652 Member
    I just reread your original post. You lost 21 pounds in a month? That's a lot, even for someone with a much higher starting weight than you. Give it some time, it'll even out.
  • Bxqtie116
    Bxqtie116 Posts: 552 Member
    ITA with @KateTii. Once you begin a new exercise regimen, your muscles retain water for repair. If your clothes are beginning to feel looser, then you're losing inches. Take your measurements to see where you currently stand and recheck every 2 weeks. The scale will catch up in no time and you may see that you've lost 3-4 lbs. Continue doing your best and you'll get the results you want.
  • AnabolicMind2011
    AnabolicMind2011 Posts: 211 Member
    If your eating at a calorie deficit, it's really unlikely that your gaining that much muscle
    At all.
    People don't realize how hard it truly is for a lady to gain muscle. Nobody became a professional body builder by accident.

    How accurate is your logging? Are you using a digital food scale for all your solids? Measuring only liquids?
  • AnnTakapautolo
    AnnTakapautolo Posts: 5 Member
    @alyssa0061 yeah I knew I would get that response sooner or later lol. Believe me, I am trying to be as healthy about this as possible. I am trying to eat healthy and with the love of food that I have I know I won't resort to starving myself. I guess because I lost so much in this first month, I have it set in my mind that it should be the same for the continuing months. What is a normal and healthy number for someone to lose monthly. That way if I know what is normal, I can stick to a goal every month rather than disappointing myself if I don't lose as much as this past month.
  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    AnnTakapautolo wrote: »
    @KateTii is there no way to avoid water retention or is that something I'm just going to have to expect when exercising?

    It's just to be expected unfortunately. Your body keeps the water to help with muscle repair. The only way to avoid it would to be a) exercise so lightly it's not worth it or b) dehydrate yourself.
  • leslturn8
    leslturn8 Posts: 505 Member
    Gah 1200 calories.... Advice from someone who ate 700 calories to lose weight and failed...1200 isnt much better, it may appear to be working for you but I would be re-evaluating that intake, going by your TDEE and your BMR I would be calculating your calories differently. Theres a group that follows IIFYM (If it fits your macros) they eat what their body needs (carbs, fats, proteins). Theres a free online calculator that you could use to calculate and Im sure it will give you more than 1200 to lose weight. Its a long term journey and it needs to be sustainable and when I joined mfp I was religiously having 1200 calories and I lost nothing because I needed more. Its been a long time and a lot of research to be in the mind set that I am in and I dont really care if you agree or disagree with me. Im on the same journey, I made all the mistakes I made in 2012 because I didnt have anyone that pointed out the obvious. I was back where I started and I gained more. I am down 3 kilos, I know its not a race, I know the changes I have to make and the lifestyle I need to have. I wont ever cut a food group out of my diet because its unrealistic for me. Its a life long journey and Im not sacrificing enjoyment, its all in the moderation. I lost 21 kg originally by portion control and walking so I know I dont need to cut food out, just down. Good luck on your journey.
  • concrete_daisies
    concrete_daisies Posts: 44 Member
    edited August 2016
    A realistic (but optimistic) loss would be: 2lbs or 1% of your body weight per week (whichever is larger). That's generally the maximum weightloss that is recommended by health professionals. So for you that would be ~10lbs per month. A lot of people lose a bit more than that in their first month though, as their body adjusts.

    So if I were you I'd aim for losing 10lbs/month, and know that if you only lose 5, that's still a good achievement :)
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    A normal rate of loss is 1-2lb a week, so 4-8lb a month. You had a big beginner loss in the first month, which is normal (and should be celebrated!) but you should not expect it to continue at that rate. It would not be healthy if it did.

    Also, at your weight, 1200 calories is very low. Are you tracking exercise and eating the exercise calories? If not then it is terribly low. You will have to keep this up for a long, long time - my advice is to eat more or you may find this is not sustainable.

    To your original question, pauses in weight loss are normal, you're just seeing the fact that the fluctuations in water weight are much larger than the fat loss and sometimes they mask it for a while. Don't let it worry you, if your clothes are fitting better then you're still losing fat.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,295 Member
    edited August 2016
    The winner is she who achieves her goals while eating the most that she can.

    Also, invest in a weight trend tracking program.

    You will thank me someday.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    My advice is to start tracking your body measurements. When it comes to scale weight, too many things can mask losses. Measurements can sometimes show a better picture of loss. I was tracking every 2 wks. Best to take the measurements same time and conditions as weighing yourself. I usually do mine directly after my weigh in.
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
    I have the same problem. I've lost 2-3 dress sizes in the last 3 months, but have actually gained weight! I've upped my exercise massively though, so I'm blaming that!

    The best advice I've ever had was from a GP (family doctor) who said that really, we don't know why some people gain or lose weight very quickly and others often don't see a change, even though their other health markers and overall body size changes dramatically. Her advice was to, if all the other health markers were going in the right direction, ignore weight, or at least, put it into the back of your mind....

  • AnnTakapautolo
    AnnTakapautolo Posts: 5 Member
    @leslturn8 I wouldn't say that I am depriving myself. When I first began I hadn't realized just how many calories I was consuming a day. I drank nothing but soda and juice along with take out at least once a day. Once I switched up my diet I began to feel full longer, probably since I cut down my carb intake to no more than 150g. I also have a desk job rarely needing to stand and walk around. I took a 180 degree turn on my life style habits from absolutely no exercise and complete junk food, to exercising multiple times a week and eating in much better proportions. I also have to consider that I am 5'4, 23 year old female who's weight was once at 245 pounds. I've boiled it down to the increase in strength training for my weight to maintain in the 220's. I have more energy than ever, and actually enjoy sweating for once in my life. I go to the doctor on the 8th of September to log in my weight to see how well I progressed. I need to get a tape measure because I realize that I may just be losing inches rather than pounds I see on the scale.
  • Lynnmi07
    Lynnmi07 Posts: 131 Member
    You've lost 20lbs in a month? My thought is this.... Initially you lose a lot of water weight. Sometimes I think the "scale weight" stalls but what is happening is your still losing fat and replacing the initial lbs of water weight lost which cancels each other out and that's why your clothes continue to fit better. Then after another week or so if you stick with it you will see the scale start to move again. However, a lot of people get discouraged during this time and go back to old habits...., so stick with it your doing great!


  • xtruexlove1988
    xtruexlove1988 Posts: 12 Member
    Try changing up the cardio and do strength training 3 times a week. eat lots of fiber and try to not have carbs past 5 I find that helps. also go to the store pick 3 pairs of pants one pair you uses to fit in one you think you fit in now and one you that is to small, I find that help the most some people lose inches before pounds don't stress keep on your path and you will succeed.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    Measure your hips, waist, etc. Do so every month. Your body composition can change, but the number on the scale may not.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    Lynnmi07 wrote: »
    You've lost 20lbs in a month? My thought is this.... Initially you lose a lot of water weight. Sometimes I think the "scale weight" stalls but what is happening is your still losing fat and replacing the initial lbs of water weight lost which cancels each other out and that's why your clothes continue to fit better. Then after another week or so if you stick with it you will see the scale start to move again. However, a lot of people get discouraged during this time and go back to old habits...., so stick with it your doing great!


    This. Weight loss is not linear.
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