Would LOVE your advice...struggling
lovtolaff
Posts: 65 Member
I know I’m supposed to ignore the scale for the most part, however I haven’t and this is bugging me.
I first started Stronglifts and eating TDEE – 15% on January 3 of this year. I pretty quickly went down 6 lbs. (I say “first started” but I’ve done this before but took a LONG break over the holidays and gained some weight). I CAN tell that I’ve lost some inches b/c my clothes fit a lot better, however, that scale has not moved.
I guess what is troubling me is that I am a big girl, and I would think that the weight would come off a little quicker. I’m 47, 5’7, 218 pounds. I have a desk job and really am not very active other than my stronglift routines and a couple of days of cardio. I ran the calculator and used “lightly active” and it gave me 1977 as my calories to eat. I hit that most days and some days closer to 1800.
I’ve seen the pictures of some of you guys that actually stayed the same weight but look SO much smaller so I do understand that the scale truly is the devil lol but most of the pics I’ve seen is a weight of around 150 or 160…not over 200lbs!! Am I assuming incorrectly that I should be losing more pounds quicker or should I just forge ahead and stop looking at that number?
Maybe I’ve got my calories wrong? Maybe a little over a month isn’t long enough to be worried about this? Maybe, maybe, maybe…ugh. Can someone please let me know your thoughts on this so that I can “maybe” relax a little and just trust the process….
THANK YOU!
I first started Stronglifts and eating TDEE – 15% on January 3 of this year. I pretty quickly went down 6 lbs. (I say “first started” but I’ve done this before but took a LONG break over the holidays and gained some weight). I CAN tell that I’ve lost some inches b/c my clothes fit a lot better, however, that scale has not moved.
I guess what is troubling me is that I am a big girl, and I would think that the weight would come off a little quicker. I’m 47, 5’7, 218 pounds. I have a desk job and really am not very active other than my stronglift routines and a couple of days of cardio. I ran the calculator and used “lightly active” and it gave me 1977 as my calories to eat. I hit that most days and some days closer to 1800.
I’ve seen the pictures of some of you guys that actually stayed the same weight but look SO much smaller so I do understand that the scale truly is the devil lol but most of the pics I’ve seen is a weight of around 150 or 160…not over 200lbs!! Am I assuming incorrectly that I should be losing more pounds quicker or should I just forge ahead and stop looking at that number?
Maybe I’ve got my calories wrong? Maybe a little over a month isn’t long enough to be worried about this? Maybe, maybe, maybe…ugh. Can someone please let me know your thoughts on this so that I can “maybe” relax a little and just trust the process….
THANK YOU!
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Replies
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Congrats on the inches that you've lost!!! That's fantastic!! And it also means that it's working for you.
In reality a month isn't that long, especially since you are seeing progress, but it's always a good idea to reevaluate.
A couple of questions:
1. what are your protein, fat & carbs goals in grams?
2. what calculator did you use to determine your cals?
3. what does your week look like (for example: SL on M/W/F and cardio on T/T)?0 -
The best thing I ever did was only weigh myself ever 4 weeks and accompany that with progress photos. This time around I hit the first 4week mark yesterday. I gained 0.8 lbs (I know, not much) but I FELT so much better. I also put up my progress photos side by side and there was a HUGE, noticeable difference on my back. I am in the 160 range, but I would strongly suggest taking progress photos (front, back and side) and only doing it monthly. Resist the temptation to jump on the scale more than that.0
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Things to keep in mind:
-When you first start lifting your muscles will retain water for repair which can mask a few lb loss.
-If you're not weighing often it can *seem* like the scale stays the same, when in reality you weighed in on a "heavy" day due to water retention from any number of things; hormonal fluctuations, a hard workout, extra sodium.
It's possible your calories are wrong. Calculators can only do so much. I would continue with what you're doing for a couple weeks, and if you're still not losing then I would create a further calorie deficit by eating less calories or adding in cardio. My TDEE is ~2800, but if I have too small of a deficit then I seem to recomp instead of losing at the rate I *should*. I seem to do best with a cut when I eat around 2100-2200.
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Giusa - to answer your questions:
1. I set my protein/carbs/fat to the suggested 40/30/30. Protein 137/Carbs 183/Fat 61 I get really close to all of those (sometimes I go over on fat)
2. Calculators - scooby/em2wl/and every other one I could find.
3. My week: SL (Mon/Wed/Fri) and cardio (Tues/Thurs)
I admit, I do weigh on the scale too often! I did take photos a few days ago so I will take more in a month or so. I should be happy that I CAN tell a difference in my clothes already.
I'll keep chugging ahead and try to stay off of the scale more - it's making me doubt myself.0 -
Giusa - to answer your questions:
1. I set my protein/carbs/fat to the suggested 40/30/30. Protein 137/Carbs 183/Fat 61 I get really close to all of those (sometimes I go over on fat)
2. Calculators - scooby/em2wl/and every other one I could find.
3. My week: SL (Mon/Wed/Fri) and cardio (Tues/Thurs)
I admit, I do weigh on the scale too often! I did take photos a few days ago so I will take more in a month or so. I should be happy that I CAN tell a difference in my clothes already.
I'll keep chugging ahead and try to stay off of the scale more - it's making me doubt myself.
It looks like your on the right track! You're doing great!
Just a tip on macros, focus on meeting the grams and use the % as a guide. That was a huge eye opener for me, and made an impact on my progress.
I like scooby calculator too, I've tried a few and always go back to that one. Since you have lost some weight, maybe it's time to recalculate your calories, I used scooby and came up with 1717 with the information your provided...just a thought...or as @Fittreelol suggested increase your deficit to 20% next month.
For my own sanity I only use the scale on Friday mornings, lol, before I indulge in that martini ;-)1 -
Did you use "desk job with little to no activity" as the activity level to come up with 1717? If I put that in - i get 1725. Not that that is a HUGE difference lol. I just always use "lightly active" b/c I figure I'm getting at least an hour and a half to 2 hours of exercise a week.0
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Did you use "desk job with little to no activity" as the activity level to come up with 1717? If I put that in - i get 1725. Not that that is a HUGE difference lol. I just always use "lightly active" b/c I figure I'm getting at least an hour and a half to 2 hours of exercise a week.
Yes, since you have a desk job, and like you the most activity I get is walking to the ladies' room or break room, lol.
Progress comes in many forms, hang in there...as they say, 'one step at a time.'
Best wishes.1 -
i think a lot of us have been there with that frustration. i had it when i started lifting as well. different numbers, but same situation; just a kind of a 'there is no WAY i am not losing weight' thing, and yet i wasn't. and sure the scale is the devil etc, but there's also the laws of physics thing, right?
i guess what got me through it was a kind of stuff-it-then sulk. something like, basically if i'm not losing weight then i'm not losing weight. i'm really annoyed about it, but meanwhile what can i focus on that has nothing to do with it. since, y'know. life goes on no matter how much you weigh.
not saying don't think about it. just soemtimes the whoel process is like 'how do i get through this really long really boring greyhound bus ride across saskatchewan'. staring out the window and waiting for something non-horizontal to happen is wasting your time, so knit a sweater or plot the revolution or something in the meantime.
^^ completely useless 'advice ^^ but plenty of fellow feeling.1
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