What's happening to my body right now?

augustremulous
augustremulous Posts: 378 Member
in Motivation and Support
I started anew with trying to get healthy 4 weeks ago. Usually when I start a new fitness program and am tracking calories, I see water weight drop immediately and then started seeing results after three weeks.

This time, I appear to be losing and gaining back the same three pounds of water weight every few days. I haven't lost real weight, my clothes fit the same, my measurements are the same. I look healthier in the mirror, for sure - my waist seems thinner, but it must be imagination because my measurements are the same. My face and neck and arms are definitely thinner, though, and my posture is better because I've been working my core. Right now I have a lot of sore muscles from my last workout, and am headed to the gym in a couple of hours to have a personal training session.

Been heading to the gym often and have been hitting strength/weight lifting hard, and swimming on my off days. This is the most involved with fitness i've been in a few years.

In addition, I've been dealing with a strange loss in appetite. Eating way less than I usually do (still a safe amount) but I'm not even craving my normal favorite foods and sometimes I prepare a delicious meal and just sit and look at it without "feeling" like eating it.

Seems like all of this should add up to some results, but it's not.

Now, I get that every new effort should be given six weeks of patience before reassessing, but I can't help but be a little disappointed with the lack of results. So I know folks here will advise me to be patient. And I am.

But what the hell is going on?

Replies

  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
    I've been on the same boat 4 yrs ago when I started with mfp. I've read an article something about our bodies holding onto our fats at first then normally it takes two to three months for us to see results of the real weight loss. I remember when I was just starting out it took me two months to see steady weight loss then afterwards my weight was dropping. Just keep on doing what you're doing. Log all your foods on mfp. Key is patience. :smile:
  • Morganbennett1
    Morganbennett1 Posts: 106 Member
    First, I would say to be patient, many people take some time to see results 6-8 weeks. It sounds like you already know this though. Secondly, if you have a loss of appetite, you should speak with your doctor about it. It could be the symptom of an underlying health condition that may be keeping you from losing weight. Finally, I would recommend opening your diary for your friends to view and give advice. It can be scary at first, but you may be eating too little or too many calories and not even realizing it. If you are eating under 1200 calories per day, that may also be the culprit. Your body will take more time to burn fat if you aren't eating enough to sustain your metabolism.
  • Timberla82
    Timberla82 Posts: 16 Member
    Maybe you're training too hard and you've lost your appetite because of that? I know that if I do a lot of exercise, I don't feel hungry and have to make sure I'm eating enough to recover properly. I play competitive soccer, lift weights and swim and I know that, on days that I do a lot of exercise, my body just isn't that interested in eating but then the day after, or even the next few days, I'm really hungry! Maybe have a rest day or 2 in a row (just light walking or a bit of yoga) and see if you're ready to eat the entire contents of your fridge, tip over the dining table and gnaw the legs off it...I normally am! (See this article as well: https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/sda-blog/5-reasons-youre-hungry-rest-days/)

    (Also, on days that I swim, I weigh less,and on days that I do weights (and the day after), I weigh a little bit more until the muscle soreness goes away so maybe that's why you seem to be cycling through weight loss and gain?)

  • glitterng
    glitterng Posts: 20 Member
    Just a thought, but while you aren't losing weight, perhaps you ARE losing fat and gaining muscle? This is a good thing, as muscles use more calories to maintain than fat, so you are making progress.

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