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Help me understand so I don't get frustrated please :)

Emsy2121
Emsy2121 Posts: 10
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Happy Saturday everyone! So...I have been doing Zumba 4x/week and MFP for a month. My daily calorie goal is 1380. I weighed myself last Saturday morning and clocked in at 151.2. Today, a week later, it's 152.8. Sigh. I know that alot of the initial weight is water so I'm trying to remember that in order to not get discouraged. Due to grad school, Zumba is now 3x/wk. Tuesday's class includes 20 minutes of sculpting and Saturday's class includes the use of Zumba toning sticks. I guess the question is...have I lost any actual weight as opposed to gaining/re-losing water weight? How can I track this? Like I said, it's really hard to see it go down and up and down and up without getting frustrated and thinking that it's all for not.

I don't know if this info helps, but unlike some (this is in NO WAY meant to be offensive) I don't have more than 10 pounds to lose. People tell me I don't even need to do that...it's a self esteem thing with me. I'm 5'9" and started at 155. Today's weight is above. Is it going to be harder/take longer since I don't have a high amount of weight to lose?

As always...I appreciate your responses :)

Replies

  • bllowry
    bllowry Posts: 239 Member
    I would ignore the scale, and use a tape measure instead; for me I lose inches before the scale reflects a weight loss.
  • peachykeenlmao
    peachykeenlmao Posts: 4
    I wouldn't be discouraged. Just remember that weight and fat are NOT synonmous! you can eat a 2 lb burrito and you will be 2 lbs heavier but it does not mean that you are 2 lbs fatter. You also have to remember that you are working your body harder than normal and you are most likely building up some muscle. It will take a few weeks to reflect what you are looking for. It also takes about 3 months for your metabolism to actually start changing so keep up what you are doing and you'll see some results. Also make sure you eat back the calories you are exercising because if your body does not have enough calories for daily function it will retain storages so you don't starve so VERY important to remember.
  • Emsy2121
    Emsy2121 Posts: 10
    So, with what you just said, I should eat more today since I exercised and have the extra calories? And I guess it gets hard to remember that it's only been 4ish weeks lol. Do you think that my second statement has anything to do with it? I've heard that the more in the "normal" weight range you are to begin with, the harder it is to lose.
  • Amber82479
    Amber82479 Posts: 629 Member
    I agree with bllowry... Bust out that tape measure and measure everything! Take your measurements once or twice a month. When you don't have a lot to lose, you will most likely see more results in size than in weight, because you're replacing fat with muscle and a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat. :) Also, it is definitely going to take longer for you to lose than someone who has 50 or 100 pounds to lose, so be patient. I know how frustrating it is, but your body will let go of the weight! Oh and one final note, in my personal experience, I have to eat back my exercise calories to lose weight.
  • Emsy2121
    Emsy2121 Posts: 10
    That's good to know because I haven't been. I was just like "Yay, I burned extra today!". I didn't realize it could actually do more harm than good.
  • peachykeenlmao
    peachykeenlmao Posts: 4
    Well if you are tracking both your food and exercise than you should be doing fine. Because when you track your exercise in MFP it adds food calories to your daily intake. so if you are doing 1380 and you eat 400 and work out 300 you still would have 1280 for the day. I just know when I was on Weight Watchers the days I chose to eat like half my points and workout that week I wouldn't lose more than like .5 a pound but the weeks I ate all my points and ate back my exercise points I would lose 2 lbs. But I was also 190 at the time. I am 155 now and I struggle to lose 2 lbs a month haha
  • bellawares
    bellawares Posts: 558 Member
    You will get a wealth of information by reading all of this thread ( yes it's long but worth the read) that should help to answer your questions.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/113609-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner?error_user_id=10952746&error_username=bellawares

    Continued here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/211420-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner

    This thread was started by stroutman81 who is a personal trainer and an active member of the MFP community.
This discussion has been closed.

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