scale not moving! uggghhh

peninsulahair
peninsulahair Posts: 8
edited November 11 in Motivation and Support
Hi all! I just started to really get into working out again about a month ago. I am usually a "all or nothing" person. But this time I have done my workouts with much more moderation than in the past. In the past I would work out hard core for like 2-2.5 hours a day. I did weight lifting and cardio. But since ive started working out this time I started out like 20 min cardio and really light weights or bands. I am now up to about 30-45 min of cardio with weights or bands thrown in about twice a week. I am striving to do alot better on my eating. I am still consuming more cals than I would like and I am starving all the time. Is my hunger head hunger somewhat? and I am not seeing the scale move much at all! could I be building muscle from my working out? I tend to build muscle very quickly. Im just trying not to get discouraged. I do feel better, I feel like my clothes are fitting better. But I would just like that darn scale to move! HELP! do any of you struggle with this? It seems like when I first start out I struggle with this problem.

Andrea :-)

Replies

  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Hi all! I just started to really get into working out again about a month ago. I am usually a "all or nothing" person. But this time I have done my workouts with much more moderation than in the past. In the past I would work out hard core for like 2-2.5 hours a day. I did weight lifting and cardio. But since ive started working out this time I started out like 20 min cardio and really light weights or bands. I am now up to about 30-45 min of cardio with weights or bands thrown in about twice a week. I am striving to do alot better on my eating. I am still consuming more cals than I would like and I am starving all the time. Is my hunger head hunger somewhat? and I am not seeing the scale move much at all! could I be building muscle from my working out? I tend to build muscle very quickly. Im just trying not to get discouraged. I do feel better, I feel like my clothes are fitting better. But I would just like that darn scale to move! HELP! do any of you struggle with this? It seems like when I first start out I struggle with this problem.

    Andrea :-)

    Calm down. How many calories are you consuming. What do you mean light weights? How light? How many times a week are you doing cardio?
  • gregavila
    gregavila Posts: 723 Member
    Andrea,

    When it comes to a plateau, there are generally two thoughts to get the scale moving. 1) Change you workout a bit and up the exercise, or 2) Make a slight reduction in your calories.

    Without know more about your calories, BMR, MFP setting and/or seeing your food diary it is a little hard to offer more specific advice.

    There was a pretty good article on plateaus posted just the other day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/501511-great-read-on-plateau-ing

    Greg
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    Weight is just one measurement. If your clothes are looser then you are on the right track.

    People are going to notice that you are smaller, not what the number on the scale is. Are you going to carry around a scale so you can show people that you've lost weight? No.

    If you were three sizes smaller in clothes but weighed the same weight (yes, this is entirely possible) would you be upset. No.

    Start taking measurements; chest, waist, hips etc. Start calculating your body fat%. Those are the numbers you want to see a change in.
  • peninsulahair
    peninsulahair Posts: 8
    4-5 days cardio. and light weights as in that machine at the Y that is more of a toning machine, and bands. But when I do my cardio I tend to pump up the volume. Ive been doing racquetball and the elliptical.
  • peninsulahair
    peninsulahair Posts: 8
    also on the cals Im shooting for 1,200 but ive been averaging more realistically around 1,500-1,800. cuz im starving all the time! I try to eat lots of protein.
  • KickassAugust
    KickassAugust Posts: 1,430 Member
    Andrea - My bestie was dealing with the same issues and found that she has some pretty major allergies she didn't even know about it, every time she was eating what she thought was healthy it was making her swell a bit and puff a bit too... so she NEVER saw any results. Could this be a direction to look at?

    Otherwise, be encouraged by your dedication instead of discouraged by that silly scale! You're strong.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    How many calories does MFP tell you to eat? If you are supposed to eat 1200 and you are eating in excess of 1500, you aren't going to lose. Where is your 1200 goal coming from? You or the program?
  • peninsulahair
    peninsulahair Posts: 8
    I came up with that number myself on the 1,200 I guess I havnt figured out how to get the mfp to tell me my recommended cals. and than you so much for posting me that plateau article! it was very informational! loved reading it! made alot of sense! :-) thanks guys for the info and encouragement! I need it!
  • gregavila
    gregavila Posts: 723 Member
    You gone onto the MFP My Home>Goals and let it calculate you food calories for you? That will do it... if you want to learn to calculate more of it I'd be happy to help as well.
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