Help-Scales moving up not down!

MrsJ2006
MrsJ2006 Posts: 119
edited December 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!

I was hoping to get some advice/feedback. I joined a fitness center in Feb, we do boot camp work out sessions. I go 3 nights a week. I burn anywhere form 600-700 calories depending on the work out.

I cannot get my scale to go down, since joining I've gained almost 5lbs and I'm frustrated!! I've lost inches but thats it!

I up'd my calories to 1750 about 3 weeks ago and again the scales up not going down. I don't know what else to do??

Any help or guidance would be great!! Thanks!:smile:

Replies

  • danyelle67
    danyelle67 Posts: 115 Member
    I feel your pain, same thing is happening to me at first I lost and now I gained, so I thought I wasn't eating enough and now upped my calories and I am very afraid to weigh myself...I have a feeling my fat is turning to muscle which weighs more but it is so aggrevating!!! I want to lose at least 10 to 15 lbs..Urggg..Good Luck
  • sar04tamu
    sar04tamu Posts: 27
    Maybe avoid the scale for a month or so. Focus on the inches you're losing instead. Progress you feel and see in the mirror is more important than progress on a scale.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    I am not a believer of upping calories to lose weight. The math doesn't add up. I have yet to find concrete proof that works and for a scientific mind, hearsay means nothing. Go back to what you were at and continue on as you were. It will eventually go down if you are eating under your BMR. Muscle burns more calories than fat so keep up the bootcamp. It will work.

    Also, diet is most of weight loss. Watch sodium, don't OD on carbs, get adequate protein, etc. I lost over 75 lbs by not doing one second of exercise. The exercise is to increase muscle, tone and overall health for weight loss.

    And before someone posts this -- muscle does not weigh more than fat. 1 pound of muscle is the same as 1 pound of fat. They are both 1 pound. Muscle takes up less space than fat so your clothes will fit better with muscle. ** guess I was too late on my submit.
  • chrisc16
    chrisc16 Posts: 94
    Are you gaining muscle and losing fat? Scales would go up with that, although that's not bad gain.
  • MrsJ2006
    MrsJ2006 Posts: 119
    Are you gaining muscle and losing fat? Scales would go up with that, although that's not bad gain.

    I have gained over 3lbs in muscle-but my instructor doesn't get why I'm not losing weight. I think i'll go back down to my 1550 calories and continue that way for a month and see!

    I thought upping calories was the way to go.....but that may not work for some of us :smile:
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    I am not a believer of upping calories to lose weight. The math doesn't add up. I have yet to find concrete proof that works and for a scientific mind, hearsay means nothing. Go back to what you were at and continue on as you were. It will eventually go down if you are eating under your BMR. Muscle burns more calories than fat so keep up the bootcamp. It will work.

    Also, diet is most of weight loss. Watch sodium, don't OD on carbs, get adequate protein, etc. I lost over 75 lbs by not doing one second of exercise. The exercise is to increase muscle, tone and overall health for weight loss.

    And before someone posts this -- muscle does not weigh more than fat. 1 pound of muscle is the same as 1 pound of fat. They are both 1 pound. Muscle takes up less space than fat so your clothes will fit better with muscle. ** guess I was too late on my submit.

    Upping calories to lose weight does in fact work if you initially have your calories set too low (below BMR) or burn significant amounts through exercise / strength training. I have upped my calories 3x since January 1st, and I am still losing.

    Original poster - track your inches. Trust me - been there, done that. Avoid the scale for a while and focus on inches, how you feel...do you feel more fit? Less winded during the class? Stronger? Focus on THOSE gains - because in the long run those things mean far more than the # on the scale.

    *ETA - are you eating back exercise calories? How's your water intake? If you are adding muscle, water weight is very likely at this point.
  • Coco_Puff
    Coco_Puff Posts: 823 Member
    I upped my calories and it has made a real difference in my inch loss, but I've gained about 2 pounds. My back fat is disappearing and I have less dimples on my butt!!! I did add deep squats and deadlifts to my circuit training, so maybe it's the two working together. As long as it's working, I'll concentrate on inch loss and toning.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    Oh - and what is your BMR? Are you eating below it (you shouldn't be)? TDEE?
  • MrsJ2006
    MrsJ2006 Posts: 119
    I am not a believer of upping calories to lose weight. The math doesn't add up. I have yet to find concrete proof that works and for a scientific mind, hearsay means nothing. Go back to what you were at and continue on as you were. It will eventually go down if you are eating under your BMR. Muscle burns more calories than fat so keep up the bootcamp. It will work.

    Also, diet is most of weight loss. Watch sodium, don't OD on carbs, get adequate protein, etc. I lost over 75 lbs by not doing one second of exercise. The exercise is to increase muscle, tone and overall health for weight loss.

    And before someone posts this -- muscle does not weigh more than fat. 1 pound of muscle is the same as 1 pound of fat. They are both 1 pound. Muscle takes up less space than fat so your clothes will fit better with muscle. ** guess I was too late on my submit.

    Upping calories to lose weight does in fact work if you initially have your calories set too low (below BMR) or burn significant amounts through exercise / strength training. I have upped my calories 3x since January 1st, and I am still losing.

    Original poster - track your inches. Trust me - been there, done that. Avoid the scale for a while and focus on inches, how you feel...do you feel more fit? Less winded during the class? Stronger? Focus on THOSE gains - because in the long run those things mean far more than the # on the scale.

    *ETA - are you eating back exercise calories? How's your water intake? If you are adding muscle, water weight is very likely at this point.
    My water intakes great, I drink plenty of water! I wasn't eating back my excercise calories after I up'd my calories to 1750. My BMR is 1560

    I do feel stronger than before, and notice the difference in how I can do a set vs the 1st time I did it!
  • Lightbulb1088
    Lightbulb1088 Posts: 189 Member
    Change your routine, sometimes your body gets used to the things so change the exercises you do with something different, Change the foods you eat for a week. sometimes I will skip a meal and than the next day I eat every calorie i can.
  • MrsJ2006
    MrsJ2006 Posts: 119
    Change your routine, sometimes your body gets used to the things so change the exercises you do with something different, Change the foods you eat for a week. sometimes I will skip a meal and than the next day I eat every calorie i can.
    Thank you-great idea! We never do the same excercise at boot camp so that's not a problem. Good call on switching up foods that I eat...I usually go for the same thing for breakfast!

    Thanks everyone for your feedback and insight- :)
  • jenfraziet
    jenfraziet Posts: 3
    Hi,

    I've been dieting for about 5 weeks. I know I have lost weight because my clothes fit better and my face looks smaller in pictures. The problem..the scale!!! It says I weigh the same as I did when I first started 5 weeks ago! My advice don't use the scale just get a pair of jeans you want to fit into and use that as your tool! I don't understand why the scale says one thing and I fit in another but it's a science that doesn't make any sense.
  • MrsJ2006
    MrsJ2006 Posts: 119
    Hi,

    I've been dieting for about 5 weeks. I know I have lost weight because my clothes fit better and my face looks smaller in pictures. The problem..the scale!!! It says I weigh the same as I did when I first started 5 weeks ago! My advice don't use the scale just get a pair of jeans you want to fit into and use that as your tool! I don't understand why the scale says one thing and I fit in another but it's a science that doesn't make any sense.
    Hi! I agree, my clothes are fitting a lot better! I agree, stay away from the scale! Good luck on your weight loss journey-we can do this!
  • jenfraziet
    jenfraziet Posts: 3
    :happy: Hi,

    I've been dieting for about 5 weeks. I know I have lost weight because my clothes fit better and my face looks smaller in pictures. The problem..the scale!!! It says I weigh the same as I did when I first started 5 weeks ago! My advice don't use the scale just get a pair of jeans you want to fit into and use that as your tool! I don't understand why the scale says one thing and I fit in another but it's a science that doesn't make any sense.
  • janie4ever
    janie4ever Posts: 8
    its ok..deep breaths
    sometimes in weight loss u reach a plateau do to gaining muscle
    muscle weighs more than fat
    soon u will lose weight once the muscle gaining and losing are no longer at equilibrium
  • _angie_
    _angie_ Posts: 1
    You've build muscle and increased your bone density, hence the reason for shrinking in size, but not in weight.
    Your body needs to be challenged to progress; to lose weight, so make sure you're changing some part of your program every few weeks. Perhaps it is time to change. Take a 2 week break from the strenuous boot camp. Try some fun cardio, such as Zoomba.
  • lynnfelts
    lynnfelts Posts: 1 Member
    Count sugar and carbs in the food you eat. I got the book "Belly Fat Cure" by Jorge Cruise. It works when you count the sugar and carbs. Try it for one week. You'll be surprised. Let us know how you do. thanks, Lynn Felts
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