Losing lbs but not inches?

Options
jcperkns
jcperkns Posts: 109
in Health and Weight Loss
Is this normal? I started my new "diet" on March 29 and since then I have lost 4.8 lbs doing Insanity and the Advocare 24 day challenge. I started MFP on Monday and have a 1200 calorie/day limit. Since 3/29 the scale has been moving but not the tape measure. Does this mean I'm losing muscle instead of body fat? Does anyone else have this problem?

Replies

  • slrrese
    slrrese Posts: 180 Member
    Options
    I have had this. Everyone is different. I carry the weight that comes off first between my hips and my waist so when I started loosing for quite some time I lost lbs but not inches. I am intentionally losing SLOW and working out 6 days a week, including 2 days of weithg lifting to try and combat muscle loss while losing weight.
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    Options
    Everyone loses differently. Keep at it!! Don't give up!!

    Although, I am the opposite of you cause I am not losing pounds but, I am losing inches. Maybe we should join together & so we can lose inches & pounds....lmao :laugh:
  • joeburchett2
    joeburchett2 Posts: 3
    Options
    The inches will start coming off...remember, you have fat spread across your entire body...It can sometimes be tough to detect with a regular tape measure...you could lose 10 pounds and have very little difference on the tape, if it is burning fairly equally throughout your body Stick with it!
  • jamie78
    jamie78 Posts: 514 Member
    Options
    Just make sure you are getting in plenty of water and also staying away from high sodium foods, and eating lots of veggies! :)
  • jcperkns
    jcperkns Posts: 109
    Options
    I do drink a lot of water but I will start to watch my sodium intake. I just keep seeing post where people say to throw away the scale and pick up the tape measure but not the other way around.

    Thank you all for your input!
  • evansproudmama
    evansproudmama Posts: 496
    Options
    I lost close to 40lbs and went down only one pants size!! Dont feel discouraged like everyone says we all lose differently and sadly we cant chose the places we lose from.. maybe try some weight training or body weight exercises that should help see those inches away :-0
  • hedgiie
    hedgiie Posts: 1,245 Member
    Options
    perhaps your not that fat, hence your actually toning as supposed to losing inch.

    this is common for women with round *kitten*, they workout trying to make it smaller but it size is still there however it becomes toner and tighter which is a nice anyway.
  • JBott84
    JBott84 Posts: 268 Member
    Options
    I lost inches but no weight....My friend who was doing the same workout as me lost weight but no inches...but after 2 months on MFP we switched for a bit I lost some lb's and she some inches sooo...lol...your body is changing be patient...just don't stop doing what your doing and results will follow :)
  • SOOZIE429
    SOOZIE429 Posts: 638 Member
    Options
    If you're doing all that exercise and only eating 1200 calories, you are definitely not eating enough and most likely losing muscle as you suggested. Eat at least your BMR and some of your exercise calories back. You'll have more energy for your workouts and won't lose muscle. Check out some of the threads about BMR and eating more.

    Good luck.
  • scottstephens79
    scottstephens79 Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    @jcperkns
    I'm in the same boat as you. I've lost 32 lbs so far but dropped only 1 pant size. I can see and feel the weight-loss in my face/arms/legs, but my thighs and waistline isn't really moving :( We just gotta keep at it I guess
  • SOOZIE429
    SOOZIE429 Posts: 638 Member
    Options
    Check out this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

    It advocates eating more while burning fat.

    Great info. Changed a lot of lives.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
    Options
    You can not do 1200 calories and do insanity or you will lose lean muscle mass. There has yet to be a person that i have run nukbers for while doing insanity that has been under 1800 calories. Your body needs fuel as it is and you burn a ton of calories on insanity so you need to eat. Ibspeak from expierence as i did 90 days of p90x on 1800 calories and didnt lose anything. I upped it to 2600 and did clx amd lost 11lbs, 3% bf and 6".
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Options
    probably because you aren't eating enough. your body is burning your muscle and storing your food as fat as it thinks you are starving.

    add weight training and eat more.
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    Options
    You can not do 1200 calories and do insanity or you will lose lean muscle mass. There has yet to be a person that i have run nukbers for while doing insanity that has been under 1800 calories. Your body needs fuel as it is and you burn a ton of calories on insanity so you need to eat. Ibspeak from expierence as i did 90 days of p90x on 1800 calories and didnt lose anything. I upped it to 2600 and did clx amd lost 11lbs, 3% bf and 6".
    ^^^THIS! I did Insanity on 1800 and dropped quite a bit of weight. Now I'm skinny fat and struggling to put on lean muscle. Eat and start lifting NOW!
  • charlybu
    charlybu Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    Body moisturizer! Sometimes the pounds fall off, but you can't see a difference because your skin has to keep up. Keep your skin healthy and moisturized and try not to lose too quickly. Don't bother with cellulite creams and "firming" lotions, anything that has essential oils (they are bad skin irritants), or anything labeled "natural" (usually just means it's full of good sounding, highly irritating ingredients and cost more). Just use plain boring body lotion. Check out Paulaschoice.com for more info on healthy skin care ( I really like her BHA body lotion, especially after shaving). She also did a podcast recently about floppy skin after weight loss, you should be able to find the link on that site.

    A lot of good comments on this topic =) Just remember that healthy weight loss is a long term adjustment, don't expect overnight results. You've only just started and you're doing really well. I've been on here for a little over 4 months and lost 21lbs and only about 1 size. I had originally hoped to be much farther along by this point, but I had to adjust my goals a bit to make sure I would be able to stick with it for the long term. I was driving myself crazy and heading toward injury trying to lose 2 lbs a week. Also, even though my tape measure and scale don't always tell me I'm losing, my clothes are fitting better and my shape has changed dramatically. I fell like a woman again ;) Hang in there!
  • charlybu
    charlybu Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    Also, a lot of times us women lose weight from the top down. Check your bust and under-bust measurements. I can watch the fat slide down my body (and boobs get floppier) as I lose. I have a feeling my flop-over belly pooch is going to stick around till the very end, lol! Retro high waist jeans for the win! Just be proud of what you've accomplished so far and don't let a seeming lack of progress get you down. Just wait till you hit your first wall. That sucks.

Categories