Help understanding the food aspect. . .

Your weight is going to fluctuate anyway. Try to only weigh yourself once a week and at approximately the same time every week. It's best to do it first thing in the morning as well.

The previous person is right as well, muscle weighs more. So although you may not see it on the scale on a day to day basis, you will have results.

Exercising like that is going to help develop muscle definition, which is a great thing. You just have to remember that muscle mass weighs more than fat, so as you drop the fat, you might not see the scale reflecting it because of building muscle.

Also, I don't think you need to adjust your diet. It sounds like your trainer has you focusing on the right things. I don't think you should decrease your calories at all. I'm actually surprised he has you at 1300- that seems kinda low especially with all the exercising.

Don't worry! You'll definitely see results. Just keep at it and try to only weigh once in awhile. I know it's hard- I used to be a scale junky myself- but weighing only once a week or less will give you a more accurate idea of how well your work is paying off. Good luck!

Yep, what MacMadame said. You'll see the scale go back down after you have a rest day. Don't get hung up on day to day numbers, just make sure your week to week numbers are moving along.

Exercise uses up the glycogen in your muscles and that releases water. Then, the next day, your muscles put the glycogen back in and that puts the water back. So you can go up.

It's true that the same volume of muscle weighs less than the same volume of fat, But it's hard to put on muscle. Unless you are working hard to bulk up, you probably only gain a pound of muscle a month. So, while people are quick to offer that as an explanation, it's unlikely. Water weight is much more likely.

That's interesting! I had never heard it explained this way before. Makes a lot of sense.

OK lets dispel a couple of myths.

Myth 1, if you do weight training, you'll see weight gains the next day/week. This just doesn't happen. Muscle takes a LOOONNNNGGGG time to develop. You'd be lucky to put on 8 to 10 lbs in a year, and that's generally if you work pretty hard (not including steroid and other PED's), immediate weight gain after weight training is usually caused by the muscle needing to replenish water and glycogen stores, these stores can hold up to a couple of pounds, also electrolyte levels fluctuate during training, and certain minerals cause more/less water retention, such as sodium, potassium...etc.

Myth 2, you can gain muscle while in caloric deficit. Doesn't happen people. Sorry, you just can't add muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. You can possibly add definition to existing muscle, but you can't gain mass or density. This isn't the same thing as becoming stronger. You CAN become stronger while in deficit, but that usually is because your body "learns" how to more efficiently utilize the existing muscles in the body, effectively enlisting more muscle fibers in a muscle to help perform work.

Myth 3, eating a ton of extra protein helps build muscles. Not true. Usually, even someone who works out really well, and conditions their body perfectly, only needs to bump protein consumption a few % above average. Anything above a few % increase will just be used the same way as carbohydrates. The only difference is that it takes longer for the body to turn protein into glucose, and that means it's more apt to be stored as fat.

You are not alone.

I have been working with my trainer 3 days a week and I do cardio 5 days with 2 days off since July. I haven't lost any weight on the scale but I have lost 23 inches, almost 10% bodyfat and 3 sizes in jeans.

I usually put on five to seven pounds when I do a lot of cardio (incline running) and weights (weighted squats etc)

Boss

Above your post I listed the inches lost and percentage of body fat lost. Can you tell me how I am doing? I really respect your opinion.

Thank you in advance

did you mean "Can you tell how I'm doing it?"

I mean, of course, I think a 10% reduction in body fat and 23 inches lost speaks for it self, that's spectacular!

If you're asking how this can happen without any weight loss, well I'm obviously just speculating based on general knowledge on the subject, but my hypothesis would be, this:

As you begin to work out (and continue) you train muscles to do new (and mostly harder) things. These muscles follow the process I listed above with regards to muscle fiber. When a muscle isn't in use, or used infrequently or for easier tasks, it doesn't engage all it's muscle fibers, the fibers, because they aren't in use, don't expend energy, therefore don't require energy stores. As you train these muscles to work harder, they require larger stores of glycogen (muscles keep a small store of glycogen close by for quick access). I contend that you actually did lose weight (evidenced by the fat lost), but that you put weight back on in the form of more active muscle tissue, which means a larger overall store of glycogen and water (muscles use water with glucose as part of the process for glycogen storage).

So while you aren't seeing differences in pounds on the scale, the other measures tell a far different story. 10% body fat reduction is HUGE!
Now, eventually you will no longer have large tracts of muscle fiber that need to "shape up" and the weight will start to fall, but take heart, it's definitely working for you! Great Job!

Boss

Above your post I listed the inches lost and percentage of body fat lost. Can you tell me how I am doing? I really respect your opinion.

Thank you in advance

did you mean "Can you tell how I'm doing it?"

I mean, of course, I think a 10% reduction in body fat and 23 inches lost speaks for it self, that's spectacular!

If you're asking how this can happen without any weight loss, well I'm obviously just speculating based on general knowledge on the subject, but my hypothesis would be, this:

As you begin to work out (and continue) you train muscles to do new (and mostly harder) things. These muscles follow the process I listed above with regards to muscle fiber. When a muscle isn't in use, or used infrequently or for easier tasks, it doesn't engage all it's muscle fibers, the fibers, because they aren't in use, don't expend energy, therefore don't require energy stores. As you train these muscles to work harder, they require larger stores of glycogen (muscles keep a small store of glycogen close by for quick access). I contend that you actually did lose weight (evidenced by the fat lost), but that you put weight back on in the form of more active muscle tissue, which means a larger overall store of glycogen and water (muscles use water with glucose as part of the process for glycogen storage).

So while you aren't seeing differences in pounds on the scale, the other measures tell a far different story. 10% body fat reduction is HUGE!
Now, eventually you will no longer have large tracts of muscle fiber that need to "shape up" and the weight will start to fall, but take heart, it's definitely working for you! Great Job!

Thank you so much ShBoss. That helps me understand it alot better. Before July I never exercised and I have a job that I sit all day. When I signed up to work out with my trainer I told her that I wanted her to push me and she has listened very well.:laugh: I love my new lifestyle, this is the best I have ever felt.

I have gone down three jean sizes. That feels wonderful!!!!!!

So based on the info from Boss, perhaps the fact that I'm taking in so much extra protein could be actually working against me.

I don't see where he said anything like that. What works against you is too many calories.

I started out this week losing 1 lb but I have since gained it back following the trainer's advice and I haven't changed my workout routine.

Are you eating more than you did before you started with him? If not, it's probably water weight. It's very common to store water after a strength training session.

Also, I have read that taking in protein right after a workout will help to build cleaner, healthier, fat-burning muscle. Is this true?

Not exactly. Consuming something that has protein as well as carbs (and not just carbs) within 30-60 min. after exercise will help with muscle repair. But there is no such thing as dirty, unhealthy muscle. :laugh:

I wouldn't care if I were seeing a change in my BMI or in my size, but I'm not. I'm staying at the same weight and I have to fight to stay there. Something isn't right or I'm doing something wrong.

How long has this been going on? If it's just a week, I wouldn't worry about it. If it's been a month, then, yeah, you probably aren't operating at enough of a calorie deficit.