Fat vs Muscle

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lieselq
lieselq Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi. I've been going all out at the gym (as much as my body will let me) doing 2-3 hours of 'working out' each day. This time includes the 35 minute walk to the gym & then 35 min back (in the 100 degree Texas heat!). I see a trainer as much as possible with my limited funds...two times per week for 30 min if I can...I'm learning what I can and cannot do on a bum knee...which, turns out, it quite a lot! I have sweated tons and am making great progress in my workouts...both in my strength and in my willingness to try new things...I challenge myself and usually find 'm up to the challenge which is rewarding!

I've been at this great guns for about 2 full weeks now and on Sunday was chagrined to find that any initial weight loss I'd experienced was gone. So I got out the tape measure and even though it wasn't 'measuring day,' I measured my waist...just to see. (I needed some encouragement or validation, I suppose.) My waist was down 4 full inches in only 2 weeks! I was elated! I wrote on Facebook that I'd take inches lost over pounds lost any day of the week (if I had to choose).

I got several comments back about how this is normal in the beginning due to the increase in muscle and that if I just continue plodding along my path, that the pounds will begin to fall off. I am 100% willing to stay the course.

Has you have this or a similar experience? I'm not frustrated altho of course I would love to be seeing the scales plummeting...I'm thrilled that already I've had to let go of one pair of shorts because they were hanging off of me and I had to keep tugging them up...yet, I would dearly love to go from the 190's to at least 189...just for moral's sake!!!

Thanks, in advance, for your feedback! Have a great day everyone!

Replies

  • appleseeds
    appleseeds Posts: 212 Member
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    I've been seenig a trainer for about 4 weeks now and the scales havent moved in the last, i dunno, week and a half maybe. I did the same thing and got out the tape....with no actual weight loss my waist measurement dropped an inch (28inchs to 27inchs) Can't be unhappy about that!
  • Adureeuh
    Adureeuh Posts: 24 Member
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    Usually when you start exercising or change up your routine you will hover around the same weight due to water retention. It's not unusual. So, if you notice over the next month your weight stays the same, don't panic, but just measure yourself again. Great job and keep at it!
  • ARDuBaie
    ARDuBaie Posts: 379 Member
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    If you are lifting weights, you will not see a weight change until around the fifth week when you have built up enough muscle to increase your calories needed. Keep going and you will see results, if not in weight, definitely in inches.
  • jennieh1980
    jennieh1980 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi. I've been going all out at the gym (as much as my body will let me) doing 2-3 hours of 'working out' each day. This time includes the 35 minute walk to the gym & then 35 min back (in the 100 degree Texas heat!). I see a trainer as much as possible with my limited funds...two times per week for 30 min if I can...I'm learning what I can and cannot do on a bum knee...which, turns out, it quite a lot! I have sweated tons and am making great progress in my workouts...both in my strength and in my willingness to try new things...I challenge myself and usually find 'm up to the challenge which is rewarding!

    I've been at this great guns for about 2 full weeks now and on Sunday was chagrined to find that any initial weight loss I'd experienced was gone. So I got out the tape measure and even though it wasn't 'measuring day,' I measured my waist...just to see. (I needed some encouragement or validation, I suppose.) My waist was down 4 full inches in only 2 weeks! I was elated! I wrote on Facebook that I'd take inches lost over pounds lost any day of the week (if I had to choose).

    I got several comments back about how this is normal in the beginning due to the increase in muscle and that if I just continue plodding along my path, that the pounds will begin to fall off. I am 100% willing to stay the course.

    Has you have this or a similar experience? I'm not frustrated altho of course I would love to be seeing the scales plummeting...I'm thrilled that already I've had to let go of one pair of shorts because they were hanging off of me and I had to keep tugging them up...yet, I would dearly love to go from the 190's to at least 189...just for moral's sake!!!

    Thanks, in advance, for your feedback! Have a great day everyone!

    I'm having the same thing, being seeing a trainer for 6 weeks now. Lost about 1lb in weight but have lost 4 inches off my waist, 2 off my hips, 3.5 off my thighs, 1 off my calves and 2.5 off my arms so must be doing something right.
    I'm finding that if I weigh myself I get annoyed that I'm not seeing any weight loss so then eating properly goes out the window because I'm so annoyed so from now I'm only going to weigh once a month when I do my measurements with my trainer so I don't get disheartened
  • lieselq
    lieselq Posts: 10 Member
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    helpful...thx!:smile:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,671 Member
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    Weight eventually drops. Resistance training will usually keep the weight from moving for a couple of weeks or so as your body adapts to water and glycogen retention.
    I should say that building muscle while on calorie deficit only applies to a few exceptions (returning athlete, obese/very overweight, newbie to lifting) and even then the muscle built is minimal.
    If people reached their goal of how they physically want to look and feel, my question would be at that point "then does what the scale reflect matter?"

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jennieh1980
    jennieh1980 Posts: 21 Member
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    Weight eventually drops. Resistance training will usually keep the weight from moving for a couple of weeks or so as your body adapts to water and glycogen retention.
    I should say that building muscle while on calorie deficit only applies to a few exceptions (returning athlete, obese/very overweight, newbie to lifting) and even then the muscle built is minimal.
    If people reached their goal of how they physically want to look and feel, my question would be at that point "then does what the scale reflect matter?"

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Very true, I'm trying to change my mind set to measuring my success on how much healthier I feel, how much more energy I've got, how my clothes are fitting and trying not to get hung up on the numbers on the scale because I know it effects my mood which then effects how I eat, hard though when thats how I've been wired for so many years.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    For me to lower bodyfat sapped strength, so I stopped progress to preserve muscle. It's an on-going disconnect.

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