I'm halfway to my weight goal, & NOT AN INCH GONE!

GelinaKnows
GelinaKnows Posts: 46
in Health and Weight Loss
I started on mfp at 151 lbs. I know I have far less to lose than a lot of other people, but here's my dilemma: I have busted my butt & literally changed my entire lifestyle around, & I have so far lost 15 lbs (approx, it's more accurate on my ticker). My goal weight is only 120, so I'm no longer far off, I'm half way there. HOWEVER, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. LITERALLY NOTHING. I weigh myself once a week once every week & a half, I only do my tape measure measurements once every two weeks. THEY HAVE NOT BUDGED. WHERE WERE THE FIFTEEN LBS AT?!?!? There is NO change in ANYTHING, No inches, no clothing sizes, nothibng. It's like I've done nothing. So why does the scale say 134.8?? My (tiny to start with) chest is a bit smaller (abit saggier too) but there's not even 1.5 lbs there, let alone fifteen! LOL! WHAT GIVES?? To say that I'm replacing it with muscle is just preposterous, as there's no way that it could be replacing the fat EXACTLY the way the fat laid in the same spots & same size. Sorry, not happening....so WHAT IS?????? THANKS!!! :)

Replies

  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    I think if u were replacing with muscle, u would lose inches, cuz muscle takes up less space than fat. Try weight lifting. That will probably change everything. Cardio isn't gonna really change ur body. It'll make u weigh less, but to lose body fat I'm pretty sure u need to lift & add some muscle. Muscle burns fat after all. And also give ur body the proper amount of nutrition. If ur not doing that, then some of those lbs being lost could have very well been muscle lost & not fat.
  • wookiemouse
    wookiemouse Posts: 290 Member
    I agree. I never lost inches until I started lifting heavy weights. In the span of 1 year, I only lost 8 lbs - but dropped 4 clothing sizes. And that was without changing my diet at all.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    You could be losing it in weird places like your chin, arms and feet. I mean, 15 lbs. spread across an entire body isn't that much. Though you'd think you'd notice at least something in your waist. Maybe you're just a camel with the water there.
  • MrsBully4
    MrsBully4 Posts: 304 Member
    Stop doing pure cardio and pick some heavy stuff up!
  • Aria_TC
    Aria_TC Posts: 14 Member
    I'm having the same problem. Lost about 10 lbs so far, but no inches. Then again, I also do not lift weights or do strength exercises. This has been suggested to me several times. My gym membership at the college gets renewed in the Fall so I will start with weights at that time. Until then, I'm going to do strength stuff around the house and see if that works. I definitely need to build muscle. Good luck and let us know how it works for you! :)
  • slick_fox
    slick_fox Posts: 85 Member
    It really takes a year for the body to adjust to weight loss (per the doctors). I have been on maintenance for 11 months and my body is still changing. I have looked in the mirror in the morning and I have seen a major change.

    DO NOT give up! You are doing great and you are building muscle.
  • orishp
    orishp Posts: 214 Member
    I don't know this is weird to me, I have lost 12-13 lbs, and I have dropped at least one pant size, and lost inches especially in my legs, which is my problem area.

    I am doing cardio and weight lifting
  • Twiztedbeing
    Twiztedbeing Posts: 389
    You definitely need to do weight training. It should definitely help inches. As for the relationship between them, there is not always one to speak of. Just depends on each person individually and what they are doing.
  • jasonthekidd
    jasonthekidd Posts: 60
    Hmmm, weird. I just went from a 34 waist to a 30 after losing 40 lbs....just bought new pants this past weekend. It was awesome and I look good in them, just keep up the good work it will pay off with time. :-)
  • kaydensmom12
    kaydensmom12 Posts: 338
    you need weight lifting:)
  • GelinaKnows
    GelinaKnows Posts: 46
    I do lift. I weight train, just not daily, I have severe carnal tunnel, so it's not easy for me to do it on a daily basis, but I am very strong, I'm just also carrying a spare tire around my waist!
  • GelinaKnows
    GelinaKnows Posts: 46
    I never said I did only cardio...why do people think that?
  • sabras18
    sabras18 Posts: 24
    I would say try muscle confusion. 15 minute cardio with weight training ever other day one on the non- weight training 60 minutes for cardio/core stuff...... for bad carpel tunnel days dead weight stuff ( single leg squats, lawn mowers, arm circles, ect) I was surprised how much it worked just using my own body weight ....keep us posted.....you can do it!!!!
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
    Maybe the fat packed around your organs is reduced.
  • job187
    job187 Posts: 26 Member
    Depending on your genetics and gender you will loose fat from some areas way before others – if i recall correctly famales will tend to hold on to fat around the butt and thighs and for men it's often the bellyfat that is some of the last reserves to go.

    Cardio is more energy intense than lifting weights and should therefore be your main focus in my opinion. You cannot target specific areas of your body to burn off fat faster with weight training.
  • cara4art
    cara4art Posts: 48 Member
    "Maybe the fat packed around your organs is reduced. "

    Quite possible! I read somewhere quite awhile ago that often people who were starting to lose their visceral fat(the fat packed around organs, NOT the fat right under the skin that we notice as extra stuff we don't want)wouldn't necessarily notice changes on the outside, until they started losing the other fat. But I agree that solid weight training along with cardio definitely helps in the body re-composition department. 3x a week should do it for the lifting, and make sure most of the exercises you do are compound, as in using large muscle groups, like squats, lunges, push-ups(whatever way you can do them, even if it's just a very few when you start), assisted tricep dips, etc. followed by just a few exercises that isolate smaller muscle groups, like curls and extensions. The compound exercises do give one a bigger bang for the buck, a lot of work being done in a shorter amount of time, and done correctly, burn a good amount of calories in a couple of ways. Not so much DURING the exercise, like cardio, but more afterward. This will increase as muscle is slowly added to your body. Just in the repair process from a really solid workout, one's body is burning energy. Keep your diet as clean as possible, and change up your cardio routines too. It's really easy for one's body to get accustomed to certain cardio activities and become more efficient, thus burning fewer calories.
    Also, it DOES really take time - very few people can "totally transform their body in 6 weeks" or even 3 months for that matter unless they're under some sort of supervision(very watchful personal trainer who kicks one's butt), or don't have all that much to lose in the first place and they happen to respond quickly to the new stimuli and diet. Age makes a difference too. For women this is particularly true, as hormonal status can really throw a big wrench into the gears of losing fat. Then one really does have to be more strict with what one is doing. Hope this helps at all, and don't give up training or keeping a hawk eye on your diet. Just rethink what you're doing and change things up. Different training program, and maybe switching up your diet macros - that might be sufficient to get things moving in a visible direction. You've done a lot already and there might be improvements you don't see yet. Your blood work might be better, for one thing. Best of luck!
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    Many people don't notice gradual weight loss, and it could be happening in places you don't measure, like in the face, forearms, ankles, hands, so on. No worries. Do try adding in weighs, but don't stress about it.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    I've prolly gained an inch or so...............ba dum chhh
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Heavy lifting for me created the opposite effect. Not so much weight loss, lots of inch loss!

    I'd recommend it, it works wonders for changing a body!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    is it possible that you did not measure quite right when you did your first measurements? I had an issue like that. When I did my first measurements I pulled the measuring tape very snug--to the point where there was distortion of my flubber--so even after like 15 pounds, my measurements "haven't changed". In reality, they HAVE changed, but now I am measuring the correct way with no distortion.
  • julialla
    julialla Posts: 232 Member
    I'm in the same boat with you. About 20 to 30 pounds to lose, and I've lost 10 so far. And I look/feel/fit the same! Hopefully the next few pounds will start improving the visible results...less fat, leaner, and hopefully more compliments :) Good Luck!!
  • freerange
    freerange Posts: 1,722 Member
    15lbs isn't that much, it might take a few more pounds to start "seeing" the results.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    Try more unprocessed food.
    You are eating protein bars, I would rather see you eat food.
    look at your 29th June diary.

    Have a meal, have two.
    meat and veg.

    this will fuel your workouts

    home made banana smoothie (or other fruit smoothie) will make you feel good after your workouts

    enjoy your food
    and enjoy your workouts
    :)
  • MrsBully4
    MrsBully4 Posts: 304 Member
    Job, the goal of weightlifting isn't to spot reduce fat but to help maintain lean muscle mass. Cardio burns muscle along with fat as fuel, while weightlifting helps to maintain lean muscle mass while you're burning fat. When I switched from cardio to a mix of cardio and strength training I immediately noticed a difference in how and where fat was lost. I went from overall shrinkage of my body, which wasn't super noticeable, to fat falling off my midsection, thighs, etc.

Categories