Insanity, wk 4 not seeing results and weight fluctuations

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AddisonandClark
AddisonandClark Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello again!

I'm on week 4, day 2 of Insanity and right now I am slightly disappointed in my results. Scale is doing okay I guess (but I don't really care about weight, but more inches/appearance), as I've lost about 8 pounds And I'm happy with that I guess. Last week I visited friends who I hadn't seen in 4ish weeks and 3-4 of them commented that it looked like I had lost weight, which was great to hear and IMO it does kind of look like I lost some flab from my neck (which is good by me!)

Thought my stomach wasn't changing that much, the area I want to target the most, but I took a picture this morning and there was a difference that I noticed (of course I nitpicked and wished it was more lol, but whatever).

But then I decided to take a picture tonight (after I completed my workout which was around 10:30 PM, had a busy day, hate working out this late)...and my stomach looked the same as my before picture!! I was not exactly thrilled and I stepped on the scale and I had gained about 2-3 pounds since the morning, which is kind of to be expected from eating/drinking and whatnot, right? But I was still 5-6 pounds lighter than what I started.

I'm not really concerned about the scale (though it is weird how it changes so much, but I guess I understand morning vs. night) but I was pretty crushed with regards to the second pic I took at night. Same big gut :(


Diet is pretty decent. I haven't really followed the Insanity plan but I am a 19 yr old male but I don't eat like a 19 yr old any more. Hardly have any junk food any more and when I do eat some junk I guilt myself out for a while. When I go out to eat, I've ordered grilled chicken. Yogurt, chicken, some fruits and veggies and turkey are my main go-to foods now lol.

So overall I haven't followed the diet but I'm eating a hell of a lot better than I used to...idk maybe not eating enough? I'm not starving myself but I'm trying to cut back and eat less at each meal. Still think I get around 1800 cals a day.


Could my stomach growing be soreness from the workout? And I drink a hella lot of water during the workout and had some milk with my protein shake afterwards?


I'm just kinda freaking out since I'm trying really hard with Insanity and my diet has really improved and if I don't get results by the middle of August (end of the 63 days), I'm going to be very disappointed in myself!

Any advice/tips?

Thanks!

Replies

  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
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    Your muscles tend to retain water after a work out. My biggest advice to you is to pick 1 time of day to weigh in and ONLY weigh in at that time (i.e. for me I only weigh in after my work outs, in the evenings). Those daily fluctuations can drive you crazy. Your weight loss sounds totally on track, so I'd try not to be discouraged, weigh only once a day, and give it some more time. :)
  • AddisonandClark
    AddisonandClark Posts: 18
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    Thanks!

    I usually weigh myself in the morning right before I eat and whatnot, and I try to only weigh myself 1-2 times a week.

    Just a little discouraged I still have a pretty big gut after some people have had pretty good results at the 30 day mark (which I'm nearing) and I'm not really see too much results (though the scale says I kinda am...so idk lolol).

    Certainly not giving up, apparently month 2 is where a lot of the results come from, so I am hoping so!


    Thanks again.
  • AddisonandClark
    AddisonandClark Posts: 18
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    Bump!
  • BrittLee07
    BrittLee07 Posts: 28
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    What I suggest is to take pictures (which you seem to be doing :) )! Take a before picture and then every week take a picture in the same place with generally the same camera distance and body pose. You may want to do 3 shots- front, side, and back. ALSO if you are not seeing results, check your form!!! Form is the most important part of those programs. Make sure your feet are placed correctly, make sure your pushups are correct, etc. Check in front of a mirror. I had tried insanity a year ago, and I couldn't do it and didn't see results. After a year of working with a personal trainer I had learned correct form and was then able to perform QUALITY moves. I did it for a week this past year and saw MAJOR results after a week.

    As I said- form is key. Check in front of a mirror. If you don't look like Shaun T or the other people behind him while doing the moves, you WILL NOT get results. You also need to watch how many calories you are eating. Eat quality food (veggies, lean meats, etc.) Your muscles could be getting stronger but you may not have enough of a calorie deficit. I only eat 1200 calories (which is my nutritionist recommend I do to lose weight for my body size), but I still have enough energy to do a TON of physical activity because I'm putting healthy things into my body. It's all about the balance between the two.
    A couple diet tips are to only eat fruit during the day. Load up on leafy greens! Do yourself a favor and cut out ALL junk food. If you want the body bad enough you'll resist the cravings. Eggs (especially egg whites) are WONDERFUL. Drink only water, (and the occasional SUGAR FREE tea.) BE CAREFUL OF SALADS!!! There are salads that can be over 1000 calories! When you go out to eat, only get water and look up how many calories are with every meal online and pick the dish ahead of time- you won't be as tempted to get a meal that's bad for you AND you'll know how many calories are going into your system.

    One last thing- as muscle increases, so will your weight. I weigh more than I did a couple years ago but am a lot thinner thanks to muscle mass! :)
    Oh... AND make sure to keep your core tight during the workout. It may be harder but it'll be better in the long run.
  • navydentalchic
    navydentalchic Posts: 234 Member
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    I gained 4 pounds the first month, but once I got through the second, I noticed huge changes! Hang in there :)
  • sfgonzales
    sfgonzales Posts: 110 Member
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    I took a picture before I started Insanity and last week after finishing my first week of Insanity. I had lost four pounds, but didn't feel a difference... until I looked at the pictures! Be patient! Change doesn't happen overnight. Losing a few inches is an accomplishment! :smile:
  • lcn1220
    lcn1220 Posts: 124 Member
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    OP: Take measurements! Scale is going to be a bit deceptive here, and when you lose fat you lose from all over not just where you'd wish most :). The weight fluctuation you're seeing might be due to water retention from DOMS. Water retention can make your lines disappear or blurry. Weigh yourself once a week or every two weeks.

    If you're not losing couple inches here and there, check your diet. If you are losing inches, relax. :) Eat as clean as you can manage, get your protein numbers in, and show up to work out with intensity every day. Everybody's different. Don't expect someone else's results on your body. Be patient with yourself.

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