Disappointed but determined. I need advice.
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RussianVolk33
Posts: 2
Hello everyone. I started my long weight loss journey on June 18th, 2012. I eliminated all the junk food and processed crap out of my diet and I started walking at 3 mph for 45 mins every other day. I felt GREAT! By June 30th, 2012 I had lost 15 pounds and 2 inches from my waist. I was so happy because I could actually see my results. Its been a week since then and I have been at the same weight 
.
I have a feeling that I haven't lost anymore weight because I started to go to the gym (weird, I know.) I'm walking maybe 20 mins every other day at the gym but cycling and doing weights everyday I'm there. I go to the gym 5 days a week. I do the weights to tone/tighten, not so much gain muscle.
So what I guess I'm asking you is what to do. What should I do at the gym that will help me lose weight instead of make me stay the same. On the strength machines, what weight should I do and how many? Any advice please and thank you!
.I have a feeling that I haven't lost anymore weight because I started to go to the gym (weird, I know.) I'm walking maybe 20 mins every other day at the gym but cycling and doing weights everyday I'm there. I go to the gym 5 days a week. I do the weights to tone/tighten, not so much gain muscle.
So what I guess I'm asking you is what to do. What should I do at the gym that will help me lose weight instead of make me stay the same. On the strength machines, what weight should I do and how many? Any advice please and thank you!
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Replies
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I've had the same thing, I think that as you get going and start exercising the muscle retains water for a while to repair etc (I might be wrong on this so don't take my word for it), Just stick at it and it and the scale monsters will start feeling more friendly. Its probably just your body adjusting to it0
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Give it at least 4 weeks before you even think of calling it a plateau - especially if you just added in ST/weights. Your body needs time to adjust.0
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Start low and gradually move up.
One of the biggest reasons people get frustrated when starting with weights is because they try to do too much too soon and get fatigued.
Work on getting the motions of the various exercises practiced with low weight and then you can start actually working on some real weight once you get the motions into your muscle memory. This can help prevent injury.0 -
Losing a lot when you first start is common, you drop a fair bit of water weight, and then it slows down. Be aware that it's not all going to come off that fast, but if you persevere, it will happen.
Focus on measurements and BF% more than your weight. After all, BF% is a very good measure of fitness... the scale is just an indirect means of measuring that. Taking measurements in several places (neck, waist, hips, think about upper arm and thigh as well) can show you major progress even when your weight is staying the same.
As far as what to do at the gym, keep at the strength training! It may be slowing down your loss (for now), but it'll be helping your measurements, and will also be increasing your fitness, and the amount of calories you burn even when you're not working out.
Not sure of your level of fitness, but as you get in better shape, HIIT cardio (High Intensity Interval Training) is a great way to burn lots of calories quickly. Consider trying circuits for your weight training as well, if you go fast enough you can keep your heart rate elevated, and get cardio benefits as well as strength benefits from your strength training.
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first, no weight change in a scale numbers in a week or two, is not really unusual. The body is a "human" body, full of many little quirks, not a well calibrated mechanical precision device. Many internal and external things will effect it.
As noted above, look at trends over at least 4 weeks, before you stress.
If changing out routines, it often takes a week or two for the body to adapt, and if adding in weight training, or adjusting weight ranges the body normally will hold some water to help the repair process - this is normal and good.
Many other things can also influence wight, or make it appear as if you have gained - even when you have not. Water, sodium, carbs, certain spices and food, supplements, stress, poor sleep, hormonal influences, especially in women and more.
The article below addresses a few.
I often lose inches before scale weight, or even gain scale weight while losing inches. And often only lose inches in one area, not always the one I hope for But it eventually all works out. So measure from MANY body areas. And know that inch loss often does not show from one week to another. It typically takes me about 4 weeks to see inch changes.
A good mix or cardio, and resistance (weight lifting) training, (where you continually are stressing your body) and a managed diet are all keys to get you to your goals, in a healthy manner.Why the Scale Goes Up When You Start a New Workout Plan
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By: dailySpark Guest Blogger : 1/18/2010 6:04 AM 209 comments : 73,327 Views
By Chalene Johnson
Probably the most common question I get when I release a new exercise program is, "Help! I'm gaining weight! Am I doing something wrong?" This is a common phenomenon with any new exercise program, such as Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, or others! It's especially common (and temporary) with intense strength training programs like ChaLEAN Extreme or Tony Horton's P90X.
The motivation to start a new exercise program is almost always to lose weight. However, what most personal trainers know--and most at-home exercisers do not--is that a new exercise program often can cause an immediate (and temporary) increase on the scale. (Notice I didn't say weight gain! I'll explain.) This common increase in the scale is also the reason why perhaps millions of people start and then quickly quit their resolution to get fit.
The temporary weight gain explained:
When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and "unfamiliar" the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to "protect and defend" the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.
This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.
Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated, become discouraged and quit!
When I worked with a group of 70 test participants during the development stages of ChaLEAN Extreme, this happened. Who was the most upset and discouraged? You guessed it... the women! I'm happy to report absolutely for every single woman (and man) in our group, the weight increase was temporary and never lasted more than two weeks before they started to see a major drop in the scale. However, these people had the advantage of working with someone who was able to explain to them why this was happening and assure them the weight would come off if they stuck to the nutrition plan and stayed true to the program.
If you follow a multi-phase exercise plan, such as ChaLEAN Extreme, keep in mind that when you start each phase, your body will be "in shock" again. Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience a temporary gain on the scale the first week of each phase.
My own personal example of this is running 10Ks. I don't do it very often, maybe once or twice a year. Even though I run on a regular basis, when you run a race, you push much harder. It's natural for me to be insanely sore the next day. It�s also very common for me to see the scale jump 4 pounds the next day from forcing fluids post race and the resulting DOMS. Even though I know the cause of it, it's still a bummer. We're all human and hard work should mean results. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break. Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.
The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!
When to be concerned:
If you experience a significant weight gain (exceeding 5 pounds) that does not begin to decrease rapidly after the second week, guess what it is? I'll give you one hint... you put it in your mouth and chew it. You know it! Your food (or calorie-laden beverages). News flash, friends� exercise doesn't make you gain weight. Consuming more food than you burn makes you gain weight!
So if after two weeks you are not losing weight and have gained weight that's not coming off, it's time to take a close and honest look at your food intake. Start using SparkPeople's Nutrition Tracker regularly, and be honest.
Moral of the story:
Be patient young grass hopper. You'll be lean and mean in no time!
from here:
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan0 -
I understand what you are going through. I was at the same weight for 4 months, but I kept shrinking. I got very disappointed at first but then when I noticed that my pants were fitting looser I was ok. Take your measurements and look at how your clothes fit. Also give your body a chance to adapt to the new weight training0
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Give it at least 4 weeks before you even think of calling it a plateau - especially if you just added in ST/weights. Your body needs time to adjust.
this.
it hasn't even been a month yet. you need to relax. your body was in an initial shock, and now it's adjusting. keep up the good work, and while your weight loss will slow down, it will remain steady, i promise. just so long as you watch what you eat, eat good food, rest, and do cardio and strength training.
oh, and rule of thumb, you should be increasing your cardio and strength training by about 10% every week. so if you do 20 minutes of walking this week, next week do 22 minutes.0 -
Don't give up! You know when you plateau for awhile, all of the sudden you'll weight yourself one day and you will have lost 2 or 3 lbs Keep Going0
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I am on hte same path as you. I walk around the gym, scratching my head, trying to figure out what I should do.0
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Please share your successes and setbacks with me. I've been trying all these different techniques, and trying to carefully monitor / measure my results. But I'm at an all time high (weight wise), yet I had to buy a belt for all my pants. I still want the scale to tell me I'm small....help please.0
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Nothing to be disappointed about here. Congrats on your loss so far, but those first few pounds are relatively easy. A lot of it is water weight loss simply because you cut your food/sodium intake drastically. The rest won't come off as quickly, I'm afraid, and you'll have to work for it. Think in terms of 1-2 pounds per week instead of 5-6. Give it some time before you get frustrated.0
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Thank you all so much for taking time to reply to my post. The article that was posted was extremely helpful. I'm going to take it easy at the gym. I was just so excited to see the number on the scale go down and then to see it stop made me worry. You are all so kind. Good luck to all of you and keep up the good work! :]0
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I'm feeling the same way. I started doing Zumba 4-5 times a week and am following myfitnesspal for calorie intake. I've lost about 9 pounds since April, but I'm really disappointed that nothing else is coming off. I feel like I'm working really hard and eating so healthy, but I have stayed at this current weight for 3 weeks now. Just feeling bummed:(0
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my best advice to you is to start running on a treadmill or around your neigborhood. running is the number one excersise as far as burning calories goes. also, swimming would be really good for you too because that works every muscle in the body. walking just isnt enough anymore, sorry to say, because walking is so easy but hey, no pain, no gain! 0
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I have found that sometimes it's not so much what exercises we do but rather how we do them that matters most. Any one agree?0
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Metal monsters lie, but tape measures don't!!!!! kEEP IT UP, and don't give up and you will make it mf.0
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first, no weight change in a scale numbers in a week or two, is not really unusual. The body is a "human" body, full of many little quirks, not a well calibrated mechanical precision device. Many internal and external things will effect it.
As noted above, look at trends over at least 4 weeks, before you stress.
If changing out routines, it often takes a week or two for the body to adapt, and if adding in weight training, or adjusting weight ranges the body normally will hold some water to help the repair process - this is normal and good.
Many other things can also influence wight, or make it appear as if you have gained - even when you have not. Water, sodium, carbs, certain spices and food, supplements, stress, poor sleep, hormonal influences, especially in women and more.
The article below addresses a few.
I often lose inches before scale weight, or even gain scale weight while losing inches. And often only lose inches in one area, not always the one I hope for But it eventually all works out. So measure from MANY body areas. And know that inch loss often does not show from one week to another. It typically takes me about 4 weeks to see inch changes.
A good mix or cardio, and resistance (weight lifting) training, (where you continually are stressing your body) and a managed diet are all keys to get you to your goals, in a healthy manner.Why the Scale Goes Up When You Start a New Workout Plan
Email
Share on Tumblr
By: dailySpark Guest Blogger : 1/18/2010 6:04 AM 209 comments : 73,327 Views
By Chalene Johnson
Probably the most common question I get when I release a new exercise program is, "Help! I'm gaining weight! Am I doing something wrong?" This is a common phenomenon with any new exercise program, such as Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, or others! It's especially common (and temporary) with intense strength training programs like ChaLEAN Extreme or Tony Horton's P90X.
The motivation to start a new exercise program is almost always to lose weight. However, what most personal trainers know--and most at-home exercisers do not--is that a new exercise program often can cause an immediate (and temporary) increase on the scale. (Notice I didn't say weight gain! I'll explain.) This common increase in the scale is also the reason why perhaps millions of people start and then quickly quit their resolution to get fit.
The temporary weight gain explained:
When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and "unfamiliar" the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to "protect and defend" the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.
This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.
Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated, become discouraged and quit!
When I worked with a group of 70 test participants during the development stages of ChaLEAN Extreme, this happened. Who was the most upset and discouraged? You guessed it... the women! I'm happy to report absolutely for every single woman (and man) in our group, the weight increase was temporary and never lasted more than two weeks before they started to see a major drop in the scale. However, these people had the advantage of working with someone who was able to explain to them why this was happening and assure them the weight would come off if they stuck to the nutrition plan and stayed true to the program.
If you follow a multi-phase exercise plan, such as ChaLEAN Extreme, keep in mind that when you start each phase, your body will be "in shock" again. Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience a temporary gain on the scale the first week of each phase.
My own personal example of this is running 10Ks. I don't do it very often, maybe once or twice a year. Even though I run on a regular basis, when you run a race, you push much harder. It's natural for me to be insanely sore the next day. It�s also very common for me to see the scale jump 4 pounds the next day from forcing fluids post race and the resulting DOMS. Even though I know the cause of it, it's still a bummer. We're all human and hard work should mean results. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break. Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.
The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!
When to be concerned:
If you experience a significant weight gain (exceeding 5 pounds) that does not begin to decrease rapidly after the second week, guess what it is? I'll give you one hint... you put it in your mouth and chew it. You know it! Your food (or calorie-laden beverages). News flash, friends� exercise doesn't make you gain weight. Consuming more food than you burn makes you gain weight!
So if after two weeks you are not losing weight and have gained weight that's not coming off, it's time to take a close and honest look at your food intake. Start using SparkPeople's Nutrition Tracker regularly, and be honest.
Moral of the story:
Be patient young grass hopper. You'll be lean and mean in no time!
from here:
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan
EXACTLY!! I just finished ChaLEAN Extreme and my current default pic is at 60 days...I wasn't working to lose weight but to get rid of fat and gain muscle...my weight is pretty much unchanged but I'm a lot smaller now. I went by measurements and good thing I didn't weigh myself that first month b/c the scale would have showed an increase in that first couple of weeks. The scale is only part of the whole picture! How are your clothes fitting? Are you taking measurements? How do you feel? You need a COMPLETE picture of your progress and the scale alone is only a corner of that picture!0 -
I have personally noticed that before when I went to the gym and just did weights and cardio that I didn't loose as much weight as I wanted to, but when I incorporated video workouts and added classes, I then saw a difference. I think that just workimg out doing my own thing wasn't getting the results as much as a doing a workout with a trained professional who knows which muscles to work and how to work it. Try mixing up your workouts and incorporating videos and classes added to your regular workout routine.0
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