I'm not losing weight

Options
bahmanygood
bahmanygood Posts: 11 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started working out with a trainer 3 months ago. We work out 3 days per week, plus I also do another 2 or 3 days of cardio. Over the past 3 months, I've only lost 7 lbs, but I've been able to lose 12 total inches.

I'm confused as to why I'm not losing more weight?

Replies

  • xlolitabandita
    xlolitabandita Posts: 242
    Options
    What's your eating like? it might be easier to help if you set your diery to open so we can see exactly what you're eating everyday. Also, how much do you weigh? What is your goal of lbs lost per week?
  • Nikkihearts
    Nikkihearts Posts: 5
    Options
    Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so if you're seeing a trainer, are you doing a lot of weight lifting and other muscle training?
  • kittyhasclaws
    kittyhasclaws Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    If you've lost that many inches, then you're probably gaining muscle while you're losing fat. A pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat (volume-wise), so you'd easily lose many inches for every pound of muscle gained and fat lost.
  • seraphina80
    seraphina80 Posts: 4
    Options
    Hey!
    12 inches is great! Why your not seeing the scale budge as much because you are building muscle, and muscle weighs more then fat. So while you are loosing inches, your weight may still stay the same or go down slowly because of muscle being built. Be patient! Pay attention more to how lose your clothes are fitting and how good you feel, and pay less attention to the scale, it's just a number. Congrats on the 12 inches!
  • Alcoria
    Alcoria Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    hey its most likely due to muscle gain and water retention make sure you drink plenty of water before during and after workouts along with during the rest of your day dont worry so much right now as to why your not losing the weight but 12" in 3 months is awesome be happy about that. :) good luck on your journey!
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
    Options
    Really, if you've lost 12 inches, I wouldn't be all that concerned with the lack of significant pound loss. You're obviously doing some redistributing of good weight to bad weight if inch loss is happening.

    You WANT muscle weight. Muscle weight means you need more calories in a day, you're stronger, you're fitter, you're healthier.

    It's just the fat weight you want to ditch. As long as you're losing inches, you're still gonna start fitting into some teenier clothes, and that's definitely a victory.

    I wish I could say I've lost 12 inches! :) WTG!
  • uglyhobo
    uglyhobo Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    "I cannot stress how important it is to let the mirror dictate your goals, rather than a number. People vary from person to person on weight based on many factors. Use weight as a tool, and the mirror as a guide. Have a great Sunday my beautiful friends." -xcrushx28



    It's much more important about how much your bf% is dropping. If you are losing inches and getting slimmer, but not losing weight, that is great. That's the type of loss you should be going for. Fat loss, not weight loss. Most people go on crash diets eating 1200 calories a day, mostly carbs, and doing an hour of cardio a day and maybe a little lifting here and there, yet those people always end up skinnyfat,
    I'm actually slimmer at 152 right now than when I weighed 140.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
    Options
    i'm going to disagree with the others who are saying muscle gain.. muscle is extremely hard to make since it require lots of calories, unless you're eating well over your calorie goal and continually pushing some heavy weights that are close to your 1rep max, then at most your newbie muscle gains are going to be in the 1-3 pound range. also if it were that easy to build muscle then people wouldnt need to take steroids.

    the fact that your losing so much in inches but slowly in weight makes me think you're eating where you'd need to be to maximize fat loss but optimize keeping your muscle while you lose. you could maybe drop your calories a little bit more, but I wouldnt say decrease by too much .

    another thing to keep in mind is how close are you to your goal?
  • uglyhobo
    uglyhobo Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    Also, here's an image for you. I've actually seen this one girl who gained about 15 lbs this year but got more slimmer and toned thanks to a higher protein intake +lifting +not caring so much about the scale.

    muscle-fat.jpg
  • dree77
    dree77 Posts: 52
    Options
    Muscle muscle MUSCLE! :) as a few people posted above, muscle weighs more than fat so as you burn off fat, you are also building muscle, especially if you are weight training. Do NOT rely on just a scale - they are good if you are working on just fat loss and not muscle building, but OMG you lost 12 inches - THAT plus the 7 lbs weight loss shows that you are doing everything right! Keep it up and don't concern yourself with the number on the scale, especially now that eventually it may not move at all if you continue to work out the way you are.

    If you feel great, that's what counts. You should be extremely proud of yourself!! :flowerforyou:
  • rcthale
    rcthale Posts: 141
    Options
    All that exercise makes your weight an unreliable statistic. Focus more on how your clothes are fitting differently.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Options
    Also, here's an image for you. I've actually seen this one girl who gained about 15 lbs this year but got more slimmer and toned thanks to a higher protein intake +lifting +not caring so much about the scale.

    muscle-fat.jpg

    Dude your thigh always excites me.

    No homo.
  • bahmanygood
    bahmanygood Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    thank you so much everyone! I was getting very confused, because the number on the scale wasn't moving but the measurements were.
    The number on the scale doesn't bother me anymore, I'm thrilled that I've lost the inches and I keep on losing them.

    I'm 6'0" and 168 lbs.
  • mrykyldy2
    mrykyldy2 Posts: 96 Member
    Options
    Unfortunately, muscle does not weigh more that fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. Muscle just happens to be denser than fat. Your 12 inches is awesome acheivement. It is possible that you gained weight in muscle. I will say that I did not peek at your food diary but do look at the amount of carbs that you eat. For many people lowering the amount of carbs that you are eating makes a difference. Everyone is different, it takes some experimenting with your food intake.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
    Options
    thank you so much everyone! I was getting very confused, because the number on the scale wasn't moving but the measurements were.
    The number on the scale doesn't bother me anymore, I'm thrilled that I've lost the inches and I keep on losing them.

    I'm 6'0" and 168 lbs.

    You are pretty close to the "right" weight for your height, so you'll definitely see slower weight loss. Inches are great!

Categories