Not Losing! In fact, gained a pound or two... Why?
Kelly043
Posts: 51 Member
After a few years of inactivity, I just started to REALLY track my calories and greatly increased my exercise as of 6/26. I started walking nearly every day, adding more and more jogging each time, and I am also doing 30DS program. I am up to Level One, Day 10 (later today).
I am not losing at all! I am well aware that I'm developing muscle and that weighs more than fat, but wouldn't I still be losing a pound or two after 16 days? I confess I had off days calorie-wise this past weekend, but with the amount of exercise I've been doing, I wouldn't think it would negate any weight loss.
I am 4' 11" and age 44. Being both short and getting older certainly doesn't help my metabolism. I know I eat a few more processed snack foods than perhaps I should, but I am meeting my calorie goals and eating some exercise calories.
I did take my measurements right before I started 30DS. I did a quick check this morning and I think I lost an inch from my waist. However, I will measure again tonight when I have more time (and also to do the measurement at about the same time as my starting measurement - I know that is important when you weigh on the scale - does it matter for measurements? I wasn't planning on taking measurements again so soon, but I checked due to my frustration with no scale movement.
Has anyone had success even though the scale initially showed a gain?
I am not losing at all! I am well aware that I'm developing muscle and that weighs more than fat, but wouldn't I still be losing a pound or two after 16 days? I confess I had off days calorie-wise this past weekend, but with the amount of exercise I've been doing, I wouldn't think it would negate any weight loss.
I am 4' 11" and age 44. Being both short and getting older certainly doesn't help my metabolism. I know I eat a few more processed snack foods than perhaps I should, but I am meeting my calorie goals and eating some exercise calories.
I did take my measurements right before I started 30DS. I did a quick check this morning and I think I lost an inch from my waist. However, I will measure again tonight when I have more time (and also to do the measurement at about the same time as my starting measurement - I know that is important when you weigh on the scale - does it matter for measurements? I wasn't planning on taking measurements again so soon, but I checked due to my frustration with no scale movement.
Has anyone had success even though the scale initially showed a gain?
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Replies
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yes. fluctuation is aggravating but part of it...the worst part is..I'll see an increase and then figure..what's the point and then eat the wrong stuff..and sabotage everything I had accomplished..We need to just stay consistent and hang in there..look less at the scale and focus on body fat percentage and how the clothes are fitting and how you're feeling....0
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I have dieted for years and seemed to only slow down my metabolism. I few years ago (I'm 52) I lost #30+ with a version of the southbeach diet. I cut down on carbs and that seemed to do the trick...and I ate MORE! I hit a plateau a few years back and would still like to lose around 20# but am having great difficulty. My only suggestion is to maybe try cutting back on the carbs. It worked for me when nothing else did.
Best of luck...I know the frustration you must be feeling!0 -
It could just be water weight. You don't gain muscle on a calorie deficit unfortunately, you can just work to maintain as much as you can while losing.
Are you measuring your portions correctly? Measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale? Are you paying attention to the entries in the database" I've noticed a lot of them are wrong. People input foods from all over the world, they input their recipes which are different most likely than how you'd make something. Don't just eyeball your servings.
Are you drinking enough water? Limiting your sodium? A lot of things could be the cause of a slight gain.0 -
The "days off" can certainly show up as a weight gain a day or a few days later. It really depends on how much you ate as to whether that extra weight will stick. Consistency is key when trying to lose weight.0
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Couple things.
You said it yourself that it has been 16 days right? You just dived right into actually accounting calories in, calories out, made a drastic shift in exercise etc.
16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
No you are likely not gaining muscle; IF eating at a caloric surplus as a woman and working with resistance training you have the possibility of maybe gaining 0.25-.5 lbs of muscle a week, maybe. Muscle also does not weigh more than fat, it is more dense. For beginner weight lifters this can come slightly more easily but not in any substantial amount. You do however retain a high amount of water when you exercise, you instigate hormone changes as well.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.0 -
What they said. ^0
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16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.
Especially these.0 -
Great advice here so far. I am happy to see people NOT telling you that it is muscle gain. It is likely just water retention, and it will disappear. Then the scale should start to show a loss. I think a lot of people believe that the pounds will drop off magically when they being a healthy diet and exercise regimen, but patience is the key. It didn't come on overnight, and it won't come off overnight. It's just more fun to gain it than it is to lose it. :-p Hang in there, continue doing what you are doing, and you will make steady progress.0
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Hi Kelly, We are about the same height and age so I thought I'd check your diary but it's closed. I was in the same boat and unbeknown to me and I know this sounds strange, I wasn't eating enough for the activity that I was doing. Basically your body goes into starvation mode because you're burning more than you're eating. This COULD be one instance but not knowing all the circumstances there could be other factors too.
Erica 0 -
I'm guessing it's likely water retention from 30DS. (You're not building muscle). I've seen a lot of posts in the past in particular about 30DS and many people seemed to stay the same weight or gain a bit at first. Then, they would either drop some pounds towards the end (like Level 3) or maybe not drop pounds but they would lose some inches.0
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Congratulations on making the decision to change your lifestyle! That's a big step!!
Since your diary is not open to the public, I can't see if you're eating too little, too much, or just right. Not that I'm an expert, but your caloric intake does have an effect on whether or not you're losing.
If you went from eating 2,500 calories on a daily basis to eating 1,200 daily, AND exercising, "overnight" your body may be compensating for the change by holding onto the weight.
Even so, at this point, your best bet is to be patient, as everyone else here has already said.
Best of luck to you!!0 -
I can put on 3 pounds overnight, if it's the right day of the month. Female cycles play a huge part in water retention (bloating).
You mentioned eating processed snacks. Yes - we all do it. It takes additional water to wash out that extra sodium. Without enough water, that adds pounds right there.
Keep at it. This is a marathon, not a sprint.0 -
THIS. 2 weeks isn't even enough time for the body to adapt to physical training.Couple things.
You said it yourself that it has been 16 days right? You just dived right into actually accounting calories in, calories out, made a drastic shift in exercise etc.
16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
No you are likely not gaining muscle; IF eating at a caloric surplus as a woman and working with resistance training you have the possibility of maybe gaining 0.25-.5 lbs of muscle a week, maybe. Muscle also does not weigh more than fat, it is more dense. For beginner weight lifters this can come slightly more easily but not in any substantial amount. You do however retain a high amount of water when you exercise, you instigate hormone changes as well.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I've been at this for a little over 2 weeks now, and I've gained a pound...0
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A few thoughts...
1. Try to only weigh yourself 1X per week;
2. Try to weigh yourself at the same time of day and wearing the same clothes;
3. If you are losing inches, then you are seeing results and eventually, it will balance out as you are burning more calories to maintain muscle than to maintain fat;
4. Weight on the scale can fluctiuate according to time of month, water retention, etc. It is not necessarily the best indicator of success. Look to how you feel and how your clothes fit as better indicators of success.
5. Exercise is great but 80% of your weight is in your plate! Eat enough protein that you don't feel hungry, try to limit carbs, try to avoid processed foods and sugary snacks and if you have them, have them earlier in the day. Eat plenty of fruit & vegetables if you can. Ideally, your dinner plate should be: 1/2 veggies + 1/4 protein + 1/4 starch
Congratulations and keep up the good work!0 -
It's hard to answer this question without seeing your diary. Usually people lose a lot up front and then slow way down. Take another good look at your diary, or even consider opening it up for more concrete input, and I'm sure you'll find your answers.0
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Thanks for the input. I agree with your posts. Just feeling frustrated because a friend I introduced to MFP has already lost 7 pounds while my scale doesn't move. I do feel like my pants are a tad less tight, so there is something. If I drop inches/sizes in the next several months, I won't care what the scale says.
About 10 years ago I was much fitter - I took a kickbox training class 3x a week with the gloves/heavy bags, everything. It was a great workout. Since then I got Graves Disease (thyroid problem) that left me 40 pounds heavier in one year, had infertility procedures, years of starting/stopping good diet/fitness habits. Things are better now - we adopted a baby boy who is now four, and I'm trying to get healthy for both him and myself. I lost 36 pounds from April 2010 - Jan 2011 doing medifast, but I since gained all of it back. This time I am determined to get healthy the right way, with a better lifestyle and new healthier habits.0 -
Stay away from the scale and just do measurements for a while (month or 2) and keep tracking your calories and exercise. When you first start a new regimen, your body needs time to adjust! Keep up the good work, and remember it’s how you feel and look, not what you weigh! :flowerforyou:0
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Couple things.
You said it yourself that it has been 16 days right? You just dived right into actually accounting calories in, calories out, made a drastic shift in exercise etc.
16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
No you are likely not gaining muscle; IF eating at a caloric surplus as a woman and working with resistance training you have the possibility of maybe gaining 0.25-.5 lbs of muscle a week, maybe. Muscle also does not weigh more than fat, it is more dense. For beginner weight lifters this can come slightly more easily but not in any substantial amount. You do however retain a high amount of water when you exercise, you instigate hormone changes as well.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.
What she said!0 -
I have been through that the last five months I have been on mpf, I go up I go down plateau up down...I bought an orbitape which was suggested to me by my niece who is a physical therapist. It is a one hand tape measure that the body builders use to get the most accurate measurements. I go by my tape measure now instead of the scale, it just depresses me and I obsess about it to much!0
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Couple things.
You said it yourself that it has been 16 days right? You just dived right into actually accounting calories in, calories out, made a drastic shift in exercise etc.
16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
No you are likely not gaining muscle; IF eating at a caloric surplus as a woman and working with resistance training you have the possibility of maybe gaining 0.25-.5 lbs of muscle a week, maybe. Muscle also does not weigh more than fat, it is more dense. For beginner weight lifters this can come slightly more easily but not in any substantial amount. You do however retain a high amount of water when you exercise, you instigate hormone changes as well.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.
What she said!
I have man parts.0 -
it sounds liek you haev agood plan for you adn your family adn the others are right, 16 days may seem liek forever to you bu tin the grandscale it's just the beginning...I have lost a total of 5 pounds since I started in Feb, son't let other peoples' number influence you in a negative way.0
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I changed my diary setting to public, and also set it to track sodium and sugar. I had no idea bananas had that much sugar! Makes me sorry I already had one as my mid-morning snack today. Guess I'll have to change that to 1/2 a banana the next time I want one.0
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If you're going to worry about sugars, I'd concentrate more on reducing/eliminating the ones that come from the bars and breakfast items and less about any that come from fruits and veggies. Yes fruits are high in sugar but it's natural sugar.0
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Also, you didn't develop muscle in that short of time -- also, muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. a pound is a pound. period. It takes up less space than fat.0
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Couple things.
You said it yourself that it has been 16 days right? You just dived right into actually accounting calories in, calories out, made a drastic shift in exercise etc.
16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
No you are likely not gaining muscle; IF eating at a caloric surplus as a woman and working with resistance training you have the possibility of maybe gaining 0.25-.5 lbs of muscle a week, maybe. Muscle also does not weigh more than fat, it is more dense. For beginner weight lifters this can come slightly more easily but not in any substantial amount. You do however retain a high amount of water when you exercise, you instigate hormone changes as well.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.
What she said!
I have man parts.
lol0 -
Couple things.
You said it yourself that it has been 16 days right? You just dived right into actually accounting calories in, calories out, made a drastic shift in exercise etc.
16 Days, holy *kitten*.
BE PATIENT.
No you are likely not gaining muscle; IF eating at a caloric surplus as a woman and working with resistance training you have the possibility of maybe gaining 0.25-.5 lbs of muscle a week, maybe. Muscle also does not weigh more than fat, it is more dense. For beginner weight lifters this can come slightly more easily but not in any substantial amount. You do however retain a high amount of water when you exercise, you instigate hormone changes as well.
Don't measure or weigh more than once a week, and jusdt relax and be patient. Again it's been 16 days which is not a substantial amount of time. If you can keep doing what you are doing and be dedicated about it you will see the results you want.
THIS!!! When you exercise your muscles retain water, which doesn't show a weight loss on the scale. You should google about muscles retaining water, it'll make you feel better about the scale; and make you understand why you need to drink LOTS of water.0 -
If you have lost an inch from your waist that's a great sign! I've lost 20 lbs so far and am only down an inch from my waist.0
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If you are that concerned, maybe it is either your sodium intake or sugar (& carbs) intake. Some people have probelms losing weight because of these factors. Also, maybe try increasing your protein as well.
Other then that, give it some time. If you notice after a significant amount of more time that nothing seems to be happening, maybe go to the Dr and get a Physical and make sure there is nothign else going on, like a thyroid issue or something.
GOOD LUCK and I hope it is just a small starting plataeu!! 0 -
Also note, I've had weekend days 'off' only to regret it when the scale spikes SEVERAL lbs... obviously it's not fat, it's just food in your gut, but at 4' 11" you're going to have to be more careful than most, because you just need less calories.
Try increasing your fiber intake (fruit, veggies, ect) for a while if you haven't already... and DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!!! These things help flush the system! The liver and the kidneys process out fat and toxins and it gets flushed out the other end. I cant stress this enough!
'Believe in yourself, TRUST THE PROCESS, change forever.' – Bob Harper, The Biggest Loser0
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