Exercising more than ever & barely loosing

[Bostongurl 0]

So I'm finally in a really good routine, working out regularly, eating well, but I'm loosing less weight than I was before. Now in what world does that make any sense? The reasonable side of me says: “you’re bound to plateau after a while of consistent loosing”, or “you’re gaining muscle mass and loosing fat”, etc.

But D*MN, I’m working so hard and loosing a pound every other week??? It’s like watching paint dry. The good news is that I’m actually enjoying working out for maybe the first time in my life, and even though I haven’t lost very much recently, more people than ever are commenting on how much weight I’ve lost. So I guess I’ll stop wining and just go with the flow, but when you work so hard and see such small results, it’s hard not to get in a funk about it every once in a while.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this? Where you worked out more then you had been, but stopped loosing weight?

[piercedqt78 658]

Sounds to me like you are build muscle and dropping fat. Fat is heavier than muscle, so you are getting smaller but the scale isn't moving. I went from a 14 to a 12 and never lost a pound, but I lost 6 inches combined from my waist, hips, and chest. That's muscle building. ~Mandy

[Wheetsin 714]

Just like the pierced one said -- working out more = building more muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. It also helps you burn more calories. So you're metabolism is more active, and you should be shrinking, even though you aren't losing pounds.

Keep in mind that fat does not equal weight. Your weight is everything - your skin & all the goodies bundled up inside of it. Fat is just a part of your weight.

[Jachut 487]

Me! Me!

My average weekly routine would now consist of four runs - two 5km runs, one 7km run, one 10km run and three body pump or circuit sessions involving weight work where I may also do about 3 to 4km gentle running on the treadmill.

there's a few factors at play here - 1. I'm nearly at goal so dont expect to lose fast, 2. I may be gaining muscle, losing fat (which is my primary aim now) and 3. that much exercise makes me bloody hungry, and I'm eating more to compensate for that.

I think my strongest weapons in weight maintenance are great exercise habits and a good body composition with plenty of muscle. That way I dont have to rely on "willpower" or live on a paltry diet for the rest of my life. I've had times before where I've been in really good exercise habits for years at a time and it is almost impossible to gain weight when you're very active, it allows you to enjoy eating a lot more than you otherwise could.

So for me, what will be will be. I guess I'll lose more over the next year but its going to be very slow.

[flabuless 18]

I am with you...I am exercising walking for about 1hr each day...but I have given up on my scales mostly...get the measuring tape out...start taking body measurements then you will get a true reflection.

[Malice X Girl 0]

Yeah I'm there too...it's crazy. I'm doing cardio, watching my calories and it's barely moving. It's depressing

[piercedqt78 658]

But are you getting smaller? ~Mandy

[deckedout 0]

I'm having the same thing. Swimming laps for 40 minutes 5 days a week, plus 3 days a week weight training and treadmill. I've been doing this for 8 weeks and have lost a total of 2 lbs!

But, I feel much better and stronger. Plus, people keep telling me I look like I'm losing, so.. . Saturday, I get out the measuring tape. That will be my 5 month since measuring before banding, and 3 months since last recorded measurements. It is so much easier to jump on the scale.< /p>

[rharriet62 0]

Well, I wish you all lived in Wyoming and we could all work out together (LOTS) and commiserate with each other! I work out 2 hours a day and the weight loss seems slower than ever. UG. But, like you, I am enjoying the new lifestyle of working out and and have met some great friends! Just think of all the good things happening INSIDE our bodies that we can't see! YAHOO!

[Telly 4]

You are plateauing b/c you aren't eating enough. If you as active as I am then you need to up your Protein and carbs. Your body is stuck at a cycle where you maintain b/c it's used to your caloric intake. If you "UP" your calories and still have the same workout routine.. your body will then "let go" of starvation mode and allow you to lose again. Try it for a week. Up your calories by 200 a day. Eat more carbs... eat a potato right after a workout and up your protein to about 170g per day, 99 - 120 carbs per day and watch the weight come off.

[Telly 4]

It's weird I know but... in order to lose weight (at this point in your active lifestyle) you have to eat. food is fuel!

[Jachut 487]

Also, keep measuring yourself in terms of how your clothes fit. The scale has barely moved for me in months, but this afternoon I bought a dress thinking I'd have to wear my supersucker body stocking thing under it, and when I put it on at home, it was fine without. No lumpy bits ruining the effect.

So after that I tried on an outfit that I last wore a month ago to a 40th. I put on the pants and thought, hmmm, no real change there, then I put on the top (a short wrap dress) I wore with them and realised again that I didnt need the supersucker body stocking I had last worn underneath - there was no muffin top with the pants! And the arms of the dress werent binding (they had been ever so slightly) and the braroll was gone.

Miraculous! With no weight change at all!

[Bostongurl 0]

All very good advise, thanks so much for everyone who is either just commiserating and or offering advise - it's all very helpful. Telly, I think that you may have actually hit the nail on the head, and that was the one thing I had not thought of, but that absolutly makes sense.

[Woodys 0]

I own a fitness centre based on the Curves concept. Everything that Wheetsin said is bang on right. Take your measurements.....I'm sure you'll notice a difference there.....you don't always have to measure a favourable change in your body by the scale.

A pound is a pound....so a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat....however, volume is where the two are different. A pound of fat takes up more space on your body than a pound of muscle. Also, when you engage in an active consistant exercise routine your body will automatically start to retain Water to protect it from dehydrating...hence, one more reason the scale may not be showing a significant drop.

Healthy muscle mass is instrumental in weight loss. Like Wheetsin said...it boosts the metabolism therefore increasing your fat burning ability. Continue to eat properly, lots of Protein, because the body is only capable of losing 2 pounds of body fat per week, if you are losing more than that it is coming from lean tissue and muscle mass.....and we already know why we need to protect and enhance our muscle mass.

Keep up the exercise...in the long run you will thank yourself for it...you will begin to notice much more than just a change in your body size....you will breathe better, sleep better, have increased appetite control, and have an increase in stamina and endurance (hope I don't offend you but even sex gets better!) Also, it will not eliminate the problem of sagging skin, but if the muscles under the sagging skin are toned and strong it does help a bit. It depends a lot on your age too, but the skin has a chance of looking better if there is strong toned muscle underneath.

Hope this info makes you feel a bit better regarding your concerns.

Carol

[Telly 4]

All very good advise, thanks so much for everyone who is either just commiserating and or offering advise - it's all very helpful. Telly, I think that you may have actually hit the nail on the head, and that was the one thing I had not thought of, but that absolutly makes sense.

That's what happened to me several times. I would finally just let go and eat more and "BAM", the loss would surprise me. Lately I've been on a plateau and a friend reminded me to "just eat more" and my weight is coming off again, actually I need to update my sig info.

Try not to weigh everyday if you can help it. Weigh once per week and at first, you'll probably eat more and see that the scale hasn't gone up or down, it's the same which is cool b/c you are eating more. Then a week or so later, the scale moves down.