[Lynn160]

OK, First the good news. Went shopping on Friday and fit into a size 14! I started in a size 20W and waist of 45 inches. Now my waist is almost 37.

What is confusing to me is that since I lost 50 pounds the weight loss has slowed, stopped, and even gained 1 pound from Halloween candy and parties

Anyway, how is it that I lost a clothing size but not lost any more weight? In the last two weeks dozens of people have commented on how good I look and my weight loss is really showing. That I am looking skinny.

Is the overall weight loss now turning into muscle tone as I continue to exercise?

Just curious. I still want to see my weight in the 160's so I am going to keep on keeping on my plan.

Just wondering.

Thanks!

[srmb60]

We were just talking about this in Featherweights. A couple fo us didn't really lose much in October but we shrank! I'm sure there's some scientific reason fo rit but I think of it this way ... the fat melts and it takes a while for your skin to catch up. When the skin is shrinking, that's when you really notice clothing, measurements etc.

Worth remembering when the scale doesn't show much progress.

Great isn't it?

[Heather]

Congrats! It's a great feeling!

Fat doesn't turn into muscle -- they are two different types of tissue. And you'll only be building muscle if you're really working at it -- lifting heavy and then eating protein to repair the small tears you've made from lifting. But the process of weight loss is sometimes a strange and complex one!! And there could be some other shifts happening, too.

[Palestrina]

I'm having a similar experience. I've plateaued for 2 months on the scale not going up or down no matter how much I eat or don't eat, it's very strange.

However, my clothes are fitting better, my face is shrinking, and people are noticing my weight loss right and left (finally!).

I'm learning to think of my plateau as a good thing. It feels good to be able to maintain my weight for once and I'm glad I'm not losing weight too fast.... I've always been scared that I would get saggy and that my face would look sunken in when I lost weight but so far my skin has never looked better.

[raebeaR]

I don't know remember where I heard this, but I remember reading once in a weight loss book that when you hit a plateau, your body is busy redistributing its fat stores. This explains why the scale doesn't move but everything fits differently. So usually when you're staying on your plan but seeing no movement on the scale, it's time to get out the measuring tape -- that's when you'll see the most change in your body's shape. Interesting, huh?

[Lynn160]

Thanks for all the replies. I like where I am going. At least it is encouraging being in a smaller size even with hitting a plateau! Now if I can just make it through the next few months of Holidays without doing any damage and undoing everything I have workd so hard for during the last 7 months

[DCHound]

I plateaued for about six months and lost three yes THREE sizes...weird, but good.

[ubergirl]

Hah. I just asked this same question on another thread! Nice to see the answers.