Weight Loss Support Give and get support here!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 03-26-2010, 09:55 AM   #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
apinkoctopus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: the ocean, duh.
Posts: 3

S/C/G: fat/chunky/fit

Height: 5'6

Default What the what?!

Hi, I'm new. Now that's outta the way, I have some complaining to do, and then a question.

I began counting calories on Sunday. In addition to counting calories, I'm generally trying to eat whole foods and stay away from sugars and white flour etc. From Sunday until today I have managed to keep calories between 1,300 and 1,500 per day and I have written down everything I put in my mouth. So, go me.

Monday I started working out. It wasn't the first workout of my life, but it might as well have been. I used to be very active, but then life got in the way (I let it, I know). The point is, I'm back with a vengance. I worked out Monday, Wednesday and again last night. What did I do? I got on the treadmill and did intervals of running/walking/walking on a steep incline. How long? 30-40 minutes. I was sweating, huffing and puffing, genuinely giving 100% and feeling great. The plan is to work up to 60 minutes of cardio and to add in 3 days of weight training starting next week. This week was just about me starting to move again and trying to make a new after work routine.

I'm sore. My abs are sore and my legs are sore, so I know I was working hard enough.

Here's the deal though. I hop on the scale this morning...after my morning tinkle and before breakfast and nekkid as a jay bird. I'm not saying I was expecting a 5 pound loss or anything...but nuthin'. I get nuthin. I'm the same as I was Saturday morning.

I realize that five days of being perfectly on plan and working out doesn't seem like a HUGE deal but it just seems like since it's such a stark change to my normal routine I should have seen SOME loss so far.

I'm not giving up or anything irrational like that. I just wonder if any of you had the same experience at the beginning? Is it possible I'm retaining water because my muscles are sore? What the what is going on?

Thanks for listening and for any advice.

Last edited by apinkoctopus; 03-26-2010 at 09:57 AM.
apinkoctopus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 10:04 AM   #2  
Senior Member
 
stargzr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,022

S/C/G: original 221 198/ticker/150

Height: 5'9"

Default

It sounds like you've pretty much shocked your body. I would say it's fine for now and to give it another week or so. Also, take your measurements. A lot of the time when we're working out, we don't see the scale move, but it's because you're building muscle so your measurements will change.
My personal experience, this didn't happen to me when I first started, but that's because I started with just diet, then added in exercise some months later. When I started exercising though, my weight loss stalled for a couple weeks... but my measurements changed.

Last edited by stargzr; 03-26-2010 at 10:05 AM.
stargzr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 10:05 AM   #3  
Green Tomatoes
 
gardenerjoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Kirkwood, Missouri
Posts: 11,861

Height: 5'9"

Default

>Is it possible I'm retaining water because my muscles are sore?

Yep! Keep going and drink lots of water. You will get a satisfying whoosh of weight loss in a few days.
gardenerjoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 10:10 AM   #4  
One step at a time
 
mkendrick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: OK
Posts: 1,286

S/C/G: 183/136.2/125-130

Height: 5'7

Default

I think you hit the nail on the head with water retention. For one, our bodies are such fickle, unpredictable machines and there are zillions of variables from day to day (water retention, stress, exact body chemistry, even humidity and such). I won't lose anything for 5 days, then drop a whole pound overnight without changing my routine. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense.

But sore muscles = lactic acid build up. As your muscles repair themselves, they swell with water, hence, water retention and extra weight.

I personally weigh everyday and just force myself to focus on the downward trend rather than the number that day. Just an example, here were my weights for the last 10 days.

148.2, 148.0, 147.6, 147.6, 147.4, 147.2, 147.2, 147.8, 146.8, 146.8

If I was a weekly weigher, and my weigh in was on the first bold day, and I worked hard and stayed on plan all week and then got on the scale 7 days later to see the second bold number, I'd be discouraged. Only a .2lb loss!? But when I look at the whole week, I can see that the second bold number was an anomalie and I have a downward trend.
mkendrick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 12:14 PM   #5  
Junior Member
 
Bex77's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Indiana
Posts: 9

S/C/G: 187/161/140

Height: 5'5"

Default

I've experienced the EXACT same thing! I'm interested to read about the water retention...makes sense. It is so hard not to focus on the scale but don't get discouraged! This site is amazing for support and info.
Bex77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 12:40 PM   #6  
Waddle fast Flap hard FLY
 
patchworkpenguin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 5,354

S/C/G: Top 272~restart 255

Height: 5'7

Default

Just wanted to say 'great job' on the positve steps! Stick with it. Be consistant and you will see the changes you want.
patchworkpenguin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 12:44 PM   #7  
Senior Member
 
Renwomin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Midwest, USA
Posts: 436

S/C/G: 280/255/Healthy, Happy, Strong

Height: 5'7"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by stargzr View Post
Also, take your measurements. A lot of the time when we're working out, we don't see the scale move, but it's because you're building muscle so your measurements will change.
This is SO important!! I know we all love seeing that number drop on the scale, but I would much rather see my measurements drop because that is a much, much better indicator of overall health and success. If you work out or lift weights the scale and your resulting BMI is a lot less accurate and less meaningful.

I weigh myself every day like Mkendrick and I too find fluctuations from day to day, hour to hour even. (I'm starting to find them fascinating instead of frustrating.) If I really start getting frustrated I grab my tape measure and find out the truth. I've never not seen a reduction there since I've started.

You are doing the right thing for your body. Don't worry! You will see results.
Renwomin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 03:57 PM   #8  
3 + years maintaining
 
rockinrobin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 12,070

S/C/G: 287/120's

Height: 5 foot nuthin'

Default

It takes months and months and months of weight training to build muscle. Also, the tape measure, that takes a bit longer to show much of a difference. Just my take on it. I don't think it "pays" to measure daily or even weekly. I think, it's best to measure once a month.

Yes, you're most likely retaining water. BUT, it's only been 5 days!! 5 days. It's not an automatic process. Weight loss is NOT an instant gratification type thing. You don't eat well today and necessarily see the results tomorrow. For that matter, if you don't eat well today, you most likely won't see the "bad" direct results of it the following day.

Give it a chance. Let those fat cells empty out. STICK WITH IT. You do that, and eventually it WILL show up as a weight loss. Hang tight. It's coming.
rockinrobin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 04:46 PM   #9  
Senior Member
 
randomcards's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 434

Default

Yeah you girl's weight varies a lot from week to week anyway, so your assumption that your start weight was really even your start weight might be false...but who cares, this process is measured in weeks, months, and years, not days...

Focus on behaviors for now, if you go for 3-4 weeks without scale progress and you truly feel you in a good calorie deficit then you can start trying to figure out why. Until then focus on continuing the good behaviors.
randomcards is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2010, 07:27 PM   #10  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
apinkoctopus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: the ocean, duh.
Posts: 3

S/C/G: fat/chunky/fit

Height: 5'6

Default

Thanks for all the input everyone. By no means am I thinking of giving up or going off plan or any of that nonsense. I just honestly thought with that kind of shock even ONE pound would have been lost. But, whatevs. I'll keep at it.

Thanks!
apinkoctopus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Related Topics
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Old color coded plans - can anyone tell me what the exchanges were for each? shshshhh LA Weight Loss 23 05-08-2008 11:26 AM
What the **** is it about birthday cake? DairyQueen Food Talk And Fabulous Finds 24 06-22-2006 02:46 PM
What the Skinny Girls Do!!! ilovemyluckycat Alternachicks 31 02-26-2003 09:50 PM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:50 PM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.