Okay let me start by saying.. I dont always agree with my scale.. and I am not getting down about what I am about to say..and I am not going to fall off the wagon.. I just need to vent!!!

I started my gym membership on May 31st. I have gone 4 days a week for the last 3 weeks.. and I will go 4 days this week as well. My workout is 20 mins on treadmill, 180 crunches, leg machines (tues/fri), arm machines (mon/thur), 10 more mins on treadmill and 5-10 mins on bike.

I have changed my eating habits. I am not following any sort of plan.. I just have cut down on what I was eating.. and stopped eating the bad stuff (most of the time) I drink over 120 oz a day of water m-f and 40-60 oz sat and sun.

The first week and a half May 31-Jun 11 I lost 6 lbs. I have gained back those 6lbs and 4 more since the 11th. Is this muscle? My clothes still feel loose and people are finally noticing I am losing weight (meaning from January). Can it be that much muscle???

Or am I slowly losing my mind? I have decided to ditch the scale and only weigh myself once a month.. on the First of every month. But I am still puzzled.

Any Ideas? (sorry this was so long)

Amanda

Amanda honey.. I feel for you and send you **hugs** and a pillow to beat your frustration out on.. This happened to me in April and I fell off the wagon til this past week. You work out and work out and work out and eat healthy and nothing happens or you gain. What everyone was telling me was twofold: 1. you are gaining muscle and 2. your body is freaking out a bit at this exercise and is holding on to everything it's got.. I'm not sure I believe any of that but that's what I was told. LOL

I'm with you on the once a month weigh in. I can't do it daily or even weekly or I get depressed and give up. Take your measurements too--they will encourage you even more than any ole scaley monster! Good luck and I'm proud of you for hanging in there!!

Amanda, I hear you about the scales...those mechanical monsters were created by Satan himself to reduce us beautiful women to tears. I started back at Curves Monday of last week, and have gone 6 times. I've upped my water and cut back on the amount I eat and the bad stuff (mostly). I stepped on the scale last night and was up 2 lbs. AAARGGGHH!! But it is true that you are gaining muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. So even though the demon spawn that is the scales says I gained 2 lbs, my clothes feel more lose already, and that's what I'm going by.

I really think weighing once a month is the best way to go. A woman's body changes so much during the month normally anyway (hormones, TOM, blah blah blah), that weighing every day or even every week is just asking for trouble. I'm not stepping on those blasted scales again until my Curves weigh in on July 9th!

Take care, and good luck! You are doing great, and don't you forget it!

Hugs!

M'Chelle

Ditto the other posts, as well as muscle, a lot of exercise does make you retain water, so a lot of it will be water weight. Are you having your body fat measured? Measurements taken? I have been working out solidly since January and do measurements and body fat as my main tracking of my progress, and use the scales just to keep me honest.

Don't let the evil scales get you down! I left mine in Australia when I moved to England muahahahahaha revenge is mine!!!!!

You guys are great.. thanks for the responses and encouragement.

To answer some of your questions.. yes I have had my body fat measure.. and also measurements done. My gym does a weigh in/measurement every month to track our progress and will change our programs if we aren't performing the way they think we should.

So until July 1.. I will not look at another scale.

Kykaree.. you crack me up.. muhahahhahah <grin> gotta love it!!! Are you looking to see if your scale can swim?

Crystal.. thanks for the pillow.. although I hope you didnt want it back in one piece?

Thanks again ladies!
Amanda

I take my measurements weekly. I lose inches way before I lose pounds. I've lost 19 inches since Mar. 12, 2005. I had lost 7 pounds but the scales the last couple of days show a 2 pound increase. I am hoping that my measurements will be down on Saturday along with the weight. THe scales are awful. You can do this. Muscle does weigh more than fat so don't get discouraged. THe scales will catch up.

Here you go, Amanda. This illustrates just how much denser muscle is than fat: Fat Vs. Muscle
That your hard work is reflected in your clothing and has been noticed by others speaks volumes. You're doing really well. Keep it up!